I used to run the 3D printing community on G+ at around 500k strong, (about 10k weekly active users according to Google’s stats) and I ended up actually pissing off a lot of my European users because of this. My viewpoint on it, was as an engineering exercise – it’s an amazing thing. It’s not advocating for guns, and guns aren’t only used to kill other people. So I stood up for the guys posting about their engineering challenges, and their work making 3D printed parts for a machine with high impact loads and loads of cycling issues.
Unfortunately, it lost me some friends, like Gina Haubage and Tomas Sanladerer – as they disagreed highly; and wanted to ban anyone posting firearms related 3D printing content.
Projectiles are a part of human nature. We’ve always thrown spears, rocks, etc – firearms are just an extension of our better understanding of the world. I know of barely anything else that uses explosive charges that is as widely applicable to the general public. Roofing nail guns? But that’s such a niche subject, it’s not something people are really worried about trying to make with 3D printing. Believe me, if I had a better engineering challenge for 3D printing, I’d be suggesting it. But nothing quite hits like containing an explosive charge, and utilizing the energy in a way that performs work without destroying itself.
Absolutely, it’s a fabulous engineering challenge, to make it work well on a hobbyist grade 3D printer with ordinary materials. Also a lesson in using the right tool for the right job (some parts are just better off milled or bought OtS)
I used to run the 3D printing community on G+ at around 500k strong, (about 10k weekly active users according to Google’s stats) and I ended up actually pissing off a lot of my European users because of this. My viewpoint on it, was as an engineering exercise – it’s an amazing thing. It’s not advocating for guns, and guns aren’t only used to kill other people. So I stood up for the guys posting about their engineering challenges, and their work making 3D printed parts for a machine with high impact loads and loads of cycling issues.
Unfortunately, it lost me some friends, like Gina Haubage and Tomas Sanladerer – as they disagreed highly; and wanted to ban anyone posting firearms related 3D printing content.
there is probably no point in fighting this sort of thing, but i wish we would engineer something else instead
Projectiles are a part of human nature. We’ve always thrown spears, rocks, etc – firearms are just an extension of our better understanding of the world. I know of barely anything else that uses explosive charges that is as widely applicable to the general public. Roofing nail guns? But that’s such a niche subject, it’s not something people are really worried about trying to make with 3D printing. Believe me, if I had a better engineering challenge for 3D printing, I’d be suggesting it. But nothing quite hits like containing an explosive charge, and utilizing the energy in a way that performs work without destroying itself.
camera gear? experimental musical instruments? i think an idiot could make a list of things that aren’t guns and don’t suck
Did you miss the qualifier “that uses explosive charges”? The engineering challenge is in the explosive part.
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Things that “don’t suck” are far away from peak exciting.
Absolutely, it’s a fabulous engineering challenge, to make it work well on a hobbyist grade 3D printer with ordinary materials. Also a lesson in using the right tool for the right job (some parts are just better off milled or bought OtS)