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I saw this video of GlowForge: [^]; company site: [^].
I think that's a very cool device ... which I will never own, but ...
I recall when the first Apple LaserWriter that the public could rent time on appeared at Krishna Copy in Berkeley, California, in late 1985. The LaserWriter sold for US $2500 then, which I estimate would be equivalent to around 4K US $ today, the future full-price of the GlowForge printer
Within a month, I started my first company, 'Technical Document Design,' got lucky, bagged a major client who was willing pay premium for fast turn-around graphics production. Created designs in MacDraw, printed them on the LaserWriter, had a local plate-maker/photographer turn them into 8 inch by 10 inch film transparencies for overhead-projector display.
Four months later I could actually buy my own LaserWriter, but I'll never forget the days at Krishna Copy's "laser parlour" [1] where stoned-out hippies mixed with yuppies (imagine patchouli, sandalwood, with top notes of Old Spice and Bay Rum), and children, and dogs, were often found under the tables holding the LaserWriters 
So, perhaps it is the prerogative of being older (but not wiser) to yawn, and say: "Here comes a future I can't imagine I need" ?
cheers, Bill
[1] I take credit for coining the term "laser parlour," which actually got some usage in Cult-of-the-Mac circles and media.
«I want to stay as close to the edge as I can without going over. Out on the edge you see all kinds of things you can't see from the center» Kurt Vonnegut.
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"There is no reason for any individual to have a computer 3d printer in his home." -- Ken Olsen
"I think there is a world market for maybe five computer 3d printers." -- Thomas Watson
modified 24-Sep-15 20:43pm.
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BillWoodruff wrote: Here comes a future I can't imagine I need
Death??? 
Marc
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Marc Clifton wrote: Death???
Too early to say. 
«I want to stay as close to the edge as I can without going over. Out on the edge you see all kinds of things you can't see from the center» Kurt Vonnegut.
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I can't - at the moment - see any reason why I'd want or need a current-generation 3D printer.
Maybe when the printed material is a little more robust, or the print speed is in minutes rather than hours. And when colours, textures, and "flexibility" can be manufactured in instead of just "almost hard" and "nothing".
But then of course, they will sell like hot cakes to the people who currently like their ladies inflatable... 
Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay...
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There are 3D printers for metal, but they're expensive, and don't do this:
OriginalGriff wrote: colours, textures, and "flexibility" can be manufactured in instead of just "almost hard" and "nothing".
But they can make some useful things, not just abstract art and unusual lego parts.
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To be useful as a home printer, they need to be able to make a spanner that can undo "that nut right there" (like the one between the cylinders of a Norton Commando), or something that has conductors and insulators, switches, clear patches for LEDs, small matrix keyboards...
At the moment, they are a gimmick like the first home printers were (noisy, slow, poor quality output - you remember what early dot matrix jobbies were like).
Their time will come - but they just aren't there yet.
Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay...
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For the average person, they are kind of a gimmick. I have worked with them personally (although it was a terrible printer from a terrible company) and I loved the thing. I was able to make quick fabrications (rather than sending them off to be physically made, which could take weeks to get it sent over). The price range is just still too much for the quality, but I can't wait till I can have one to use at home for random things.
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OriginalGriff wrote: I can't - at the moment - see any reason why I'd want or need a current-generation 3D printer.
Unless of course you need a new car[^]
veni bibi saltavi
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A couple of things here:
1) I can't afford its fuel consumption.
2) It'd be a bugger to park at Tescos.
3) No room for the shopping.
4) No room for Herself (which may be counted as an advantage from time to time, I'll admit).
5) There may be a few small components there that they didn't 3D print.
Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay...
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If you have a dual-head extruder, you can do hard and flexible printing in the same object. For an example, check out some of the stuff James at xrobots.co.uk[^] does with a combination of ABS and ninjaflex. With multi-head extruders, you can do different colors in the same print too.
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Cool device, but I'm like you I'll never own one...I'm so broke I can't even pay attention!
New version: WinHeist Version When you have eliminated the JavaScript, whatever remains must be an empty page. Unknown
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When you get your first 3D printer, and if it can print body parts, I will be your first customer. Some of these 71 year old bones are creaking so much, they should be replaced!
How do we preserve the wisdom men will need,
when their violent passions are spent?
- The Lost Horizon
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Looks cool, but I'm saving up for a Replicator (ala Star Trek)...
Will Rogers never met me.
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When they will cost substantially less and the printing materials too, I'll buy one. I'll just wait for a easy 3D designing tool (I'm no designer nor artist) because I'd like to make my own miniatrues for D&D games - the original ones suck a lot, not even one gets close to my idea of what the PG should be.
GCS d--- s-/++ a- C++++ U+++ P- L- E-- W++ N++ o+ K- w+++ O? M-- V? PS+ PE- Y+ PGP t++ 5? X R++ tv-- b+ DI+++ D++ G e++>+++ h--- ++>+++ y+++* Weapons extension: ma- k++ F+2 X
If you think 'goto' is evil, try writing an Assembly program without JMP. -- TNCaver
"When you have eliminated the JavaScript, whatever remains must be an empty page." -- Mike Hankey
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BillWoodruff wrote: So, perhaps it is the prerogative of being older (but not wiser) to yawn, and say: "Here comes a future I can't imagine I need" ?
That really is compelling technology Bill but, like you, I don't see what I'd use it for. I can see how someone who is inclined toward doing crafts might want one, though. I dunno; I've got a MacBook Pro here in my lab that could use a little embellishment! Think I ought to buy in so I can pretty it up?
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Your subject line shows your knowledge of the subject. It's a laser engraver/cutter not a 3d printer.
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Actually that's the nomenclature that the company itself used in the title of their promo video.
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Actually that's the nomenclature that the company itself used in the title of their video and website.
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I aint a clue
We can’t stop here, this is bat country - Hunter S Thompson RIP
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You forgot the work "got" in there...
Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay...
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Superfluous
We can’t stop here, this is bat country - Hunter S Thompson RIP
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Well that's certainly true! Which some people might consider a bit of a drawback in a clue based contest. 
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Inverse CCC 😁
We can’t stop here, this is bat country - Hunter S Thompson RIP
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hmm.
But 1,4,1,4 isn't a clue for that answer!
The crossword clue
(6, 1,4)
answer "haven't a clue" is good because there is literally no clue and "haven't a clue" is a known phrase.
Ah well - I'm just grumpy cuz I din't get it!
PooperPig - Coming Soon
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