Book Finished: 3D Printing For Dummies
I am interested in this as something to take up in retirement
I remember reading about 3D printing as it developed in the late Eighties, then the early self-reproducing 3D printing efforts, with people building their own, and trying to hone the design to something that can be produced by a 3D printer! They were open-source University-originated designs.
I was very surprised to find the current state of the art is astounding and still improving rapidly.
For those who have not encountered 3D printing, think of how 2D printing was revolutionised by the desktop printer. Suddenly anyone could compose and print without the need for publishers and giant printing presses which made small jobs uneconomic.
3D printers make actual 3D objects, (Not 3D-looking pictures) some of which cannot be made any other way. They can do it cheaply and quickly, without the need to tool up an engineering plant of drills, lathes, stampers, and casting and assembly machinery.
Starter kits are as cheap as $1,500.
I could risk copyright issues making up a slideshow of 3D printed objects, but is just as easy for the reader to look it up for themselves HERE as a Google image search.
This book goes into the history, the legalities, and full details on building and setting up a 3D printer. Too much detail for the casual reader, though it is a good insight into what is involved.
I found it quite inspiring, the detail wasn't daunting, and it made feel quite keen to have a go, even if I don't build my own machine, although that is something I'd like to have a go at too.
I remember reading about 3D printing as it developed in the late Eighties, then the early self-reproducing 3D printing efforts, with people building their own, and trying to hone the design to something that can be produced by a 3D printer! They were open-source University-originated designs.
I was very surprised to find the current state of the art is astounding and still improving rapidly.
For those who have not encountered 3D printing, think of how 2D printing was revolutionised by the desktop printer. Suddenly anyone could compose and print without the need for publishers and giant printing presses which made small jobs uneconomic.
3D printers make actual 3D objects, (Not 3D-looking pictures) some of which cannot be made any other way. They can do it cheaply and quickly, without the need to tool up an engineering plant of drills, lathes, stampers, and casting and assembly machinery.
Starter kits are as cheap as $1,500.
I could risk copyright issues making up a slideshow of 3D printed objects, but is just as easy for the reader to look it up for themselves HERE as a Google image search.
This book goes into the history, the legalities, and full details on building and setting up a 3D printer. Too much detail for the casual reader, though it is a good insight into what is involved.
I found it quite inspiring, the detail wasn't daunting, and it made feel quite keen to have a go, even if I don't build my own machine, although that is something I'd like to have a go at too.
Read as an e-book borrowed from the library. This is why I bought a Kobo;
I can read e-books borrowed for free from my local City Council's public libraries, Waitakere Libraries.
This includes very recent publications, the only limitation being there is a time-out function on the files, but you can always borrow it again straight away, or re-join the queue if it has been reserved.
Retailers of the competing Kindle e-reader don't tell people they cannot access library books with it.
The well-known Kindle from Amazon will not accept the .epub format used by public libraries.
But the Kindle does make it "real easy" to be led off to buy Amazon's e-books on line!
I can read e-books borrowed for free from my local City Council's public libraries, Waitakere Libraries.
This includes very recent publications, the only limitation being there is a time-out function on the files, but you can always borrow it again straight away, or re-join the queue if it has been reserved.
Retailers of the competing Kindle e-reader don't tell people they cannot access library books with it.
The well-known Kindle from Amazon will not accept the .epub format used by public libraries.
But the Kindle does make it "real easy" to be led off to buy Amazon's e-books on line!