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Print-your-own AR parts

6K views 35 replies 17 participants last post by  Rocster 
#1 ·
Well, I imagined this would happen at some point...someone has now posted the Print-on-demand 3D printer file for both an AR magazine & a lower receiver.


Mag: AR-15 Rifle Magazine by crank - Thingiverse
Lower: AR-15 Lower Receiver by KingLudd - Thingiverse

3D printers are really becoming more of a reality now, and they are doing more than just plastic parts, some of the industrial type machines can do metal parts too. They can do fairly precision parts now, here is a great example:
High Quality Pliers by russrobot - Thingiverse

The coolest thing is that in theory, with the plans/parts file a machine like this can print out the parts to make duplicates of itself(minus the electronics of course).

In case you are wondering, the printers are still a bit expensive from $1200 for a full kit to ~$2250 and up ready to run. Some are starting to be made in China and thus the price for an at home model is coming down fast. (see this one: Personal Portable 3D Printer

Here it is in action:
+ YouTube Video
ERROR: If you can see this, then YouTube is down or you don't have Flash installed.
 
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#3 ·
One of the big name companies that does use industrial machine, Shapeways, is now offering 3D printing service in stainless steel.

The page below tell about the details/costs/engineering specs. I believe it could be do-able and also be strong enough, but I don't know how to evaluate the material specifications they list. Also on that page is a great video showing the process; they print the design using stainless steel powder and a binder, and then bake it in a high-temp oven to make it solidlfy. This is sintered metal, a process that is now being used to create many firearms parts by some aftermarket suppliers of 1911 parts, etc.

http://www.shapeways.com/materials/stainless_steel
 
#4 · (Edited)
Update: Here is another cool video showing how laser sintering is used to fuse nylon plastic into a complex part. Eventually they will have higher powered versions of these that will do the same thing with metal powders to produce metal parts.


+ YouTube Video
ERROR: If you can see this, then YouTube is down or you don't have Flash installed.
 
#6 ·
Man I would love to have access to something like that, except with a metal powder!!!!!!! Man the car and gun parts that could be made!!!! Need an M76 receiver, just scan one in and print it out!!!
 
#7 ·
Ok, I took the plunge. I jumped into a Kickstarter project that is making 'affordable' 3D printers, only $499. My ready-to-assemble kit is supposed to arrive by the end of this month.
BTW, the guy who started this thought he would raise around $10,000 and build about 20-30 kits. Instead nearly 1000 people signed up and he raised $830k in about 25 days!

printrbot - Home

Printrbot: Your First 3D Printer by Brook Drumm — Kickstarter
 
#9 ·
Will do...
Update on my DIY kit is they maker is about 2 weeks behind schedule. Guess that means I'll see it by end of March now if all goes well.
 
#12 ·
I've thought about that, and I always wanted to design my own furniture...custom to fit what my idea of a comfortable grip shape would be. Doing it this way is much more flexible than doing it in wood, as that would be a one off try.

With this I can design it on my computer...print it...and then if it isnt right/need a tweak just alter the design on my PC andn print it again/rinse repeat til it is perfect. Cool huh.
 
#13 ·
Hey! I got my 3d printer kit last week...!!
I am currently carefully assembling it, bit by bit. Luckily there are a set of about 15 assembly videos now on YouTube. Ithink I'll be done this weekend and then I'll try a test print with ABS.

I'll start a new thread with some pics then.
 
#14 ·
Cool
Hope you took pics from getting it out of the box and through the assembly, I can hardly wait to see what you have to say about it, I think it looks great on their site.
 
#15 ·
This definitely looks interesting. Looking forward to hearing how it goes for you. This does make me think of the possibilities. :)
 
#20 ·
Finally got it built...however there was an issue that I could not get one of the end stop switches mounted due to a switch mount part being left out of the kit. Luckily they had released the part stl file, so I decided to print it myself.

Pics below:
#1 Almost done, still have to mount the heated print bed.
#2 is testing the extruder after it had heated up enough to make the ABS melt.
#3 shows the first three test prints of a calibration square. Its supposed to look a bit like a lincoln log cabin. The first two were messed up when the extruder tip dragged thru the still gooie ABS and dislodged it. The third one looked ok. More precise calibration of all the axises still needed I think.
#4 Close up of square.
# 5 This is the switch mounting part...not pretty but on the fourth try is was ok/usable.

I have to get a few more pics next week, as summer school just started for me. I think the next item I'll try to make is some vise jaw pads ( http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3942 )
 

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#22 ·
Umm, sort of. It was about two weeks, in three couple hour sessions (interuptions due to kids school year end events, etc.). Slow mainly because the instructions as still in flux, and the only real documentation is the assembly videos which were not 100% accurate due to minor design changes.

The video are here... Assembly Videos - Printrbot Wiki

The Printrbot.com folks are still having growing pains due to difficulty with the various suppliers and ramping up from 100 kits to over 400+. I'd wait for a few more months before ordering. That way they'll have time to A) work out the bug in the supply chain, B) Get the new mini- and Large model refines, C) Get better build documentation created. They have also talked about eventually selling completely assembled one at some point.
 
#23 ·
Glad to see you got it going.
Looks like it would be easy to expand later if you wanted to.


Actually people who bought these (hint, hint :D ) need to start printing out the plastic parts to sell to others, and make a list of the metal parts needed, this way someone can put one together and only needs to buy things like the circuit boards and maybe the motors from PrintBot.
Isn't that what these things were originally made for?
 
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