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I was thinking about this question today as someone used our work printer for some personal stuff.

As for me, I am printing little things that I would say make it worth it. I've printed lens adapters for my camera for example. That's worth a good 14 to 30 bucks per print. My most favorite photo was with an adapted lens that came from a projector. I also printed IEMs and those things are worth it. Listening to music is second to none on those things. Plus I printed the same shell but for ear protection and again the fit is perfect and sure there's post processing to get smooth surfaces but in the end it looks like a professional made it. So I think 3d printers are worth it.

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[-] Kanzar@sh.itjust.works 3 points 2 months ago

When you say you printed IEMs and ear protection, are you able to elaborate?

In my case I've only just gotten into FDM, and I'm having a lot more fun with it than my resin printer, but I might have made enough things for the resin printer that might make that a lot less of a chore.

So far, the FDM has been handy with quite a few functional prints around the house (certainly not yet enough that I can say it's cheaper than just buying the items outright, but we're getting close!), and that's been an enjoyable process.

[-] werefreeatlast@lemmy.world 2 points 2 months ago

At home I print SLA. I did the whole ear danger enchilada....go to home Depot, get caulking silicone I tube.....I hear you scrolling away....then I tested the quick silicone recipe where you mix flour into the caulking. Once tested and guaranteed to work, I mixed a batch and stuck it in my ears. I used a portion of a foam plug to plug the inner ear shut. Then with a stick in my mouth I waited for 15 minutes. The result were excellent impressions of my ears. Then I used meshlab and my DSLR to do photogrammetry and output an STL. Then to freeCAD to output a STEP file. Next to UGNX to create a surface model of the IEMs. I ended up making one and flipping/mirror to make the other and it worked better than the impression of that one. Did some test prints in gray for fit. Then I bought some cheap earphones and took the armatures out to make the IEMS. I have several sets now. One was a simple cast on places earphones set. The others are using the IEM as a hole to which they just snap into place. And I got another where I bought cheap IEMs and I modeled the inner parts so I could just use them in my IEMs. freeCAD would probably have worked too. The finish of the part doesn't have to be perfect because you're going to sand it and polish it or sand it and dip it into resin to then cure with a UV lamp. I'm super satisfied and the thing is that I can pretty much design any other thing that attaches to my ear...as funny as that sounds.

[-] Kanzar@sh.itjust.works 3 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

Ahaha that's real cool. I had ear moulds taken professionally and what you did is pretty dang close. Nice work!

[-] snekerpimp@lemmy.world 2 points 2 months ago

It would be worth it if I had an actual decent printer. As it stands now, I feel like I just wasted money because all I can print small, pla objects, after days of trial and error and adjusting settings. Saving up for a prusa, hopefully will make it worth it.

[-] RememberTheApollo_@lemmy.world 2 points 2 months ago

Yep. So much so that we have 3. One cheap resin, one older FDM, and a Bambu FDM. The only regret…sorta…is the resin. Shoulda got a better one. I mean, it works, but it is super fiddly and finicky. I think a better model would have been worth spending on. We print costume parts, but I also design and print all sorts of stuff for things like headset hangers, cup holders, toolbox organizers, parts bins, etc.

[-] Longpork3@lemmy.nz 2 points 2 months ago

The trick is to justify buying one for your business, and then using it yourself after hours.

As a business asset, it has paid for itself fivefold in less than a year. As an employee of said business, i have unlimited access to a machine that I could never personally justify the expense of.

[-] Noerttipertti@sopuli.xyz 2 points 2 months ago

I print all kinds of usefull stuff.
Custom installation panel for after market navigator/media center for my car, upholstery fasteners for the same, custom panels for usb button box, cable organizers for lan cabling, newspaper reading stand, you name it.
Might not be financially feasible, but it's fun.

[-] Lucidlethargy@sh.itjust.works 2 points 2 months ago

I bought a Makerbot, so emphatically NO it was not worth it. Never buy one of these shitty printers.

[-] Kayday@lemmy.world 2 points 2 months ago

Absolutely. The experience has been a blast, but I also print miniatures for tabletop games and the printers have paid for themselves multiple times over if I had bought all the minis I have printed. Granted, I wouldn't have bought that many, but that's not important.

[-] GrindingGears@lemmy.ca 2 points 2 months ago

Honestly I don't really know, and don't really care. I enjoy sporadically using it, and I've enjoyed making both useful, and some useless things.

Trust me, I've spent far more on dumber shit that I use half as often.

[-] Koopa_Khan@lemmy.world 2 points 2 months ago

Yes, I just finished printing a rudder core for my sailboat.

For all the headache its caused, its also saved me from several trips to the store to find cable ties, chip clips, a hair dryer holder, pencil cups, spice racks, etc.

[-] Ptsf@lemmy.world 1 points 2 months ago

Not really. I purchased one with pretty significant maintenance/process requirements, had I gotten one a little more seamless (self leveling/etc) I think I'd use it far more often than I do now.

[-] BarbecueCowboy@lemmy.world 1 points 2 months ago

It's almost definitely a pain in the ass, but you can probably add self leveling to your existing printer.

[-] Ptsf@lemmy.world 2 points 2 months ago

Tried! Added one of those white barrel self leveling poke tools (can't remember specifically what they're called). It was a huuuuuge pain in the ass and only works about 50% of the time oddly, lol.

[-] BarbecueCowboy@lemmy.world 1 points 2 months ago

Sounds like you're talking about a bltouch or a clone, they were in the market super early, I think they were one of the first.

There are more options out there now, but most do work on the same concept.

[-] RangerJosie@sffa.community 1 points 2 months ago

Tell me. Can you buy food safe microwave safe plastic to print with?

If so. Google the "Fasta Pasta" and tell me of you can print one half the size of a normal one.

I want one. But my microwave is too small. And nobody makes a small one.

[-] ExcessShiv@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

Uuh...looks like any food- and microwave safe HDPE container can do what that thing does. Just go buy one that fits your microwave?

[-] werefreeatlast@lemmy.world 2 points 2 months ago

No but I think I can 3D print stuff for playdough extrusion. Good idea!

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this post was submitted on 13 Aug 2024
111 points (96.6% liked)

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