3 ms·

I actually had a friend who went to school for this and uses it for almost everything. He prints silverware, plates, glasses and other things instead of going o

I actually had a friend who went to school for this and uses it for almost everything. He prints silverware, plates, glasses and other things instead of going out and buying them. He prints a lot of other things you probably wouldn't think of. One time the toilet paper roll holder in his bathroom broke so he just printed a new one. He also had a lamp in his study break and instead of going out and buying a new one, he printed a mold of a lamp, then took the wiring out of the old one, wired it up on the new one and boom! New lamp. He really made me think there's a ton of uses people would never think of for 3D printing, the stuff he does really opened my eyes.

exhilaration 11y ago
One of the comments in this thread says "Filament isn't food-safe" -- what is your friend using to print these things?
- at-fates-hands 11y ago
  They have several food-grade filaments you can use to print stuff that comes on contact with food: http://www.3ders.org/articles/20140111-food-grade-pp-filament-for-3d-printers.html http://www.3ders.org/articles/20140111-food-grade-pp-filamen... http://www.makergeeks.com/fogrplafi.html http://www.makergeeks.com/fogrplafi.html I've also heard a KeyTech has developed an FDA safe filament for printing objects that come in contact with food or skin.
- LesZedCB 11y ago
  PLA is actually a bioplastic made from veggies and is actually considered food safe[1]. In fact, many of the plastic cups that you use are made from PLA, particularly anything clear. They can biodegrade given enough heat. The non-foodsafe part of 3d printing PLA is the hot end which is not clean, and can also be cross contaminated from printing other plastics such as ABS which is oil based. [1] http://reprage.com/post/36869678168/is-3d-printed-pla-food-safe/ http://reprage.com/post/36869678168/is-3d-printed-pla-food-s...
  - kefka 11y ago
    You also have to deal with the FDM void issue. Look closely between the layers: they cannot be there if you are to consider your product to be food-grade. Fortuately there are ways to remediate this. ABS is weak to acetone, so you can make an acetone vapor bath. Look this up how to do it. PLA is the nasty one, as the solvent that dissolves it is methyl-ethyl ketone (MEK). Nastiest stuff I've worked with outside a fume hood. Use a respirator, gloves, and trash clothing. The stuff dissolves all sorts of polymers. It's also used as a polymer glue. But tl;dr: Don't use if if you don't have to.
de_Selby 11y ago
That sounds like a high end professional model if it's able to print items the size of a lamp. It does sound fantastic though.
coldpie 11y ago
Do you know what model of printer he uses?
- at-fates-hands 11y ago
  Not off the top of my head. I'll see if I can get a hold of him and find out.

exhilaration 11y ago

One of the comments in this thread says "Filament isn't food-safe" -- what is your friend using to print these things?

at-fates-hands 11y ago
They have several food-grade filaments you can use to print stuff that comes on contact with food: http://www.3ders.org/articles/20140111-food-grade-pp-filament-for-3d-printers.html http://www.3ders.org/articles/20140111-food-grade-pp-filamen... http://www.makergeeks.com/fogrplafi.html http://www.makergeeks.com/fogrplafi.html I've also heard a KeyTech has developed an FDA safe filament for printing objects that come in contact with food or skin.
LesZedCB 11y ago
PLA is actually a bioplastic made from veggies and is actually considered food safe[1]. In fact, many of the plastic cups that you use are made from PLA, particularly anything clear. They can biodegrade given enough heat. The non-foodsafe part of 3d printing PLA is the hot end which is not clean, and can also be cross contaminated from printing other plastics such as ABS which is oil based. [1] http://reprage.com/post/36869678168/is-3d-printed-pla-food-safe/ http://reprage.com/post/36869678168/is-3d-printed-pla-food-s...
- kefka 11y ago
  You also have to deal with the FDM void issue. Look closely between the layers: they cannot be there if you are to consider your product to be food-grade. Fortuately there are ways to remediate this. ABS is weak to acetone, so you can make an acetone vapor bath. Look this up how to do it. PLA is the nasty one, as the solvent that dissolves it is methyl-ethyl ketone (MEK). Nastiest stuff I've worked with outside a fume hood. Use a respirator, gloves, and trash clothing. The stuff dissolves all sorts of polymers. It's also used as a polymer glue. But tl;dr: Don't use if if you don't have to.

de_Selby 11y ago

That sounds like a high end professional model if it's able to print items the size of a lamp. It does sound fantastic though.

coldpie 11y ago

Do you know what model of printer he uses?

at-fates-hands 11y ago
Not off the top of my head. I'll see if I can get a hold of him and find out.