Do you have a 3d printer? If you don't have, your urging advice is pointless. I know how to measure, drill and tap, saw and file. Everything you said I do, and

Do you have a 3d printer? If you don't have, your urging advice is pointless. I know how to measure, drill and tap, saw and file. Everything you said I do, and do well, and probably much better than you do. I have also lots of 3d printers, I volunteer to teach children the basic making techniques and also 3d printers. One of the best thing of 3d printers is printing tools. I can print a vice accessory so I could adapt a 6 euro vice to aluminium plates. Doing so with only metal will take 8 times the work and time. I could design a piece and multiply it by 100, and not spend 100x the time doing it, the 3d printer as a robot does it. My professional jigsaw machine's motor died, so I replaced it with the entire assembly of a hand drill tool that I bought for 1/10 the price the original manufacturer asked me. I designed and 3d printed the support-adapter to the saw in ABS and aluminium. It took me 2 hours cutting and reusing the old axis in the new machine. The original motor had to be imported and was very expensive to transport because f the volume and weight. Now the machine works much better, as the motor weights 6 times less, is smaller, is inverter, with variable velocity, and more powerful. I 3d print my own 3d presses and my own CNC machine: http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:724999 http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:724999 I also use 3d printers for prototyping parts in plastic before they are in metal. I only cut small pieces myself, it takes a lot of time to do it manually,and I have great tools. I send it to laser or water cutting, but the design must be perfect before sending and 3d printers are great tools for that. "Until then, no amount of clever technology will overcome the basic materials science that prevents FDM machines from being useful." Until then, your prejudices will blind you. Lots of the great things of 3d printers have nothing to do with technology, but with people. I teach children, and every one of them could create as I do. I teach them the jigsaw hack and the next week they surprise me with their own hacks, inspired by me but done entirely by them. Not only that, but I can download their designs and replicate it with zero effort, I just press "print" and go take a nap, when I wake up, the thing is done. Is an incredible tool for collaboration.