4 ms·

The advantage of the computer is not mass-production but mass customization. How about putting something like this in the big-box hardware stores? They will c

The advantage of the computer is not mass-production but mass customization. How about putting something like this in the big-box hardware stores? They will cut wood for you, but they will not make anything but simple straight cuts, and the cost per cut is high. I like to try to make things from wood, but I am a little too clumsy and accident-prone to want to do anything with power tools. If there was idiot-proof CAD on-line at the hardware store site where I could mess around with designs, see that everything fit together and came out OK in 3D, and then order the pieces by credit card, I'm in.

Rapzid 9y ago
I'm imagining a system that bundles and efficiently packs cuts from multiple customers; everyone pays proportionally based on the area they take up.
skellera 9y ago
I think push it a little more consumer-friendly and have made to order furniture that you pick up locally. Completely customized at a normal price. I believe this is where fashion will go. Items made specifically for the person wearing it (perfect fit every time) but at a cost of mid-level fashion because of advances in manufacturing.
- Scoundreller 9y ago
  Total cost of ownership should be lower too: 1. Perfectly fitting clothing will have more balanced wear. 2. If I frequently break X seam, or Y button because I do a lot of Z, my next items will have strengthened X and Y.
peatmoss 9y ago
This is my dream as well: I’d love to have a system where I could do something like a simple aided Sketchup plywood model, pop down to the home mega center, and watch as my chosen grade of plywood was CNC / Laser cut into the shapes I’m looking for. I could imagine people doing custom dimension kitchen cabinets by refining a 3d model with some initial defaults. I'm a little surprised Home Depot and Lowes haven’t already piloted something like this. Maybe the return on R&D is projected to be too low?

Rapzid 9y ago

I'm imagining a system that bundles and efficiently packs cuts from multiple customers; everyone pays proportionally based on the area they take up.

skellera 9y ago

I think push it a little more consumer-friendly and have made to order furniture that you pick up locally. Completely customized at a normal price. I believe this is where fashion will go. Items made specifically for the person wearing it (perfect fit every time) but at a cost of mid-level fashion because of advances in manufacturing.

Scoundreller 9y ago
Total cost of ownership should be lower too: 1. Perfectly fitting clothing will have more balanced wear. 2. If I frequently break X seam, or Y button because I do a lot of Z, my next items will have strengthened X and Y.

peatmoss 9y ago

This is my dream as well: I’d love to have a system where I could do something like a simple aided Sketchup plywood model, pop down to the home mega center, and watch as my chosen grade of plywood was CNC / Laser cut into the shapes I’m looking for. I could imagine people doing custom dimension kitchen cabinets by refining a 3d model with some initial defaults. I'm a little surprised Home Depot and Lowes haven’t already piloted something like this. Maybe the return on R&D is projected to be too low?