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I feel like this has been a talking point for as long as off-the-shelf printers aimed at hobbyists have existed. Calling them AI factories is a bit off the mark

I feel like this has been a talking point for as long as off-the-shelf printers aimed at hobbyists have existed. Calling them AI factories is a bit off the mark imo, there are plenty of hobbyists that learn CAD and want to make their own stuff, but don't want to build their own printer. The kind of people who are interested in reprap are absolutely still around, and I really don't see that community going dissolving because of the rise of capable commercial printers.

Ccecil 11d ago
That wasn't exactly what was said... "it is now popular to just have someone else do it...be it AI or a factory in another country" And sure there are some people interested in reprap but they have been scattered to the wind. #reprap IRC has become an advertising/support channel for commercial printers. If you go to most of the channels/forums where the development used to happen and mention you want to build a printer you will be flooded with responses about how stupid that is and provided with names/links of the printers you should be buying. Making things is a fool's errand. Maybe my observations were different...maybe not...but from what I saw at about 2016 the whole DIY machine thing switched.
- necovek 11d ago
  I believe part of it is the cost. It used to be too expensive to get something like a decent commercial 3D printer (though at the same time). Now you can get one for less than the cost of RepRap components back in the day, so it is stupid to do it if you just want to print stuff out (it might even be more expensive, and will likely produce worse prints). If, however, you want to learn how to build one, or just have an experience of building your own tool you'll use to create stuff, it is most definitely not stupid to do it. With 3D printing becoming mainstream, you'll have fewer people in those communities who support and live that approach though, and you'll need to look harder to find documentation and like-minded people.
- hingler36 11d ago
  Thanks for clarifying your point. I didn't know about the reprap IRC channel being dead, that's a real shame
  - Ccecil 11d ago
    I was an op in there. Haven't been back in over a year. Filled with socks and bots. No room for development. 2011 #reprap @freenode is long gone unfortunately. Glad to have experienced it.
- WillAdams 11d ago
  Yes, but there are some variants such as the Voron, which last I checked was still focused on DIY kits/self-building.
- ChickeNES 11d ago
  > from what I saw at about 2016 the whole DIY machine thing switched. GOOD! Those old DIY machines were awful. Even back then I wanted a printer that just worked, instead of spending hours just to get it printing somewhat accurately. I still have tubs of old ramps/smoothieboards/V6s and similar junk from that era, it was an awful experience. My X1C just works, I've printed more with it since I've bought it than all the other printers I owned combined. Sure there is still the occasional failure, but that is nothing compared to the failure rates I had before.

Ccecil 11d ago

That wasn't exactly what was said... "it is now popular to just have someone else do it...be it AI or a factory in another country" And sure there are some people interested in reprap but they have been scattered to the wind. #reprap IRC has become an advertising/support channel for commercial printers. If you go to most of the channels/forums where the development used to happen and mention you want to build a printer you will be flooded with responses about how stupid that is and provided with names/links of the printers you should be buying. Making things is a fool's errand. Maybe my observations were different...maybe not...but from what I saw at about 2016 the whole DIY machine thing switched.

necovek 11d ago
I believe part of it is the cost. It used to be too expensive to get something like a decent commercial 3D printer (though at the same time). Now you can get one for less than the cost of RepRap components back in the day, so it is stupid to do it if you just want to print stuff out (it might even be more expensive, and will likely produce worse prints). If, however, you want to learn how to build one, or just have an experience of building your own tool you'll use to create stuff, it is most definitely not stupid to do it. With 3D printing becoming mainstream, you'll have fewer people in those communities who support and live that approach though, and you'll need to look harder to find documentation and like-minded people.
hingler36 11d ago
Thanks for clarifying your point. I didn't know about the reprap IRC channel being dead, that's a real shame
- Ccecil 11d ago
  I was an op in there. Haven't been back in over a year. Filled with socks and bots. No room for development. 2011 #reprap @freenode is long gone unfortunately. Glad to have experienced it.
WillAdams 11d ago
Yes, but there are some variants such as the Voron, which last I checked was still focused on DIY kits/self-building.
ChickeNES 11d ago
> from what I saw at about 2016 the whole DIY machine thing switched. GOOD! Those old DIY machines were awful. Even back then I wanted a printer that just worked, instead of spending hours just to get it printing somewhat accurately. I still have tubs of old ramps/smoothieboards/V6s and similar junk from that era, it was an awful experience. My X1C just works, I've printed more with it since I've bought it than all the other printers I owned combined. Sure there is still the occasional failure, but that is nothing compared to the failure rates I had before.