Has anyone used a 3D printer?
 

I see these 3D printers for sale at Joanns and wonder how they can be used in quilting. Since I am learning to free motion quilt, I ordered these special ruler templates for circles, etc. It occurred to me that a 3D printer might be able to make custom ruler templates, and I wonder if anyone has tried. Or how do you use one?

I really have no need for one but I can see where it would be fun to have and maybe useful one day.

3-D printers are fascinating to me. I have not yet used one but to be able to make my own templates and rulers would be great.

My son purchased his own 3D printer and has enjoyed making all sorts of things. That's a good thought that he might make templates with it. His has a 10 inch pad so nothing over 10 inches could be made. It might be hard enough, you could make it as thick as you like, but it's not see thru. It could make the ones that you go on the inside of a hole in the plastic. I may have to give that a try. Thanks for the idea.

I was just talking to the husband about this the other day! I don't have a 3D printer of my own and I don't have access to one, but all the little trimming tools and such that I now make out of cardboard and tape, I would make to my exact specifications with a 3D printer.

Cost-effective or not, if I taught classes (or was a shop) I'd make some little widgets that helped that specific project and include it with the class, along with my advertising info on it.

A friend of a friend is an ex-Boeing engineer and does work with kids and the competition robots, he was the first person I knew who had a 3D printer and they had just came out.

I wonder how accurate the printed tools/templates would be. Does anyone know?

I would imagine it would depend on the parameters you set. But I figure if school kids can make a mechanical arm, we can certainly make a usable template!

https://3dprinting.com/news/high-sch...ic-prosthetic/

Our library recently bought a 3-d printer. They will show you how to use it. I think you just pay for supplies. Worth checking with your nearest library.

I always thought it would be handy..but cost of supplies (the plastic line) might be more than what you're making if found elsewhere made from some other material. I believe this is the case with templates..in the first place, plexiglass is cheap at your local box store..you can get a zillion templates out of one piece. You can cut it with a scroll saw, jig saw, oscillating saw, dremel tool, and probably a lot of other things. If you need it to be thicker, you just glue 2 pieces together for a thick template, cheaper than buying the thicker plexiglass sheets. I clamp a metal straight edge to mine, then use the dremel tool score a line, then I fill that line in with permanent marker.
I would try the library, though..might be fun !!

Very Interesting thread here, I was vaguely aware of 3d printers but really didn't know much more than it was a way to make 3 dimensional items. In my extremely limited knowledge, I had no idea it was even something the "average Jane or Joe" could do. So as a result of this thread, off to Mr Google and did a search about 3D printing. !
Here is a link to a site I found that tells you basically what 3D printing is and how it has been used for a really long time in some areas of manufacturing and is headed to be a $41 billion in just 6 years. And so much more of how it is used today.
Thought those of you like me (kinda clueless) might find it interesting. Not something I am inclined to try myself at this point in my life but good to know it is out there in case my wants/needs change.
Murphy
https://3dprinting.com/what-is-3d-printing/

My son has a 3 D printer and made himself a "Lego" piece that was missing from his kit. I never thought about templates. I'm sure he could easily make like an orange peel template or any template that you didn't need any markings on.

My grandson started to do 3D printing in his college dorm room as a way to make a little extra money for tuition. It mushroomed into a business for which he bought a building. About six years later he sold the business for $80,000. That took care of his debt and he has some left, from which he could pay off his student loans. But he won't do that right now. He was making custom parts for fancy cars. He now works for someone else and has a little more time for his family.

Smart Kid!
Gotta love the ingenuity !

These pin holders were made using a 3D printer:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/7025842...lery-1-2&col=1