I keep thinking this same thing! I don't know if the plastic they have now is tough enough for the task, but surely sooner or later it will be. I think the hardest part would be to draw up the replacement properly and actually have it fit and work right.

Someday someone will figure it out, and make a small fortune.

I have already had a set of plastic gears 3D printed (non-sewing project) The fit was incredibly precise.

The metal can be done now, but it is still too expensive. The cost reductions will just take some time, but yes, we will be able to print parts in metal soon.

P.S. There is a free app for the android phone that will let you put an object on the table and take a series of photos of it from virtually every angle and then it produces a 3d .STL file (the 3D drawing that the printers use to make the object) so making an exact copy will only require someone with an unbroken part to do that process.

FYI

Steve, does the person do this as a business? Roughly, how much does it cost to do it?

I use www.shapeways.com for 3D printing

Hey Steve, I think the machines that Shapeways uses can get past the "laminate" strength problems that I read about last night, right? That's why the $800 home depot special wouldn't do the gears we want, they don't produce a product that's accurate enough or strong enough? This is where I started reading: http://gizmodo.com/why-3d-printing-i...t-fo-508176750

I guess the bummer for me would be having to have that original part in good condition. I don't have that. That's why I need one made, as can't find one in good shape. LOL.

I would think those expensive $130 Necchi Lydia camstacks could be made this way and for much less?

I read that there's aleays "post production" work that needs to be done. I wonder if you were to get one that was broken but had all the pieces, if you could expoxy it together long enough to pull the design off it. If you had to file a little of the epoxy that was rendered off, that's probably possible... It's all theory of course. It wouldn't take long to pay for one of the less expensive machines making those gears if you could get the accuracy.

Sure can. I will reopen (or start a new thread) on 3D printing of parts so as to stop hijacking this thread.

that is a great idea
 

[QUOTE=ArchaicArcane;7018366]Technically, you could take an original to a CNC place and they could make one. It would be ultra pricy but for that special machine it might be worth it. I think they can work in mediums other than metal.

thank you
that is something I will look into. do you think that it must be made out of the same material? or could it be replaced with metal?

I suspect that it would be fine in metal. This only works if you have no missing parts to the gear that you do have. Good Luck!! You might even be able to have someone mold you one. I don't know as much about that as SteveH. He'd know if it was really possible or not.