UPDATE: 3D Printed Guns

[Gravitymaster 0]

Just give them a little time to perfect the technology. Then we can start cranking out AR-15's and AK-47's as needed. Might even be able to make a bazooka.

[champu 1]

quade

***Do you have any credible reason why it isn't safe?

How much do you know about material science?

I know a fair amount about material science. How much do you know about performing an FMEA?

[quade 3]

As chamber pressure goes up, the material strength and thickness will have to increase. I don't know what the maximum practical size will be and I'm not really looking forward to it, but at some point you're going to see a story where somebody doesn't think it through and bad things happen when they attempt to fire it.

Go ahead...mark this post for future reference.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[Gravitymaster 0]

I don't doubt what you say. This technology is just in its' infancy and will definitely be improved upon.

[Rickendiver 6]

A good point, but not entirely true. With additive manufacturing techniques, the magic lies in integrating nanoparticles with desirous material qualities, as well as designing inherently strong micro structures that result in a completed part that is much stronger than the original plastic material.
The 3D printer is cheap and easy to use, but is by no means the only additive manufacturing method.

[majormajors 0]

Kennedy

***I wonder if you can make a 3D printer with a 3D printer?

Not with one that prints in plastic. I suppose it's possible that a metal printer will make another printer someday, but we're certainly not anywhere near that with today's tech.

While it's true that certain parts of an ABS printer (screws, extruder, servos, PCBs, etc) cannot be 3D printed, the structure/housing of many open source 3D printers can be 3D printed. Some manufacturers even release "upgrades" as simple 3D models that you can print to avoid the need to have parts shipped.

[quade 3]

Article in "The Atlantic" yesterday about practicality for now.

http://theatlanticwire.com/national/2013/05/its-not-so-easy-3-d-print-gun/64951/

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[Kennedy 0]

quade

Article in "The Atlantic" yesterday about practicality for now.

http://theatlanticwire.com/national/2013/05/its-not-so-easy-3-d-print-gun/64951/

Wow, I'd never have guessed. Post #18, this thread.

witty subliminal message
Guard your honor, let your reputation fall where it will, and outlast the bastards.
1*

[quade 3]

Interesting development here.
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/05/09/182623801/after-100-000-downloads-group-with-3-d-gun-plans-goes-dark

I will believe them when they prove they got shut down and aren't simply saying they did, but interesting none the less.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[quade 3]

Kennedy

***Article in "The Atlantic" yesterday about practicality for now.
http://theatlanticwire.com/national/2013/05/its-not-so-easy-3-d-print-gun/64951/

Wow, I'd never have guessed. Post #18, this thread.

Your statements about how easy it would be certainly didn't seem to indicate you had actually read it.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[quade 3]

This appears to be the letter in question in the recent DefCAD closure.

http://t.co/ApiNsvgnTK

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[rehmwa 2]

Quote

The first entirely 3D-printed handgun is here
From butt to barrel, "The Liberator" is (almost) all ABS plastic[/url]

" congressman, Steve Israel (D-NY), up in arms to extend and expand the Undetectable Firearms Act to ensure that it covers magazines and other 3D printed components, which would handily squash the "Liberator" and any of its derivatives:"

idiot congressman, as usual.

Sure, expanding a law will keep people from getting the pattern and printing their own.

How did that work out for downloading video and music again?

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[Kennedy 0]

Please. His problem was access to a printer. Seeing as I have access to one, a friend with one as his place, and am about to start a DIY at home, I don't have that issue. Access for everyone will only get easier as time goes forward. Beyond that there is no real obstacle. Feeding it raw material is cheap. The only other problem was NY laws. Since most of us don't live in Bloomberg's NY, again it's a nonissue.

witty subliminal message
Guard your honor, let your reputation fall where it will, and outlast the bastards.
1*

[quade 3]

I invite you to give it a go and post results to YouTube.

I'd LOVE to see just how "easy" it is by a 3rd party.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[ManagingPrime 0]

quade

I invite you to give it a go and post results to YouTube.

I'd LOVE to see just how "easy" it is by a 3rd party.

Relatively easy. I know people who are printing the magazines and are currently working on the "Liberator" file.

That said, with 100K downloads....someone is going to lose some fingers.

[Kennedy 0]

What worries me is when they (downloaders, not the company) start trying to use different calibers without due diligence and caution. I have no problem with the "official" liberator, but some jackass will screw around with it and start himself leaking or leaving pieces behind. (not too different from metal firearms)

witty subliminal message
Guard your honor, let your reputation fall where it will, and outlast the bastards.
1*

[Kennedy 0]

quade

This appears to be the letter in question in the recent DefCAD closure.

http://t.co/ApiNsvgnTK

Lovely. State wants to bankrupt him and smear his name. These are the goobers who were going to go after the History channel for one of their specials on the history of guns. You know, the ones who slandered the trio behind RSA and other cryptographers. The ones who would throw you in jail for sending a file to a computer in France, even if you just downloaded it from there. When will they figure out that a computer file is not like a missile? Or that everyone who cares to already knows how to make shitty (both unsafe and ineffective) suppressors and other improvised weapons? Have they never heard of the anarchists' cookbook, or the other (more reliable) similar books out there?

witty subliminal message
Guard your honor, let your reputation fall where it will, and outlast the bastards.
1*

[quade 3]

Quote

State wants to bankrupt him and smear his name.

The State Department...is probably reacting to arms treaties.

Think about it.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[1969912 0]

Palladin Press ships DIY gun books overseas, and I've never heard of them getting hassled for it.. Liberator file torrent is alive and well DEAD here: http://thepiratebay.sx/torrent/8443467/DefDist_Defcad_Liberator_Printable_Gun

EDIT: This one works: http://thepiratebay.sx/torrent/8444391/DefDist_Liberator_Pistol

"Once we got to the point where twenty/something's needed a place on the corner that changed the oil in their cars we were doomed . . ."
-NickDG

[Kennedy 0]

quade

***State wants to bankrupt him and smear his name.

The State Department...is probably reacting to arms treaties.

Think about it.

Horse shit. They're reacting to democrat politicians losing their minds.

witty subliminal message
Guard your honor, let your reputation fall where it will, and outlast the bastards.
1*

[AdamLanes 1]

Does anyone know if they were giving the downloadable blueprints for this gun for free, or was their a price tag (if so how much)? Did a search but having trouble finding the answer.

[mistercwood 287]

Pretty sure it was free, I believe that was the point of the project - keep it open source.

You are playing chicken with a planet - you can't dodge and planets don't blink. Act accordingly.

[Kennedy 0]

It was free. See post #18 this thread. They're not offering it for download at the moment due to State Dept threatening them with ITAR investigation. The file is, however still freely available from your friendly neighborhood less-than-scrupulous source.

witty subliminal message
Guard your honor, let your reputation fall where it will, and outlast the bastards.
1*

[ryoder 1,401]

The Register sums it up nicely:

El Reg suggests that before politicians start hammering their chests on the issue, they first take a deep breath and look at the facts. The Liberator requires an $8,000 printer to produce and takes around $1,000 of plastic toner to make – assuming you get it right first time. It fires a single round and, from the look of the barrel length, has a laughably short accuracy range.

By contrast, the criminally minded can easily buy a handgun (usually with no background check) for a few hundred dollars. Sure, it won't be printed, but it will be lethal over a longer distance and be capable of firing many more rounds in between reloading, making it a far more dangerous weapon.

Ref: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/05/09/3d_printed_gun_banned_us_state_department/

"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones.

[Kennedy 0]

http://reprap.org/wiki/Main_Page

Not all printers cost $8K. However I'm not sure I want a bargain basement printer making a handgun that will be in my hand. Also, if you pay $1K for that amount of product, you need to look for a better deal.

And you're correct. This is a single shot derringer it's huge. It's not single use, but it has exceptionally short lifespan. Also, in addition to being able to get a pistol or revolver much cheaper, one can also make or buy a disguised zip gun. Possibly one that would pass through a security check point.

witty subliminal message
Guard your honor, let your reputation fall where it will, and outlast the bastards.
1*