CNC Router vs 3D Printer

[DonRotolo]

Your point about the mess and noise of a CNC router - in a college dorm environment - cannot be ignored, and it is not trivial. Plus, CNC routers tend to be heavy, several hundred pounds perhaps.

So simply from a "where can I put/use this thing" point of view, a 3D printer is your better option.

Some different opinions on several 3D printers in your price range: http://kronosrobotics.com/3d/index.shtml

[AdamHeard]

Originally Posted by DonRotolo

Your point about the mess and noise of a CNC router - in a college dorm environment - cannot be ignored, and it is not trivial. Plus, CNC routers tend to be heavy, several hundred pounds perhaps.

So simply from a "where can I put/use this thing" point of view, a 3D printer is your better option.

Some different opinions on several 3D printers in your price range: http://kronosrobotics.com/3d/index.shtml

I missed the information about the dorm room.... That's a gamechanger. A router of any real work ability is not happening in a dorm room.

[Mk.32]

Oh... yeah a Router is NOT happening in a dorm room. They may not even let you bring in an 3D printer based on the heating element (Mine doesn't let you bring appliances and lava lamps).

For a college your best bet would probably be gaining access to an shop on campus via a club or getting to know the instructor. Or finding an local makerspace or hackerspace.

[techhelpbb]

Originally Posted by Mk.32

Oh... yeah a Router is NOT happening in a dorm room. They may not even let you bring in an 3D printer based on the heating element (Mine doesn't let you bring appliances and lava lamps).

For a college your best bet would probably be gaining access to an shop on campus via a club or getting to know the instructor. Or finding an local makerspace or hackerspace.

Where there's a will. There's an incandescant light bulb bed heater.
It's becomes more an Easy Bake Oven anyway.
What I didn't bring the heater with the printer...I just found it here

[kaliken]

I saw a couple people say it but I don't think the community really did latch onto it.

First off, You are in college. You are paying to go to school there. Use the machines and the facilities you are paying for! There is a reason why they have a machine shop. Its not only for research but its also the place you can learn proper machining practices. I cant tell you how much I learned from my shop managers.

Second, learn to manage your time to maximize machine shop usage. Know that the machine shop has open hours, or that sometimes you may not have access due to senior projects. But.... if you get in good with the shop guys then there are untold benefits. (ie running CNC's later at night, or even a paid stipend..)

Third, if you are in a dorm room... it just seems silly to try to pack something like that in. Enough said.. Off campus living then maybe, but then again I would refer to point 1.

When you graduate and get a more permanent place.. then by all means go for it.

But then again that is my 2 cents.

[protoserge]

If the school shop doesn't work out, there might be a maker space within range. I would venture to say your funds would go a lot farther (a lot more tools for the dollar), even if you have to pay a few bills for a monthly membership.

[Arch3Dpt]

Could an arch-welder head be used as on a 3D printer?

[protoserge]

Originally Posted by Arch3Dpt

Could an arch-welder head be used as on a 3D printer?

You can use a similar CNC technology and a proper table (think plasma table) to do 2D robotic arc welding. Many industrial welders use robots.

You are probably closest in thought to laser sintering, which uses lasers to form layers in metal powder as in a 3D printer.

[EricH]

Originally Posted by Arch3Dpt

Could an arch-welder head be used as on a 3D printer?

Could it? Probably.

Is it going to be useful? Possibly--most 3D printers that could be modified for an arc welder tip are under a foot of travel in any direction, which may or may not affect usability (though it'll certainly affect size of parts that can be welded). Also I can't think of anything that would need that much precision (we're talking in thou here) in terms of arc welding. Might want to try a CNC router modification first.

Is it a good idea? No. There's a lot of stuff that could go wrong, ranging from melting plastic (reprap-type machines) to warping the print surface (VERY bad if you ever want to change back) to any other safety concerns with exposed welding.

As stinglikeabee pointed out, you're pretty close to sintering, but those types of 3D printers are a minimum of 6 figures, not counting material cost--and in some cases, shielding.