Michael Thad Carter for ForbesPosted on 05/06/2013 11:36:35 PM PDT by neverdem
Michael Thad Carter for Forbes
Remember when Defense Distributed's Cody Wilson promised to unveil an entirely 3D-printed handgun made of ABS plastic with the firing pin its only metal part? Well, he's apparently done it. Forbes's Andy Greenberg was given a sneak peek of the result, and it looks and appears to be quite an achievement. If all goes well, the plans will be unveiled at Defcad.org next week.
Writes Greenberg:
Eight months ago, Cody Wilson set out to create the world’s first entirely 3D-printable handgun.
Now he has.
Early next week, Wilson, a 25-year University of Texas law student and founder of the non-profit group Defense Distributed, plans to release the 3D-printable CAD files for a gun he calls “the Liberator,” pictured in its initial form above. He’s agreed to let me document the process of the gun’s creation, so long as I don’t publish details of its mechanics or its testing until it’s been proven to work reliably and the file has been uploaded to Defense Distributed’s online collection of printable gun blueprints at Defcad.org.
All sixteen pieces of the Liberator prototype were printed in ABS plastic with a Dimension SST printer from 3D printing company Stratasys, with the exception of a single nail that’s used as a firing pin. The gun is designed to fire standard handgun rounds, using interchangeable barrels for different calibers of ammunition.
Some people have asked why you would bother to print a gun like this when you can purchase a stronger, more durable gun made from traditional materials. The answer should be obvious: This is an exercise in political theater, to demonstrate that technology is empowering individuals by stripping governments of the ability to enforce restrictions. Yes, you can make guns in a host of ways, including the similarly advanced technology of CNC machines. But 3D printing is a hot and increasingly accessible technology that has been specifically called out by the president. To use it to so easily defeat restrictions (or outright prohibitions) is to demonstrate the limits of the coercive power of the state.
Update: Rep. Steve Israel proposes an impotent ban on plastic homemade guns and ammunition magazines.
“...Assuming America has been invaded and we have a real enemy to confront...”
Most would say your assumption has already been proven to be true...
During times of deceit telling the truth becomes treason.
“...Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free....”
Buying a cheap .22 is probably much cheaper than purchasing the printer and plastic to make one. What did this pistol cost to make and how long will it last?
No, that is most definitely not the 3-d printed gun I’ve been waiting for.
When the article says a lot about metal powder and sintering, then I’ll start paying attention.
Hard enough to function as a cheap, disposable and very easily replaced barrel.
Though I love the “slap in the face” to the Feds about freedom and 3D objects its just not quite hitting the mark.
Especially when you get a CSI episode of a kid 3D printing a revolver, whats next Gatling guns?
About the only concept I would utilize is a pepperbox concept, a multi barrel derringer, even up to four or more barrels, each firing a .22.
A four barrel derringer, two pulls available, one pull two barrels, next pull fires the other two. No slides, no revolving cylinder, no gay lame looking concept to make it stick out like whale at an armadillo convention.
Ugly
The pistol fired .380.
The pistol fired 6 times before the barrel had deformed to much to be safe
They tried to scale up to a 5.7x28 rifle round and got a kaboom
The pistol consists of 15 parts and a nail. The nail functions as the firing pin.
Each part is printed by using a 3D printer. It heats incoming plastic feedstock and then laying it down like a dot matrix printer one small dot at a time. starting at the bottom layer and moving up the object. the parts are then assembled by hand.
The printer is a $10,000 plus printer and the feedstock plastic is very expensive as well.
They embedded a chunk of steel in it so as not to violate the undetectable fire arms law.
After is it printed the parts are treated with acetone to make them harden up and seal up the pores.
Its a proof of concept of a very disruptive technology. It will be interesting to see where we go from here.
I want a .50 cal M2 and a 60 mm Morter. If the government can have them then I need them too!
TAKE THAT FEINSTEIN, REID, AND CLOWN.
Full auto rifle can be had (but illegal), by using a bench drill press, a jig, an 80% AR15 receiver, an upper, trigger assembly and a auto sear. You will then have an unregistered, untraceable full auto AR-15. It is also illegal as all get out and you can expect to never see the light of day if you build such a critter and get caught with it.
To avoid such outcome, I know of some who simply build the AR-15 (legal) and then have the know how to make an auto sear and how to install to convert it to a full auto. This of course would require some time, but in a SHTF type scenario, after you have secured your family, water, food, etc, you are going to have some time on your hands.....
i.materialise Material Portfolio
Sculpteo Material Portfolio
Shapeways Material Portfolio
8 Titanium: Light and the strongest 3D printing material in the world
9 Stainless steel: Not your grandmother’s stainless steel
10 Silver: Sterling silver
11 Gold: 14 carat solid gold
12 Prime gray: Very smooth, detailed and “luxurious” to the touch
13 Brass: Copper and Zinc, united as one
14 Bronze: What did you expect after gold and silver?
15 Ceramics: A food safe material that shines like no other
16 High detailed stainless steel: High grade stainless steel with a superb level of detail
The point is to have a program that the first 3D printers which will be generally available can use to produce firearms. Metal printers are much more expensive and use more expensive feed-stock.
Thanks for the ping!
Even without printers, guns are easy*. Ammunition
is hard.
*so say people who know abou this, more than I do.
They're 3D-printed.
A 3D printer takes a data file that specifies a 3-dimensional, physical object, and then lays down thin layers of melted plastic (or other material) to actually produce that 3-dimensional, physical object.
So to create a physical object (like the parts for the handgun below) all you need is a 3D printer, the materials, and a data file. You tell it to print, it manufactures the object. You assemble the parts, adding a nail from the hardware store, and you have a gun.
Well of course. Pricing is listed by CM3. It's always good to have a cheep, fast method to prototype, then determine the best technology to produce a final product.
The nice thing about metal 3D printers is that there's very little pre-production setup like you have with a CNC or other fab tools. Everyone can have a custom product with each print and there is very little switch over costs (efficient run of 1). Read the FAQ / pricing model for the links I provided. There are no volume discounts.
Also, I imagine 3D coops and group investments will emerge and democratize ideas for physical goods. The cost curve will dip rapidly.
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