[mad_as_he$$]

I was waiting for this.

FWIW. MIG welders do NOT heat and extrude wire from the tip.

Journalism is dead.

[Pearls Before Swine]

Is the metal pot-metal or 4150 chrome-moly alloy?

[Still Thinking]

Given that people have already been able to create plastic guns with 3D printers, the advent of metal 3D printers will surely make it easier for people to fabricate guns and knives at home. But is that a good enough reason to stifle the development of metal 3D printing?

Reason to STIFLE it? Sounds more like a reason to urge widespread deployment of the tech so it will be tyrant proof. Don't forget that in most cases and in most states, making your own weapons including firearms is perfectly legal, so why would a new tech that does the same thing be an issue?

[Kartographer]

Prepper’s PING!!

A sustainable power source and a couple of these printers could really improve your chances in a SHTF situation especially in a financial collapse by allowing you to make replacement parts.

[Vendome]

I’m not sure I understand the article.

It implies a MIG welder extrudes wire and melds it together, which is not how they work.

Further, they do not give any indication as to the quality of metal and expected performance.

I guess you just buy it and experiment?

[9YearLurker]

Does anyone even know the size of a breadbox these days?

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

If the purpose of welding is to join metals together then why would a 3D printer need that? Couldn’t you just print the whole assembly in one piece?

[Red Badger]

RUH-ROH..................

[Bobalu]

It’s possible to use plain old sand as the building material in a 3D printer.

Heated and fused together into shapes with cavities, it can be extremely strong and lightweight.

Someday carbon fiber printing will be possible... resulting in the strongest objects ever created by man.

[rottndog]

I wouldn’t want to be anywhere near the first jet turbine they test with internal 3d printed parts. It would be fun to watch though.

[Lowell1775]

ARRRRGGGGHHH!

Is the paper,
Anzalone et al.
“A Low-Cost Open-Source Metal 3-D Printer.” IEEE Access published 2 December 2013.

actually out there on the web?

If so, can any of you smarter and much better looking guys post a link to where the paper/plans are actually published?

I have exhausted my ferret like qualities and now lay spent across the keyboard. I can find lots of “closes”, but no cigar.

[null and void]

Political power grows out of the nozzle of a 3-D Printer.

[Moonman62]

This 3D metal printer prototype isn’t something you want to have in the living room.

Roxanne doesn't know FReepers.

[Lowell1775]

Original source on $1,500 open source 3D metal printer

http://www.academia.edu/5327317/A_Low-Cost_Open-Source_Metal_3-D_Printer

Found it.

[kevkrom]

All technology can be used for good and bad things,” Pearce says. “You can absolutely use this to make any manner of weapon..."

Which would be one of the good things.