The future has arrived.
 

I decided this deserves it's own new thread, though the issues have been debated at length on several other threads this year already.

http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2013/05/...ted-gun-shown/

It has now been proved possible to print a gun. This raises two issues (i) anyone with the right 3D printer could make one, and (ii) the only metal in the one featured has a block of metal in it, included specifically so it can be detected by an airport style metal detector. Presumably it works equally well without the block of metal? :scaredhair:

Re: The future has arrived.
 

Scary stuff. I bought 3D Systems stock about a year ago when it was around $20 and the talk was mainly about use in the medical fields. Happy to see stock price trending upwards although but fearful of where this technology may go.

Re: The future has arrived.
 

"The Liberator"???? What will it liberate, and from whom?

Is this really the best use of human ingenuity?

I despair sometimes.

Re: The future has arrived.
 

"According to Forbes, the Liberator is capable of connecting to different barrels, allowing for various calibers of ammunition. " I expect that the barrels would be metal? The bullets would pretty pretty quickly tear up a plastic barrel, possibly injuring the user in the process?I applaud Stratasys.
" Stratasys, a company that makes 3D printers, confiscated their machine from Defense Distributed last year after the company discovered the printer was being used for gun development."

Regards, JEff

Re: The future has arrived.
 

You only need one or two shots though if you're trying to kill someone in an office that's got a metal detector...

Re: The future has arrived.
 

Don't despair, the constitution is there to protect your rights! :rofl:

Re: The future has arrived.
 

The original was designed to liberate axis troops from their weapons.

Used .45ACP with a very short range.

The novelty aspect is the issue with 3D printing a gun, certainly now more suitable to print parts, magazines etc.

If you were that keen then a trip to Harbor Freight would get you enough cheap metal working machinery to make your own.

With a pistol firing 22LR then ABS should be good enough for a few rounds, and then you print another.

Re: The future has arrived.
 

My direct experience with 3D printing of ABS leads me to wonder how the **** it can withstand the pressure in the barrel, when I dropped a 3D print and it broke.

Re: The future has arrived.
 

They make lots of different thermoplastics with lots of different properties; it's not like ten or even five years ago.

Re: The future has arrived.
 

I wonder if this will potentially lead to RepRap machines and other personal 3D printers being regulated. I hope not. I really want a home 3D printer when I get where I can have a workshop.

Re: The future has arrived.
 

Bearing in mind the stupidity of the political elite, it would not surprise me.

Worked for alcohol and drugs.

Re: The future has arrived.
 

I don't see how they can put the genie back in the bottle - Staples started selling them last week. And I remain HIGHLY sceptical that the barrel can withstand the pressure of multiple firings.

Whatever the strength, the temperature in the barrel gets very high very fast.

That strong 3d metal prints will come though, I do believe. I've got a lot of research papers on the subject, and I've seen what's coming along.

But, in the US context, why bother ? Getting a gun isn't exactly tricky.

Re: The future has arrived.
 

I think the issue is not whether it can fire more than 2-3 bullets, but that it will work without the block of metal, and therefore can likely elude airport security. Which then means the critical question becomes "Can airport security find all bullets?" :unsure:

Re: The future has arrived.
 

the original Liberator never won any style awards

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FP-45_Liberator

Re: The future has arrived.
 

Plastic bullets ?