Hi Trillion,

first of all you will need a 3d model of this (using something like solidworks or autodesk inventor), the second part is time and money. The printers are very slow (like overnight for something like a train) and the printing medium is expensive.

3d printers are big business , and very worth while (my company uses them in product design), but its only for prototyping, too costly for production purposes.

presuming this is a model train and you're not trying to print out a life size train for some unknown reason. Why not just go to a model shop and buy a model train?

why don't they just come out with a machine that can copy anything

a big one and a little one so the big one can copy the little one

i imagine it looks like a microwave

you could give it to pov countries to copy food

go

Combine that with the video I saw on military robots the other night.

we're screwed.

e: here's the video

I think I head the cost of materials is something like $1.50/cm3 for the less durable stuff. That includes the support material that is water soluble and you dunk it in a water bath for a bit to dissolve it off.

You will need a 3D CAD type file to print from, the printer software/hardware automagically adds the support structures where required.

There a some companies popping up that will print you stuff when you have them the CAD type file (not sure the exact format). You can always get it done overseas and sent to you. That $1.50/cm3 would be a base cost to give you an idea if you are paying too much or getting a bargain. Expect more like $2.0/cm3

There are a few companies (eg: Shapeways or Ponoko) that'll print a file for you. Various materials and colours are available as well. You can get some fairly detailed stuff there. I think they generally take STL & OBJ files.

Otherwise, make friends with someone with access to a printer (ie: Industrial design students).

If you don't need it to be very detailed, you could hit up HSBNE as they have a working printer (Reprap Mendel), but it's setup to print with PLA, not as durable as ABS as well. The Edge (state library) has a few printers was well (Reprap Mendel & UP). But I don't know what the deal is with using them.

I could potentially do it as well but am too lazy at the moment to verify that my machine is still properly calibrated.

trog, i'm sure it would have been fine if she wasn't selling them.

Been trying to talk my boss into buying one of these. Sucks when you need to spend a few k on a billet of AL for prototyping purposes! Thanks for the links to the companies who do it though, may come in handy.

I will get a 3D printer for home as soon as they are affordable and precise enough to pirate Lego, and if it can print firearms then that's a bonus.

When I get a 3D printer, I'll print you off a 3D printer.

speaking of porn...
http://dongiverse.com/