Thanks for the insight Steve. Far from decrying the “industry” i see nothing but good in the future for it. Just as a relatively early adopter, the machine i settled on under-performed to my expectations, which may or may not have been biased by advertising and promises of what the future holds.
I agree that the industry needs to flourish to allow for these amazing opportunities to be realised to the mass public, but i do stand by my hobbiest statement, with the clarification that most of the affordable (<$2k machines) are still hobbiest pieces of equipment, with regard to time put into it verses cost of component, (thats how i define a hobby, where the cost of making it cannot be recouped when selling the item) where unless the item is not physically possible to be manufactured, due to its geometry or complexity, it is generally, still more economic to use traditional prototyping methods where presentation is a key factor.
Just to clarify, my initial expectations on finish and material performance were based a “rapid prototype” we had made on a machine at our local university back in the mid nineties. (I had to book time on the machine and the project had to be deemed worthy). My current expectations would be to be able to get one serviceable part off the machine at all, then hopefully be able to replicate this feat again would be nice. I am not looking for injection molded, smooth plastic finish straight off the machine.
I liked the analogy of the sack cloth, but i think, for the time being, i will go naked, keep out of the brambles and just scare the natives, until they come up with the felted wool.
No problem my good man, but please don’t scare the natives too much. But I get repeating good finishes, high yield stresses, and no abhorted runs from the machines that I make and supply so you will have to forgive me for being the other side of the fence. I believe in one offs as a means of production. I think they satisfy demand and create a culture where if somebody wants something they have to put time and money into getting it. That way it is worth keeping and does not immediately upon receipt need to be “junked” and people told about all the things it wont do rather than the one it is good at. That’s why I promote not just buying a machine but how to get the best out of it. Knowing how to design helps a lot with failed bridgework, even just knowing just by looking what will run without modification and what wont. Anyway, its been a nice discussion and its good to have the failures pointed out because that’s how we learn. If I never have an incident I’m never going to learn how to stop it happening again. Walk with peace at your side ,my brother, and let not your worst enemy be thineself. Steve the buddistXXXXXXX
