I bet that one day this technology will change car restorations

[bamadukefan02]

http://bangshift.com/blog/watch-a-large-scale-model-of-a-1927-miller-91-race-car-get-entirely-built-of-3d-printed-parts-truly-amazing.html

[cudaken]

I have been learning about 3 D printers from my Scale Model Train site I go to. Few of the folks there bought home models and have been making there own cars and engine shells.

Cuda Ken

[ws23rt]

   I agree--And the first place we (car collectors folks) will feel it is with some stuff we need ---68 GRILLS---

Come on you guys working after hours with machines like this.

A friend of mine broke off a bolt on an alum. motorcycle head (cam mount) around 1974.  He worked at a high tec manufacturing plant that had an EDM machine.  After hours he was able to zap the broken steel stud from the alum. head and saved a cost that could not have been considered at the time.

It is a lot to ask to reproduce a grill on the off shift but just thinking---

The EDM machines that saved my friends myc head are going for cheap on Ebay

[Tilar]

That is a cool video, and it probably will change things in due time.

[TXcharger70]

Very cool

[Cooter]

3D. Printer on ebay big enough to do a Charger grille....$100k.

Cost of producing 68-70 grilles each..... $2500.00 per grille....


Hearing people raise holy hell about the price tag when grilles are out there....PRICELESS....

[green69rt]

This has been a topic on other threads.   Just did a search on ebay for EDM machines and found one for $49,500 that looks big enough to do grill center sections on 68-69.  I didn't know they existed that big!!?  So I would bet the hold up on grills is not the machine.  What little I know, it seems that the problem is the programing.  If the machine needs a 3D cad drawing then that might be a big cost.   If Scanning technology catches up and it can produce a pattern for the EDM then we might (big "maybe" here) see grills produced for less than $2500.   I saw that Bob Fist had a hard time selling his.  I would bet there a few owners out there that might spend that on a grill and since they can be produced "to order", small production numbers shouldn't be a big issue.   Again "maybe".

[ACUDANUT]

I think they should be called 3d part makers. They really don't "print" anything.

[Aero426]

A high end Ferrari restoration shop locally has had one of these for a few years now. 

[Tilar]

What little I know, it seems that the problem is the programing.  If the machine needs a 3D cad drawing then that might be a big cost.   If Scanning technology catches up and it can produce a pattern for the EDM then we might (big "maybe" here) see grills produced for less than $2500.  

http://youtu.be/7ZrJsrTT4EA

[Mike DC]

  
You can already get a mint condition '68 grille with a much cheaper set of tools - a $400 laptop, an internet connection, and an Ebay account.

[Bob T]

The brother of a guy I work with has been building an Aston Martin DB4 with his 3D printer making the 4'' tiles for the body buck/mould while he's at work earing a buck. It will be powered by Nissan Skyline by the sounds of it.
Its his 2nd project, he has also done a Ferrari 250 GTO replica as well, pretty impressive.
And he's not some rocket scientist or bodyshop wizard, he does drainage work and diggers, not bad huh 

Here's a link to his build blog if anyone is interested

http://www.replicadb4.com/

[ws23rt]

The brother of a guy I work with has been building an Aston Martin DB4 with his 3D printer making the 4'' tiles for the body buck/mould while he's at work earing a buck. It will be powered by Nissan Skyline by the sounds of it.
Its his 2nd project, he has also done a Ferrari 250 GTO replica as well, pretty impressive.
And he's not some rocket scientist or bodyshop wizard, he does drainage work and diggers, not bad huh 

Here's a link to his build blog if anyone is interested

http://www.replicadb4.com/

I love this kind of stuff   With the aide of the tools of today and those to come the ideas that clog our heads can happen. We know we can make things with files,grinders,welders etc but a life time can be spent doing that part of an original idea.
Their was a prison inmate that made a gun (first class) with the permission of the jailers.  He did it all by hand from blank stock.
He just happend to have some spare time to do it.

[Cooter]

Well, I guess one could ask the state to buy the 3D printer, and get the inmates to sh*t out grilles so when you go to the dmv for tags, you can huy yiur grile and save some roads in the process.

[Chad L. Magee]

I think they should be called 3d part makers. They really don't "print" anything.

Yes, this will be a game changer in the future.  The people who will make the money on this will be the printer manifactures, the suppliers, and the designers for the parts.  Granted, you could design your own parts, but they would not be very "correct" without alot of work on the details.....

Off topic but about 3-D printers nonetheless:

In the medical field, researchers at national labs are working on 3-D printers to fabricate human organs using stem cells and a templated design.  I think that they have some successes for skin and less sophisticated tissues already (in laboratory testing stages, not transplant ready though).  This organ-printing process is the true key to making a human brain out of stem cells, as they require many blood veins to supply oxygen to the cells which could be templated into the design.  Currently they can grow brain cells out of stem cells, but they only form small gray balls of tissue, not a whole brain.  All that is needed with the 3-D process is enough NMRI scans to configure the locations of the nerve bundles and blood supplies to replicate a brain with the right template in play.  Whether or not it functions as a human one is anybody's guess.....

Still, it would be handy to have around the lab (for many reasons).....

[green69rt]

 
You can already get a mint condition '68 grille with a much cheaper set of tools - a $400 laptop, an internet connection, and an Ebay account.

Yes, I read about folks repairing their grills all the time.  And spending $400 for a repaired grill is certainly attractive over spending $2500 for a repro.   But I've often wondered about our old grills.  Are they brittle and prone to crack??    I won't be testing mine but I suspect the plastic is very hard and brittle.  Don't know how long it will last before more repairs are needed.   It would be nice to have the option to replace parts with fresh new plastic.  Just saying...

[Cooter]

Freash new centers are already out there for $1500.00......just sayin.

[6spd68]

I'm considering using a 3d printer to make interior parts for my Charger should other avenues fail me 

[green69rt]

Freash new centers are already out there for $1500.00......just sayin.

There are?  I haven't seen any since Fist sold his off.