Would you buy a 3d printed mag or lower?

[tazz007]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...v=q10Jz2qIog8#!

[Craizie]

lot's of videos of the lowers failing at the stock after just a few rounds.

[nightfly2000]

I would buy the printer and print magazines all day long, but the lowers.... well, i would use them for a dedicated 22LR AR, and thats about it. the thing about the plastic used in 3d printing is that its really weakened with just time and sunlight.... would not be good for a lower

[John -- '02 HAWK]

lot's of videos of the lowers failing at the stock after just a few rounds.

using the basic plastic, but there are more expensive methods using metal.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DW-2xaIDtMk

I would have no problem using a rapid prototyped magazines, as long as it able to handle the Texas heat, and the heat of the weapon

[Craizie]

I was replying in reference to the video. They were showing plastic based mags. I assumed the lowers would be the same.

[YALE]

using the basic plastic, but there are more expensive methods using metal.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DW-2xaIDtMk

I would have no problem using a rapid prototyped magazines, as long as it able to handle the Texas heat, and the heat of the weapon

If they could get it to print in something like JB Weld, it'd probably work. There are some guys working on a second stage, "cure," process that would make the units made with powdered metal in suspension material a little tougher. For now, the issue with those isn't the weakness of the powdered metal, it's the weakness of the binder for it.

[Craizie]

<--- would not trust a JB weld lower.

[YALE]

<--- would not trust a JB weld lower.

I'd say that's definitely tougher than what they can do so far. The lowers only take abuse at that point. What would really be neat, is if you could develop an upper and lower that could utilize a clamping force against each other, like scope quick-connects, or some kind of a cam-lock that uses a tab like the slide release on a Sig pistol, in addition to at least a front pivot pin, and attach the buffer tube to the upper. Then it wouldn't matter what you made your lower from. It would eliminate that stress point, and all you'd make different would be the bare receivers. It would likely make the upper quite a bit wider, though.

tl;dr = I'ma reinvent this here wheel!

[John -- '02 HAWK]

If they could get it to print in something like JB Weld, it'd probably work. There are some guys working on a second stage, "cure," process that would make the units made with powdered metal in suspension material a little tougher. For now, the issue with those isn't the weakness of the powdered metal, it's the weakness of the binder for it.

I lost a link to a new material/process that was able to do better parts. The demo the showed of a part damaged in time trials for a race, and they were able to prototype it and race it with no problems. the part was like a front wheel and brake mount and was able to take all the vibration and kinetic action involved

[YALE]

I lost a link to a new material/process that was able to do better parts. The demo the showed of a part damaged in time trials for a race, and they were able to prototype it and race it with no problems. the part was like a front wheel and brake mount and was able to take all the vibration and kinetic action involved

They printed a spindle?

[Craizie]

JB weld is extremely brittle. I doubt it would do too much better, granted it might be better. I personally wouldn't trust one.

[nightfly2000]

<--- would not trust a JB weld lower.

I would. I litterally glued the engine block back together with it.

[LANTIRN]

For mags, would you not be able to buy polymer similar to what magpul uses and put that in the 3d printer?

[John -- '02 HAWK]

They printed a spindle?

yep

[YALE]

yep

Link?