News Hobbyists Push Back Against 3D Printer Crackdowns

[Admin]

Makers are worried that a series of new laws will harm their ability to easily buy and use a 3D printer.

Hobbyists Push Back Against 3D Printer Crackdowns : Read more

 

[USAFRet]

Preemptive warning....don't stray off topic regarding gun laws. This is only about 3D printers.

 

[parkerthon]

Preemptive warning....don't stray off topic regarding gun laws. This is only about 3D printers.

Well, to be fair, it’s about gun control laws aimed at 3D printers. I know civil debate on the internet about polarizing issues are impossible to have and tons doesn’t want referee that, but there’s a very real debate on whether gun laws do much of anything. I don’t even own a gun and I see many issues with gun laws being more impactful to innocent citizens than they are to violent people and criminals. Add this to the list.

 

[USAFRet]

Well, to be fair, it’s about gun control laws aimed at 3D printers. I know civil debate on the internet about polarizing issues are impossible to have and tons doesn’t want referee that, but there’s a very real debate on whether gun laws do much of anything. I don’t even own a gun and I see many issues with gun laws being more impactful to innocent citizens than they are to violent people and criminals. Add this to the list.

A previous post about the same issue went off the rails quite quickly.

Just trying to prevent that.

 

[The Historical Fidelity]

Well, to be fair, it’s about gun control laws aimed at 3D printers. I know civil debate on the internet about polarizing issues are impossible to have and tons doesn’t want referee that, but there’s a very real debate on whether gun laws do much of anything. I don’t even own a gun and I see many issues with gun laws being more impactful to innocent citizens than they are to violent people and criminals. Add this to the list.

Yeah I think lawmakers are reaching on this one. I just don’t think “3D printed guns” are nearly prevalent enough to justify restrictions on a citizens right to purchase a 3D printer.

 

[bigdragon]

“3D printers will soon be as ubiquitous as paper printers...” -- Grant Schmidt

There. That's the important thing to keep in mind. Paper printers can create fraudulent and counterfeit documents yet we allow them to exist. 3D printers shouldn't be treated any differently. Yes, 3D printers used to print guns can cause deaths, but I argue that paper printers have been used to drive people to death and ruin lives. Punish the crime and the criminal -- not the tool.

 

[Sippincider]

Yeah I think lawmakers are reaching on this one. I just don’t think “3D printed guns” are nearly prevalent enough to justify restrictions on a citizens right to purchase a 3D printer.

I think anyone who wishes to 3D print themselves a homemade plastic firearm, using free plans they got off the Internet, should start by printing themselves a Darwin Award! Or maybe a pair of prosthetic hands ect. ...

 

[btmedic04]

my question is what is the end goal of this? say the bill against 3d printers passes, does that mean that metal lathes, or drill presses are next? all this will do is stifle children's ability to learn about STEM

 

[Co BIY]

Preemptive warning....don't stray off topic regarding gun laws. This is only about 3D printers.

OnIy? I thought maybe it also and freedom, government overreach and political foolishness.

But to prevent the interesting conversation from getting off topic and censored ...

Should I get a Resin Printer or Extrusion printer to create .... [just imagine whatever you would find acceptable in this space] ?

 

[DSzymborski]

Have already had to delete a bunch of posts. Just to clarify matters, @USAFRet's request to not stray off-topic on gun laws was a request to not stray off-topic on gun laws. Posts are not the only things that can be removed.

 

[mat347]

Because it's the 3d printers that are committing the crimes. SMH!
Remember how prohibition went? Placing any sort of restriction on 3d printers will only hurt law-abiding citizens. I don't yet own a 3d printer, but have my sights on a Bambu X1. Having to fill out a background check would steer me to buy from a different state. I have absolutely nothing on my record, and intend on keeping it that way, but what is next, having to give a DNA sample and my first born to buy a set of knives, because they could be used to commit crimes? Who bakes up this absolutely ridiculous legislation?
I am very relived that there are people who see this type of malarkey for what it is.
I mean, you don't even need a 3d printer to make a gun. CNC machines are becoming common and much more affordable. A decent amount that can be made with a 3d printer (gun wise) can readily be made with a table top CNC machine that uses a cheap Dremel tool, and those can be had for less than $1k. Heck, I bet they are quite a bit faster than a 3d printer at that.

 

[thestryker]

I always assume we get these weird, relatively pointless, overreaches because actual gun laws are impossible to pass.

I don't see the NY law as a huge barrier to ownership, but it also seems completely pointless which makes it needless. The CA law seems somehow even more pointless and I wish they wouldn't waste everyone's time.

 

[jerryn]

I use my 3D printer to create parts for my r/c aircrafts. I am learning how to design parts in onShape and 3D Print them. I design cases as well. Are these naive politicians going to regulate lathes, CNC hardware, and welding equipment too ? When I was a kid I built a pellet cannon with a lathe. Complete with wheels. It used firecrackers and pellets. We made a target range in the back yard and shot at soda cans.

I made a model rocket that would take an Estes c class motor with my 3d printer. It did not survive. Trust me , 3d printed guns are science fiction. The real ghost guns are built with supplies to fix guns from gun manufacturers. These parts have no serial numbers. The complete gun is built with those parts. The dumb politicians need to make that illegal.

 

[Dr3ams]

You would probably be able to buy a used 3D printer without a background check. This law does nothing, other than check a box for some politician's personal agenda.

Here in Germany back in the 90s, in order to buy or sell a laser color copier, you had to fill out a form that was then later sent to some government office. This law was supposedly helping to reduce the counterfeiting of the German Deutsch Mark.

 

[Phaaze88]

Wow, trying not to delve off into a certain subject is hard for this one, because as much as I try to spin it in my head, the reason some politicians are trying to do it, looks like another attempt to deflect the real issue, because blaming video games for the last decade or so went over so well...

 

[LolaGT]

I own a printer for anything 'fun' I can think of. I play with toys I could not own when I was a child because they were way out of reach.
RC cars, planes, slot car racing, etc. There are a multitude of various things one can print to replicate things that simply are not available anymore any other way.

 

[apiltch]

Preemptive warning....don't stray off topic regarding gun laws. This is only about 3D printers.

FWIW, when assigning and editing this article, I really tried hard to keep it from taking a side in the gun control / 2A debate. We spoke to people who were for and against tougher gun laws.

Now, I will personally opine on the technology side of this, which is that it's absolutely crazy, wrong and protects nobody to make it harder to buy 3D printers. 3D printers are in libraries and schools; they are used by kids for maker projects. The people suggesting the bans clearly don't know anything about the technology or how it is used. I don't think a single person who has used a 3D printer for more than 5 minutes would support these laws.