-How Can I Try 3D Printing and Make My Ideas Real Things?

If you're interested in 3D printing, you have a few options. First, you can head to your local hackerspace and become a member. Hackerspaces.org has a constantly-updated list of hackerspaces around the globe you can join, and many of them have open-house days so you can stop in and see the facilities before you pay to become a member. If a hackerspace near you has a 3D printer, members undoubtedly have access to it. In some cases, you'll have to either bring your own raw materials, or pony up a little more cash to keep the printer stockpiled with thermoplastics. If you're lucky, it's considered part of your membership fee. If you don't have a hackerspace near you, check with your local vocational schools, community colleges, or universities. Here in Washington DC, the Martin Luther King, Jr Memorial Library just added a 3D printer that anyone can use as part of its Digital Commons project. Even if such a thing is unheard of where you are, it doesn't have to be. Get involved with your local library or community college, and make the case—you never know, they may spring for it and you may find yourself the local 3D printing expert. Finally, you can always turn to a professional 3D printing company with a line of industrial printers available to take your order. They can usually do crazy things with powdered materials, lasers, etching, and bring your idea to life in any shape or size you need, without the need for polishing, sanding, or a ton of post-processing after the fact. We mentioned Shapeways and Sculpteo above, both companies can take your ideas and bring them to life. It's a little hands-off compared to visiting a hackerspace and actually using a printer yourself, or buying one of your own, but they do have some resources you probably won't have access to regardless of where you turn.

If you're really serious about 3D printing, your best bet is to buy your own. Make no mistake, they're still expensive, but the cost has come down a great deal in recent years. Here are a few options, from least to most expensive: The Buccaneer Cloud 3D Printer was a massive Kickstarter success, and pre-orders will re-open in December to the tune of $350. Their goal is to create the easiest-to-use, most-affordable and functional 3D printer on the market, and if it works the way their site describes, it'll be a great option. The Printrbot is a series of 3D printers that are highly capable (some are designed as "starter" printers) and aimed at hobbyists. You can either buy fully assembled Printrbots ($399-$699), or buy a Printrbot kit you can put together yourself ($259-$299). The RepRap is a series of 3D printers capable of replicating lots of things, including themselves (or rather, its own parts, you'll still have to assemble them.) RepRap is actually a community-run project, and dozens of RepRap printers exist. They're relatively low-cost, and available in multiple models from about $700-$1100. If you're interested in a RepRap but want the safety net of a company to work with or support it, check out the Lulzbot; a type of RepRap backed by Aleph Objects, Inc. The Cube 3D Printer is one of the first consumer-friendly printers, and it even comes in different colors to match your decor. The Cube works right out of the box, is easy to set up, prints over Wi-Fi, and even comes with free models to print out of the box. You'll pay for all those features though, a Cube will set you back $1300. The Up! 3D printer series is similar to the Cube in that the goal of its manufacturer is to bring 3D printing to the masses. The Up! Mini will set you back $1000, while the Up Plus and the Up Plus 2 will cost you $1600 and $1800 respectively. The Makerbot Replicator is the 3D printer that defined the genre. It can print high-resolution, smooth objects quickly in multiple colors, and it's capable of producing interconnected components and moving objects. It'll set you back around $2200. The CubeX is from the same people who make the Cube, but it's capable of printing larger, high-resolution, professional parts. It can print multiple items on one array, print in multiple colors, and even print with multiple types of plastics at the same time. The CubeX starts at $2500. These are just a few 3D printer models out there, and not even remotely an exhaustive list. Engadget has an amazing guide to 3D printers that includes models large and small, personal to professional. This comparison chart from 3Ders.org lists prices, models, manufacturers, lead times, tabletop footprints, and more for dozens of commercially available (or crowdfunded) 3D printers. Speaking of crowdfunded 3D printers, more and more printers are coming on the market, and many of them get their start on sites like Kickstarter and IndieGoGo. The Form 1, for example, is a high-resolution digital printer that, when available, will add lasers to the printer to harden plastics as they're extruded and create higher-resolution, more sturdy and durable 3D printed objects. For more, check out this Instructables guide to 3D printing, which gets deeper into the nitty gritty of materials, plastics, designs, and examples of 3D printed objects. Consider joining the Makers, Hackers, Artists & Engineers community at Google+ (moderated by our friends at Adafruit Industries) to get inspired and meet other people doing real things with 3D printers. It's also worth mentioning that Amazon recently added a 3D Printers and Supplies section to its store, so you can even get your printer and filament shipped right to your house with Prime shipping if you want. 3D printing is still largely a hobby for hackers and makers right now—and while there's no doubt that it's rapidly descending to the masses, it'll still be a while before most people have a 3D printer in their homes, or one they can visit to print out something they need to fix or replace at home. Still, that doesn't mean that you can't dive in now if you have passion around the technology. In a few years time, it'll be interesting to see how far 3D printing technology has come, and whether it's commonplace in people's lives.