Comments on: Filabot: turn scrap plastic into 3D printer filament http://boingboing.net/2013/01/13/filabot-turn-scrap-plastic-in.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Tue, 21 May 2013 20:29:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: brainflakes http://boingboing.net/2013/01/13/filabot-turn-scrap-plastic-in.html#comment-1627483 brainflakes Mon, 14 Jan 2013 11:48:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=205398#comment-1627483 It's amazing how little information about the Filabot the video actually contains... It’s amazing how little information about the Filabot the video actually contains…

]]> By: Luis Rodriguez http://boingboing.net/2013/01/13/filabot-turn-scrap-plastic-in.html#comment-1627338 Luis Rodriguez Mon, 14 Jan 2013 01:19:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=205398#comment-1627338 Actions speak louder than words. Filabot was first. Better Future Factory does it but isn't in it for money. Good luck to you. Actions speak louder than words. Filabot was first. Better Future Factory does it but isn’t in it for money. Good luck to you.

]]> By: bcsizemo http://boingboing.net/2013/01/13/filabot-turn-scrap-plastic-in.html#comment-1627253 bcsizemo Sun, 13 Jan 2013 22:13:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=205398#comment-1627253 This isn't really complicated.  Anyone that's seen an extruder in action has the general idea of what's going on here.  Grind up the stock, place in extruder heated to appropriate flow temperature for that type of plastic and force it through a die.  That works great when you are using raw/virgin plastics, but here you'll need to wash/clean and probably dry anything before it goes to the grinder (and you might even need to pre-cut it to size...thinking like gallon milk jug sized stuff.)  That's not really bad, but it is a lot more manual steps that are introduced.  That and I imagine the whole thing is much larger than any of the printers. On the super cheap DIY end of things you could hack together an extruder using some iron/steel pipe, a 12 to 24 inch arguer bit, various end caps, motor (with various pulleys and belts), and an arduino to control/regulate temp....It wouldn't be pretty, but it should work-ish. This isn’t really complicated.  Anyone that’s seen an extruder in action has the general idea of what’s going on here.  Grind up the stock, place in extruder heated to appropriate flow temperature for that type of plastic and force it through a die.  That works great when you are using raw/virgin plastics, but here you’ll need to wash/clean and probably dry anything before it goes to the grinder (and you might even need to pre-cut it to size…thinking like gallon milk jug sized stuff.)  That’s not really bad, but it is a lot more manual steps that are introduced.  That and I imagine the whole thing is much larger than any of the printers.

On the super cheap DIY end of things you could hack together an extruder using some iron/steel pipe, a 12 to 24 inch arguer bit, various end caps, motor (with various pulleys and belts), and an arduino to control/regulate temp….It wouldn’t be pretty, but it should work-ish.

]]> By: rocketpjs http://boingboing.net/2013/01/13/filabot-turn-scrap-plastic-in.html#comment-1627242 rocketpjs Sun, 13 Jan 2013 21:54:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=205398#comment-1627242 I would be amazed and disappointed in Makerbot or someone else wasn't already working on this as a partnership.  Whoever does will win the 3d printing startup race, or at least get a bit headstart. I would be amazed and disappointed in Makerbot or someone else wasn’t already working on this as a partnership.  Whoever does will win the 3d printing startup race, or at least get a bit headstart.

]]> By: Boris Bartlog http://boingboing.net/2013/01/13/filabot-turn-scrap-plastic-in.html#comment-1627224 Boris Bartlog Sun, 13 Jan 2013 21:36:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=205398#comment-1627224 Some of the feedstock should be pretty easy to recognize. PET, LDPE, HDPE - modern items made from those already have recycling symbols on them that tell you what kind of plastic they are. I agree that the video was useless, though. Some of the feedstock should be pretty easy to recognize. PET, LDPE, HDPE – modern items made from those already have recycling symbols on them that tell you what kind of plastic they are.
I agree that the video was useless, though.

]]> By: Jason Campisi http://boingboing.net/2013/01/13/filabot-turn-scrap-plastic-in.html#comment-1627142 Jason Campisi Sun, 13 Jan 2013 19:54:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=205398#comment-1627142 If a efficient one of these came with every 3d Printer, it would help push 3d Printing into the minds of Joe Sixpack. Instead of Recycle & Reuse, we could say, Recycle & Print. If a efficient one of these came with every 3d Printer, it would help push 3d Printing into the minds of Joe Sixpack. Instead of Recycle & Reuse, we could say, Recycle & Print.

]]> By: Carlos Watson http://boingboing.net/2013/01/13/filabot-turn-scrap-plastic-in.html#comment-1627137 Carlos Watson Sun, 13 Jan 2013 19:47:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=205398#comment-1627137 Next step: Mr. Fusion. Next step: Mr. Fusion.

]]> By: Jeremy Kalgreen http://boingboing.net/2013/01/13/filabot-turn-scrap-plastic-in.html#comment-1627114 Jeremy Kalgreen Sun, 13 Jan 2013 19:29:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=205398#comment-1627114 Diamond Age style matter compilers, here we come! Diamond Age style matter compilers, here we come!

]]> By: Magnus Redin http://boingboing.net/2013/01/13/filabot-turn-scrap-plastic-in.html#comment-1627027 Magnus Redin Sun, 13 Jan 2013 17:17:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=205398#comment-1627027 It would have been 100x as interesting with a video about how it works and is operated. The utility is obvious and the key know how are probably recognizing feedstock, washing it, quality testing the filament and how to neatly use feedstock with non-uniform properties and colours. And it would be very good if people stopped buing crap that cant be recycled. It would have been 100x as interesting with a video about how it works and is operated. The utility is obvious and the key know how are probably recognizing feedstock, washing it, quality testing the filament and how to neatly use feedstock with non-uniform properties and colours. And it would be very good if people stopped buing crap that cant be recycled.

]]> By: Jean Baptiste http://boingboing.net/2013/01/13/filabot-turn-scrap-plastic-in.html#comment-1627003 Jean Baptiste Sun, 13 Jan 2013 16:39:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=205398#comment-1627003 Modified 1975 Rollerball lettering... Modified 1975 Rollerball lettering…

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