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Comment by martinwoodward | Hacker News Reader

We are using Shapeways.com to turn them into metal for us and it was the option they had. Haven't tried getting it CNC'd but thinking we might need to change the model up a bit to allow the tool to get into some of the gaps that are possible. If anyone wants to try with a CNC machine then love to know what the results are like

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Why is it so hard to find companies that you give an STL file, choose material, tweak some settings, pay and give address? First thing I see on shapeways is get a quote, which means I have to go into a sales funnel by signing up and waste time instead of actually printing a 3d model.

I used it several times and despite the name, "Get a quote" is merely a preview webapp to upload the model and see how much it would cost in each material (and directly add to cart when you're happy with the result), no talking to sales involved.

They run more tests on the model after you order (to make sure it's physically possible to print it), but even then, never had to talk to anyone.

Fascinating. I, too, decided not to use them after the "Get a quote" button was the only CTA. Usually that means I have to wait for a call back and I really don't want to talk to people. Instead I called my friend with a 3D printer. Haha, who would have known that "Get a quote" was "Print your Design".

I wonder if everyone else who wants 3D printed stuff is just better informed about this. I literally bounced off the page because of it.

They should rename it then. A "quote" is something I avoid like the plague. It makes me think I'm going to have to talk to a hard-selling sales rep, and, further, that the prices are fudgeable and that I'd be a sucker for paying the quoted price.

I was able to create an account with Shapeways, upload a model and print out a single copy paying on my credit card without talking to a person.

because 3D printing arbitrary geometry, especially with arbitrary materials is Really Hard

a human has to look at how it's printed- two very similar shapes might take vastly different times to print and require different amounts of support material, etc.

These guys popped up on HN a little while back: https://www.jiga3d.com/

Accounts on everything.. the digital plague of 2021. Need to scratch your ass? Please login or signup now!

Because they could get in trouble for restricted stuff? e.g Guns

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