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rjohann

I call it lego for the industry. Many 3d printer frames are made of it. Sim racing rigs are made of it.

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I call it legos for adults, with the price tag and everything ;)

I would argue that LEGO is more expensive, way more expensive.

So what would be a LEGO for adults without the price tag?

PVC pipes and fittings.

PVC fittings are weirdly expensive, considering how cheap the pipes themselves are.

I thought it was an Australia thing but yes, $1.50 pipes and $3 fittings are the norm here too. Fortunately, you can 3d print fittings which opens up all sorts of possibilities that don't really make sense for use in plumbing.

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2956356

It's probably because the manufacturing process is more complicated.

I bet the pipe is practically continuously extruded from a machine but the fittings also have to be processed and bent into shape before they harden.

Just bar, sheet, tube and round steel. Still less than $1/lb

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