Solidoodle Officially Closed (Page 4 of 4)

I've been running my Me Creator for about a year now. I have it running probably 15 hours a day...I have to sleep.. producing products. Just bought a second one. Took a bit of experimenting to get it to print the way I wanted. All the spare parts are easily attainable from Amazon, same day even! They supply stl files of all the plastic components. Second one cost me $330 delivered direct from Hong Kong, Ordered Friday evening, delivered via DHL Monday morning. Here's a video of me standing on an air filter adapter to go on the reverse of motor cycle carbs:

<iframe width="854" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SxllUPWOw-U" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Yup. Buying wholesale and selling retail does not work anymore because of companies such as Amazon.
To be profitable, one has to make his/her own product... and sell it cheap enough that copying it is not profitable, yet there must be a profit.

I'm a member at www.TechShop.com and produce a full line of niche motorcycle parts www.ExpensiveLightweightShit.com I have been in biz 25 years so far. The house is paid for :-)
The TechShop has really given me a boost as I produce nearly all my products in-house or there.

As you know, 3D printed parts cost almost nothing to make. We had a trade show a couple weeks ago at the TS and I was the only guy who made marketable hard parts. Most everything to date there has been trinkets or prototype models.

Oh, yeah, IC3D has the best USA made filament on the planet. (Plug for a great product)

Amazon isn't the problem.  You can sell your stuff on Amazon.  The problem is the gigantic factories sitting idle waiting for your cool product. 

That being said http://support.solidoodle.com is working again.

I had people try to get me to 3D print things like ATV carberator bowls. how do you print stuff that has fuel in/around it like that or gaskets etc? ABS is not good for that

I looked into local tech/maker shops here but have not found one nearby or afordable to join. plus seems not many members have much to add to my info, I am disabled/retired low fixed income and already have a small area in home for all my maker stuff which already had lots of diferent maker equipment b4 adding 3D printing. been trying to get the 1-2 dozen local makers to join focus on a cottage industry project so we can share info and help each other grow and profit as a team to handle larger orders etc. not much success yet though.

seems main obstacle is 1st reliability in quality and communication/meeting attendance either due to other priorities or fear of unfounded competition. I had 13 local 3DHUBS but only 2 where still active plus myself and I was tied for top hub in the area with a total of 4 jobs in 2 years LMAO. that's why I coined the Phase 'Self Industry' but several 'self industries' can create a group of different abilities and function as a larger Industry to meet bigger goals, Grow and become self sustaining in todays strange economy like small businesses did during the 'Great Depression'

America has done this before and knows how to adapt and survive, even thrive in 'hard times' its our legacy and why the world will die trying to move here to enjoy our freedoms and why our borders are seeing great influx since they dont know how to go through proper channels legally mostly or dont meet criteria to do so.

but the drug trafficing has risen not only at borders but all over like any illegal activity will in bad economy with high rate of poor educated people. and it seems no politician has a clue about it nor how to fix it. like they say 'ya cant fix stupid'

n2ri thought you might interested in this. They started up not too long ago.

http://www.inventorforgemakerspace.org/

Started by members of Arch Reactor who were too far away from downtown.

At times I avoid getting into something that could be a potential hobby for me because time is limited, and it would make it harder to figure out how to focus on the projects I already want to do.  However I can see why it would be a good idea to dabble in a wide range of interests.  The best chance of success in making money as a maker is finding a niche, but you can't really go out looking for niches.  How do you make yourself hear about the thing you never heard of?  How are you going to successfully dive into that thing you never heard of if you don't have an interest in it? 

There might be a half dozen hobbies I would be interested in doing that I will never have time to fully pursue.  But watching from the sidelines as a spectator of sorts might be enough to find some opportunities.  With the ATV example, maybe I wouldn't have time and money to buy a trailer and drive around to events a couple of weekends each month.  But I might dabble enough to come up with ideas for mods or accessories to make. 

I imagine the best kinds of niches are the ones that aren't already populated by makers the way 3d printing, drones and robotics are.  Instead it would be hobbies where the participants don't commonly have 3D printers already, and no one is making the extremely specialized things they would want.

It might be a good reason to have a 3D Hub, even if it doesn't turn a profit and a bunch of requests aren't printable.  Assuming jobs come in, it gives you a chance to see what kinds of things people want to have made.

thanks, I get emails from the librarys and saw these listed, went to one that company done but havnt made any more meets. also on a FB  group the local St Peters makers started with that trying to start a space but a couple top members fell out so its dead ATM. some people get greedy and try to take over groups to collect dues etc. I guess since I dont need a work space or tools I just dont see the value paying upwords of $50 a month for a once a week meeting late on Friday (dinner time) 30 miles away near bad crime area. with only closed up industries around so your on your own if have trouble or need anything. plus no security. I worked weekdays in a bit better area in St Louis for 11 years that had 3 armed guards and 36 HD security cameras running 24/7 and still delt with lots of theft including 2 cars off lot per day. shootings etc near daily and no safe zone or place to stop for miles coming or going to work and home. lots of gun fights between cars while driving 2x speed limit on sidewalks etc in daylight while headed home, burned out cars on HWY you name it. its why I feel and look 20 years older than I am HA! so no city travel spots for me since retired/disabled. Ferguson was only a sample of how things been headed for years and its just a suburb about -5 miles from where I worked. I had to run videos back and burn DVD for police lots at the main site I was at even for the Officer that was assassinated in our alley a couple years ago.

so Arch Reactors site (old or new) just wont work for me. Mark Twain Hobby in St Charles would likely still let a group have meetings there periodically for up to 24 people, in their clinic/media room.

A few of us started http://www.printitindustries.com/ for exactly this reason.  This community has and will continue to be better support than SD  ever dreamt of providing so you've got nothing to worry about.

Happy Printing

Rocketman:  When I got into this hobby two years ago it was difficult  if not impossible to find a $500 printer . And even kits I was was directed to were like a grand.  So I ended up purchasing a used SD4.  There are many Kit s available for $550  and printers are getting bigger 12x12x12 print areas are becoming available at affordable prices. IMHO  printers are more affordable than they were two years ago and there are more options for the home hobbyist

Some of the Solidoodle printers are being cloned in china the only thing you are losing is  the assembled in the USA label and any added value that is worth.

The whole open source  design concept is about collaboration and people helping each other. It is not about a label or brand name. This forum is the Solidoodle community. Printit Industries is part of that community.  This community is to help owners of desktop 3D printers. Not just Solidoodle.

No one here will offer any warranty coverage    but we will help you find parts and fix your machine if it breaks. .
Tin

Until the Press, it seems that Solidoodle printers were mostly open-source components.  I have an SD4, and I'm not sweating it; you shouldn't either.

-Kevin