CRAWFORDVILLE, Fla. (WTXL) — 3D printing has a variety of uses, from printing knick-knacks to practical home use to starting or helping your business. Wakulla County neighbors have seen how this can be a cost-effective way to put money back in their pockets.
- 3D printing can print more than just toys; people can print door hinges, appliance handles, to even a canoe handle.
- On average, it costs about $20 for 2.2 pounds of filament.
- Watch the video below about how neighbors are learning to use this type of technology.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Many think people use 3D printing just to make some toys or knick-knacks; however, you can 3d print just about anything, including parts, household supplies, among other things.
I'm Serena Davanzo, your Crawfordville neighborhood reporter, with how those endless possibilities can help people start or help a local business.
"You 3D print, pretty much anything. It's really your imagination is your limit," said Tyson Folsom, a library volunteer who's teaching a 3D printing class.
The library saw a want from neighbors to learn 3d printing to print useful things. Library volunteer Tyson Folsom, who’s teaching a 3d printing class at the library, says that you can print just about anything.
Neighbors can utilize the technology to build or bring resources to the home or business, or even start a new business.
"It's according to how it's utilized. It's just like anything, if you, if you utilize it correctly, then it could be very profitable. If you are not utilizing it properly, you might actually lose money," explained Folsom. "So it's there are, there are some people here in Wakulla County that are actually they 3d print."
Folsom emphasizes the importance of building a good business model if you wish to make and print designs for your business.
One neighbor taking the class saw firsthand how 3D printing can help his own business and wanted to learn.
"I worked at a TNT Hideaway canoe rental, and we needed a steering handle for our kayak to operate the rudder. And it's an older kayak, and that part was no longer available through the manufacturer," explained Robert Baker, a neighbor learning how to 3D print. "So I asked Tyson if it was something we could 3D print. And he said, sure, just let me look at it. And he had me something printed up in a couple of days."
He says that this would also reduce costs and time, as he could make the parts instead of going through a manufacturer. Baker also explained how this can be a cost-effective way to fundraise for his son’s Boy Scout troop.
"And we're looking to do some fundraisers, and 3D printing, some cool stuff to sell at a booth at a festival, or any other kind of events that we go to, would help raise money for the scouts, so the scouts can keep doing the things scouts do," said Baker.
Folsom said that 2.2 pounds of filament is about $20, so making small toys and such like this would be fairly inexpensive. For example, the hinge on your screen takes about 15 cents of product to print.
Baker says they are just starting to crawl with 3D printing and is excited to see where it’ll take them.
In Crawfordville, Serena Davanzo, ABC 27.
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