Tuesday, May 7, 2013

When 3-D Printers Are Outlawed, Only Outlaws Will Have 3-D Printers

That's probably the only thing that the gun-banners will be able to think of: Banning 3-D printers. As for banning the printing of anything, good luck with that. Information is had to suppress. Actually, in these days, it is almost impossible to stop. So while Chuckie Schumer may be having a cow, it is hard to see how he is going to do anything about it. If criminals want to make 3-D printed guns, does anyone seriously think that the law will be a hindrance? And while, if the cops recover a gun now, they can at least try to trace it forward from the place it was made, good luck doing that with a 3-D printed weapon.

Funny how ol' Chuckie worries so much about plastic guns, when one can get a plastic shiv pretty easily. But I digress.

Sure, the first 3-D gun is pretty crude, at least now.



But they won't always be. And, as the technology advances, 3-D printers which can make things out of more durable materials than thermoplastics will trickle down. Sure, they're expensive, now. So were laser printers 20 years ago.

Good thing that the ISS is in neutral space, for NASA wants 3-D printing up there. You'll eventually find those things on every remote location, ship and submarine. You'll find them in the machine shops of industrial plants. And in home hobbyists shops. The idea that you won't have to stock bins of repair parts and hardware, all you'll need are stocks of substrate and software to make the parts you need is just too appealing.

Unless they try to ban the printers, but the commercial applications are too enticing for that to happen. and even if they control them, then what? Eventually, of course, they'll have to outlaw making a 3-D printer with a 3-D printer. For this might be the first non-biological self-replicating system.

Update: As Frank James points out, if the goal is to make a single-shot gun, there are far easier ways to do it.

(H/T)

4 comments:

  1. Actually, given that the "Undetectable Firearms Act of 1988" (signed by Reagan), as amended and reauthorized (it sunset in 1998) under Shrub Bush in 2003 would cover this gun, a renewal seems the easy way to cover this. Of course, the attempts to toss in other provisions covering magazines and such is gonna cause outrage. But I'll be interested to see the NRA position on this since it's enforcement of an existing law (something they've demanded) and renewal of an existing law (if not amended).

    The NRA hasn't spoken yet (that I can find), and there is quite a bit of speculation about what side it will take. Will it back its manufacturing supporters by agreeing to renewal, without the additional prohibitions? Or will it argue pure 2nd Amendment and against the interests of it's primary money suppliers?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The NRA has something north of four million members. To say that they serve the interests of the gun makers is, at best simplistic. It's like saying that AOPA serves the interests of the aircraft makers or that AARP serves the interests of the insurance companies.

      Okay, the last one is probably accurate.

      Delete
  2. One note...

    Hobbyists have been making their own 3d printers for a bunch of years now.
    They aren't rocket science. We have a 500$ version in the office for
    making small one off plastic parts. Printed parts are a boon for the
    small companies doing prototype or small volume work.

    Oh, and all plastic is silly as the same software can run a simple 500$
    baby vertical mill that has been "automated" to become a CNC mill. That
    can crank out those parts plastic is not well suited for.

    Its free enterprise and free speech... They tried banning printing presses
    and its still not working.

    ReplyDelete
  3. +1 on Eck! And since these are now 'in the wild' so to speak, it's going to get really interesting...

    ReplyDelete

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