# 3-D Printing: I still don't get it **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 12, 2017, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-d-printing-i-still-dont-get-it/782023 "2017-03-12T19:35:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2017, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-d-printing-i-still-dont-get-it/782023/21 "2017-03-16T03:28:17Z")
A friend of mine uses a program with his VR goggles to sculpt in virtual 3-D space. He uses two handheld controllers as various sculpting tools and can walk around a large piece of virtual media to carve it into shape. It saves the final object that gets sent to the 3d printer to make a miniature actual object. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2017, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-d-printing-i-still-dont-get-it/782023/22 "2017-03-18T00:43:36Z")
**Hampshire** : That’s light-years out of my tech zone…but dawgone it sounds like fun! ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2017, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-d-printing-i-still-dont-get-it/782023/23 "2017-03-19T19:44:55Z")
Can someone please print me out a fuse-box cover for BMW e10 (six fuse block)? I can’t even find a damn picture of one! Saw a hammered-up one at a swap meet a few years ago. Dude wanted $50 for it! Little piece of plastic! If anybody want to accept the challenge, I’ll get you measurements. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2017, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-d-printing-i-still-dont-get-it/782023/24 "2017-03-19T21:10:33Z")
That sounds like EXACTLY what 3d printing should excel at…and why a good drawing program is necessary…and why companies need to make specs and print files publicly available. Lots and lots of trivial auto parts ought to be printable. (I suppose auto parts retailers will be reluctant to play along…) ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2017, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-d-printing-i-still-dont-get-it/782023/25 "2017-03-19T21:30:00Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > Can someone please print me out a fuse-box cover for BMW e10 (six fuse block)? Don’t do it! I think he’s trying to crowdsource a free BMW one part at a time! ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2017, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-d-printing-i-still-dont-get-it/782023/26 "2017-03-19T22:35:45Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > Don’t do it! I think he’s trying to crowdsource a free BMW one part at a time! - “Uh, Neg-a-tory on that, Red Ryder! This is the Psycho-Billy BMW, come on back! What year is this automobile? Well…”\* RIP, Johnny 😃 ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2017, 9:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-d-printing-i-still-dont-get-it/782023/27 "2017-03-20T09:09:56Z")
The show Know How on the [Twit.tv](http://Twit.tv) podcast network just had a show about getting started on 3D printing and good choices for printers. The host is a big fan of TinkerCad. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-d-printing-i-still-dont-get-it/782023.md?page=1)