Hansen Specialties

3D printing is a form of additive manufacturing where parts are built up from nothing by adding material instead of starting with a block of material and removing the parts you don't need.

I can print almost anything you can imagine if we can find or create the proper 3D files. Resolution is 0.1-0.2mm at best, so fine detail like the lettering on a coin are not feasible.

I am researching a dual extruder that will allow me to print with two different plastics at once, which will open up more options.

I will not and do not print functional firearms. I personally enjoy firearms but do not want to go through the hassles of obtaining a FFL.

My current printer is a RigidBot Big, with a build volume 12 inches wide, 16 inches long, and 10 inches high. If you can fit it into a standard milkcrate, it will fit on my printer.

I am currently working with PLA (polylactic acid), a biodegradeable plastic made from corn. Cheap and fairly rugged, it is my primary material.

I am working on getting my printer to be more reliable with another common plastic, ABS (a blend of acrylonitrile, butadiene, and styrene), since it has different physical properties.

HIPS (high impact polystyrene) has worked for a few projects, but the cost and odor produced has forced me to put it on the shelf until I have a request for it.

Taulmann makes a variety of nylon blends with interesting properties and I have some samples on hand to experiment with.

I buy my plastics from a variety of sources, each of which has their own palette of colors. You can see what they offer by looking at their sites (found on my "Links" page under "Sources")