this post was submitted on 13 Nov 2023
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[–] [email protected] 12 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

The accuracy required for the ink droplets just isn't there for prosumers.

I can (and have!) built multiple extruders for a variety of 3D printers. Some of my own design.

Sadly, the tolerances for an inkjet are at least an order of magnitude greater.

I have zero doubt that a few clever hardware hackers could design an open source inkjet printer. But A: They'd get sued back to the mesolithic by every printer company with a patent. And B: the process would likely involve micro machining your own hardware.

I've just said, "fuck it" to the entire industry. I'm in my early 40s and I'm reasonably sure that my Brother laser will outlive me. And possibly the heat death of the universe.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

Patents expire after, what, 20 years? I'd be happy with an open source printer based on 20 year old technology.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 10 months ago (1 children)

I'd take a tractor fed dot-matrix printer over my current one just so I could play with the paper thingies on the edges.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 10 months ago

You'll pay an arm and a leg for tractor feed paper though.