Nov.26, 2012
According to Guardian's report, Defense Distributed, the company behind the project of creating the world's first printable gun, claimed 3D 'Wiki Weapon' guns could go into testing in the coming months.
"We're ready," said Cody Wilson, Defense Distributed's spokesman and co-founder. "We're sitting on the logistics, time, resources and money. We're just waiting on a little piece of paper."
Defense Distributed is waiting for a federal firearms license that allows them to manufacture guns in the US. Wilson said the license can be ready in the next two or three weeks.
Assuming the project ends up as a success, Wilson will make the prototype and share the design of the 3D printed gun online and allow people to make their own pistol.
At a public discussion hosted by Libertarian Longhorns, Wilson has spoken publicly about why he began the project.
Wilson said he wanted to undertake a difficult project and make the designs more accessible and the product more functional, to show people that they can take direct and creative actions to accomplish their goals.
He said he has seen a backlash against his work from those who feel efforts to make such technology more mainstream could have negative side effects, and he claims he has even been labeled by some as a modern terrorist. Wilson said while he believes his efforts could create new problems, the technology he is creating is not something that could be controlled by the government because 3D printing will become too accessible to be regulated.
Wilson raised $20,000 on Indiegogo but in September their account was frozen and all the money was returned to backers. In October Stratasys canceled the lease of 3D printer and seized it from the home of Cody Wilson. http://www.3ders.org/articles/20121002-stratasys-seizes-its-leased-3d-printer-from-diy-weapon-project.html
However Wilson still got tremendous response from people who want to be involved in the project. Two Texas companies offered their space to enable Wilson to do its manufacturing and ballistics testing; another company offered him to rent their 3D printer.
Wilson said he has started three companies and has been in talks with investors to further his work.
He said the first company, Defense Distributed, will be a nonprofit organization that will be used to share the research with the rest of the world, with the aim of advancing this type of research. Nonprofit organizations are exempt from some federal income taxes.
The second company, Liberty Laboratories, will be a limited liability corporation that will focus on the manufacturing of products once development is advanced further, Wilson said. The third company, which has not yet been named, will be a private asset organization meant to protect the progress of the project.
Wilson also keeps contact with ATF officials plans to apply for a license to manufacturer powerful machine guns. He continues efforts to make building a gun as simple as pressing print. Once they gets the federal firearms license in some weeks, Wilson plans to make prototype and begin testing immediately.
"I have no interest in going to jail," he said. "I'll do it their way if I need to."
Source: Guardian
Posted in 3D Printer Applications
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Once THEY gets the federal firearms license in some weeks, Wilson plans to make prototype and begin testing immediately. they = he ? (no need to post this, just letting you know)