Dec.20, 2012
Thingiverse, Makerbot's site has taken down a number of blueprints for gun parts, including the "Reinforced AR-15 Lower Receiver" from gunsmith Michael Guslick aka HaveBlue. "MakerBot's focus is to empower the creative process and make things for good," wrote Makerbot spokesperson Jenifer Howard to Forbes.
The site's latest terms of service say "You agree not to use the Site or Services to collect, upload, transmit, display, or distribute any User Content … (ii) that … promotes illegal activities or contributes to the creation of weapons." Before yesterday, Thingiverse hosted quite a few blueprints for firearm parts such as pistol and lower receivers for rifles and guns. Guslick told Forbes that he speculated that the removal of the files was a result of last week's tragedy, a gun massacre that killed 20 children and serven adults.
MakerBot's attorney said to CNET that "Thingiverse has always been, and is currently, evolving … as is the company as it pursues innovation and growth. We have always had the discretion to take action for policy violations. Recent events served as the impetus here to take immediate action (and there were several) and reiterate or emphasize the site's focus on creative empowerment for products that have a positive impact." He didn't mention the Newtown shootings in any statement.
In response to Makerbot's crackdown, Defense Distributed founder Cody Wilson told Forbes that they planed to start their own site for hosting 3D printable gun files "in the next few hours."
To this point, you can still find blueprints for a revolver, M-16 Reciever, Colt M1911A1 Pistol, Picatinny Rail iPhone Mount, Ruger LCP Grip Extension, a business card gun, space pirate cosmo gun prop or semiautomatic rubber band gun, and a long list of plans for Nerf weapons and attachments on Thingiverse.
Posted in 3D Printing Applications
Maybe you also like:
- Woman's survival kit: Botox Mask, Purse, Gun, Chatelaine, spyglass...made on a 3D printer
- 3D print a CheerLights display for Christmas
- France gets its first 3D print shop: Protoshop
- Solve a self-designed, 3D-printed Rubik's Cube puzzle (video)
- Add one-of-a-kind decor with these 3D printed snowflakes
- 1,000 different parts, 700 hours of print time on a Makerbot
- Recreating a 3,300 years old ancient statue using 3D printers
- Tutorial: How to design and 3D print enclosures with front panels
- Ideas wanted for 3D printed advent calendar
- Is this the largest ever 3D printed wrench? (video)
Boy was this a drop in the sea. To think that the receiver taken down has now been redesigned to take well over a thousand shots, and even has variants that come with integrated stocks. Let the digital holocaust on gun prohibition continue. May the opinions of the paternalistic upper-class of America fade into irrelevance.
flink wrote at 12/21/2012 1:46:46 PM:
That's okay. It's already been disseminated throughout the world.
3Ders.org provides the latest news about 3D printing technology and 3D printers. We are now seven years old and have around 1.5 million unique visitors per month.
