Originally shared by Adafruit Industries
Home Depot to sell #3DPrinters #3dthursday
bloomberg writes:
Customers can use the printers to create parts and supplies that might be handy for repairs, such as cup holders, U-clips and pipe-stakes.
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Somebody should start a pool on how long it’ll take before these machines start breaking down and get removed…
I hope they put in some other machines as well. I would like to see an Up Plus 2 or a Printrbot
I saw where they were going to have them in stores in CA, IL, & NY, but I didn’t see which specific locations. Does anyone know where in CA? Would like to do a fly-by to check it out.
I spend way more time and $$ at HD than I should, and there are select people I’ll go to who have first hand knowledge in their trades (plumbing, painting, etc.). But this looks like a train wreck waiting to happen.
Not to bash on the idea, but I walked in with a printed prosthetic hand to size up some hardware for it, and people were flabbergasted that you could print such things.
They’ll for sure put people through training, but having coverage throughout the day, 7 days a week will be tough. I’ll be greedily standing by waiting to scoop up a discounted open box, returned printer 
HD will hopefully have learned from Staples that these devices are not plug and play just yet.
@Tim_Sills I agree with most of what you had to say but even a router or a tile saw isn’t really “plug and play”. They require you to learn how to use them right to get something done nicely. Most of the people who would buy something like this at HD will understand what they are getting themselves into.
Not that I think that there wont be returns. I think that is a pretty good idea of how to find a makerbot on the cheap.
I am happy to see 3D printers getting even more and more mainstream, now if only I could get @The_Home_Depot to carry Arduinos…
That is excactly where they should be sold, at a consumer marketplace. All you profesionals out there now where to get a profesional machine for the same amount of money (Wink, wink,nudge,nudge)
Now I come to think of it, the “home depot” in the Netherlands require a CE certificate on all products, and like all other sub 3000EUR 3D printers, there is no way Makerbot has a CE certificate. I guess it is different in the USA.
@Jos_Scheepers The Ultimaker 2 has a CE certificate. (As well as FCC, and complies with the Australian stuff, not sure if they have a name for that)
Makerbot sneaky switched from not having CE to having CE in their manual a while back.
However, getting into big hardware stores in Europe doesn’t require just CE. They have quite a longer list of requirements.
Also, officially, if you sell anything aimed at consumers in Europe, it needs to be CE.
The UM Original kit is not fully CE compliant. But as it’s sold as a kit that’s not a problem. And we’re also working to upgrade the kit so that even if you buy the kit, and assemble it yourself according to the instructions. It would be CE compliant.
I should have specified : a “valid” CE certificate. Most of the manufacturers say they have CE, but as stated before : non of the sub 3000EUR machines have a valid CE certificate.
@Jos_Scheepers That’s completely bollocks right there.
A) CE certification is self-certification. So declaring in the proper way that you have CE makes it a valid certificate. There is no regulating body except the law after this. If a company puts CE on their products without having a way to back this up. You can expect heavy fines.
B) At Ultimaker we went trough all the hoops and loops for the Ultimaker2. EMC emission and immunity? Done. Low-voltage-directive? Checked, verified, done. Machine directive? Also done. We’re pretty proud of this, and the “master” declaration of conformity, signed by our SEO hangs framed in our office.
I agree that any one can say they have a CE certificate. The only “valid” CE certificate, is one where something “bad” happens and an insurence company will pay for whatever bad things have happend because of the machine that was the cause. I assure you that if something bad happens with the previous mentioned machines, it will take the insurence company a 2 seconds look to decide they will not pay a dime, because the machine was NOT CE compliant.
Nothing is valid till a lawsuit validates it? That’s what you are saying. “Invalid until proven valid” sounds like the inverse of “Innocent until proven guilty”
(As when a insurance company says a CE certificate is invalid you have grounds to sue the company)
@Jos_Scheepers So you are saying that for CE you need an insurance? That is the first time I hear this.
@Daid_Braam
No, that is absolutely not what I am saying, as there is nothing to sue for.
@erik_vdzalm
The manufacturers insurance has nothing to do with it.
What I am talking about is the end user`s insurance. As we all know insurance companies have one strong goal, and that is to look into ways how not to pay for damages.
If a machine has no valid CE certificate they do not have to pay for damages resulting from that machine.
@Jos_Scheepers I think that is stupid. As a end users the only thing I can do is to check for CE and ask for a copy of the CE certificate.
There is no way to check the certificate is valid.
Do you have a list of harmonised standards that could be used for a 3D printer.
I think A 3D printer is not a wel defined product for CE.
You can compare it to a 2D printer. But also to a small CNC machine.
All 3D printers will fall under the 2006/42/CE directive. All need to know info can be found in that directive. Rest assured that all insurance companies know it by heart 
Ohh, and I agree that it is stupid.
@Jos_Scheepers Why do you think 2006/42/CE and not 2006/95/EC (LVD)?
The 3D printer can also be a ITE product.
It can not be used because of the temperatures of the hotend and buildplate.
