3D laser scanners

[LonnieFisher]

Does anybody know anything about 3D laser scanners? I'm curious about quality and price. I fantasize about getting a 3D scanner and a high quality 3D printer and making some killer custom stuff.

[LonnieFisher]

I found this one that looks like it might be a good one.

http://www.robotshop.com/en/iiidscanpro-primesense-3d-scanner-us.html?gclid=CjwKEAjw8qetBRCj6vKH8IC_kwoSJADGQ8dScq5PDJgSv2qexiLC5l35YnuJ00WsLVjVP8VKcZf1TxoC1Yrw_wcB

[noelani72]

they suck.
I've had a $2500 NextEngine HD for over two years.
It is NOT as simple as ANY advertiser makes it to be...
best results I have gotten is to apply a light coat of grey primmer to the object - but you certainly can't do that for everything.
and once you start getting good enough scans, hold onto your butt...prepare to spend an entire day of your life getting it from all angles, aligning each scan, removing booger artifacts, tweaking...and THEN you STILL need to take the files into another program and do some more cleanup.
I truly believe the sole purpose of scanning is to create a mesh of measurements, so that the truly skilled person can then "rebuild" in CAD software, from scratch, based off that scanned mesh.
totally and painfully not worth it.

now that I have been completely negative about it, yes, it has done some cool things for me...and Legend of Link has had to clean-up every piece using 3rd party software. Without Sean, I'd been stuck. I am an above average technical/creative person...and it pushed my patience beyond their limit.

btw, I also used the $700 makerbot scanner...even worse......

[LonnieFisher]

That sucks. So much for my plans...

[LonnieFisher]

What about this one?

http://www.rolanddg.com/R-WORLD/v01/product_lpx600.html

[pmwasson]

I agree with Chad. I think learning CAD software and 3D modeling is probably more productive than relying on a scanner. The nice part is that there are some good free software to get started.

[monitor_ep]

I think it is still too early to start on home 3d scanners. Yes they make them but to get the better ones you need to spend way to much on them.

Much like regular scanners, over the years they have began to reduce in price till you can pick them up at Wal-Mart. I remember having to spend alot of money getting my first color scanner and then printer so I would not have to use a color xerox machine.

[MarcelloD]

If you're looking for a good scanner and a good printer that can put out prints that would be acceptable..you're in for an investment of at least $5,000 and up.

As others stated, might be easier to learn to model. Way far away from affordable and decent looking 3D scanning and printing technology.

[LonnieFisher]

5K wouldn't be bad if it takes scan's that don't need to be fixed and gives good prints.

[MarcelloD]

5K wouldn't be bad if it takes scan's that don't need to be fixed and gives good prints.

It really also depends on what you are scanning and what you are printing.

As someone who has been into 3D printing for a few years, I can tell you that its not an easy process to pick up and most printers work differently.
What works for printer A won't work for printer B or might be different on that one..and so forth.
It is a time investment for sure.

Ex. I have had to learn 3D modeling after all. Some of the models sometimes need to be fixed to make them easier to print or just to add parts that you want.