Junkyard will be your only option.
3D printing IS an interesting idea, though. It would have to be a rubbery material.
3D printing IS an interesting idea, though. It would have to be a rubbery material.
Weird find
- Thread starter countrycorey
- Start date
I swear there are a ton of small parts for these trucks that someone could 3D print and make money. It would be perfect for a handicapped individual to stay in the work force and keep contributing and stay self reliant.
Thats a great idea. Print the solid section as one material, the door as another.
Hmmmm.......my son is really into 3D printing. He could teach me so when I retire next year I could maybe start up a new business? man, youve got me thinking now.....
Invest in a 3D laser scanner. Then import the scan into your CAD model and print away
This part would be difficult to 3d print. It's part plastic and part rubber. I may have some good used ones but I will have to wait till the weather cools down to go through my storage. Maybe we can make a replacement Flap that can be attached to what's left with small fasteners
I had to pay 40 bucks for a jump seat latch for my 2010 regular cab, I couldn’t get it separately only with the entire jump seat assembly for 360 bucks. There are so many small parts that you could make it’s got to be a viable business plan. You would just have to talk to guys like 1fastbrick who work in the industry to see what needs to be replicated due to age deterioration and wear.
TPU would be the 3D printing material you want to use for a "Rubbery" substance. 3D printing can be pretty lucrative but expect to invest quite a bit of time into learning CAD.
There is a way to combine different materials while printing but it is sorta difficult.
Yes GMT-800 printed parts would be amazing. The difficulty is figuring out which ones people would actually buy. Then setting up a printing farm, not fun.
There is a way to combine different materials while printing but it is sorta difficult.
Yes GMT-800 printed parts would be amazing. The difficulty is figuring out which ones people would actually buy. Then setting up a printing farm, not fun.
Once you get a library of parts, it becomes a "bespoke" business with no standing inventory other than raw materials and printers. Only print what you have orders for. When you make enough money to pay off the first printer and all supplies used, invest in a second one if you feel demand is high enough to support it.
On parts that need to flex like the one mentioned, you could use a complete rubbery material or hinge it as I suggested. There are multiple ways to make things work when needed.
On parts that need to flex like the one mentioned, you could use a complete rubbery material or hinge it as I suggested. There are multiple ways to make things work when needed.
Talked to my son about this last night. Boy, was he fired up about it. He segued from talking about multiple head printers to full-on injection molding. I told him not to get that far ahead of the old man. Im just fleshing this idea out right now.
I don't know that you would find any good used ones. My truck has been garage kept and hasn't been a daily in 10 years or so. It just fell off my truck recently too. Before I could figure out what it was just moving it around my toolbox a couple times it almost completely fallen apart.
Even 10 orders of something a day instantly moves you out of a bespoke business. It is pretty circumstantial though so don't get me wrong. If I was doing something like the OP is looking for I would just print 10 at a time and keep inventory. No sense in doing it otherwise imo
These 3D printed pieces are small enough that I would much rather have an inventory to continue shipping them out the door vs having the buyer wait. We aren't printing dashes lol
If you are printing a 8x8 part you are only doing one of them at a time and expect it to take a couple hours at least (depending on the printer size). The scale can just shoot through the roof and suddenly you are on a Covid backorder. I would start out with a smaller printer and then move into a bigger one obviously. The bigger ones with enclosures can print in ABS and that is another level of durability and quality. They can be a little more finnicky though.
Having a library of parts for the GMT800 would be fantastic. I have a friend with a 3D printer, and we have designed & printed a couple odd things for my rigs. (The big project we are working on right now is a replacement center console cupholder thing to make the cupholders left+right instead of the stupid front+back they are stock.)
If some of these common failing parts could be purchased readily, I'd buy them. My truck lost the little flaps over a decade ago (it has a hard life) but I'd want a set for all my GMT800s.
The rubber filament is neat stuff, but I like the idea of a hinged part even more, since it will last longer IMO. Something they couldn't mass-produce cheaply 25 years ago but costs the same when 3D printing; might as well make the upgraded replacement instead of an exact copy.
I say you should look into it! Might not be a full-time job, but as a retirement side hustle it would probably be perfect. And when you retire (again LOL), you could either sell the 3D models / business to someone else, or post them online for everyone to be able to make their own and help the community out.
If some of these common failing parts could be purchased readily, I'd buy them. My truck lost the little flaps over a decade ago (it has a hard life) but I'd want a set for all my GMT800s.
The rubber filament is neat stuff, but I like the idea of a hinged part even more, since it will last longer IMO. Something they couldn't mass-produce cheaply 25 years ago but costs the same when 3D printing; might as well make the upgraded replacement instead of an exact copy.
I say you should look into it! Might not be a full-time job, but as a retirement side hustle it would probably be perfect. And when you retire (again LOL), you could either sell the 3D models / business to someone else, or post them online for everyone to be able to make their own and help the community out.
