Contributed by Laura Stovel
My former neighbour, John Augustyn, wouldn’t throw any tool away. Well into his 90s he would often be in his backyard fixing chainsaws or replacing axe handles. He complained that “people nowadays” would rather throw something away and buy a new one than take the time to repair it. John would have loved the idea of 3D printing machine parts that are no longer available.
My friend, Marc, also sees the value in maintaining cherished older equipment. Marc, who is in his 70s, enjoys travelling with his 1986 Volkswagen (VW) van. They are part of a large community of VW Westfalia van fans. The problem is that Volkswagen no longer manufactures these vans and their parts. This led to an opportunity for VW van devotees. Why not 3D print the parts?
In 2021, Marc had a problem with his speedometer. He did a Google search and identified the likely problem. “There is one particular part that breaks down over time. You can’t buy it any more.”
Another person who had run into that issue had designed a part that could be 3D printed. “So I contacted them and they sent me a file to download that would enable me to print the part.”
Marc approached the Revelstoke Idea Factory, a fabrication lab, partnered with the City of Revelstoke, that does 3D and laser printing. “They referred me to Steve Baker, a mechanical engineer who was part of the Idea Factory group.” Steve’s company, Defunk3D, specializes in 3D printing Volkswagen van parts – some of which, like a mouse-proofing kit, he invented himself. Steve uploaded Marc’s file and printed the part for just a few dollars. Now Marc’s speedometer works well.
“I think 3D printing is a huge opportunity, especially in a rural setting” where there is less access to parts. “Having a 3D printer accessible here makes a lot of sense because you can basically print anything. As long as the software is done for those files you can do just about anything with a 3D printer. They’re even building houses with them.”
William Clack, technology projects coordinator for the Idea Factory, agrees and wants to make 3D and laser printing as accessible as possible to the public. “We just created a new membership model,” he said. Membership at the Idea Factory space is now $50 a year, including one month of free machine use. “After that month, members pay per minute on the machines. Laser printers are 15 cents a minute and 3D printers are five cents a minute. That generally works out to $3 a part if you’re 3D printing. For laser cutting it’s pretty similar. The average job would be $5.”
The Idea Factory, which is located above the Tourist Information Centre on Victoria Street, also offers frequent courses such as laser printing and CAD (Computer Aided Drafting) design. “My goal is to have a course a month,” William said. The Idea Factory is open from 2—7 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Please e-mail info@revelstokeideafactory.ca to make an appointment.
This article is part of the Revelstoke Senior Life Newsletter, printed monthly in the Revelstoke Review and is an effort by the Community Response Network to connect and inform seniors. For more information or to subscribe, please contact the CRN coordinator, Laura Stovel, at revycrn@gmail.com or 250-814-8971.
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