Ethics, Laws, selling 3D printed items

[ilikefish69]

What is the ethical and lawful approach to selling 3D printed items? I’m referring specific to designs I have not created. The creators don’t charge for the .STL files , but there is an option to tip the designer. I know the industry is relatively new, and want to make sure I am playing nice. Don’t want to make “money” off sales, just enough to buy the next roll of filament and eventually a conveyor belt of printers.

if others have printed and sold items that are not of their own design, please share your experiences. I have a website where I would try to monitor and post examples

www.dbroshar25.wixsite.com/d3dpt is the site of you want to check it out and leave feedback

 

[lynn.reef.nerd]

I have not sold a lot of 3d printed items, but when I do, I get written permission from the creator.
Could be a set fee or a % of the sales.
I have printed stuff for my own use from places like thingiverse, but NEVER just sell without permission.

 

[ilikefish69]

I have not sold a lot of 3d printed items, but when I do, I get written permission from the creator.
Could be a set fee or a % of the sales.
I have printed stuff for my own use from places like thingiverse, but NEVER just sell without permission.

That makes sense. How do you make contact with a creator? Do you work up a split percentage with them, or is it a fixed amount? Do the creators (broad brush here, sorry) tend to work with you?

 

[lynn.reef.nerd]

You message them on the site.
That's between you and the creator. Each have their own policies.

 

[BARNAKEWLZ]

That makes sense. How do you make contact with a creator? Do you work up a split percentage with them, or is it a fixed amount? Do the creators (broad brush here, sorry) tend to work with you?

Most creators will work with and value the respect that you have reached out. You want to work out a fixed amount and get it in writing if possible. The fixed amount keeps it cut and dry. Now to go a little further in that write up it’s also very smart the have a quantity too. For example. I will sell this many for the payment of this to the creator. Keep it fair and honest with the creators.

 

[Mschmidt]

My understanding, and I have very limited understanding here, is if it's posted under creative commons (CC) like thingiverse and others are, then you are fine to sell the item, but you do not own the design. That means if someone else starts making the same thing, you can't sue for copyright infringement. Permission is always a good thing.

That said, I am starting to print for my lfs (store credit, yippee). My own designs I might look to get copywrited (copywritten?), but probably won't. that sounds like work. I will probably not start making the random flow generator that is on thingiverse for the lfs. I don't want to deal with the bigger retailer that advertises them.

@Projects with Sam can you shed some light here?

 

[pennied]

Why? Nobody would know . I say make the money! Who’s cares about being nice…. Being nice doesn’t make money!

 

[Mschmidt]

Why? Nobody would know . I say make the money! Who’s cares about being nice…. Being nice doesn’t make money!

cuz if you're wrong, you get sued and lose the money, and the house.

 

[Mschmidt]

It would appear that I was wrong about the use of creative commons items:

CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 Deed | Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 International | Creative Commons

creativecommons.org

Edit: I may further be wrong. It appears that creators can designate whether someone else can profit from their design. best talk to the creator of the design.

 

[Projects with Sam]

My understanding, and I have very limited understanding here, is if it's posted under creative commons (CC) like thingiverse and others are, then you are fine to sell the item, but you do not own the design. That means if someone else starts making the same thing, you can't sue for copyright infringement. Permission is always a good thing.

That said, I am starting to print for my lfs (store credit, yippee). My own designs I might look to get copywrited (copywritten?), but probably won't. that sounds like work. I will probably not start making the random flow generator that is on thingiverse for the lfs. I don't want to deal with the bigger retailer that advertises them.

@Projects with Sam can you shed some light here?

I only sell the designs I make myself. In the case of the random flow generator on my site by Clevens (Thingiverse) ; I actually had the opportunity to work with him on something else then I spoke to him about his nozzle and pay him a % on each unit sold.

I stopped posting to Thingiverse when I didn't like the how thoughtless some people were.

 

[ilikefish69]

. My own designs I might look to get copywrited (copywritten?), but probably won't. that sounds like work

How do you make your own designs? I created a rectangle that I can use for support but that is it.

Why? Nobody would know . I say make the money! Who’s cares about being nice…. Being nice doesn’t make money!

I try to follow the golden rule. Do unto others…

The RFG I have printed and am using in my own tank, but it pulls from the surface a vortex so my return lines are lower that I’d like. I’d also love to fill in the back part of the RFG so it can be ran without creating water tornado and blowing air bubbles.

 

[Projects with Sam]

How do you make your own designs? I created a rectangle that I can use for support but that is it.

I try to follow the golden rule. Do unto others…

The RFG I have printed and am using in my own tank, but it pulls from the surface a vortex so my return lines are lower that I’d like. I’d also love to fill in the back part of the RFG so it can be ran without creating water tornado and blowing air bubbles.

Its supposed to be ran under the water to avoid the air; I think. It uses Bernoulli's Principle to multiply the flow by sucking extra water (in your case air) through those side vents.

 

[Projects with Sam]

How do you make your own designs? I created a rectangle that I can use for support but that is it.

I try to follow the golden rule. Do unto others…

The RFG I have printed and am using in my own tank, but it pulls from the surface a vortex so my return lines are lower that I’d like. I’d also love to fill in the back part of the RFG so it can be ran without creating water tornado and blowing air bubbles.

A good place to start learning how to design in 3D is Tinkercad https://www.tinkercad.com/learn
or you could jump right in with fusion360 or onShape.

most of the apps are free for hobbyists.

 

[Mschmidt]

How do you make your own designs? I created a rectangle that I can use for support but that is it.

I try to follow the golden rule. Do unto others…

The RFG I have printed and am using in my own tank, but it pulls from the surface a vortex so my return lines are lower that I’d like. I’d also love to fill in the back part of the RFG so it can be ran without creating water tornado and blowing air bubbles.

What Sam said, mess around on tinkercad (easier than fusion 360). I hope to get the to point where I can cut out the "bang my head against the wall" step. But we're not there yet.

. It uses Bernoulli's Principle

Isn't that a pasta company?

 

[ilikefish69]

I love this RFG. I also printed one for @Derrick0580 but we both found they have to run below the surface more than we’d like cause a water tornado forms

also have a sweet tank decoration that I am excited to get some lepto to grow on

 

[Projects with Sam]

What Sam said, mess around on tinkercad (easier than fusion 360). I hope to get the to point where I can cut out the "bang my head against the wall" step. But we're not there yet.


Isn't that a pasta company?

lol.
I usually start with a sketch in fusion 360... I try to draw one side. Then I just use extrusions.

 

[ilikefish69]

A good place to start learning how to design in 3D is Tinkercad https://www.tinkercad.com/learn
or you could jump right in with fusion360 or onShape.

most of the apps are free for hobbyists.

Thank you!!! I’d much prefer asking someone who knows in place of google. Get right to the meat. Can you load .STL files and then edit them or is it only start from empty build plate?

 

[Projects with Sam]

Thank you!!! I’d much prefer asking someone who knows in place of google. Get right to the meat. Can you load .STL files and then edit them or is it only start from empty build plate?

when you open tinketrcad there is an import option.

I havent messed around too much with it.
sometimes the imports don't quite get it right too (even in fusion360). the geometry information is lost in stl files and its just polygons...

 

[Mschmidt]

lol.
I usually start with a sketch in fusion 360... I try to draw one side. Then I just use extrusions.

extrude, rotate (thanks for the class on that), and mirror; if I can't get it with one of these, I'm lost.

I'll be unstoppable when I learn how to loft, and draw parts to interact with each other (I did it the hard way yesterday), and change materials (I want to design a controller cabinet),...

 

[Reefer Matt]

What is the ethical and lawful approach to selling 3D printed items? I’m referring specific to designs I have not created. The creators don’t charge for the .STL files , but there is an option to tip the designer. I know the industry is relatively new, and want to make sure I am playing nice. Don’t want to make “money” off sales, just enough to buy the next roll of filament and eventually a conveyor belt of printers.

if others have printed and sold items that are not of their own design, please share your experiences. I have a website where I would try to monitor and post examples

www.dbroshar25.wixsite.com/d3dpt is the site of you want to check it out and leave feedback

I believe U.S. patent laws cover this.