I have an idea for a business which sells custom 'water tobacco pipes'. The idea is that I will set up a website where customers can choose from a range of designs and colors and these will be 3d printed and sent to them.
Ideally they would be able to do something cool like upload a photograph of their face and they would get a pipe that looks like them. I was thinking 3d printing would be the best as I don't know how to make the pipes and I think it will sell well because 3d printing seems to be all the rage these days. Do you people think this would work as a business if I run it myself, or would I have to hire a tech guy to set up the printer and run the website?
I'd also like someone to point me towards a good site where I can buy a 3d printer. Currently I have about $750 saved for setting up the business, so ideally the printer shouldn't cost more than $300 as I have other concerns that I need funds for.
>>959492
Bump
For some reason I don't think smoking weed out of plastic is a good idea.
>>959505
Maybe if you knew more about the world you wouldn't be so jealous that you hadn't thought of this idea first yourself. People make bottle bongs all the time and they don't die, do they?
>>959514
PET is food safe, I am not too sure about ABS and PLA
While I don't think this business plan will work it may be useful to look for a fablab or makerspace to make the first few pipes. If it fails you haven't wasted money on a 3d printer
>>959514
>Maybe if you knew more about the world you wouldn't be so jealous that you hadn't thought of this idea first yourself.
Im another anon, there are several reasons you personally will fail.
You very clearly dont know shit about 3d printing limitations (especially being a cheap fucker), or business, or common sense.
The big reason this hasnt been done yet is very simple.
Its fucking illegal, and no disclaimer is going to change that.
Ask Tommy Chong how his disclaimer worked for his bong site.
Online 3D printing services are everywhere, NONE of them will let you print bongs or gun parts.
You arent the first to think of the idea, you are just the first person who is dumb enough to think its a viable idea.
>>959526
>Its fucking illegal
top kek noob
>>959529
don't know about America, but glass and plastic bongs are cheap here in europe.
is there any advantage to a 3d printed bong other than novelty?
this doesn't strike me as a good business idea because the bong market is saturated.
who is the target audience here?
nerdy stoners with excess income and no bongs? sounds like unicorns to me.
FYI, we don't bump on this board.
just go back to whatever board you came from.
sage
>>959529
I hope you live in Washington or Colorado and plan to only ship to Washington and Colorado.
You know, the places where people can easily find smoking paraphernalia that will be much higher quality and elaborate than you will ever be able to make.
Its a really poor idea to base a business off of a 3d printer when you clearly have never used one and dont know anything about them.
Just a tip, your low end 300$ printer with an inexperienced person like you running it will NEVER do overhangs well enough to make a half way decent standard looking bong.
You will have to make a very straight, very generic bong.
It will take 3-4 hours and cost 5$ or so per print in plastic. Then you have to add a bowl
You can buy a cheap acrylic bong that is nicer looking, stronger, with a slider bowl for like 10$ at the gas station.
You have no profit margins and you have no market. You wont ever make your birthday and christmas money back doing this.
>>959530
>is there any advantage to a 3d printed bong other than novelty?
No, there literally no upside to make a bong out of a FDM 3d printer.
Its usually done as a proof of concept for people who own a printer and ran out of things to print. You would never actually use it.
>Be OP
>Ask a question.
>shit on people who answer.
>muh brilliant idea...
>>959514
>>959492
