3D Printing Nerd Challenges Lawmakers to Visit a Working Print Farm Before Banning Tech

Joel Telling asked politicians attempting to ban 3D printing in his home state to step away from their desks and come visit the farm. His 3D print farm, to be exact. Telling, known as the 3D Printing Nerd, is not only a popular YouTuber, but also an advocate for additive manufacturing in all its forms. Based in the Seattle, Washington area, his studio houses over 50 Prusa MK4S 3D printers used to manufacture parts for clients, from Halloween props to educational robotic kits.

“Come see the print farm in action. Come learn what 3D printing actually is, what it can do, and more importantly, what it cannot do,” he said in a recent YouTube video.

He is one of numerous makers taking to YouTube to raise the alarm about Washington State House Bills 2320 and 2321. The bills are intended to curb the illegal 3D printing of “ghost guns” and untraceable firearms, but may very well destroy the hobby of 3D printing, hamper the additive manufacturing industry, and make criminals of anyone holding digital files of firearm-related models.

HB 2320 would prohibit the possession, sale, or distribution of “digital firearm manufacturing code” for anyone who is not a federally licensed firearms manufacturer. As currently written, the law would assume anyone caught with files for gun parts intends to distribute or illegally manufacture firearms. The law would also ban the sale of both 3D printers and CNC machines that are “primarily intended” to make firearms. Intention in this case could be as simple as allowing gun-shaped parts on a manufacturer’s file sharing site, such as MakerWorld for Bambu Lab or Printables for Prusa Research.

HB 2321 would require any 3D printer or CNC machine sold or transferred to Washington state to have “blocking features” to prevent the printing of firearm components. The bill proposes a “firearm blueprint detection algorithm” that could detect firearm frames, receivers, or parts designed to convert a weapon into a machine gun. It would require all complaint 3D printers and CNC machines to be connected to the internet and monitored by a government website.

While both bills are problematic, HB 2321 seems to have hit a snag. Experts agree that requiring a 3D printer or CNC machine to not print guns is akin to asking a toaster to not toast whole wheat bread. The machines are simply not smart enough to determine what they are printing. Instead, machines would need to be connected to the internet in order to pass files through a government sanctioned check point. This could involve checking Gcode against a list of known “illegal” files, using a state-approved slicer, or using your printer’s camera with AI detection.

“An STL file is just geometry, a list of points in space,” Telling said. “A computer cannot look at a raw shape and know what it’s for. The same cylinder could be a movie prop or a mechanical spacer or a tool handle.”

HB 2320, which could ban the sale of 3D printers in the state of Washington, has been fast tracked. On February 12, it was pulled from the Appropriation Committee and placed on second reading—the final stage before a floor vote—and could be voted on by the full house at any moment. The bill would still need to move through the Washington State Senate before becoming law.

We asked Telling if any lawmakers have asked to come by for a tour. He told us that none have taken him up on the offer, even after sending the video directly to Representative Osman Salahuddin, who is the primary sponsor of the bills and a fellow resident of the Seattle metro area.

Residents of Washington state can comment directly on these bills through the state website. These comments will become part of the official record.

Comment on HB 2320

Comment on HB 2321

You can also respectfully voice your opinion directly to Rep Salahuddin via email: osman.salahuddin@leg.wa.gov

Or mail:
Representative Osman Salahuddin

PO Box 40600

Olympia, WA 98504-0600