HobbyKing has taken the next logical step in the RC car market: they’re now selling the ultimate tiny car customizing tool–the Turnigy Fabrikator 3D printer.
As 3D printing technology has become increasingly accessible to anyone with a computer, HobbyKing says their inclusion of the Turnigy Fabrikator will allow users to build their own custom parts for planes, multi-rotors, cars, boats, helicopters, robotics, and trains. Can’t find a rare part for an older model or want to modify an existing piece? You can use the Turnigy Fabrikator and the ABS and PLA filaments available from a HobbyKing warehouse to print parts.
Anthony Hand, the chairman, founder, and owner of HobbyKing, began his love affair with RC vehicles back in 1989 when he built his first model aircraft–a Sig Cadet–and he promptly crashed it on its maiden flight. It never flew again due to the high cost of repairs. In 2001, Hand got back into the RC world and started HobbyKing to bring affordable RC products to the wider market. He says he now spends most days looking for new product ideas and testing samples.
“Turnigy Fabrikator, our worst kept secret, is here. What we didn’t leak out was how good it is,” HobbyKing says. “This is the best value for money printer on the market with the features and quality of printers three times the price.”
This printer features a rock solid frame, a quad rail supported print plate, high quality NEMA class motors, a removable glass print platform, and twin belt Y axis drives.
And to help hobbyists along the path to building their own parts, HobbyKing has created a series of videos that provide step-by-step instructions on building and setting up the Turnigy Fabrikator. The series includes a live, dynamic, and updatable trouble shooting guide.
Hand says the Fabrikator, at $449, was designed as a “simple to put together flat pack kit, which if you follow the excellent manual in conjunction with the video series, you will have it built in a few hours.”
According to Hand, the team at HobbyKing had their least technical staff member put one together as a test, and “he had it going in less than six hours.”
The Turnigy Fabrikator 3D printer specs include:
- Overall Size: 360 x 400 x 600 mm
- Print Size: 150 x 150 x 100 mm
- Nozzle Diameter: 0.4mm
- Filament Diameter: 1.75mm
- Filament Types: ABS, PLA
- Print Speed: Up to 400mm/sec
- Print Platform: phenolic heat stabilized bed with a removable glass print area
- Other Features: ball bearing liner rods, SD card, cable free printing, top feed anti-bind spool feed, twin print cooling fans
Will you be buying a Turnigy Fabrikator 3D printer? Let us know in the Turnigy Fabrikator forum thread on 3DPB.com. Check out a product video and more photos below.
