Shapeways files for bankruptcy

https://3dprintingindustry.com/news/shapeways-bankrupt-5m-rescue-bid-rejected-231387/

Sorry for the people here who had work there, but I suspect that's the end of anything being paid out from that platform. I can't say I'm surprised though - they really seemed to make little effort to keep up with the home printer revolution in terms of detail or dealing with basics such as their insane shipping costs.

There was rather a lot of TF stuff that never seemed to really migrate to platforms selling the STLs for home use, so I wonder if there'll be a sudden rush of that now or if it'll all disappear (which would be a huge shame).

A lot of the home printed stuff I've seen is better quality than what Shapeways offered. They deserve this.

Well speaking as someone who still has yet to get a 3D printer for his very own (but probably will before too long)...I find this to be sad news.

Ditto. I generally went with the high detail plastics, and to get a home printer capable of that level of detail and strength would be pretty expensive. Sigh.

---Dave

That's too bad, but as the saying goes adapt or die. Shapeways didn't adapt.
I am glad that I have a friend whose really into printing and has a pretty decent printer and is willing to make things for me.

I haven't put any effort into my Shapeways store for a couple of years now, but I would still sell things from time to time. I never made any significant money with my offerings, but I still made several sales a year.

Dvandom said:

Ditto. I generally went with the high detail plastics, and to get a home printer capable of that level of detail and strength would be pretty expensive. Sigh.

---Dave

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FWIW there are lots of people who run small home 3D printing services now who'll pretty much print any STL you send to them if you buy them from Cults3D etc.

For cosmetic parts (heads etc) resin printing is pretty superior to the Shapeways plastic.

So for a bit, I was in KC for work and just below the lot I was watching was a 3D printing shop that advertises making custom anything.

Gizmoboy said:

I haven't put any effort into my Shapeways store for a couple of years now, but I would still sell things from time to time. I never made any significant money with my offerings, but I still made several sales a year.

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Your Shapeways stuff was pretty good. I liked it.