Alright I'm not sure how to make these but if you do, I think we're going to best friends pretty soon Apparently, with this '3d printing' technology, you can literally make your own martial art weapons. Like these Shurikens: Ninja Shurikens @ Pinshape The way it works is you upload the design in these printing machines and out pops a working physical version of that design. This sounds something out of The Jetsons you guys. Has anyone heard of this or tried making stuff with it? I would totally make all TMNT weapons if this is something legit.
I don't know where one buys those printers, but I've seen them in action a couple times. There was one at my local library earlier this year, actually, for some sort of special princess day. It was printing custom tiaras and other decorations. They're fully awesome, but I would not expect anything these printers make to have any actual combat strength. Costume use only.
Nice @aikiMac - Wow so this stuff is actually real? Awesome! Yeah I'll call around some local universities here as well and see if they have them. Costume only eh? Well maybe in a few years or so they'll be able to make the real thing. Great stuff nonetheless. Cheers!
Most affordable 3d printers print PLA and ABS, which won't be heavy enough to get a decent throwing tool. If you can access one that prints nylon then maybe, but they'll be kinda thick. Most won't print anything over 25cm in any plane either, so you can't print swords with them.
Plus you actually have to be tech savvy enough to set up and calibrate them which is a whole load of problems on its own.
I seem to remember that 3D printed guns have been made and fired, though how well they work is another matter.
I've a mate with a 3D printer and he's printed loads of cool stuff (even printed me a 1/56th WW2 german bunker I designed). You'd get a more effective throwing weapon with a bench cutter and some sheet metal (which we in no way did in school design and technology classes when the teacher wasn't looking). As the description mentions there's a design with a slot for a penny to weight the thing but even then they are going to be very light.
I have a 3D printer at my shop. It's pretty cool, but generally the items it prints are pretty light-weight.