Why Not 3D Parts For Classics?

Balance staff?

Yes. Balance staff.

My internal dictionary is becoming dog-eared with age. :confused:

At the moment, I've got a 3D printed crank on my SQ-A, a 3D printed lens board on my 4x5, and a 3D printed battery box on my GX680. I've got a nearly indestructible 2-slot 120 film holder that's also 3D printed. A friend has a Chroma Carbon Adventurer 4x5, and about a third of it is 3D printed. At the end of the day, though, most home 3D printers are making plastic parts, and those have limits. Laser sintered is a bit more durable, but it's not going to match a CNC machined part.

Gears and cogs are relatively easy to reproduce-- take an accurate photo while it's laid out on a gridded surface, load the photo into your favorite cad package, and start tracing. Once you've got the 2D part down, the 3D aspect is frequently just stretching out the 2D model.

The problem is that you're tracing a worn, or broken part-- and that's where you need an expert who can come in and restore the 3D model to "new" condition so it can be machined, printed via sintering, cast, etc.. Jay Leno's restoration team does this sort of thing to replace broken car parts on a regular basis.