Water News

    Engineer Creates First 3D-printed Kayak

    Jim Smith from Grass Roots Engineering has successfully created a 3D-printed kayak made of ABS plastic, machine screws, brass threaded inserts, and silicone caulk. The kayak is the first of its kind, comprised of 28 separate sections. Smith said the design is based on the Siskiwit Bay Kayak by Bryan Hansel, but with special modifications so it’s capable of being made with a 3D printer.

    The kayak is a little more than 16 feet long, weighs about 65 pounds, and cost $500 to complete. It took 42 days to print the 28 pieces of the kayak. The technology of 3D printing is revolutionizing how many products are made, making the traditional manufacturing time seem incredibly slow in some cases.

    Smith used his home-built, large-scale 3D printer in order to print the parts inside the heated chamber in a way where they would not warp or crack. Each segment includes brass threaded thermoplastic inserts so it can be connected to the following segment. Caulk is only used between segments to ensure it is watertight.

    Check out the video below that explains the process in greater detail.