Loaner program

So what is the status of the loaner program exactly? It kind of looks dead from the wiki page. Is it that because

1. RP parts are so cheap no one needs loaners any more?

2. Thousands are lined up for loaner parts but no one is loaning out RP parts?

3. A couple guys did it, then the program died a pathetic useless unmourned unloved unnoticed death?

4. A fair number would like to receive parts, but the supply is so limited that most end up building a wolfstrap or clonedel rather than wait?

5. There is a flourishing loaner program but the wiki page is never updated?


Bryan

I was one of the more active loaners, yep it's basically dead.

1. Yep $50 for cast parts $75-$125 for printed, and the Prusa killed the need for a loaner program.. When the plastic costs less than the electronics, the plastic does not need a loaner program

2. Ding Ding. I had someone sell the plastic parts I sold them because they could get $200+ for the parts I gave away.

3. Ohh no, people that don't have the plastic still email me, and people who have printers and sell stuff thought I was silly (I was)

4. The straps are dead, the cast parts have real issues on some of the parts (cast extruders are horrible)

5. Nope loaner is dead, human nature killed it.

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repraplogphase.blogspot.com

im hoping pay it forward replication programs do better. I printed parts for the cost of plastic on the condition that the recipient do the same when he's done. It's a very long term strategy, but I like the community aspect of it.

I saw this formalized in a recrnt post where they set rules like if you quit then you give the parts to someone else etc.

I just wondered because I still see Sebastien promoting it off and on and wondered what was going on with it. I think there is a quickly closing window for programs like this but wondered if there was still a legitimate need. Fairly soon, people who want one will buy a cheap kit (did you ever think $500 kits would arrive so soon?) or buy cheap RP parts on ebay or get printed parts from a friend. I think the rapid spread of reprap and others will make the last option a very common one in the future and will replace the demand for loaners.
That is unless the price of kits comes down any more, at which point self sourcing (even with free/loaner RP parts) will be the more expensive option, and the majority will just buy a kit. Unless you are really lucky, you probably can't self source a Prusa for less than those cheap kits are selling for.