Here's an interesting question that hasn't been posted yet: what do you think is better building method, shapeways or hand-makeing puzzles? I think hand-makeing is better for on-the-spot creativity, but is useless without the right parts or know-how. Shapeways can be good to make puzzles that could never be hand made, but is just so expensive. What do you think, and why?

EDIT: added more options. Please post if one you think of is not on here.

EDIT: Changing the poll a little. Insted of just comparing the making of puzzles, compare quality, price, dificulty, and wheather or not it is easily obtainable. (Probobly just killed hand-mades right there ) No one seems to be able to decide on my first question.

I think hand building is a nice way to mod existing puzzles (example, insert 3x3x3 shape mod here), but nobody can build a petaminx entirely by hand. Even the cast version was made from printed masters. Shapeways is what made the exotic gemoetries possible.

Granted, I've made a handful of mods myself, which can be fun but building new mechanisms from scratch is truly a laborious process. Just try building a wooden Rubik's Cube like Erno Rubik did! I must admit, I know little about designing puzzles in CAD, and the WSF material is not as smooth as casted pieces, but the possibilities for printed puzzles are literally endless, so regrettably I voted for Shapeways...

As if to spite Tony Fisher and all other hand builders for their hard work...

See, both are equally valid. Shapeways allows for more complex, more intricate puzzles, with complicated mechanisms, but hand crafting is brilliant in its own right. They may not be the best turning (though often, they are), but it takes significant skill to build them. Perhaps I have a deeper appreciation for it, not being able to hand-craft a folded piece of paper, and a more thorough respect for those who can, but nevertheless, to reiterate, I believe both are equally valid. They are, in essence, mutually independent crafts.

I completely agree.
As someone who has done both, I can say that it may be hard to learn how to use CAD software, but making things by hand takes a lot of practise, care and skill.
There are amazing puzzles that come from both sides, I don't think they should be compared.
One of my all-time favourites is handmade- this- but puzzles that could never be made by hand are printed for many.

Those are some of my reasons why I simply can't vote!

Shapeways can bring efficiency when you've already modelled on a PC.
But not all my models I'd dare to build via Shapeways; could you imagine this ordered from Shapeways?

So, it depends.

I am very much a "hands on" sort of person, and I really enjoyed doing the hands mods I have done. There's something about cutting, sanding, gluing, polishing and ending up with what could be a mass-produced puzzle that it very satisfying. But ...

I am also a great fan of technology, and there's something about using 3D CAD software, working out geometries and angles, fixing "bugs" and getting it 3D printed that is very satisfying.

So, I cannot vote one way or the other. It's just horses for courses in my opinion.

Same for me! I have not voted either. And handmade is not equal handmade either. I really hate bubbling stickers on expensive casted puzzles and will NEVER buy again a casted puzzle. I like the weight and the smoothness of the material, though.
If somebody would be able to make decent tiles out of Cubesmith material, I would see it differently.
Shapeways WSF is grainy and makes noises, but I still prefer it over casted versions. And as others have pointed out, some puzzles would just not be possible without 3D printing.

While I fully appreciate the skill and craft of people like Tony, Chino, Heiowge, Traiphum and others in making individual and beautiful puzzles by hand, I will always prefer the exotic new mechanisms that one can churn out with great speed and accuracy of 3D printing. Maybe it's just my lack of patience to see new ideas made in physical form.

And even cost can be lower with 3D printing, once you factor in the time required to build a good quality puzzle by hand...

On the other hand, I actually enjoy the process of making puzzles by hand more, so as a personal hobby I would choose that over sitting in front of a PC - he says, while posting his message on TP.com!

So if I was being selfish, I would prefer to make my own puzzles by hand, and enjoy watching everyone else churn out tons of exotic new ideas with 3D printing.

I like the mechanical complexity of puzzles, which is more prevalent with 3d printed puzzles.
However Aleh has made some very nice quite complex puzzle's by hand, and Drewseph also did a lot of handy work in the process of mold making and casting and he made the most complex puzzle ever (chopasaurus). Nothing has ever made my jaw drop as far as seeing how the original pentultimate was made, whilst the process of creating a complex 3d printed puzzle is not easy, but less amazing.

apples and oranges!

My sentiments exactly. And for the record - cast puzzles don't always have bubble issues on the stickers if you do it right...

Seems to be a very common problem. We even had a special thread about the issue:
viewtopic.php?f=9&t=17730&p=242783

Well - I do know it's a problem indeed, but I've had pretty good luck just waiting a LOOONG time before applying stickers, and a light sanding after curing does pretty well. I tend to get more problems from uneven sanding, and slight bumps or holes in the plastic from curing issues... Still nothing beats the feeling of hand making a puzzle for me though. Apples and oranges indeed.

Obviously, I am going to vote Shapeways. Hand making is only cheaper when you do not count or charge man hours. Even if you would charge a minimum hourly wage, Shapeways is already cheaper. And 3D-printing offers much more versatility than hand-making: gears, fudging, ...

Having that said, I have a huge respect for the puzzles by Tony Fisher and other TP artists who create some master pieces by hand. Even though Shapeways is cheaper, ultimately there may be more collector's value in those unique hand-made treasures.

Oskar

I am big headed enough to state that many of my puzzles move better and far smoother than any Shapeways puzzle. My 3x3x4 medium cuboid, Medium Container and Skewb Rhombic Dodecahedron to name a few.
Now the problem with my statement is that it's not the hand made aspect that makes them move well, it's the factory made part of the puzzles. What we (I) call hand made is usually at least 90% factory made.
So the handmade puzzles are disqualified for cheating and Shapeways wins by default.

Well I depends on if you want better for the builder, better for the final puzzle, better for the collector. You also haven't included all the possible means of making twisty puzzles. You list hand made. Instead of Shapeways I'd say 3D printing. There is also injection molding. And you could have a CNC machine cut your puzzle out of a block of aluminum. If you think Shapeways is expensive you should look at the cost of using injection molding or time on a CNC machine. As for what is better for this builder (me) I like Oskar would say Shapeways. I can afford it and I don't have the skill to make the puzzles I design by hand. As for the collector in me... I want to say any and all of the above. This reminds me of a thread I started a while ago asking Shapeways vs eBay... why can't it be both?. Each builder should pick the method he/she enjoys the most. You can make the puzzle out of matchboxes if you like and if you enjoyed the process and the puzzle it was a successful building method. So I say they are all good...

Carl

I think it was Eric Cartman that stated "No no! If you cheat and fail, you're a cheater." You certainly haven't failed so its not cheating. Me on the other hand have probably failed for having to resort to quoting Eric Cartman.

Oh well,
Carl

I am not going to vote. I like both for what they are.
I think I might have stated something else earlier. But I really can't choose between the two!
My opinion might change soon... (*hint*)

I'm with Sigurd and Eric on this. You can't compare the two. Each fulfills a purpose.

Now, a much better topic would be Shapeways original vs. Mass produced clone. So far I think Shapeways is winning on turning and quality but losing on price and work to assemble.

Will start topic on that