There are many projects related to 3D printing, many others with recycling old devices, but there are not many like the current Tropical Labs project: an old coffee maker that will be able to 3D print objects.
This project is interesting because it takes advantage of the power that the old coffee machines have to take advantage as a structure and together with electronics, to be able to print 3D objects as if it were a RepRap project printer.
The Tropical Labs project is interesting, very interesting since it combines recycling with 3D printing. But if you are looking for a cheap 3D printer, forget about this project. The coffee maker in question dispenses with custom parts and shaft structures.
An old coffee maker can be turned into a 3D printer thanks to this hacking project
But if we will have to use the expensive components of a 3D printer, i.e. the electronics and the extruder. In this case, the project uses an Arduino MEGA board accompanied by Ramps 1.4 electronics. So unless we have an old coffee maker, it will not be a project that is economical for our pockets.
In any case, the project is totally viable and we can reproduce it according to Tropical Labs. We can reproduce the project thanks to its release in the web Hackaday, on whose website we will find all the information to recreate it and even modify it to our liking.
The most curious thing about all this is that with this project, coffee machines are positioned as the maker's best friends and 3D printing. Since modern coffee machines that work by capsules, can serve as sustenance of materials to create printed objects and old coffee machines, thanks to this project, can serve as 3D printers, at least to start in the world of 3D printing or create objects basic that are necessary to us.