Just an estimate but I think this key in steel would be less than $50 on shapeways.
EDIT: I just uploaded the model to shapeways to get a quote and this key is:
$26 for steel
$44 for aluminum
$75 for brass
The brass would probably have the most dimensional accuracy.
I have a small company that sells custom jewelry, and some of my customers want steel rings. They usually cost me around $15.
On possible downside is that due to cooling shrinkage steel only has about 5% tolerance. This can be accounted for in the 3D model. What I usually do for jewelry is order the ring in 2 or 3 different sizes and then choose the one that fits best. In terms of this key, I am not sure how much 5% error would affect its functioning.
Not for patent infringement, but because they think you're planning a robbery, because you're 3-D printing a key that is marketed as something a mall kiosk can't copy.
I really doubt it - even if someone noticed and thought 'huh, a key eh, that's different', who's to say you're not ordering it for your own lock, curious about Shapeways' tolerances and if you could design it to work. Not like it's illegal to own a key without a corresponding lock anyway, I doubt the police would (have time to) care even if they were informed.
It's illegal to blow something up (that isn't yours or on your land?) - not to possess the 'ingredients' with which to hypothetically make one (rather than do the cleaning or gardening or whatever they were intended for).
EDIT: I just uploaded the model to shapeways to get a quote and this key is:
The brass would probably have the most dimensional accuracy.I have a small company that sells custom jewelry, and some of my customers want steel rings. They usually cost me around $15.
On possible downside is that due to cooling shrinkage steel only has about 5% tolerance. This can be accounted for in the 3D model. What I usually do for jewelry is order the ring in 2 or 3 different sizes and then choose the one that fits best. In terms of this key, I am not sure how much 5% error would affect its functioning.