Thanks for bumping this thread, I hadn't read it till now.

3D printing and other "personal manufacturing" technologies are going to create an interesting future for us all. There'll be a point where it'll sweep through both the small inventor and modeller space ... then expand, as technology permits, to places we can't today imagine.

The world of copyright is also going to get smashed.

Take a little example ... imagine the tiny plastic figures used on some of the strategy board games ... then imagine cheap bulk 3D print material from China with appropriate 3D print data to make them 

I can't wait for the technology to be cost viable - but I don't think any of us truly understand the changes it could bring about.

Consider a continuous length 3D printer, capable of producing decorative cornice or skirting ... all of a sudden your profiles can have complex multidimensional surfaces ... the can be customised for corners, etc. We're standing on the very tip of the iceberg!
 

Hi -

This is something we've actually done.... printing custom inserts for Tanos cases. It's not cost effective really, but sure helps prototype quickly.

We also use our 3D printer (soon plural!) to print production go/no-go gauges for lower tolerance work (wood, mostly), and have actually printed limited run tooling/fixturing....

It's a very handy capability!

Cheers -

Rob

Also curious about surface finish or roughness due to printing in layers.