Re:My biggest issue with these things.... (Score 1)

I'd have to agree with you on affordability at this point. I actually considered purchasing my own when both Z-Corp ( http://www.zcorp.com/Products/3D-Printers/ZPrinter-310-Plus/spage.aspx ) and Dimension ( http://www.dimensionprinting.com/printers/printing-bst.shtml ) announced sub $20k models. I'm still in the market but after hearing about the Desktop Factory for $5k ( http://www.idealab.com/frame.php?referer=/press_room/&url=http://www.desktopfactory.com/ ), I decided it's best to wait a little longer. Like you said though, intent to bring a product to market is a driving factor. If you consider that maybe 5 years ago the entry point for machines like these was $100k or greater, I think you could agree that the current rate of cost reduction is at least encouraging for the DIYer. (Sidenote: The trend for machines to become cheaper has been marked by the observation that the materials to produce prototypes/parts has increased. I think this is a result of corporate purchases which often only consider the capital expense. But the end result I believe will be both cheaper machines and cheaper build materials.)

I'd also have to agree that *most* of the proposals for personal manufacturing don't adequetely cater to the production of miniatures. There is hope however. 3D-Micromac ( http://www.3d-micromac.com/home.html ) is currently marketing a machine capable of producing feature sizes less than 100 nanometers! Of course that's beyond the scope of the overwhelming majority of at-home-manufactureres, but the ability to produce something, anything at that scale and in your home is at least possible if you've got the cash. I'm obviously less optimistic that the price of such a machine will become affordable for the average Joe based on the fact that Joe currently has no need for that capability. I would argue that it's at least reasonable, however, that your desire to produce detailed miniatures is on the horizon. I used to design for Johnson & Johnson where we constantly concepted parts for medical instruments utilizing "lost wax" prototyping techniques for extremely small parts. Utilizing InVision "wax printers" ( http://www.3dsystems.com/products/projet/library.asp - gallery ), we could produce amazing molds which were then used to cast functional parts for validation. The process is not at all dissimilar to the creation of detailed miniatures and figurines. Typically in your application, an artist will carve an original which is cast in urethane (or some other compliant material). From that cast, a mold is made to produce multiple copies. Even if the production is extremely limited, this is the standard method because no other technique is as feasible. Essentially your application is highly specialized but I have no doubt that one day your desire to produce miniatures will be posssible and affordable @ home given the current rate of technological advancement and market demand.