I’ve seen these consumer 3D printers beavering away making all sorts of stuff at 3D System’s HQ in South Carolina. They work a bit like a computerised glue gun, laying down filaments of molten plastic. The machines are called the Cube and start at around $1,500. They seem simple to use. An interesting road test of one of these machines can be found here. http://www.3dprinter.net/3d-systems-indestructible-cube-3d-printer