but the technology is very different from a Makerbot type printer; something that can never be in regular people's houses, it takes too much specialist framing etc.
When you say "the technology" do you mean some commercial product or ad-hoc assembled equipment?
Could they be more accesible dropping some "very pro" requirements?
For example, one printer I saw used laser sintering (sp?) Basically you have a big box of powder which is shot at by a laser, solidifying the powder at the locations the laser hits it. Afterwards the remaining powder is sucked out and the object remains. The results is a much more solid construction than what you get with 'shooting' small blobs of molten plastic like a makerbot does. But the process is a lot more messy, and a lot more dangerous too.
When you say "the technology" do you mean some commercial product or ad-hoc assembled equipment?
Could they be more accesible dropping some "very pro" requirements?