Totally nucking futs - a printer that prints itself

While looking for information on the state of play of object, Z- or 3D
printers I came across this extraordinary concept: a printer that prints
itself.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RepRap_Project

So it's an object printer capable of making the bits to make itself.
Spooky eh? It's what cell replication is like.

It's also a totally brilliant idea for the economics of 3D printers. I
hadn't even thought about this when I heard about this over a decade
ago. The first unit is expensive but afterwards it's just the advanced
polymers and a few other bits that are expensive. (Why do I suddenly
feel like I sound like a 3D printer salesman...).

This is a revolutionary ownership model and very third wave of humanity.
Henry Ford never thought that factories might build factories one day.