Can you imagine a world where you can whip up a prosthetic leg in your living room? Perhaps you need to replace that lost front door key? No problem!

With 3D printing technology we have the potential to do it ourselves. If, like me, you have a bit of a thing for making stuff, anything from cakes to lego to corsets, then you will undoubtedly get excited about 3D printing.

I gave myself a spattering of new wrinkles trying to get my head around how these incredible machines work.

The idea that you can pop a picture into a computer, press go and within no time produce a perfect 3D working replica is mindbending.

And the possibilities are seemingly endless. You could, in theory, 3D print your next home… seriously! But how does it work? Just like dressing for the British weather, it is all about layers.

First you create a 3D image on your computer using software like Computer-Assisted Design (our architect used CAD when we did some work on our house).

The image is then sliced up into tiny thin layers that are reassembled, one by one from bottom to top, on a base plate that moves down as each layer is added.

A zippy little robotic arm carefully pipes molten plastic exactly as the computer tells it to. A bit like piping icing onto a cake.

Most home printers can make objects from plastic. Some inventive types have used sand, concrete and ceramic. In theory you can use anything that melts. How about a chocolate or cheese statue of a loved-one to nibble on?

So far people have made beautiful glass bowls from sand and sunlight, a whole range of toys and art, body parts such a replacement hips and working engine parts. In medicine alone the possibilities make my hairs stand on end with excitement.

The beauty is that things can be made to be completely unique to you, cheaply and easily.

So dentures and valve replacements become personalised. There are also those practical things like that replacement part for your dishwasher that isn’t made anymore – no worries, make it yourself.

Before you join the next industrial revolution by grabbing your very own little beauty there are some things to consider.

Buying one is still not cheap with a starting price tag of around £500 up to around £2,500 for a good home use version. You then need to make sure you can buy the materials to make your treasures and put a bit away for maintenance.

Like all new technology it won’t take too long before the price gets more reasonable and in the meantime order your objects from an on-line 3D print shop.

I understand that you will never be able to look at your humble inkjet again without a hint of disgust. So start making a list of things you want to make.

The only limitations are the size of the printer, the materials you can use and your imagination.