I am also an engineer, and I can see the potential for prototyping, as well as useful tools like adapters for my camera -> telescope and things like that. I'm still learning the little tricks to get a good model, so I haven't really delved into much yet. Barely scratching the surface....

I use Solidworks for my modelling.

Very curious about this --- *Musical instrument customization ?

Personally:
*Home use
*Work (Day job)
*Musical instrument customization
*Phone mounts

But it seems I mainly use mine for making printer parts for other users!

It may be cheap when it's in production, but when you are prototyping or testing, it may be costly.  That's one of the many ways 3D printing helps.

I worked in Research development for a boat yard. I was mostly a pattern maker. Or the term in the boat industry Plug builder. The process of developing a new model yacht from scratch was definitely labor intensive and expensive.
A pattern had to be made to make the tool  or mold then the first part could be made.
When I left the trade CNC was beginning to take over a lot of the work . Imagine a 5 axis gantry router big enough to carve a rough pattern for a 45 ft Yacht.  No I never saw it as the work was farmed out.

Soooo to be able to make  a part without tooling  fixtures and jigs. Saves lot of time and money . 3D printing allows you to  make several version or modifications of the part before committing to production tooling.
Tin

3D printers have the potential for helping bring us away from so many disposable products. Mass production has led us to many plastic parts in many applications. Injection molding is cheap. However keeping an inventory of spare parts for everything that was ever made is expensive.
Tin

Hear hear!

Yes, 3D printing will definitely bring awareness to disposables.  Another thing that it does is show us how much work actually goes into manufacturing a product.  It may be cheap when it's in production, but when you are prototyping or testing, it may be costly.  That's one of the many ways 3D printing helps.

3D printers ave the potential for helping bring us away from so many disposable products. Mass production has led us to many plastic parts in many applications. Injection molding is cheap. However keeping an inventory of spare parts for everything that was ever made is expensive. And the mark up of individual small parts is high. So the ability to store files in a public place like thingiverse and print on demand is a great thing.
I have had a lathe for years and it has saved me $$ as I can make things.
Tin

Just last night i was repairing some of my old machines and the printer came in handy again

I think that is what i love about printing is to make those parts that are just not available ... I can see these printers being a mandatory tool in every kind workshop in the next decade ..Such exciting times

now i find myself at a point of what do i do now ?

I seem to have way more Ideas and dreams than time. I know I could print more as I can run the printer and do other things.
What I have printed is mostly  trinkets for family. I have printed a few holders for my quick change tool holder for the machining hobby.  I have been building model steam engines for years I started prints on a couple of those.
The sky is literally the limit as far as what you print. Folks have developed and printed RC cars and RC quadcopters.
You can also print musical instruments.  http://www.hovalin.com/make/ Thiniverse and Youmagine are filled with ideas.

Tin

But the main reason I wanted it was for prototyping, like making cases and enclosures for my circuits and components.  Works well for a few projects I have worked on.