home business - 3d printing - most versatile printer?

[weldingrod]

Hello, and sorry for the loaded topic, but I appreciate any insight.
I have read about a few different printer types and I was hoping you could help narrow the field of focus for my research regarding a potential business investment in a 3d printer.

Lets just say I want to be able to make black plastic parts that are functional in design for a business/self employment.
Since I would like to work from home for the next couple of years I'm looking for ways to offer unique parts/products/services to make income. I realize the printer in itself may not be my sole tool for profit, but I think it could open the opportunity for more designs, and could be a tool to foster more design ideas.
I also have the ability to fabricate metal (cut, machine, and weld to a certain extend) and can purchase motors and other electronics to make assemblies.

I don't have all the designs or niche's in mind yet, but in general I'm of an engineering mind set, and I would look to make functional parts for niche applications. For example a mounting bracket for a go-pro on a boat or motor cycle, a fishing rod holder/bracket, a phone or other electronic device mounting or housing, etc. Mounting besel for a gauge or go fast electronic parts on go fast machines, a speaker mount for a niche application. I have no knowledge of art, and no experience making sculptures or jewelry so I don't foresee that type of usage.

I'm new to 3d modeling and plan to use a free and easy to use software to get started, but I have alot of experience as an engineer working on design review of 2d drawings and generally understand the design process, stack-up tolerace, GDT etc. I was just not the designer making the step files for modeling, etc.

I have the ability to fabricate things out of metal and wood, or build some electronic circuitry and I'm hoping all of these things together will allow me to build devices or add-on's for hobbyists, enthusiasts, sports, etc. I believe that some of my parts will be very similar to those that are already out there, but have very unique fitment for special applications. Also I hope to have very unique designs for some applications after digging in deeper. I can also foresee some business from local companies whom would just rather buy the part from someone local and from someone they can talk to locally or at least within the same state. I hope over time to gain alot of word of mouth business from many local companies.

So with that in mind I don't have alot of start-up capital so looking for the best bang for the buck printer that produces solid results. I want to build parts that are accurate to the design, and although I realize there may be some learning curve to the calibration of the software/process/equipment I want something that is guaranteed to produce a good part after said calibration. I don't want to invest in something that I have to hack into the software and modify the code and have no guarantee that my time is not wasted. I realize it takes extra time to 3-d print, i.e. compared to a metal stamped massed produced part, and I understand it is those lower-volume niche's need to be found to make it profitable.

At this point I have no idea what the material cost is to build something the size of a stand to set an smart phone on, or a phone case, and I'm not clear on what machines to investigate more closely. I'd be curious to see some examples just to get an idea of material cost and "fair" 3d printer cost is. Besides material cost, I assume some are factoring in cost of electricity to run the equipment for hours on end to build a part? Has anyone drafted a basic and general business case for building parts from a specific printer?

Next I'd also be curious to find out how strong of a part can be made, i.e. for a mounting device of some kind. (feasible material, its properties, potential size and thickness, etc).
I don't want to be sorry I didn't spend $500 more to get the printer that was more modular, future proof, durable, etc, and maybe now is the wrong time to buy because some major advances are being released in the next months?????

I guess at this point I have more questions than answers, thanks for any information