I had much the same thoughts Jack. This kind of futuristic technology certainly takes all the romance out of restoration. I think for that reason it will remain a last resort for serious restorers. However it could pose issues for the restoration community in general. For example, what happens if it gets to the stage where you can "print" a whole BGC? Or a Sherman tank? Sounds laughable, but we've already seen guns "printed" so it's really just a question of scale. Perhaps the day will come when MV's need some kind of Certificate of Authenticity to participate in events, particularly commemorative events. I believe it's this kind of regulatory/compliance challenge which has thus far delayed widespread introduction of this technology.
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One of the original Australian CMP hunters.
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