Pick your path
Prototyping Services
Product designers, inventors, startups need rapid prototypes. $30-300 per part, 1-7 day turnaround, recurring client relationships.
Custom Products
Etsy custom orders, wedding favors, personalized gifts. Direct-to-consumer, $15-80 per item, scalable production.
Functional Parts
Replacement parts, manufacturing aids, mechanical components. B2B accounts, $40-500 per part, recurring industrial buyers.
Miniatures & Figurines
Tabletop gaming, collectors, custom commission work. $5-150 per figure, niche enthusiast market with passionate buyers.
Strategy & business articles
Pricing 3D prints honestly: why $10 prints don't pay the billsThe full cost stack including filament, electricity, machine depreciation, failed prints, design time, and post-processing labor. The pricing tier that turns 3D printing into a real business.Printer fleet vs single printer: the scaling mathWhen 1 printer becomes 3, then 8. The financial threshold, the operational complexity, and the breakeven by service mix.3D design services: the missing add-on most printers don't sell$50-150/hour for design work on top of $30-300 for printing. Why most print services leave 40-60% of revenue on the table by not offering design.Etsy 3D printing business: the volume model that actually worksCustom orders vs digital files vs ready-to-ship. The economics of Etsy 3D printing and the categories that scale.Landing B2B prototyping accounts: the recurring revenue modelIndustrial designers, product developers, mechanical engineers all need recurring print services. How to land and keep these accounts.Post-processing 3D prints: the hidden cost most makers ignoreSanding, painting, finishing, assembly. The post-processing time that doubles or triples per-part cost. When to charge for it and when to skip it.Strategic conversations for 3D printing operators
Frameworks for 3D-print businesses — pricing, niche specialization, B2B accounts, scaling. Reach out on LinkedIn.
Gear actually worth buying
Smart eBay searches we'd start with ourselves. We earn a small commission on qualifying sales through these links, and 90% of it goes to charity (you can pick which); the price you pay is the same whether you use them or go direct to eBay. Full disclosure.
Professional FDM printerRunning a service means higher duty cycles. Bambu X1-Carbon, Prusa MK4, and Ultimaker S-series hold up.
Resin printer (production)For detail parts and jewelry. Larger build plates (Elegoo Saturn 4 Ultra) reduce per-part cost at volume.
Post-processing tools kitFiles, sandpaper grits 120–2000, deburring tools. Finishing is where service quality actually shows.
Bulk filament multi-packBuying 5kg+ bundles cuts per-gram cost significantly when you're running machines 8+ hours a day.
UV curing stationA proper rotating UV station cures resin parts evenly. Anycubic Wash & Cure is the workhorse pick.