From Hobby to Business - A 3D Print Journey
Let me take you back on a journey 8 years in the making on how I transformed my 3D printing hobby into a business. Many people ask how I got started so I hope this video gives you the insights and knowledge on how I started my journey.
I started 3D printing back in 2017, my first ever printer was the Creality CR10. The reason I got this printer was because of its large format, and at the time my wife and I were really into cosplay, so the printer was able to print cosplay props and helmets with ease. Slowly over the years I printed things for personal use as well as started to sell things on online platforms such as Etsy, Amazon, and eBay. As the business slowly grew, I invested profits back into it and got more and more printers. Before you know it I have a commercial space with 127 3D printers!
As always, feel free to leave any comments and I will try to answer them.
Follow Me!!!
Instagram: dancyn3dprints
TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@dancyn_3d
Etsy: www.dancyn3dprints.etsy.com
Website: www.dancyn3dprints.com
#3dprinterfarm #3dprinter #3dprinted #bambulab #3dprinting #3dprint #3dprintingtechnology #smallbusiness #printfarm #journey
**LINKS**(When available, we use affiliate links and may earn a commission, at no cost to you!)
3D Print Filament Brands I Use:
👉 Elegoo PLA - amzn.to/3WKbxqQ (Amazon)
👉 Grat Kit - Dual/Tri Silk PLA - amzn.to/4fjTkI1 (Amazon)
👉 Creality Rainbow PLA - amzn.to/3YpNXRh (Amazon)
👉 Insanmate Rainbow PLA - amzn.to/3M6MpVj (Amazon)
👉 Insanmate Dual/Tri Silk PLA - amzn.to/3ym8EDm (Amazon)
👉 Sunlu PLA (All Colors) - amzn.to/3A2LemS (Amazon) - bit.ly/Sunlu-PLA (Sunlu)
👉 Hatchbox PLA (All Colors) - amzn.to/4fs2n9W (Amazon)
*GEAR I USE*
👉DJI Osmo Pocket 3, Creator Combo - amzn.to/3SwfwF0 (Amazon)
Пікірлер: 65
Really appreciate your taking the time to show your print farm business evolution. Glad to hear that you are stocking up for Q4, I gather that a printer can do 50% or more of their year in the last three months, that seems crazy to me!
@Dancyn3Dprints
22 күн бұрын
Yup depends what you sell also
Thank you for your videos, I want that breaker blowing problem at my house too!
@Dancyn3Dprints
18 күн бұрын
Lolol
I already thought you were awesome, but now this makes you look even more awesome
@Dancyn3Dprints
22 күн бұрын
@@marty4286 thanks for watching!
Great video. I love the journey down memory lane. Keep up the great work.
I am a custom motorcycle artist. And man I’m burned out on so much work . Started 3D printing parts for motorcycles and got the idea of quoting bike paining and just manufacturing custom parts I make. This video has inspired me to try something new . I’m up to 6 printers
@Dancyn3Dprints
20 күн бұрын
Awesome!! Thanks for watching
Very fun to imagine how it was to live in that house! 😂 I only have one printer and if it's very noisy. Thanks for the videos, I will watch all of them.
@Dancyn3Dprints
10 күн бұрын
I got so used to Fallin asleep to the sound of the 3d printer printing, lol
All these videos on running a print farm are great, keep it up! You've come a long way for sure, again congrats on your success. 🙂 I only have three printers but hope to have the growth to expand.
@Dancyn3Dprints
22 күн бұрын
Thank you
Your story is very inspirational.
@Dancyn3Dprints
22 күн бұрын
@timccormick4561 thank you for watching
Thank you for the video. It's encouraging to see where you started to then where you are now.
@Dancyn3Dprints
22 күн бұрын
@@afraser345 glad you liked it
Great story that illustrates how hard work and dedication can lead you to grow your dream into a successful business. I really like how you mentioned times your family stepped into help. It’s near impossible to push through extremely difficult and trying times without the help of those closest to you, well done 👍🙌
@Dancyn3Dprints
21 күн бұрын
Appreciate you watching
Thank you for this
@Dancyn3Dprints
22 күн бұрын
You got it
Best regards from Poland (europe) 😊 thank You for Your chanel 😊 keep going 👍
@Dancyn3Dprints
22 күн бұрын
@@emilberg26 thank you for the support
I just started printing about 4 days ago and I'm about to invest at least a good amount in a small print farm. I was already sick of my job and I had already put in my 2 weeks about 7 days ago and I know it'll be so much better than slaving a 9 to 5
@Dancyn3Dprints
22 күн бұрын
Gotta start somewhere
So cool to see how you progressed. I have so many questions lol 1st whats your favorite bambu printer for your business? and 2 how soon did you move to amazon after starting on etsy? Love the content nice n chill and concise
@Dancyn3Dprints
22 күн бұрын
@@ContentKingsOfficial I still do both.. amazon just does better. My favorite if I had unlimited funds would be the x1c
Great videos! Not many will go into the detail that you do, very educational. Florida is brutal for hygroscopy, do you have issues with humidity?
@Dancyn3Dprints
22 күн бұрын
@@saltycurl8910 not at all. I hate florida humidity
I’m trying to start 3D printing as a business. I have the same start as you with a few printers in my apartment lol. I have a few solid products and I’m trying to get it off the ground. How can I get to the scale that you got to? What initial steps can I take to get a customer base and sell products? Let me know if you can. Love the video.
@Dancyn3Dprints
21 күн бұрын
That's really not a question that is easily answerable. Find your niche and perfect it
Hey man, where do you find patreons for 3d models? Really love seeing your progress btw
@Dancyn3Dprints
21 күн бұрын
There's tons on patreon I'm not going to single out any here
What tools and spray are you using to clean the beds? I have 90% rubbing alcohol, but it doesn't seem to be helping for me as much as I see it working for everyone else
@Dancyn3Dprints
22 күн бұрын
99% IPA
How do you choose which item can be printed and sale it and which one cannot (like licence or copyright)
@Dancyn3Dprints
9 күн бұрын
Something you learn from selling online
How much electricity does your commercial unit use in a month? Not in $, but in Kw/h.
@Dancyn3Dprints
22 күн бұрын
Not sure of the exact number
Nice video, what cad do you use?
@Dancyn3Dprints
21 күн бұрын
@@fpvfish6218 I don't design
@fpvfish6218
21 күн бұрын
@@Dancyn3Dprints what do you sell?
@fpvfish6218
21 күн бұрын
@@Dancyn3Dprints I got 3d prints and I don’t know what to sell
Nice stuff, I have a small farm to by accident. Do you do etsy ads and do you print then sell or sell then print?
@baconporkchop
22 күн бұрын
i'm jealous how people have etsy account.. i create custom products that i want to sell on etsy but i get instantly banned.. idk how i can create an account.. I can only sell on ebay..
@Dancyn3Dprints
22 күн бұрын
Etsy amazon ebay walmart tt shop
@Dancyn3Dprints
22 күн бұрын
You're doing something wrong
@baconporkchop
22 күн бұрын
@@Dancyn3Dprintsyeah, I can’t figure out what I did wrong. Apparently I’m not the only one from researching this issue.. 😢
Thanks so much for sharing your story! I have to ask though....are there really that many people that are buying dragon eggs? I mean that in all seriousness, would you mind sharing some of your numbers?
@Dancyn3Dprints
18 күн бұрын
Yes. Will be sharing some numbers in my next video
How much prints do you sell per day/week ?
@Dancyn3Dprints
22 күн бұрын
Enough
Do you see the toy thing going away and switching to parts or something like that? I also sell the dragons and such and it seems like its a race to the bottom. Like you need to produce volume now as more and more printers come into the market with more and more capacity that drives down the price. Im still selling my eggs for 20 a piece at shows but I see you for example and many others selling them for 10-13 dollars online. At what point is it not profitable anymore forcing us to evolve into printing other things. The cost of machines plus plastic, shop costs, electricity etc will not drop in price to accommodate the lower prices we must compete with. I think it will become harder for small print companies to enter the market because they cant produce on a large enough scale in order to be able to sell at such low prices. Sorry if this sounds jumbled, Im just waking up
@Dancyn3Dprints
21 күн бұрын
If you think of it this way. You have an infinite supply of anything that you can 3d print. Let's not kid ourselves margins are very fag. A dragon egg costs maybe $2-$3 max even if you sell it for $10 after fees you're netting $4-$5 which is 40-50%
@Enchanted3DPrints
21 күн бұрын
@@Dancyn3Dprints Thats true. Especially if you buy your filament in bulk! The guy who started the dragon egg thing lives about 30 minutes away from me. He's made over 10 million dollars in the last 2 years! No joke
@Dancyn3Dprints
21 күн бұрын
@@Enchanted3DPrints yea I follow him, insane
@sensible3d406
12 күн бұрын
It’s a race to the bottom. When everyone can do it, no one profits from it. Low skill niche will also bring low profits. The best practice is to create your own stls and never sell the file and only sell the prints. The problem is the market is saturated with the same stuff selling for rock bottom prices because people like to undercut the competition and it doesn’t matter if they have ringing or banding on the print. They sell it that way just because they can. lol.
@Enchanted3DPrints
12 күн бұрын
@@sensible3d406 this is what Im seeing too. Im dabbling in file creation and thats probably the future for me in 3d printing
new mic
@Dancyn3Dprints
22 күн бұрын
@@Speedgaming802 yea
What job were you doing before? Is this paying more for you... What plans do you have if more and more people go into cannibalizing this niche market with just a few printers in their basement?
@Dancyn3Dprints
3 күн бұрын
I'm not worried about small print farms in fact I encourage people to expand their business.
@cynsincosplay
Күн бұрын
We were in finance before