So I watched this video around mid may, and actually took my time to do exactly what he said in the video. At the end of may I made my first Etsy sale, and now I have an etsy shop with over 50 sales in 3 months. Thanks for the advice, more people wanting to start a small 3D printed side hussle should watch this video.
@@alexanderkeating8155 Why are you asking, do you need some??? Please buy mine, I have 7000 of them, they’re pouring out of my windows, I havnt seen my cats in 2 weeks ever since the dragon avalanche, I sleep close to the ceiling as I’m running out of room for more dragons and they keep piling up. Dear god, please buy these tri color articulated flexi dragons, I miss my house.
Selling locally is an overlooked concept and too much focus is put on Ebay/Etsy. In fact, skipping the selling fees + shipping costs dramatically changes what can be sold, because the margins are 100% in your favor. There are many local businesses who can use simple 3D products or sell them on your behalf (consignment). Saving on shipping and fees means you can offer even cheaper prices locally...Good video btw!
selling niche products locally is hard and the time you have to invest to setup a store front etc is often not worth it. Also selling to a resaler also cuts your profits and is usually only worth for bulk numbers (which 3D printing is not made for)
Farmer's Markets. 99% they qualify as handmade. Fella I know merced enough money to buy 10 printers cranking out overpriced toys as he was the first to do it. Skies the limit.
@@Knak123depends on your audience. If you live near a popular college, making up some college themed merch and setting up a booth before the weekly football game could work really well. It’s niche, they’re simple, and models are probably out there for printing.
Great video! One thing I really do not want to do is have a huge 3D Print farm. I have 3…2 small bed and 1 larger. The tech guy in me wants a big farm but I already know what I enjoy making and am analyzing its future as a side hustle using this video’s theory of the interlocking circles. Viability, sustainability and expandability are my focus in potential identified niches. Also ensuring and maintaining fun in tinkering and minimizing post processing…which I’m not a fan of….which is why I’m not a mask or costume printer.
Wow , up until I found this video I was clueless on how to make my next product, I've done the non-stop competitive product route and it leads to burnout time for something more sustainable. And I think you've just helped me create a multi million dollar idea that will last for years to come and benefit everyone in the specific niche, if it does scale I'll be sure to give back a favor. Thank you so much
I was able to expand on niche I was already manufacturing for. Offering a 3D printed product as a more accessible option to a CNC machined product I’ve been making for years. Great video, and happy to hear I’m not the only one who thinks flexi dragons are a race to the bottom.
Pls launch the course soon... I'm really excited to join it🎉🎉🎉...and thank you for this content...my niche is building upgrading and fixing 3d printers.
We're opening a Shopify store for 3D printed products and much of the rationale align with your (great!) videos. Thanks for sharing your experience and ideas to all, that's very valuable for newcomers like me.
Agreed 100% I'm going to be opening my Shopify store soon. Been on Etsy for a while but realized it isn't a great place for most niches. Great if you make customized cutting boards but not much else. Good luck with your store. I've been trying to grow a base before launch. Did a local show for my niche and did quite well. Very excited for everything to come! Must suck if your niche is dragons though. Race to the bottom. Yikes
thanks for all the advise. im working on a Shopify store right now for tool organization for mechanics. designed made by me a professional mechanic. you inspired me to attempt to get into the market. thanks
I had to build a farm in Feb, quickly, after a product I designed received some attention. My background was Ecommerce design, 3D printing and 3D design having been a hobby for 7 years. Everything I've seen you publish so far is exactly my experience, my setup mirrors yours essentially but on a smaller scale. What I am interested to see is how you organise your data, specifically the management of logging sales and parts needed/on hand. I'm a spreadsheet nerd and have ended up with an Excel document that tracks my stock levels against the orders I receive, it involves a little manual data entry but I end up with an exact picture of whats ordered, whats fulfilled, what parts are on hand, what parts are getting low on stock etc. Looking forward to seeing how you manage this. Bye the way, I went Prusa because I believe in their ethos, 4x MK4s in the Prusa enclosure plus 3x heavily used MK3S, printing non stop for nearly 4 months now. I can count on one hand the failures I've had so I'd say the picture has changed since the comparison you did, what with firmware updates. Such a shame they launched the MK4 with half baked firmware.
Depending on your current revenue / margins DOMO might help eliminate the need to do any manual data entry on your excel sheet. It's a nice visual, can do run rates / OOS estimates, and every other ecomm metric you can think of. Plus, it can export to excell
I want to start a print farm. However, I am scared that I won’t get any customers. How do I get my first customers, and that they are interested in 3D printed products?
hey pretty new to 3D printing scene, but maybe create some models and upload them to model site like maker world, thangs etc and see if people like what you made. do this a few times to see what people find most interesting and start with that? just a suggestion and good luck!
Travis, you have no idea how helpful these videos are. Keep it up! Much appreciate you sharing the knowledge you picked up along your own journeys. I'm grabbing another A1 during this sale so I'll make sure I use your affiliate link. I have an A1 mini but want a full size A1 to up production.
Great info Travis. I have a few new products that I want to start selling that are accessories for a sporting good product. I see on your website that you have brand names "Dewalt, Bosch.. etc.." Did you need to get permission to use these names as they are Trademarked, or is it permissible as you aren't selling something that they produce directly? Just wondering how I can do the same thing for my product. Thanks man, keep up the good work!
Great video, I’m an industrial designer with experience in 3D printing for prototyping. I’m trying to find my market. My biggest problem has been narrowing it down.
This was timely as I am going into my final career in less than a year. I say final career but most people say "retirement" , I have zero intent of retirement to the couch watching Matlock or whatever older people are supposed to watch these days.
Can you make a video on printing environment safety? I.e. air monitors & purifiers and what functionality they should have, intermittent vents or exhaust etc. Bambus have carbon filters, do these accomplish anything?
Do you recommend offering 3D print services for others? Maybe not at production capacity but for people looking for special parts or drafts and the like.
When building a small Etsy shop for personalized board game pieces I found out my software background made me good automating things. Any order that comes in automatically has personalized models made and sliced, ready to print. Hoping this can help me scale my store or help someone scale theirs.
What software programs do you use for creating or editing designs? I'm new to 3d printing so apologies if the answer is obvious like SketchUp or something haha
Really enjoy your content. I think I grew up near where your biz is located, and you look kinda familiar to me. Kinda crazy. I had been watching your videos for a while before realizing it in your Shopsmith video. There was or maybe still is, one of the shop smith factories by my parent's house.
3d printers give you the flexibility to change product without any retooling (except for post processing, if needed). And they're cheap, you can start a mini print farm with like 4 or 5 printers in a garage for less than 2000k euros/dollars. That said, you can start with 3d printers and if a product really becomes a big seller, consider other means of production.
Excellent advice, you're clearly tapped in to the creator mindset of providing real value in line with your expertise and genuine interests. Do you listen to Dan Koes perspective on personal brand building?
This is my main problem is finding what the heck to print. I'm a mechanic whose into cars but having a tough time finding a product that'll really take off. I understand it's just trial and error. So far all I've sold is a couple cupholder block offs I designed to make the armrest more comfortable. Since my design skills are limited I am trying to get more experience and practice designing whenever I have spare time.
So I watched this video around mid may, and actually took my time to do exactly what he said in the video. At the end of may I made my first Etsy sale, and now I have an etsy shop with over 50 sales in 3 months. Thanks for the advice, more people wanting to start a small 3D printed side hussle should watch this video.
do you sell 2 colored flexi print in place dragons?
@@alexanderkeating8155 Why are you asking, do you need some??? Please buy mine, I have 7000 of them, they’re pouring out of my windows, I havnt seen my cats in 2 weeks ever since the dragon avalanche, I sleep close to the ceiling as I’m running out of room for more dragons and they keep piling up. Dear god, please buy these tri color articulated flexi dragons, I miss my house.
@@alexanderkeating8155 for 49 cents a pop.
Selling locally is an overlooked concept and too much focus is put on Ebay/Etsy. In fact, skipping the selling fees + shipping costs dramatically changes what can be sold, because the margins are 100% in your favor. There are many local businesses who can use simple 3D products or sell them on your behalf (consignment). Saving on shipping and fees means you can offer even cheaper prices locally...Good video btw!
selling niche products locally is hard and the time you have to invest to setup a store front etc is often not worth it. Also selling to a resaler also cuts your profits and is usually only worth for bulk numbers (which 3D printing is not made for)
but anyways I like your comment and mindset :)
@@Knak123 Produce products for local business, always a good way to go.
Farmer's Markets. 99% they qualify as handmade. Fella I know merced enough money to buy 10 printers cranking out overpriced toys as he was the first to do it. Skies the limit.
@@Knak123depends on your audience. If you live near a popular college, making up some college themed merch and setting up a booth before the weekly football game could work really well. It’s niche, they’re simple, and models are probably out there for printing.
Great video! One thing I really do not want to do is have a huge 3D Print farm. I have 3…2 small bed and 1 larger. The tech guy in me wants a big farm but I already know what I enjoy making and am analyzing its future as a side hustle using this video’s theory of the interlocking circles. Viability, sustainability and expandability are my focus in potential identified niches. Also ensuring and maintaining fun in tinkering and minimizing post processing…which I’m not a fan of….which is why I’m not a mask or costume printer.
Wow , up until I found this video I was clueless on how to make my next product, I've done the non-stop competitive product route and it leads to burnout time for something more sustainable. And I think you've just helped me create a multi million dollar idea that will last for years to come and benefit everyone in the specific niche, if it does scale I'll be sure to give back a favor. Thank you so much
What’s the idea? *clicks pen*
😂 fr @@Jasek1art
the production value and education in this video is seriously amazing! thank you!
I was able to expand on niche I was already manufacturing for. Offering a 3D printed product as a more accessible option to a CNC machined product I’ve been making for years. Great video, and happy to hear I’m not the only one who thinks flexi dragons are a race to the bottom.
Pls launch the course soon... I'm really excited to join it🎉🎉🎉...and thank you for this content...my niche is building upgrading and fixing 3d printers.
Thank you for spelling this out. This advice is good for more than just 3D print farms
This is fabulous advice. Interest, Experience, and expertise.
I love it.
We're opening a Shopify store for 3D printed products and much of the rationale align with your (great!) videos.
Thanks for sharing your experience and ideas to all, that's very valuable for newcomers like me.
Agreed 100% I'm going to be opening my Shopify store soon. Been on Etsy for a while but realized it isn't a great place for most niches. Great if you make customized cutting boards but not much else.
Good luck with your store. I've been trying to grow a base before launch. Did a local show for my niche and did quite well. Very excited for everything to come!
Must suck if your niche is dragons though. Race to the bottom. Yikes
Extremely sound advice, all-the-way 'round. Very well done
thanks for all the advise. im working on a Shopify store right now for tool organization for mechanics. designed made by me a professional mechanic. you inspired me to attempt to get into the market. thanks
That is awesome!
I had to build a farm in Feb, quickly, after a product I designed received some attention. My background was Ecommerce design, 3D printing and 3D design having been a hobby for 7 years. Everything I've seen you publish so far is exactly my experience, my setup mirrors yours essentially but on a smaller scale. What I am interested to see is how you organise your data, specifically the management of logging sales and parts needed/on hand. I'm a spreadsheet nerd and have ended up with an Excel document that tracks my stock levels against the orders I receive, it involves a little manual data entry but I end up with an exact picture of whats ordered, whats fulfilled, what parts are on hand, what parts are getting low on stock etc. Looking forward to seeing how you manage this. Bye the way, I went Prusa because I believe in their ethos, 4x MK4s in the Prusa enclosure plus 3x heavily used MK3S, printing non stop for nearly 4 months now. I can count on one hand the failures I've had so I'd say the picture has changed since the comparison you did, what with firmware updates. Such a shame they launched the MK4 with half baked firmware.
Depending on your current revenue / margins DOMO might help eliminate the need to do any manual data entry on your excel sheet. It's a nice visual, can do run rates / OOS estimates, and every other ecomm metric you can think of. Plus, it can export to excell
Another fine video Travis. Looking forward to more....
I want to start a print farm. However, I am scared that I won’t get any customers. How do I get my first customers, and that they are interested in 3D printed products?
hey pretty new to 3D printing scene, but maybe create some models and upload them to model site like maker world, thangs etc and see if people like what you made. do this a few times to see what people find most interesting and start with that? just a suggestion and good luck!
you’re a badass for making this video for us. thank man, for real.
Same advice goes for literally all products. A+
Loving the channel and content you’re putting out. Keep it up.
Well explained. A lot of valuable information right there. 👍
Travis, you have no idea how helpful these videos are. Keep it up!
Much appreciate you sharing the knowledge you picked up along your own journeys. I'm grabbing another A1 during this sale so I'll make sure I use your affiliate link. I have an A1 mini but want a full size A1 to up production.
Great info Travis. I have a few new products that I want to start selling that are accessories for a sporting good product. I see on your website that you have brand names "Dewalt, Bosch.. etc.." Did you need to get permission to use these names as they are Trademarked, or is it permissible as you aren't selling something that they produce directly? Just wondering how I can do the same thing for my product. Thanks man, keep up the good work!
Great video, I’m an industrial designer with experience in 3D printing for prototyping. I’m trying to find my market. My biggest problem has been narrowing it down.
This was timely as I am going into my final career in less than a year. I say final career but most people say "retirement" , I have zero intent of retirement to the couch watching Matlock or whatever older people are supposed to watch these days.
Matlock? You havent watched TV since 1986? 😂😂
@@BabyJesus66 was that a tell? 😁🤣 I streem something once in a while.
I've definitely got my eyes open for some kind of Niche I could fill; I've yet to find just what it is, though..
Finally someone who can say the word niche correctly!!!
I'm looking forward to this course!
Can you make a video on printing environment safety? I.e. air monitors & purifiers and what functionality they should have, intermittent vents or exhaust etc. Bambus have carbon filters, do these accomplish anything?
He has a video on his other channel where he gives you a walk trough in his farm. There he explains everything you need.
Do you recommend offering 3D print services for others? Maybe not at production capacity but for people looking for special parts or drafts and the like.
Absolutely! That’s one of the business models I go over in the course of
Driven, discipline, perseverance also.
3d printed golf balls?
When building a small Etsy shop for personalized board game pieces I found out my software background made me good automating things. Any order that comes in automatically has personalized models made and sliced, ready to print. Hoping this can help me scale my store or help someone scale theirs.
What software programs do you use for creating or editing designs? I'm new to 3d printing so apologies if the answer is obvious like SketchUp or something haha
@@bushlovesska NP. I use Blender for artistic type modeling and automation and FreeCad for functional or precise designs.
Really enjoy your content. I think I grew up near where your biz is located, and you look kinda familiar to me. Kinda crazy. I had been watching your videos for a while before realizing it in your Shopsmith video. There was or maybe still is, one of the shop smith factories by my parent's house.
Why not just get a plastic injection molding machine if you're going to do large batch production?
3d printers give you the flexibility to change product without any retooling (except for post processing, if needed). And they're cheap, you can start a mini print farm with like 4 or 5 printers in a garage for less than 2000k euros/dollars. That said, you can start with 3d printers and if a product really becomes a big seller, consider other means of production.
Molds cost money unless you have your cnc mills
Incredibly expensive
@@jgfishz1zz1 Not anymore
Excellent advice, you're clearly tapped in to the creator mindset of providing real value in line with your expertise and genuine interests.
Do you listen to Dan Koes perspective on personal brand building?
I don’t but but will check him out
Yh thanks
Looking forward to this course. I am planning on doing this full time this year
same
Great video Travis 👊🏻
how much is the course expected to cost? I'm concidering buying it when it'll come out
Bot
@@scottallen6478 no I'm not, or am I?
@@scottallen6478 I'm not a bot... I think...
Now seriously, someone else wrote almost the exact same comment, but like an hour later
What software programs are best for beginners for designing and or editing?
I used same clip (cheese race) in a job interview last week.
Question, do you use a bookkeeping tool? Will you be putting out a video on that?
Do you plan on reviewing the FLSun S1? I'm very interested in it but would love to hear your thoughts!
What strategies do you use to lower the material cost of your 3D prints? would love a response or a video!
Hello,
Great video. What do You think about drying filament? How You resolve this issue in your farm?
I don't know a single farm that dries their filament.
Selling skulls for a local haunted house, can be simple stuff
what are going to be costs of the course around?
Great info. Keep at it
What can i do with chemistry?
Just the latest in a 50 year streak of Trump grifts. The man had a university. It was a grift. A cancer charity… that was also a grift.
I am in desperate need of your help…how to start…need guidance
This is my main problem is finding what the heck to print. I'm a mechanic whose into cars but having a tough time finding a product that'll really take off. I understand it's just trial and error. So far all I've sold is a couple cupholder block offs I designed to make the armrest more comfortable. Since my design skills are limited I am trying to get more experience and practice designing whenever I have spare time.
Am I the only one to go searching through those frames looking for myself in that spreadsheet? 🤓
Hi, could you provide an estimated price for the course please? I don't want to waste my time waiting for a course that I won't be able to afford.
How is waiting for something a waste of time?
Thanks for the kindergarten explanation.
Ironic that he prob makes more from the courses than from printing
Ok but how do u find the product to mass produce say if ur niche is learning?
Learning is too broad, go at least one layer deeper and look for struggles or pain people experience with learning
Great info but I'm already doing everything that you said in this video
Sell forgecore products 😉
White guy ikigai 🤣 good advice!
i always thought it was "nich" not "kneesh"
Bro is overlooking the fact that pivoting to viral products as it morphs over time is constantly catching waves of money.
Kudos from Brazil
I went a different route, I decided to specialize in 3d printing service for the local industrial market. Lower volume but higher margins.
What kind of products are they looking for?
Loving the channel and content you’re putting out. Keep it up.