Mostly 3D: A Family-Run Maker Business Built One Print at a Time

Introduction

Mostly 3D is a family-owned and operated 3D printing business built on curiosity, creativity, and a shared love of making things that bring people joy. What began as a small idea has grown into a carefully run print farm operated from our home, where every product is designed, printed, inspected, and packed with intention. While our tools include modern 3D printers and digital models, the heart of Mostly 3D is very traditional: family, craftsmanship, and pride in doing things the right way.

The Story Behind the Name: Mostly 3D

The name Mostly 3D was chosen intentionally—and with room to grow. While the majority of what we create today is 3D printed, we’ve always known that our creativity wouldn’t be limited to a single tool or process.

“Mostly” reflects that balance. 3D printing is our foundation and will likely always remain the core of what we do, but we also plan to expand into complementary products and services that align with our values of customization, quality, and thoughtful design. In the near future, this includes custom and specialized apparel such as shirts and hats, as well as personalized laser engraving services.

No matter how the product lineup evolves, the philosophy stays the same: well-made items, produced with care, and tailored to the people who use them. So while we may not always be only 3D, we’ll almost certainly always be Mostly 3D.

A Business Led by a Maker

At its core, Mostly 3D is led by my wife, the founder and face of the business. This is her vision, her creative outlet, and her day-to-day focus. She manages product selection, customer communication, vendor markets, and quality standards, ensuring that every item reflects the level of care she expects as both a maker and a customer herself.

A True Family Operation

Mostly 3D is very much a family of four effort.

Our daughter, now 9 years old, is actively involved and eager to help. She regularly attends vendor markets, where she practices customer interaction, learns how products are made, and sees firsthand how a small business operates. These experiences are helping her build confidence, communication skills, and an early understanding of entrepreneurship.

Our 16-year-old son has taken inspiration from the business in a different way. Motivated by what he has seen at home, he launched his own 3D printing Etsy shop specializing in golf-related products. While his shop is independent, his journey reflects one of the values we care most about: encouraging creativity, responsibility, and the confidence to build something of your own.

Built at Home, Designed with Care

Mostly 3D operates from a bonus room above our garage. This space functions as both our production floor and our creative hub. Running the business from home allows us to stay closely involved with every step of the process, from starting prints to final packaging.

We rely on a growing Bambu Lab printer farm to maintain consistency and reliability across our products. Each printer is carefully calibrated and monitored to ensure clean layers, strong joints, and smooth movement—especially important for articulated toys, fidgets, and display pieces. Before any item ships, it is inspected for quality and function, because our name goes on every order.

We will be sharing a more detailed overview of our printer farm and production process soon, including how we manage print consistency, materials, and scaling while remaining a small family business.

What We Make and Why It Matters

Our product lineup focuses on well-designed, high-quality 3D printed items that are fun, functional, and giftable. From articulated fidgets and collectible figures to desk toys and themed playsets, each product is chosen because it brings a sense of delight or usefulness into everyday spaces.

We are intentional about licensing, material choices, and finishing standards. Many of our designs come from talented independent designers, and we take seriously the responsibility of printing their work accurately and respectfully. This attention to detail is one reason customers at markets often comment on the quality and finish of our prints. We have heard at EVERY vendor market, "you have the best looking 3D prints here".

Looking Ahead

Mostly 3D continues to grow at a pace that allows us to stay hands-on and family-focused. As we expand our product offerings and share more about our production process, our priorities remain the same: consistent quality, thoughtful design, and genuine customer relationships.

When you support Mostly 3D, you are supporting a real family learning, building, and growing together—one print at a time.

Internal Link Suggestions:

• About Our 3D Print Farm

• Pocket Pals Collection

• Vendor Markets and Events