Good Advice That Isn't

We've gotten so many positive comments about what we're doing with Filament Stories.   It's just been a rewarding experience overall—even if it's an exhausting one some days.   One of the comments we frequently get is from people on TikTok, asking if we sell the models or how they can get one themselves. 

I always respond that we're not set up to sell models, but in reality, I don't want to print and sell models.   We were with some friends today who had similar advice, commenting that they'd easily pay twenty dollars for a model we were talking about.  That model had multiple printed parts and hardware.   The hardware wasn't expensive and in general, most 3D printed models aren't expensive at all on materials, some being less than a dollar even.  

But the time to print the model including multiple filament changes, assembly of the model, posting it on a sales portal such as Pinterest or eBay, prepare it for shipping, packaging costs, taking the boxes to the post office, wait in line to have the postage calculated and paid for and the drive time there and back take that twenty dollars and reduce it to so far under minimum wage that it makes what sounds like just under twenty dollars in profit at first to an endeavor that few are willing to invest in. 

There are people printing and selling models, but they're larger, higher price point models and they're doing lots of printing with many printers and have economies of scale on their side commonly coupled with custom orders and commissions, making it a more attractive endeavor. 

Everyone who's suggested the idea of selling 3D printed models does so because they see an interesting, beautiful, or exciting model and believe people would pay to buy one for themselves.   And I know people would buy them.   It's just not how I want to spend the time I have available.   All of my time is dedicated to what I really love: Filament Stories. 

The Big Boy Update:  We went to our friend's house today to celebrate a birthday.   It was just the two families and we spend it largely outside in the beautiful weather.  My son spent most of the time with Luke, their toddler son, who loved having a chance to spend time with an older boy.   My son had a good time with Luke as well, who was just as adorable as a toddler can be. 

The Tiny Girl Chronicles:  My daughter came downstairs just now, worried she'd heard an animal making noise.   I told her it was the dog, who had come up and was sniffing under her door to see if she could get in and lie on the bed with her.   She went from scared and upset to happy when she realized that was all it was.