Tactical 3D - 3D Printing Startup & Micro-Manufacturing
I wanted to build a 3D printing business from scratch - sourcing machines, learning the hardware, and finding ways to turn printing capacity into real value.
Built from Facebook Marketplace
Bought, sold, and learned from used 3D printers to build up a working fleet.
Micro-manufacturing for workshops
Made custom jigs, brackets, and parts for automotive workshops.
6,000+ cookie cutter designs
Turned spare printer capacity into a product line with thousands of designs.
Approach
Started by buying and selling used 3D printers off Facebook Marketplace, learning what worked and what didn't. Built up a fleet and took on micro-manufacturing work for automotive workshops - jigs, custom brackets, and useful parts. Used spare printer capacity to launch a cookie cutter line that grew to over 6,000 designs.
Outcome
Built a working 3D printing business from nothing. Stopped when I started Rampage Industries due to time constraints - but the skills and equipment came in handy for custom R&D on the stunt bikes.
Starting with nothing but curiosity
Tactical 3D started with me buying used 3D printers off Facebook Marketplace. I'd pick up machines, figure out what was wrong with them, fix them up, and either keep or flip them.
This was my education in 3D printing hardware - understanding what made a reliable machine, how to tune them, and what actually worked in practice versus what looked good on spec sheets.
Micro-manufacturing for automotive workshops
Once I had a reliable fleet, I started taking on micro-manufacturing work. Automotive workshops needed custom jigs, brackets, and specialized parts - stuff that was too expensive or slow to machine traditionally.
3D printing let me deliver purpose-built tools quickly. I'd design fixtures, print them, test fitment, and iterate. Workshops got functional parts in days instead of weeks.
I also made custom parts for various useful things - anything that could benefit from rapid prototyping and small-batch production.
Cookie cutters - 6,000+ designs
With spare printers sitting idle, I started printing cookie cutters. What began as a way to keep machines running turned into a proper product line.
The catalog grew to over 6,000 different designs. Automated workflows for design generation, slicing, and production let it scale far beyond what I could have managed manually.
Winding down & what came next
I stopped the 3D printing business when we started Rampage Industries - the stunt bike team. There simply wasn't enough time to run both properly.
But the skills and equipment didn't go to waste. Having in-house 3D printing capability came in handy for custom R&D on the bikes - prototyping parts, making brackets, and fabricating components we couldn't source elsewhere.
Tactical 3D taught me hardware systems, production workflows, and how to build something from nothing. Those lessons carried directly into everything that came after.