Starbase3d was born out of one man’s love of cosplay.
Back in the 1990’s making alien props wasn’t done on a computer. If you wanted to recreate a costume from a TV show you popped in a VHS tape and replayed a scene, took notes, traced something off the TV screen, then made it by hand. If you wanted more than one, you made a mold and cast more of them. It was a process. And if you wanted a change, you started over. Wanted one half size for your kid, you made a new master by hand. But that is how it was done, and that is where the love of being a maker started.
Then came actually wearing a costume to a convention. Back when nobody heard of “ComicCon”. I’ll tell ya right now, get stopped 20 times in the first hour for photos… some kid thinks you’re a genuine alien or the real super hero… and you’re hooked for life!
Once you learn how to make one thing you can apply that same process to other things. Making a Halloween prop or making a new knob for the kitchen cabinet, same thing. Being a maker and engineering things for a need was the real cornerstone of what has grown into Starbase3d.
Today I like to think of us as the “Someone needs to make a blah-blah” one stop provider. If you have a need and want someone to work it through with you from concept, through design, iterating some prototypes, and then manufacturing the final item, we’re here for you.
More than just a 3d print farm, we want to help you get your item designed right, made right, printed, mastered, CNC, laser engraved, painting stenciled…
And if we’re not the right shop for you I’m not going to bluff you. There’s no benefit to that for either one of us. I’ll tell you when my shop can’t handle your job and I’ll try to point you in the right direction if I can. That’s just the ethical way to treat people.
Of course we stick to our roots: Making. If you need cosplay stuff, we still do that. If you need tool box organizers, we do that to. Don’t have a need for someone to walk you through cradle-to-grave product design and just need a manufacturer for your part? We’ve got the machines so you can get it done and on your doorstep ASAP.