the next big thing

3D Supply & More

New to Main St. in Spring Hill: A store where you can buy 3D printers, filament and more

“When I want to buy something, I want to see it, touch it and then bring it home,” begins Kim Proctor, owner of 3D Supply & More, which recently opened its doors at 4910 Main St. in Spring Hill. That helps explain why Proctor is offering visitors the chance to come in and learn the ins and outs of 3D printing.

“I’m looking to attract people who want to get into 3D printing and see the printers in operation,” he adds. “If you come in and see what can be done with a 3D printer, you’ll see why I envision every household having one, much like every household has a microwave.” 

With the opening of 3D Supply & More, area residents can now walk in and take home a Flashforge printer, or a Creality printer, not to mention all the accessories that go with them. This as opposed to waiting for product to arrive in the mail.

“You can go online and order a 3D printer from WalMart.com, but they are a third-party seller. The printer has to be shipped from the manufacturer, and it typically takes two to three weeks to get a machine,” offers Proctor. 

Likewise, it isn’t easy to get filament locally.

“There are only three retailers in a 40-mile radius of our store that sell filament,” explains Proctor, referring to the raw material that is used to print 3D objects. “We have 5,000 rolls and 20 different types of filament—including glow-in-the-dark, translucent, matte and gloss—in a wide variety of colors. Any color you can think of, we probably have it,” he relates, obviously looking to attract the customer who currently orders filament online.

3D printing enthusiasts will also have the opportunity to purchase Willy’s 3D filament and Tinmorry 3D filament at the five Old School Vapor stores Proctor owns in Williamson and Maury counties, referring to it as a great opportunity to “cross-pollinate” his stores. 

Longer-term, Proctor says 3D Supply & More is also planning to print unique items to sell. 

“We’re going to offer some items that I think people will buy when they see them, like college- themed mailbox flags. Instead of having a (generic) mailbox flag, we’re going to print mailbox flags that have an orange ‘T’ on the end, or an Alabama ‘A’—the kind of things that people don’t even know they need,” he says. 

That said, Proctor recognizes that education will play a major role in his store’s success.

“I will heavily be involved in schools, because I want kids to learn 3D printing. I want to go to the state of Tennessee and to the Williamson County schools to try to introduce an elective class on 3D printing,” says Proctor. 

“Also, both of the companies I am buying from, have an education program,” he continues. “On our website (tn3dfilament.com) we have instructional videos from the manufacturers, as well as videos from a few YouTubers. We will have a database so that people can watch a couple videos, get a printer out of the box, and be printing in 20 minutes.”

That kind of education is invaluable, and can minimize the chance of failed 3D print jobs, while also minimizing the risk of a difficult unboxing experience. 

Proctor promises that with the help of his staff—including his general manager and assistant manager—he’ll have newbies printing household items in no time. 

“Just the other day, I needed something to hang my Weed Eater on. You can go print something and have your Weed Eater hanging on it in an hour. It’s that handy,” says Proctor, about 3D printing technology. 

Last but not least, Proctor wants to find a few 3D printing enthusiasts to come work in the store part-time.

“I’m hoping the store will attract some heavy 3D hobbyists who want to come in and educate and want to print & play and make money at it,” he says. Likely the kind of person who is interested in printing their own designs, much like the store’s owner.

“I really like printing prototypes,” concludes Proctor. “I’m heavy into the CAD (Computer-Aided Design) part of it where I can design my own stuff and then print it.” 

CONTACT

3D Supply & More 

4910 Main St.

Spring Hill, TN 37174

tn3dfilament.com