3D printing business gains a foothold in grocery store

Mar. 8—CANTON — What started as a hobby in college is now on display in the grocery store he co-manages.

Cameron J. Proulx, Canton, was introduced to 3D printing by a friend at Merrimack College in North Andover, Massachusetts.

He soon had his own printer and was making things for friends.

Now, he has six printers (maybe seven by the time this publishes) whirring away in his apartment all day and all night.

Proulx works as co-manager with his brother in his family's Canton Save A Lot grocery store in University Plaza.

His 3D items display began as a small table just before the checkout lines.

Now, there is a large wooden display case with everything from $1 fidget toys and articulated frogs and snakes to a towering winged dragon selling for $29.

"I didn't think it would take off like it did," he said.

He sells his toys in the Ogdensburg and Canton Save A Lots and hopes to expand to others in the family's chain.

Proulx said he sources the 3D print files from several online sites. He has a subscription to STLFLIX, which provides subscribers with thousands of commercially licensed 3D files to download and a steady weekly supply of new files.

Proulx said he would like to make bigger and more useful household items, such as lamps or other home decor, but the toys are selling well.

Proulx also takes special requests, but he tries to ensure that customers understand the process's limits and how the cost can add up for complicated prints.

"I don't want to make expensive items," he said.

He manages to keep up with creating stock during his off hours.

It can take several hours and sometimes days for items to print. Once they come off the print table, there is much cleanup work to prepare the items for sale.

The grocery store setting allows him to quickly replace items that don't sell while continuing to explore what works.

The growing display sharply contrasts with his starting point in September, when he had four items on a small table and a couple of business cards.

"It just grew and grew," he said.