About Us
Hello, Elon Musk fanboys and rocket fans 😉
So, who are we?
First of all, I want to note that the store is not affiliated with SpaceX. I'm just a regular fan of Elon Musk, so the design of my SpaceKey3d store might resemble the SpaceX website.
My name is Vally. I'm originally from Ukraine, but due to the war, I moved to Japan. When I was 4-5 years old, my grandfather instilled in me a love for space by telling me about the stars in the night sky. When I got access to the internet, I loved watching videos of rocket launches on YouTube. One day in 2014, I saw a Falcon 9 launch, and that's when I first learned about SpaceX and Elon Musk. Since then, I've been a fan of Elon and most of the companies he founded, though, of course, SpaceX is my favorite.
After entering university, I developed a hobby of 3D modeling my favorite rockets. Later, I bought my first 3D printer and started printing the first models to decorate my room. However, I wasn't satisfied with the quality of the PLA prints—the layers were too thick, noticeable, and tactile. A few months later, I purchased my first resin printer, which used photopolymer instead of PLA. The print quality was incredibly satisfying, and I was euphoric. I showed my work to my friends, who were also impressed and suggested that I try selling the models on Etsy.
You can also find me on Ebay and maybe soon I'll be on Amazon.
Let me tell you a bit more about the technologies and their differences.
🥴 PLA – Regular 3D printers heat plastic until it's molten. The hot plastic is then fed through the printer's nozzle and extruded as a thin strip. The print head moves in three directions, layer by layer, to form the model.
😍 UV – Photopolymer technology offers much higher-quality models. In photopolymer printing, resin solidifies in extremely thin layers—about 4 times thinner than a human hair. The model is attached to a plate that only moves upward as the layers harden, rising higher with each new layer. The resin hardens thanks to ultraviolet LEDs, similar to the process a dentist uses when placing a filling or when your girlfriend dries her nail polish.
Thanks to the extremely thin layers and additional sanding after printing, the models look amazing. They resemble miniature metal rockets with a glossy finish after sanding and painting, and most of the fine details are precisely replicated. You can read more about the technology here.
As my hobby began turning into a small business, I continued to refine my modeling skills. With the improvement of both my skills and tools, new generations of my models emerged. Let me tell you more about the different generations and the assortment available in the store.
Gen 1 – The first generation of rockets was produced on my first photopolymer printer. I printed the models myself, but when I started receiving my first orders, I got a bit too excited and outsourced production to a factory in China. I sent them the model files and we agreed on manufacturing. Unfortunately, I wasn't satisfied with the print quality, especially the logos and mission patches. I also over-ordered and still haven't sold all of them 🤡. Additionally, due to a lack of understanding of legal nuances, the factory began selling my models to third parties without my knowledge. I've seen them in other online stores several times...
Gen 2 – The second generation is made with the help of two friends-assistants. This allows me to control the quality, ensure a fast production rate, and most importantly, prevent third parties from distributing or using my models.
Gen 3 – This is the latest generation. I handle all manufacturing and printing personally. This generation has the best detailing due to sanding before painting and incorporates all the feedback and corrections from previous customers.
In addition to the rocket models I create myself, I decided to add other products to the store that are likely to interest customers. Besides my passion for Elon, I'm also a fan of Back to the Future, Star Trek, Star Trek games, and Kerbal Space Program. I figured I’m not the only one with such diverse interests, and many of my customers probably share similar tastes, making it convenient to buy multiple models in one place 🤓.
Aside from me and my two friends, there is also a fourth team member, Caroline, who handles order deliveries.
That's it! Now we've been properly introduced 🤗