【3D Printing】Interview with a Creator – Design First, Technology Second
How MaKim Became One of MakerWorld's Top Creators
From the curious tinkering of a hobbyist, Matthew Kimbrough has refined an iconic 3D design. He never imagined that sharing his creations could bring joy to others, and this joy became the biggest surprise on his creative journey.
How MaKim Became One of MakerWorld's Top Creators
From the curious tinkering of a hobbyist, Matthew Kimbrough has refined an iconic 3D design. He never imagined that sharing his creations could bring joy to others, and this joy became the biggest surprise on his creative journey.
In the world of hobbyist 3D printing, you often encounter two types of people.
The first type are the seasoned "veterans." They know what a MakerBot Cupcake is, remember Brook Drumm's name, and have used loose coils of filament that they had to manually wind onto spools themselves.
They'll sigh nostalgically, recounting stories of having to manually calibrate the print bed with an Allen key while the printer was running. Then they'll laugh, remembering a time when a thermistor slipped out of the hot block, and they watched in horror as PLA boiled in a 380°C hotend.
The second type are the relative newcomers. They simply view 3D printers as a tool to bring their creative ideas to life. They'll offer a polite smile when listening to veterans' "legendary tales" of early 3D printing, but these stories feel more like irrelevant anecdotes to them.
For them, a 3D printer is a tool for work—a tool that can create projects unimaginable 10 or 15 years ago.
Matthew Kimbrough, better known as MaKim on MakerWorld, belongs to this second group.
Although he had been exposed to 3D printers for several years, he truly committed himself to it in mid-2024. He used his evenings and weekends. There was no plan, no strategy, and he never thought anyone would see what he designed.
Now, less than two years later, his models adorn the shelves of users around the world.
Parents print his Minecraft swords for their children at Christmas, calling them "the best gift ever."
Designers in Germany print his "recreation project" works and photograph them alongside the original products they designed.
Matthew is neither a professional CAD designer nor a 3D printer operator. He has another full-time job, a family, and his life revolves around much more than just 3D printing.
However, almost by accident, he has become one of the most prominent designers on MakerWorld, accumulating numerous classic designs and successfully launching a crowdfunding project.
All of this happened in just about twenty months, perhaps even less. Incredible? Just like his designs…
| Before the First Print
Before we start talking about 3D printing, you need to understand one thing about Matthew's background – he comes from a family of "makers." This is not a metaphor, it's absolutely true.
His father was a woodworking teacher, who spent his life teaching children how to build things with their hands. And this goes back many generations. It seems that a desire flows in the family's bloodline: to touch materials with their own hands and transform them into completely different objects.
Matthew didn't pursue woodworking, but he chose graphic design instead.
He started his career as a graphic designer, but his exploration of new projects never stopped. Arduinos, weather balloons for high-altitude photography, electronics, small video games he made by himself – these all became his interests. His notebooks and computer files are filled with long lists of inspirations.
The habit of "always writing things down" is crucial. Matthew has always kept records:
| I think we all have a long list of ideas in our heads – at least I do. My files and notebooks are full of them. And 3D modeling is a great way to turn some of these ideas into physical objects that people can print themselves. The most surprising part of this is that when I started modeling about a year and a half ago, I had no intention of publishing or sharing anything. So, when I see people printing my designs and even giving them as gifts – that surprise is completely unexpected.
But before all of this happened, it all started with that Ender 3.
| After One Printer…
The story of the Ender 3 is a common memory for almost everyone who ventured into 3D printing a few years ago.
In the late 2010s, Matthew stumbled upon an article: someone was using medical imaging software to convert MRI scans of brains into mesh models, intending to print them life-size. This idea deeply fascinated him. He bought an Ender 3. But in the end, he never managed to print that model…
| At that time, no one around me had a 3D printer. I thought, wouldn't it be cool if I could print that brain life-size? But because I couldn't find anyone to print it for me, and online printing services were quite expensive – especially for such a large object – I ended up buying one myself. Ironically, I never managed to print it successfully.
Eventually, he temporarily stepped away from 3D printing for several years. He didn't return until 2024. And this time, the story is equally typical – he acquired a Bambu Lab A1 Mini.
But this experience was completely different. Times had changed, and 3D printers had entered a new generation.
Today, he owns three machines: an A1 Mini with an uncounted number of operating hours; an H2D as his main tool, whose laser and plotter functions are used far more frequently than he initially expected; and a P1S, which has taken a backseat after the H2D took over the primary work.
By the way: Everyone talks about the H2D's laser function, but almost no one mentions its plotter. Matthew thinks this is unfair.
| Unexpectedly – and I find almost no one discusses this online – one of the features that excites me the most is actually the plotter. I love creating with pen plotting and have done a lot of experimentation. The laser is certainly interesting too, and I also frequently use the plotting and cutting modules.
| Why Share?
In 2024, Matthew revisited that MRI project from years ago. In the process, many new ideas popped into his head, so he started modeling. For some reason he couldn't quite explain himself – without any prior planning – he published his work on MakerWorld.
| I consider myself a hobbyist. I do this because I want to learn new things, and because it's fun – it's a great creative outlet. My idea is that these are things I wanted to make myself. I enjoy the process of creating, but if others can get something out of it too, that's a bonus. So, I guess that's part of why I'm willing to share publicly.
| Another factor is that MakerWorld, from a user experience perspective, makes sharing incredibly easy. At the same time, it also provides tangible feedback – I publish my work, people interact with it, and I can use this reward system to get filament or parts.
This statement is worth pausing to consider.
A person who designs for himself, publishes his work with zero expectations, and then discovers that somewhere in the world, someone is printing his design as a Christmas gift for their child.
Is this motivation strong enough? For Matthew – the answer is yes.
| Designer, Not Artist
I asked him if he considered himself an artist.
His answer was precise and philosophical.
| I consider myself a designer. In my opinion, these two are overlapping but distinct fields. Design focuses on how the recipient experiences the outcome; art focuses on internal expression. They borrow many of the same tools – but their starting points are completely different.
A designer has the audience in mind, an artist has themselves in mind. Matthew has the audience in mind – he imagines how someone will download the file, how they will print it, and how they will feel when they hold the finished product in their hands. Will they know how to assemble it? Will they be proud of their work?
He is by no means an artist in the traditional sense. "I could show you my sketchbook – the doodles are absolutely terrible." But he immediately added, "However, they're practical."
This distinction profoundly reveals Matthew's approach to the entire creative process. The focus is not on self-expression, but on problem-solving. Ensuring that the final outcome is effective, aesthetically pleasing, and easy for the user to understand.
Matthew's creative process begins with a core principle he brought from graphic design school: generate as many ideas as possible.
| We call it the "thumbnailing process." You take a large sheet of paper and fill it with grids. If you want to design a book cover, you draw it in every way you can think of. You usually have to force yourself to come up with more ideas than you expect. Tell yourself: I'm going to come up with 30.
Why 30? Because the first idea on the list is often the one everyone else thinks of too.
| Usually, the first idea I write down is also the idea others would have. That's the first thing that comes to our minds.
Therefore, Matthew treats his ideas almost "brutally" – he generates a large number of new ideas, then eliminates most of them. He puts the list aside for a day or two, sometimes even a week. He then re-examines it with fresh eyes, looking for the idea that still lingers in his mind.
Then, he asks himself three questions: What do I already know? What do I have? What can I learn?
· "What I know": means building on existing projects. He's made bricks, so his next project is to make brick panels in Blender; then displacement maps; then wrapping the same theme around a cylinder. Step by step, gradually.
· "What I have": means starting from an existing part. You have a slip ring – you ask yourself: what can I do with it? Can I "misuse" it to unleash its potential?
· "What I can learn": refers to practicing a new skill with each project. In his latest book nook project, he learned cloth simulation in Blender.
Additionally, he has a secret weapon: reverse thinking. His most popular model – the marble run – came from the simple question, "What if the track moved instead of the marbles?" This completely overturned conventional thinking.
| I'm not a master at modeling, nor do I use CAD. Actual modeling is very slow. But I like to focus on the initial brainstorming.
And that's where the magic happens. Taking a step beyond the obvious. Then, a blockbuster is born.
| It's not some great invention. It's just one of the things I jotted down in my sketchbook when I was trying to list all possible ideas.
| Things You Can't Buy
Relic Rush is his largest project to date. It took ten months. A crazy board game full of moving parts – in Matthew's opinion, the reason such a game doesn't exist on the market is that no sane manufacturer would be willing to produce it using traditional methods.
And this project eventually raised over $13,000 on MakerWorld.
During the creation period, his home was strewn with prototype parts. His wife felt they were almost overwhelmed.
| Throughout the process, I printed a lot of prototypes and test parts just to confirm how all the components fit together. How many prototype parts were generated during that process? I'm still cleaning up the mess and trying to get organized. They are everywhere. My wife also says, and I agree, that the whole house was submerged in parts for this project.
But that wasn't the hardest part.
| I'm proud of this project because I set myself a very difficult challenge. It was the first time I asked others to pay for something I made, and I felt very uncomfortable about it. I didn't want to take other people's money – even if it was only twelve dollars – and then have them feel like they didn't get their money's worth. I hated that feeling.
This sensitivity to the other party in a transaction is Matthew's hallmark. He creates not to cater to algorithms, but because he himself would want to own it. If he decides to charge, the work must be worth the price.However, his most satisfying model is neither Relic Rush nor the Snap Lamp, which raised over $17,000 in crowdfunding.
| The model I'm most proud of is probably the water gun I made. Simply because it's super fun, and it's something I would have loved as a child. As far as I know, you absolutely can't buy a similar toy on the market. So I think it's a great example of the magic of 3D printing: you can create truly cool things that you can't buy in stores.
| From a brainstorming and fun perspective, I'm proud of it – it's a bit silly, I had a lot of fun with it, and, well, I'm very satisfied with the final result.
| Turning Pressure into a Tool
Does Matthew follow trends? Does he care about which types of models are downloaded the most currently?
In short: no.
And the more detailed answer is even more intriguing.
| My motivation for creating doesn't come from how much I've published. I try to do something different every time. Some commenters seem to expect me to keep releasing more marble run series – more and more. But what excites me the most is always trying something completely new.
He has also published works that went unnoticed. Truly completely ignored, with zero response. "But the design process was still fun."
MakerWorld also gives him another kind of motivation: contests. And Matthew approaches them in a unique way – he actively seeks "constraints."
| One problem with design or 3D printing is that you "can do almost anything." So, how do you choose what to do? A contest provides the first constraint: the theme. But for me, the second constraint is the most important – the deadline.
Without a deadline, Matthew might endlessly tweak a project. Small adjustments, minor modifications, round and round.
| With a deadline, I feel like I'm on a sinking ship, and I have to throw things overboard to stay afloat a little longer. I have so many ideas in my head, and then I think – okay, that one won't make it. What can I do to be faster? What can I do to accomplish something else in an equally cool way?
Turning pressure into a creative tool. A classic approach.
But that's not the only reason Matthew feels at home on MakerWorld. In fact, there's "more" to it...
| The reward system provided by MakerWorld and Maker's Supply has indeed had a very positive impact – both financially and creatively. Because I like to think "backward" from parts when designing, I enjoy using MakerWorld points to redeem and build a physical parts library to integrate into my prints. Additionally, being able to redeem filament spools encourages me to try designing larger, more colorful prints – one of my recent models used 23 colors!
| At the same time, since Maker's Supply's electronic components don't require soldering, it makes it easier for many users to try electronics-related projects for the first time. I hope this can be a starting point to help them learn new things and expand their horizons in making. And as a designer, I can also be sure that users will have a consistent experience without having to bother searching for parts from different places.
| At the same time, since Maker's Supply's electronic components don't require soldering, it makes it easier for many users to try electronics-related projects for the first time. I hope this can be a starting point to help them learn new things and expand their horizons in making. And as a designer, I can also be sure that users will have a consistent experience without having to bother searching for parts from different places.
This platform is not just a place to publish his work; it actively shapes his next creative direction. Few platforms can do that.
| No Plan, Just Passion
One of Matthew’s earliest projects – even before he knew MakerWorld existed – was a Minecraft sword with LED lights. He made it as a gift for his nephews. Later, he published this creation.
Now, every December, he sees photos in the comments. Parents print photos to give to their children. Children holding swords. Both are filled with joy.
| I don't want to get too emotional, but it's really great to see. It's truly heartwarming to see everyone so excited.
And the second project?
He designed a headphone charger, inspired by classic industrial design – Braun aesthetics. He published this design. One day, he received a photo: an employee at the Braun office in Germany had printed his design and photographed it alongside the original product that inspired his design. And the location where the photo was taken was the office of the company that inspired his design.
| Everything I do is inspired by something cool, and then I create my own little piece. But seeing that… that was really cool.
Finally, I asked about future plans.
Matthew is cautious; all of this has surprised him. But he had no plans then, and he still doesn't. And it's this caution that protects him.
| I'm more cautious because this is my hobby, and I really enjoy it. I never thought I'd find something new in my forties that brings me so much joy. I'm not pursuing quantity.
Would he do this full-time? Yes, he said so directly.
"That would be a dream come true." But his current job is good, his colleagues are great, and he doesn't want to change anything.
So, business as usual. Nights. Weekends. Notebooks full of ideas. And those astonishing projects.
| What is going on here…
For years, 3D printing was dominated by those who prided themselves on perfectly printing the first layer. On RepRap forums, Facebook, and Reddit, there used to be groups called "First Layer Porn," where users posted photos or videos of rows of perfectly printed lines.
Then Bambu Lab came along, and that didn't make sense anymore… because the first layer was always perfect anyway.
With the advent of Bambu Lab, a new generation of users also emerged – those who "just" design and print things.
Matthew Kimbrough is one of them.
He is not from the "3D printing geek circle" but possesses a designer's mindset, a graphic artist's methodology, and an attitude of wanting to create cool things – not to master the technology itself for the sake of it.
He did what the older generation didn't…
Perhaps this is the new wave. Not hackers, nor technicians.
But people need ideas, lists in notebooks, and a printer that just works.
All photos provided by Matthew Kimbrough.
Matthew is cautious; all of this has surprised him. But he had no plans then, and he still doesn't. And it's this caution that protects him.
| I'm more cautious because this is my hobby, and I really enjoy it. I never thought I'd find something new in my forties that brings me so much joy. I'm not pursuing quantity.
Would he do this full-time? Yes, he said so directly.
"That would be a dream come true." But his current job is good, his colleagues are great, and he doesn't want to change anything.
So, business as usual. Nights. Weekends. Notebooks full of ideas. And those astonishing projects.
| What is going on here…
For years, 3D printing was dominated by those who prided themselves on perfectly printing the first layer. On RepRap forums, Facebook, and Reddit, there used to be groups called "First Layer Porn," where users posted photos or videos of rows of perfectly printed lines.
Then Bambu Lab came along, and that didn't make sense anymore… because the first layer was always perfect anyway.
With the advent of Bambu Lab, a new generation of users also emerged – those who "just" design and print things.
Matthew Kimbrough is one of them.
MaKim:“I've noticed my cat Taco often gets involved in my projects. I've also hidden her little figurines in some of the works I've published on MakerWorld (such as Relic Rush, Cyberpunk Dice Tower, Rotating Book Nook).”
He is not from the "3D printing geek circle" but possesses a designer's mindset, a graphic artist's methodology, and an attitude of wanting to create cool things – not to master the technology itself for the sake of it.
He did what the older generation didn't…
Perhaps this is the new wave. Not hackers, nor technicians.
But people need ideas, lists in notebooks, and a printer that just works.
All photos provided by Matthew Kimbrough.
Learn more about Bambu Lab products here👈
- Contact Us -
3dmart provides more than just 3D printing; we offer three major outsourcing services: "3D Printing Services", "3D Scanning Services", and "3D Spatial Scanning Services"!!
Follow our fan pages to stay updated with new information:
Facebook | Instagram | Threads