Members Chris777 Posted April 11 Members Report Posted April 11 I love shooting and I’d like to get into making holsters. I was looking at prop guns, which are readily available for almost any model. Prop guns are approx $50 each and some models I may only use once and that seems like a big chunk of the profit for one holster. I started looking at 3D printers to make my own props. Hobby printers seem to be around $1500-$2000 and the material (filament?) can be pretty cheap. In the back of my head, I’m thinking it will take 20 or so holsters to pay for the printer. The risk is not finding a specific 3D model for the pistol. I guess then you fall back on buying a prop? I’m doing some w.a.g. on the cost/profit numbers but it seems more economical to invest in the 3D printers. I love to hear from folks who use “blue” guns, and how that works into your cost/profit. Also who has made the switch to 3D printing and what has been your experience? Quote
Contributing Member fredk Posted April 11 Contributing Member Report Posted April 11 Unless you are getting into 3D printing it can be expensive just to make a few 'guns' I remember looking up 'blue* guns' for holster making and I found you can buy them for about $20 and sometimes even less *other colours are available too Quote Al speling misteaks aer all mi own werk..
CFM chuck123wapati Posted April 11 CFM Report Posted April 11 (edited) There's a lot more than money involved; there is also a learning curve and time not making holsters to deduct from your profits. Not to mention a program and yearly updates, and even more learning, while not making a profit. LOL. Start out by making holsters for the guns you have, then, when you have made a profit, buy a blue gun. Or even better a new real gun lol. 😉 I have many customers who leave me their gun so I can get a perfect fit, then I have a new pattern. Edited April 11 by chuck123wapati more info Quote Worked in a prison for 30 years if I aint shiny every time I comment its no big deal, I just don't wave pompoms. “I won’t be wronged, I won’t be insulted, and I won’t be laid a hand on. I don’t do these things to other people, and I require the same from them.” THE DUKE!
kgg Posted April 11 Report Posted April 11 26 minutes ago, Chris777 said: Also who has made the switch to 3D printing and what has been your experience? I have for a long time used my 3D printers to make accessories related to doing leather work and both flatbed and cylinder arm sewing machines. The drawback is not just getting a decent printer and good filament but learning how to use a decent CAD program and decent slicer programs. That for some can be a steep learning curve. Then it is learning what nozzle size, heat and compression settings to use. It is not going to be a simple plug and play. Even if you can find pre-done CAD designs depending on your 3D printer and if they are open designs they may or may not work as expected. Yes 3D printing can yield some very nice products but for the beginner I would suggest like @chuck123wapati buy the blue guns unless you are going to do other things with the 3D printer. kgg Quote Juki DNU - 1541S, Juki DU - 1181N, Singer 29K - 71(1949), Chinese Patcher (Tinkers Delight), Warlock TSC-441, Techsew 2750 Pro, Consew DCS-S4 Skiver
CFM chuck123wapati Posted April 11 CFM Report Posted April 11 Plus, you may have to buy the design drawings for each gun you reproduce. Quote Worked in a prison for 30 years if I aint shiny every time I comment its no big deal, I just don't wave pompoms. “I won’t be wronged, I won’t be insulted, and I won’t be laid a hand on. I don’t do these things to other people, and I require the same from them.” THE DUKE!
Members Chris777 Posted April 11 Author Members Report Posted April 11 59 minutes ago, chuck123wapati said: There's a lot more than money involved; there is also a learning curve and time not making holsters to deduct from your profits. Not to mention a program and yearly updates, and even more learning, while not making a profit. LOL. Start out by making holsters for the guns you have, then, when you have made a profit, buy a blue gun. Or even better a new real gun lol. 😉 I have many customers who leave me their gun so I can get a perfect fit, then I have a new pattern. Yes, I'm starting with my own. I'll probably end up with a dozen holsters for my own Glock, and I still owe my wife the revolver she's been asking for. LOL 48 minutes ago, kgg said: I have for a long time used my 3D printers to make accessories related to doing leather work and both flatbed and cylinder arm sewing machines. The drawback is not just getting a decent printer and good filament but learning how to use a decent CAD program and decent slicer programs. That for some can be a steep learning curve. Then it is learning what nozzle size, heat and compression settings to use. It is not going to be a simple plug and play. Even if you can find pre-done CAD designs depending on your 3D printer and if they are open designs they may or may not work as expected. Yes 3D printing can yield some very nice products but for the beginner I would suggest like @chuck123wapati buy the blue guns unless you are going to do other things with the 3D printer. kgg All good points. I'm a programmer by day and so I'm always defaulting to the tech solution, even though I'm old enough to know better. Quote
Members dikman Posted April 11 Members Report Posted April 11 If I was in your situation and had blue-type guns readily available I would just buy them as needed (be cheaper overall). You may have trouble finding suitable 3D files, unless you are going to create them yourself, and even if you find some accuracy/sizing may be an issue. Quote Machines wot I have - Singer 51W59; Singer 331K4; Seiko STH-8BLD; Pfaff 335; CB4500. Chinese shoe patcher; Singer 201K (old hand crank)
Members Dwight Posted April 12 Members Report Posted April 12 I do three things . . . buy models . . . have the customer leave his gun . . . OR . . . make one out of pine. It's a whole lot easier and faster and cheaper than doing that filament stuff. Virtually all guns have a place where you can get the dimensions . . . grab that pine board . . . small band saw . . . belt sander . . . chisel . . . drill press . . . and go to work. My box of blue guns has a bunch of them in it . . . but you could also call it the box of wooden guns. So far never had any of my customers gripe about the fit or modeling from the wooden one. Granted . . . I've been making stuff out of wood for some 65 years now . . . and I look up on my desk at one I made when I was about 16 . . . little book rack . . . still got it. That is by itself a great help . . . but making a working model of some of the blue guns you already have will help you learn the techniques. Try it . . . you'll like it . . . especially when you turn out a beautiful Glock 19 . . . cost was one scrap board and 3 hours of your time . . . instead of 60 bucks or so and 7 days waiting for it to show up. Pat yourself on the back . . . take your wife out for a steak dinner on the 60 bucks you made in that mold . . . plus the shipping, tax, and income tax you would have had to pay on that 60 . . . had you made a holster to earn it. May God bless, Dwight Quote If you can breathe, . . . thank God. If you can read, . . . thank a teacher. If you are reading this in English, . . . thank a veteran. www.dwightsgunleather.com
CFM chuck123wapati Posted April 12 CFM Report Posted April 12 (edited) That's how they designed the Glock. Seriously, it also depends on your idea of what your holster is going to look like, how accurate the fit will need to be for retention or not, and the purpose of the holster, hunting, BBQs, concealed carry, etc. Edited April 12 by chuck123wapati Quote Worked in a prison for 30 years if I aint shiny every time I comment its no big deal, I just don't wave pompoms. “I won’t be wronged, I won’t be insulted, and I won’t be laid a hand on. I don’t do these things to other people, and I require the same from them.” THE DUKE!
Members TonyV Posted April 12 Members Report Posted April 12 On 4/11/2026 at 11:53 AM, Chris777 said: Yes, I'm starting with my own. I'll probably end up with a dozen holsters for my own Glock, and I still owe my wife the revolver she's been asking for. LOL On 4/11/2026 at 11:04 AM, kgg said: Get the revolver she wants. Then you'll have both a happy wife and a new holster model! Quote
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