Welcome to my Journey

My 2025 Journey: From Burnout to Building DuffAM

Metal Additive Manufacturing for Space by Trade, Engaging Polymer Additive (3D Printing) by Passion.

At the start of 2025, I was frustrated—professionally drained to the point it was bleeding into my home life. Working remotely out of our rental in Florida didn’t give me much separation between the two. A few years earlier, I had relocated for my current company as employee number 15—now we’re over 600 strong nationwide. I loved the mission, but as the team grew, I found myself a remote outlier trying to push new ideas into an already well-oiled system.

Things started shifting when I moved under a new manager - someone I already had a strong working relationship with. As she got more hands-on, the work felt more collaborative, and that spark I’d been missing slowly returned. But I still felt disconnected, supporting mainly a one-location team from many states away.

February Changed Everything

I was juggling work stress, trying to make the holiday special for my family, and distracting myself at night with a cheap 3D printer I probably should have thrown out. Instead, I dove headfirst into learning everything I could about how it worked (or didn’t). Most nights, it was my escape.

During my annual performance review, my manager asked if my wife could join the call - a curveball I did not see coming. I grabbed her, both of us assuming something had gone wrong.

And then she asked us the question that changed everything:“Would you consider relocating again?”Our fourth inter-state move in six years.

Before I could even react, my wife practically shouted, “YES!”

And just like that, North Carolina was on the table.

A New State, A New Start

We spent a couple of weeks exploring North Carolina - meeting the team, feeling out the area, and touring what felt like a hundred homes. Before leaving, we had applied for our top few picks and soon secured our favorite (ironically, the very first house we toured).

We had planned on having months to prepare for the move. Instead, the relocation company found movers who could pack and ship everything almost immediately. By the end of March, we were already settling into our new home.

The difference was instant.

Florida’s unchanging heat and tightly packed neighborhoods were replaced with cool morning breezes, the sound of birds, views of forests, and space to breathe. For the first time in a long time, I felt present.

Going into the office introduced me to a team of true makers—people who understood what it takes to turn metal powder, engineering requirements, and ideas into parts used everywhere from high-performance racing to spaceflight. It was challenging, frustrating, and rewarding all at once. And for the first time in years, I felt both grounded and inspired.

Falling in Love With Printing—For Real This Time

With life settling into place, my curiosity for plastic printing grew. I knew I wasn’t an artist, but I could build things that supported my wife and daughter’s creativity. Decorations, functional home parts, personalized projects - they dreamed it, I made it real.

I upgraded from my first little obscure branded printer to a Bambu A1 Mini from MicroCenter in Charlotte. That printer opened the floodgates. Before long, I added a full-size A1… then three P1S systems… and suddenly, I had a home print farm quietly whirring through the night.

Today, I start every morning checking on the five printers that ran overnight. I’ve built all kinds of projects from shelving, fine-tuned setting tests and challenge pieces, and expanded into multi-material setups. My daughter calls me a Mad Scientist—mostly because of the magnifying glasses I wear while scrutinizing layers like they hold the secrets of the universe.

Introducing DuffAM: The Creative Side of Additive Manufacturing

This year, I realized I wanted to explore AM beyond metal programs and quotes. I wanted to create for fun, for function, and for local communities.

So I’m officially branching out.

DuffAM is my personal platform for offering:

• Home décor and holiday decorations

• Functional household parts and upgrades

• Custom one-off prints and prototypes

• Support for local small businesses exploring AM

I’ve developed workflows for PLA, PETG, TPU, and am exploring advanced materials like carbon-fiber-filled polymers and PCTG. With the right project, I’ll gladly push into ABS, ASA, Nylon, and more—all it takes is curiosity and the next piece of hardware.

To be clear: I don’t compete with my employer or take on projects that overlap with my aerospace & defense work. This is about creativity, community, and having fun with the technology I love.

Let’s Build Something Cool Together

I’ll be sharing more of my work, my experiments, and this growing adventure. If you want to follow along—or better yet, collaborate—reach out.

Have an idea you want to explore?Want to see if something is possible?Curious about how AM can bring your concept to life?

Let’s talk. Let’s make. Let’s build something awesome together.

Welcome to DuffAM.