Neo Armory Is Open
From a single idea to a studio full of machines
Neo Armory officially opens today, and before talking about products, I wanted to share how all of this actually began.
The idea didn’t start as a business. It started with something incredibly simple: I was looking for a cool umbrella rack on Amazon. I couldn’t find anything I liked. Around the same time, my neighbors had just bought a new one, and I’ll admit it — I was a little jealous. So instead of settling, I thought: why not design and make one myself?
I’ve been working as a 3D artist and animator for over 20 years, across video games, animation, and film — yet somehow, I had never owned a 3D printer. I don’t know why it took me so long. That moment pushed me to finally do it. I went all in and chose Bambu Lab printers for their ecosystem, reliability, and design-forward approach. It just felt right.
What followed were three months of nonstop testing, learning, and experimenting — honestly, one of the best summers of my life in 2025. I was printing constantly, refining ideas, failing fast, and enjoying every minute of it. Before I knew it, I doubled down. Then doubled down again. Today, I have eight printers running 24/7 in my home studio.
Around July, I decided to put a few designs out into the world and opened an Etsy shop. I started with Japanese-inspired LED lightboxes like the https://neo-armory.myshopify.com › products › lawson-led-magnet-lightbox-japanese-kombini-mini-sign-tokyo-night-decor
because it was a strategy, but because it’s simply in my DNA. I’m a night street photographer living in Japan, and those glowing signs, especially the iconic kombini storefronts, have always felt like visual poetry to me.
These designs are not official products. They’re fan-inspired pieces — created to celebrate Japanese everyday icons and to let people around the world bring a small piece of Japan home with them. If you’ve ever traveled here, you know that life never feels quite the same afterward without a little bit of Japan in it.
Six months later, Neo Armory has grown far beyond what I expected. My designs are now sold on Amazon and other global platforms, spanning lamps, lightboxes, vases, toys, cosplay pieces, and Japan-inspired objects — all designed and produced by me.
This isn’t a big factory. There’s no dropshipping, no mass production, no anonymous supply chain. Every piece is made on 3D printers at home, in small batches, with an artisan mindset. It’s slower. It’s hands-on. And that’s exactly the point.
I don’t know where this journey will lead — but I do know that for the first time, I’m building something that feels deeply personal. Creating, experimenting, and sharing objects I truly care about.
Thanks for being here at the beginning.
— Guillermo
