Idle Hands and Early Prototypes
During the pandemic, our founder found himself with extra time at home. In the fall of 2021, he decided to build something special: a Roll-Off-Roof Observatory in his backyard. He imagined it as a place where people could gather, look at the stars, and see a much bigger world.
He had several leftover bags of drywall plaster from building the observatory. While working on the drywall, he noticed spattered drywall mud on the floor. It looked like moon craters! Remembering how he used to draw pictures of the moon and make clay models of craters in the ’80s, he had an idea. Could he use the leftover mud to make art for the blank wall?
Big Ideas. Bigger Prototypes
There’s nothing like utility to spawn creativity. David took a few photographs of the southern section of the gibbous moon and used these as references to pencil out the initial prototype.
Progress photos were shared on Social Media platforms, and friends helped cheer on the project.
The original “Moon Frame” was completed in the winter of 2022.
Well, that Escalated Quickly
After posting a few progress photos on Facebook, we received numerous inquiries within hours from people interested in having unique pieces for their offices or living rooms. Our initial prototypes varied: some featured LED lighting, while others were smaller and designed to shine under natural or overhead lighting. Recognizing the potential of our creations, which we dubbed “Moon Frames,” we decided to keep producing more each month.
Can you make models of real-world places?
Customers have diverse preferences, with some leaning towards artistic designs while others seek real-world data. After some investigation, we discovered that NASA freely provides the data needed from its website, thanks to the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter‘s extensive mapping since 2009. These maps are incredibly detailed, allowing us to even spot Apollo astronauts’ footprints from space.
Initially, we experimented with 3D printers, but the quality and costs were too high. Eventually, we found a solution: importing the data into a CNC router capable of creating detailed terrains. After testing hundreds of prototypes, we finally succeeded in accurately modeling our celestial neighbor, the Moon.
So, What's Next?
We launched the “Xterra” ecommerce website on April 1, 2023, offering a few limited-run models of the Moon. As newcomers, we’re still learning to build and operate the spaceship simultaneously. To manage costs, we’ll focus on smaller models, but we’ll still take on large, commissioned projects and explore exciting places on Earth and Mars. Your feedback and support mean a lot to us, and we can’t wait to hear from you!
