HALIFAX — Just in time for your Christmas tree: A $14.99 donair ornament.
Halifax resident Gary Marsh built an ornament honouring the city's official food using a 3D printer and a repurposed motor, and then posted a video of his creation on Reddit.
He received so much interest he decided to take the ornament to retail. He partnered with EurekaTec, a 3D printing company in Lower Sackville, N.S., to refine his design and create new packaging.
The ornaments are now listed on the company’s website for $14.99.
"Halifax’s own delicious, greasy, late-night guilty pleasure can now be hung from your tree," the ad says.
Marsh said he found his inspiration after seeing the 24-hour Donair Cam, recently introduced by the King of Donair restaurant and Nova Scotia webcams.
Eurekatec founder Mohammed Issa told Global News that demand for the ornaments has been "crazy." He said the 50 ornaments that were in stock at the start of the week quickly sold out.
"Ever since, we have a back order and my phone is just going crazy with orders," said Issa.
Issa now has five 3D printers working on the ornaments full time, has more printers coming in, and has even called in backup. He said the interest has revived his business.
"We’re trying our best to make ends meet and this thing is just great because it gets people looking at what 3D printing is as an industry," Issa said.
"This is a great example of how quickly you can turn an idea into a product in hours."
Unlike Marsh’s original design, however, the ornament doesn’t spin.
"Making our own rotating ornament would involve finding a small motor that spins at the right speed, packaging it in a case, finding a way to power it, and getting CSA and other approvals done on it," Marsh said.
"Suffice to say, all of that wasn’t going to happen in time for Christmas."
