I found DC Design Studios right as I moved out to the Bay Area from Houston. Moving halfway across the country was a huge undertaking so a couple of friends tagged along for support and to make the drive fun. It became a roadtrip!
With all roadtrips, it's best to memorialize with something unique (sometimes buying a t-shirt just doesn't cut it). I dreamed up a design which was personal and symbolic to all of us on the trip but had no clue how to make it real. Plus, I didn't know many people in the Bay Area.
I looked online for laser cutting services but really didn't feel comfortable sending my project into the mystery of the internet and hoping for the best. At this point, I already invested in expensive raw materials (premium aluminum rectangular tubing) and hacked together a photoshop design (I have no skills) but I couldn't guarantee the project would turn out well.
Additionally, online shops take a LONG time to process orders.
Online was not an option.
So, I turned my focus to local services. There is not a lot of selection in the Bay Area and most of them are in inconvenient areas. A few in San Jose and a few in San Francisco. I'm not particularly keen on driving to San Jose (ever) and can NEVER find parking in San Francisco.
Enter DC Design Studios - located perfectly on the peninsula.
I brought all my materials and my photoshop file and the staff there helped me every step of the way. First, they cleaned all my materials - a step I hadn't even considered. Next, they opened my photoshop file. They found a few errors and even corrected them on the spot! Lastly, they spun up the laser and let me watch the cutting process.
And the best part - in about 90 minutes, my mess of materials and digital files were turned into the souvenir I envisioned!
Overall, an excellent experience. I highly recommend to any creative turning an idea into reality! read more