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The First Design
This is where TEKXNE began, the very first CAD render of the design. At this stage there was no net, no modular attachment system, and none of the swappable, customizable components that define the product today. I was excited about it at the time, but it lacked depth. It felt like it would end up being more of a fad product, and that's not what I wanted to build. Every version since has been built on the lessons learned from this original concept.
The First Prototype
After much thought and multiple design iterations, it was time to bring this idea from the computer to real life. My father, the very person who inspired many of my creations, played a major role in building the first prototype. Together we turned my CAD drawings into the very first Tekxne Stick, built out of old fir flooring and a fishing net. As you can imagine, that first prototype didn't function quite the way I'd imagined, but it laid the foundation for everything that followed. It proved the idea could work, and that it could be fun and enjoyable, just as I'd pictured it. At that point, I still had no idea how I'd actually manufacture it, that was a problem for later.
The First Functional Prototype
After everything I learned from the first prototype and its functional shortcomings, a new design was born, this time optimized for SLS 3D printing. With much consideration and many sleepless nights drafting in CAD, the Tekxne Stick truly began to take shape. It was first made out of HDPE, hand carved from massive chunks of plastic, the first real, usable version of the design. After many changes to the cups, their dimensions, and their angles, a fully functional and addicting device finally breathed its first breath.
WHERE WE'RE AT NOW
It's been over a year of design changes and testing since I created the first design. Along the way, I ran into plenty of challenges. The biggest one I hadn't expected; Designing something that looks good is one thing, but designing it to actually be manufacturable, is a different problem entirely. After SLS 3D printing proved far too expensive, I turned to creating these parts myself using urethane resin casting, as a way to help fund the massive cost of injection mold tooling. After much testing and a few compromised design features, I realized urethane wasn't going to work either. I've since updated these features to be superior (pictured below). At this time more testing is needed before moving into injection molding.
OUR NEXT STEPS
With resin proving unviable, injection molding is the only way forward to bring TEKXNE to life. Getting there means funding the tooling, and we're doing that without outside investors, on purpose. That keeps this brand in the hands of the people who believe in it, built with integrity and quality at the core. Your pre-order will go towards the tooling and final testing needed to make this a reality.
Below is a rendering of what these parts could look like once that's done.
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