Thu. Feb 6th, 2025

Meet Merlin – The Limerick Entrepreneur helping cosplayers around the world realise their dreams

ByCillian Foley

Tuesday, 23 April 2024, 18:00 , , ,
Meet Merlin (Photo: Merlin)

For nearly two years Merlin’s Prop Forge has been printing for cosplayers as far as the United States, New Zealand and Australia helping them design their own 3D printed cosplay projects and accessories. Limerick Voice reporters Cillian Foley and Leanne Donnegan spoke to the young student entrepreneur and prop maker who is regularly seen around Limerick and Ireland sporting his own designs.

After purchasing his first printer in early 2022, the 21-year-old Limerick student has since made his own suit of armour and has helped many others along the way, opening a business to share the joy of cosplay and prop making to everyone at a more affordable price.

“I started printing props about 2 years ago now, it started as a way of making things for myself and friends but I did not think it would grow to supplying people around the world in places as far as the USA, Australia or New Zealand.”

“I also just wanted to be able to provide an alternative to the massive shops in the US that are really expensive by offering things to people at a far more reasonable price.”

Merlin’s face is never seen nor is his identity ever known, always sporting a helmet or mask. Yet when he appears in public wearing his creations, it always creates a stir and piques a lot of interest.

“I never reveal who I am or who works on these projects because I like the idea of it being anybody beneath the helmet or armour. Anybody could be doing what I do, and I think it can sometimes help motivate people to be more passionate about their cosplay.”

But the reach of Merlin’s Prop Forge has not been limited to just Ireland, Merlin’s helmets and pieces have been seen all around the world in countries such as The United states,Australia, New Zealand, Holland, Germany an much more. There they have been seen to serve several purposes.

“I ship all around the world now and it’s a dream come true; I have seen my pieces used for a wide variety of things from cosplay & photography to film making & music performances”

“The favourite thing I have seen from my clients is a tribute band to Daft Punk performing live on stage in Britain for over 21 headline shows across the last year”

According to Merlin, the process of 3D printing is not always a time-friendly one, hours of work can go into perfecting the details of any order before it assembled and ready for dispatch. “Making a piece for a client can take anywhere from 2-3 days to nearly a month depending on how big the project is, I am currently making a full suit of armour for a Dutch client and it could take me a month or two”

Speaking about his favourite order to date the young designer admitted it was a difficult choice:,

“It’s difficult to think of a favourite piece I have made yet but speaking from a mildly biased point of view I would have to say my own armour! Because I have spent so much time making it my own and making it exactly how I envisioned over the last year and a half, I have really become fond of it.”

The store and its activities can be followed on all social media platforms under merlinspropforge and the store can be found Etsy under the same name.