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What’s the best 3D-printed thing you have?
It doesn’t have to be something you 3D printed yourself.
It can be practical or sentimental or aesthetic — whatever you like.
What’s the best 3D-printed thing you have, and what makes it great?
Oh gosh, what a neat thread.
I mentioned telescope parts in a reply elsewhere in this topic.
My Catan Jr holders were frequently used when my daughter was younger and have now transitioned into a steady seller on Printables. Not "quit your day job" good, more like "coffee a few times a month" good.
I have a bracket I designed that slides on the rail of my headboard and holds my cpap hose. This makes it much more comfortable to use.
There is also a tiny piece of plastic that grips the hose of the shower head and tips it up so it is at the right height for me. It was the first thing I printed when we moved into this house almost a decade ago.
Our wrapping paper station gets regular use. Instead of constantly buying those tiny rolls of crap paper or finding out we don't have enough and having to run to the store for more, we can use large rolls of high quality paper. The holder makes it easy and practical to manage and store them. 3 double sided rolls of paper with fairly generic designs has proven to be sufficient for all our wrapping needs.
There is one more thing I am super proud of, but it involves helping an abuse victim in my family, so you may not want to read it.
Trigger warning for sexual abuse
Someone I am close to in my family (I will refer to them as M) was abused by another family member when they were very young.
A few years ago, M began to uncover and deal with the trauma around the abuse. During that time, the house where the abuse happened (it had been sold out of our family decades ago) came up for sale. First M wanted to buy it and raze it, which was not practical financially. Then they wanted to send a note to the new owners. I gently tried to dissuade them from this, because that would be an awful burden the new owners didn't deserve.
As an alternative, I offered to build a dollhouse scale model of the house. With M's consent and their therapist's blessing, I asked about what would be important for the model. They said it would be important that the doors worked. The original house also had bars on the windows, and they wanted the bars to be able to be removed and the windows to be opened. A lot of the reparenting that they were doing was about escaping the place where it happened, so these details were important.
The house model walls were made out of foam core, but the moveable windows and doors were all modelled and 3D printed. I modeled the fencing for the back yard and made it so they could add a gate, which was never there in the original.
Then I made models of all the furniture that had been in the house that we could remember. When I gave it to M, I told them that they should feel free to destroy it if that's what they needed. And that I could make it again if that would help. But they ended up keeping it.
Here are some pictures: 1 2
3
Recently M wrote an amazing essay about the abuse and their recovery, and the house was mentioned. So though this project happened years ago, it has on my mind lately. Here's a little excerpt:
I just wanted to say that I appreciated you sharing the part of your post about helping the abuse victim in your family - it was moving and I'm glad you could help them like that. I don't know if it would be appropriate for you to share or not, but I'd be interested in reading their full essay if it was something put out for public consumption and wouldn't doxx you or them by sharing it.
Thank you for your kind words! They have said they are okay to have it shared on an individual basis. Let me get back to my computer and remove some identifying information from it, and I'll DM you a link.
Thank you :)
Probably my 3D printed wireless earbuds.
There is a specific pair of wireless earbuds that I like because they are relatively cheap, low latency (good codec support), and sound good. Unfortunately, the plastic shells of the earbuds are glued together and inevitably that glue fails and the earbuds come apart. I could just re-glue them, except that...
The batteries also eventually fail and need to be replaced. If I re-glue the earbuds back together, getting them apart in the future to replace the batteries would be a nightmare.
So I designed and 3D printed my own shells for the earbuds. The shells are assembled using micro screws instead of glue, making them easy to take apart and access the components inside. I'm proud of how they turned out. The 3D printed shells are generally the same shape as the originals, they sound just as good, still fit in the same charging case, but now they're more repairable.
The only downside is that the 3D printed shells are not waterproof. That's not a big con for me though because I never used them near water anyways. I could probably make them waterproof if I wanted to spend more time on it.
Another nice benefit of designing my own shells for the earbuds is I get more choices for what batteries to put inside them. I was able to fit slightly larger (capacity, not dimensions) batteries so now they last longer between charges and should take longer to degrade.
It was a fun project that exercised a lot of CAD skills that I let atrophy over the years, and the end result is a significantly better item than what I started with.
In the future I would like to re-design the charging case so I can experiment more with the shape of the earbud shells. I'd also like to design some system for charging the earbuds while they're in-use, outside of their charging case. Current idea is to add a second, "exterior" set of magnetic charging pads onto the earbud shells, then make some very thin wires that can plug into the charging case on one side, and have prongs that magnetically attach to the earbuds on the other. Maybe not the most practical idea, but I think it would be cool. I think the most difficult part would be figuring out how to make the earbuds not automatically disconnect when the cables attach to the exterior charging pads, while preserving the earbuds' automatic disconnect when the interior charging pads attach inside the charging case.
Of course, thinking about how to solve that automatic disconnect issue makes me consider the firmware the earbuds are running, and gee, that PCB really doesn't look that complicated. Maybe I could design my own PCB? Write my own firmware? Implement my own codec support? And so the fanciful dreaming begins as the practical ideas end.
Have a picture?
Is using screws not a bad idea given the fact that they're constantly vibrating? Are you securing them in any way?
It might be a bad idea. I am not doing anything special to secure them. I have not had any issues with the screws being insecure. Maybe it will be an issue after a few years of daily use?
Definitely something to think about and improve in future designs though.
Is it even possible to wirelessly charge earbuds without interrupting the sound? I don’t know what orders of magnitude are involved but I would have assumed that the electric/magnetic components of wireless charging would mess with the electric/magnetic parts of tiny speakers that are very close by.
Also, are there additional complexities in charging and using at the same time? I’m sure it’s a fairly solved problem, but I wonder if there are special power routing requirements (especially at tiny scales) to be able to charge the battery while also using it at the same time
That is unfathomably cool - I did not expect such a worthwhile response when I saw the thread!
With the ideas you have, I suspect you would create a brilliant product if you chose to design, produce, and sell your own set of wireless headphones!
Edit: regarding my use of worthwhile: what I was trying to say is that this is a problem not reasonably solvable without 3D printing. I find most things people make using 3D printers fall into one or both of two categories:
This falls into neither, which makes it a standout use of 3D printing in my book!
Thanks, and yeah, I couldn't imagine doing a project like this without 3D printing. Being able to iterate -> print -> review so quickly makes it much easier, and a much nicer experience, to build things like this.
The most impressive one is an accordion-like MIDI controller that I built 3 years ago, with a lot of 3D-printed parts.
It's too awkward to be an everyday musical instrument though, so it sits in a display case.
I have ideas for a better one and occasionally I work on on it.
That is super cool! Is there a design reason the encoder wheel is so big, or was it just to make it look awsome? (Also, interesting to put a face to you).
Making the encoder wheel bigger means that more holes fit per degree of rotation and therefore the speed that the lever angle changes (which controls the sound) can be measured more precisely. How small the holes can be printed is limited by the resolution of 3D printing, so I went bigger instead.
And sure, there are other ways to do it, but I like the look.
Well, probably the printer itself, alongside several modifications that I have built.
But other than that, I have two very practical things I use all the time. One is a bracket I use to fix a broken bed frame. The other is a collapsible laptop stand that I use to hold my laptop up so I can use it in a dual screen setup. It holds it at exactly the perfect height and angle, something that is surprisingly difficult to get in a stand without spending considerably more money than I wanted to (which is anything at all, naturally). There’s also a handful of ultra-customized storage containers and cases.
I also designed my own personal MiSTer arcade setup that integrates an iPad screen, a power supply, and a handful of other goodies into a single package. It has some design flaws that I have been meaning to fix but haven’t gotten around to it because I don’t have enough space to actually use it.
What printer did you build?
A Voron V2.
Nice, I'd love to build one some day! I think I'm going to try to do the E3NG ungerade of my idled Ender 3 as a first dive into a custom build.
Some items for fun:
My son and I printed totoro figurines as he really enjoyed the "My Neighbor Totoro". It is one of my favorite movies as well. We still need to paint them, however.
Also, there are BRIO compatible train tracks that have gotten a ton of use! They are great for building flexible toy train tracks that you can't find elsewhere.
For me:
I've 3d printed some gears in order to attempt to retrofit my old dobsonian with onstep.
I know I could just buy a computerized telescope, but the idea of breathing new life into an old manual dobsonian seemed more fun.
I also have some wall mounted holders for some handheld vacuums in my kitchen that have come in handy, but the wife thinks they're ugly!
Have you seen the Hadley. It is an almost fully 3d printed reflecting telescope built around a 114mm spherical mirror.
One of my friend's dad was in his 90s, and super in to astronomy, so we started out by printing the base parts to the telescope. He had a bunch of his own parts (lenses, mounts, the motorized pointing base), so the three of us ended up working together designing custom parts that were a mixture of his ideas for what he wanted and the practicalities of designing for 3d prints. He loved how flexible and adjustable the Hanky design was, said it was like having an optics lab in his living room.
He had a doublet lense that he had been given years ago and not had an opportunity to do anything with (it might have come from a submarine periscope). So we built a whole second refracting telescope modeled on the hadley's modular framework.
When the eclipse came through a few years ago, we built sun screens for them, and he got to use the scopes we designed and built to photograph the eclipse.
Unfortunately he passed away last year, but the enjoyment it gave his last few years makes it one of my favorite projects ever.
One upshot of this is that I have a ton of custom modeled components based on the hadley framework, so I can share STEP or Solidworks (hobby edition) files with you that would be a starting place if you wanted to retrofit your dobsnian onto the framework.
Hard to choose a favorite, but my favorite print so far is probably the fully vented version (available under STL/CAD file area) of this Lenovo Thinkcentre Tiny chassis. Printed it in transparent PETG so the LEDs of the PC shine through it. Love it both for aesthetics and functionality. Machine runs a lot cooler now.
Runners up (long and a bit of an aside from the topic's request of one answer)
Printed an adapter for my Milwaukee shop vac that allows it to adapt to 3rd-party attachments. Works great!
Printing things that have 3D-printed bolts that screw in are SO satisfying to use. I printed these for cable management on desks/tables and really enjoy them
Printed a stand for my coffee hand-grinder and accessories and it feels sturdy and enjoyable to use
Printed a set of brackets that attach to a monitor and to a tiny PC with some M4 screws that I bought and then the brackets attach to each other to convert the 100mm VESA on the monitor to the 75mm on the PC (or vice versa). Works really nice to make a DIY "all in one" PC/monitor system.
Have designed my own bunch of functional little prints (a little piece to lock my calipers from opening, some clips for the drip tray for the A-frame coil for my HVAC that help hold filters in place / elevates them out of the moisture, etc)
Have printed various things in transparent PETG and sat them atop an LED light base that shines up through them. Very satisfying "DIY Lamps".
I really enjoy one of my first prints which fixed a door catch in my apartment. It's just a simple extender onto the strike plate to help the door latch actually catch and keep the door closed. It helped establish the magic of being able to fix a real world problem in a direct, lasting way.
I also have a few prototypes of a tinker toy esque connector to join cardboard strips into a structural form. It never worked particularly well, but the idea of taking card board boxes, cutting them into strips and then making a giant version of tinker toys is just so appealing to me!
Two things immediately come to mind, so are probably the best. The first is an angled bowl riser for my dog so he doesn't have to strain down to the floor to eat. Measured him, designed it, added personal touches like his nickname on it, and it fits his ceramic "Princess" food bowl perfectly without it being possible for it to slip out or get knocked over.
Second is a mold I made to cast a silicone ice mold for my big whiskey ice cubes. The ice cubes each have a letter of his nickname.
Yes, I love my dog. Why do you ask?
His name is Princess, or is he just a diva?
Closer to the latter as he definitely has come to expect a certain level of attention from his subjects. The bowl was picked up at a thrift store and replaced a generic plastic bowl he had been using previously. It's purple and covered in little hearts and crowns and says "Princess" on it which is perfect for the masculine image he attempts to project.
Not very fun or interesting but all my gridfinity storage and soldering workshop stuff. It’s just every day useful.
My keyboard case was 3d printed. It fits my hands so nicely.
Most "used" : a holder designed in 5 minutes to hold the stick that holds a noren (japanese shop curtain) for our bedroom (the cat doesn't like closed door). It's basically a C-shaped thingy, so nothing interesting to look at.
Most useful but we don't need it anymore : ergonomic bag holder that we used for trash bag (those strings kinda hurts when the bag is heavy).
Useful and glad we have it: a box that holds the insert for our kitchen mandoline
Most designed : For a larp, I've modded an ikea candle lantern so that it include an programmable RGB ring led (so whatever object is in place of the candle have a magical glow on it). As such I've designed foot extension for the lantern that house the rest of the electronics (an esp32 and a 3x AA holder) with a magnetic door. In action it looks like this
The best 3D printed thing I have is LTT tech sack over the shoulder strap buckle which I designed myself and use it every day.
Another thing I use every day is also my own design and it's tabletop PC stand.
I also use daily this coffee grinder dosage thingie which is great as it is just for around 15-16g of coffee which means double espresso - one for me, one for my wife. Much better than the original really big container which didn't allow for any reasonable dosage.
I've not done a lot but I feel like I've gotten my money's worth.
Best self-designed part: Just a simple little chain link for the pull chain on rolling blinds. I've actually had to print this like five times because the originals keep breaking throughout the house. I'm just proud of it because it was my first time measuring and troubleshooting a part.
Best third-party design: The vanity mirror in my wife's car had the plastic piece break where the headliner meets the stem and the plastic piece grips the stem. New mirror assembly (because you can't buy just the plastic mount!) would run ~300$. 50 cents of filament and an hour of work fixed it to almost new. Felt really smug about that one for awhile
I drafted and printed a better handle for my water bottle using TPU. And also created a carabiner type hook using ASA to attach the water bottle one of my back pack straps.
I also went over the top getting my work locker set up. I have a good sized set of shelves for my work locker. I have work boots on the bottom level, tennis shoes on the second tier, change of clothes on the third, the four tier has a drawer and in it are deoderant, safety glasses, bug spray, and pomade. And above that I have two hooks that have magnets glued in to hang pants and a rain jacket on, and I can move them in and out easily. On the sides, I have an extension that puts the shelves up against the inner side, and it has a big groove in it, and I hang a bottle of disinfectant spray from that groove. Underneath that, I have a couple holders that hold a pressure washer gun, wand, and extension. I have a nozzle holder that hangs off of one of the vents and it holds 4 regular nozzles and 2 turbo nozzles. And on the inside of the door, I have two small bins that magnetically stick to the inside of the door to hold various other shit. It's a bit over the top. But it makes my work day much nicer.
Your locker customization caused me to flash back to middle school and high school and the yearly beginning-of-school ritual of installing [lockermate shelves](https://paperpro.com/adjustable-double-locker-shelf-drawer-blue html). They could just about last a year before being totally destroyed, but I could never understand how most people just piled their stuff in the locker so it was spilling out every time they opened it.
A sleeve for my water bottle so I can screw the cap to the side while I'm at home and just leave it open all the time (beforehand I was losing the cap all through the house) now I just take the sleeve off when I leave home, use it all day, every day, game changer.
Ah, I almost completely forgot something I printed that I love. At the end of last year I scanned my and my husband’s faces and printed out magnets to put on the door of our cruise ship cabinet.
I made them tiny for practicality’s sake but the white ABS I printed it out in gives it a very bone-like feeling and makes them seem like tiny death masks. Part of what I enjoy about them is cajoling my husband with them because they creep him out. 😸
*had
I printed coasters for our couch in our old house, where
the automated vacuumCogsworth kept getting stuck. Also all the ceiling vents were out of reach, so we'd use broom handles or whatnot to open and close them to better direct the A/C, and many just popped off even after gentle prods. So I printed some replacements.Granted, we moved out of that house in '21 and haven't used the printer since... am now camping here to see if there's any reason to get the behemoth out and running again.
I have a cheap FDM and a cheap resin printer and have printed a few figurines, but I've been too lazy and unmotivated to really get into modeling my own stuff, so they mostly sit unused.
Probably the best thing I've 3D printed is repairing a crack in my garbage bin and adding plastic numbers using a 3D printing pen, which seems to be holding up, surprisingly.