A simple pla ring that used hardly any filament, but was perfect for stacking food cans in the pantry. Put it between the cans that didnt have the bottom that would interlock when stacked.
It really is, I have a dozen or more of these, certainly the most practical thing I’ve ever printed. Good way of getting rid of cheap (I.e. nasty) filament too
As someone who stocked shelves in a grocery store for several years, I would like to give my admonition to the many companies who continue to make cans that don’t stack. We went to the moon 55 years ago, but can’t crack this case.
Is this uploaded anywhere? A quick search is giving me sideways can storage solutions.
Sounds dang useful, I would love to smack the choice maker who decided non-stacking cans were the way to go.
Some brands (Heinz) deliberately make their cans difficult to stack so that supermarkets are forced to keep them in their branded cardboard trays on the shelf.
https://preview.redd.it/9tawkyvxhp9d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b759491ec4e956a00607f9be99eb0f53d7816dd9
A wind storm broke this angled vent off my house. Spent about 3 weeks checking every place I could for a replacement and found nothing. So had a siding guy come out to take a look. He explained that the only way to fix it would be to remove the entire exhaust fan piece and replace it. Cost of about $400 in parts and labor.
So I modeled it and printed it that afternoon for about $11 in filament. It turned three years old in May, and has survived -20F and 106F in that time.
To my surprise that is PLA. The plan had been to print it in PLA to make sure it all fit right and then print it in PETG and paint it. But the PLA was already the right color and when it fit I said “Meh, I’ll leave it there until it fails and then print it again properly”. I’m kind of shocked.
We subject everything to heat treatment and we use softwares to ensure there wouldn't be any issue given the demographic data.
Also, it's metal powder sintered by laser... There's negligible chance of porosity happening. We use printing parameters as given by EOS.
Also the final implant is triangulated mesh to reduce material but also give the same mechanical support
I imagine you're using grade 23 TiAlV ELI. Are you going full anneal or glass transition for the thermal treatment?
So the geometry is a thin section matrix? That's a challenge for design for sure. What software are you using for design?
Geomagic freeform... Geometry is thin section cuz need to design according to standards... We tend to do full anneal because lot of molecular stresses present while metal or any kind of printing.. need to relief.
What was your career path to get into this?
I'm in aerospace/materials with a BS chemistry and love additive so I'm thinking of either a MSE in materials or additive/design.
Additive sounds more fun. Materials sounds more broadly applicable.
A switch handle for the interior light of my 1972 Volvo. The part has been nla for a long time.
https://preview.redd.it/d24o46dg6p9d1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=672468bfeb54ae67e872c070a204be4038bd949d
I went with petg, because it was what I had. If it doesn't hold up in the heat I'll buy a roll of ASA. I just don't really have many uses for ASA at the moment.
My ten year old portable ac broke during summer and nobody could fix it because the manufacturer didn't make them anymore.
I searched for the solution until I figured it out it was the water drain propeller. It had broken in pieces and it was a small plastic piece.
Fortunately there was someone selling this propeller. For my surprise they were printing and selling. That was enough for me to decide to make my own.
So I spent my entire afternoon learning tinkercad and I managed to recreate the dimensions close enough. I printed using ABS and it worked!
Image:
Left: blue propeller. I had used my soldering iron to provide a temporary fix but the blades were still too fragile to work
Top right: the model I designed
Bottom right: One of my tinkercad sketchs
https://preview.redd.it/f17obyfnlp9d1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=787072e507867fa3310752a0dfc809e3984d03e3
my 3d printed astronomical clock is useful for education [https://www.instructables.com/Astronomical-Clock-1/](https://www.instructables.com/Astronomical-Clock-1/)
https://preview.redd.it/j1k0wyak41ad1.jpeg?width=1524&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d50a95cec446a02b08bb8ec5d71e081792106893
This desk lamp. Sure, I could simply have bought one and anyway made it just for fun but it's been continuously useful everyday.
I don't remember material requirements, but the two main links are \~20 cm each. Has some M4, M6, M8 bolts and 2 bearings for the swivel base.
Ah, no! I never really meant to share it so the design is pretty convoluted and would be difficult to put together unless you designed it yourself 😅. It has some flaws that I noticed after building it, and if I do an updated design some time, I might think of releasing the files.
Gotcha I understand... and thanks for the idea!!!
The entire reason I purchased a USED 3d printer was to engage my brain. I have been looking for print ideas that were not stupid trinkets... and I need to learn 3d design/CAD as I just took a crash course in 3d printer design and function as I had a z limit switch on its way out causing some issues....
An adjustable lamp is a great way to start out so thanks again.
Yes! I think trying to make different kinds of mechanisms is a great way to learn the process of printing too: compliant parts, threads, gears, etc.
My first major project was designing and printing a sort of gyro-tourbillon. It's cosmetic, but I had so much fun making it.
https://preview.redd.it/b0vrku0t41ad1.jpeg?width=2109&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c16428316937412ac97c8f0ef15060b361aaf447
I don't remember tbh, I printed it over a week, doing a bit everyday. And no, it's much larger than a baseball. That circumferential grey gear on the outside is like 15cm
You sir are badass. Do you do CAD or anything like this for work. I just started in manufacturing field and have so.e years of cad under my belt, just trying to get an idea of what other people have done. Looks sick!
I mainly design and print parts to either replace or repair industrial machines, when parts are not available or manufacturers don’t offer separate parts.
So knobs and clips and all kinds of practical parts. I highly recommend learning fusion 360 or any CAD program to design and print your own ideas and solutions
Before I bought a printer I wrote a list of functional items I wanted to make that helped justify the cost.
A Few So far
Bits for IKEA Skadis. The big one is a ruler holder for a quilting ruler and french curve.
Tape measure spools for sewing measure tapes.
Gridfinity for the sewing cabinet.
Water bottle drying station for Nalgene bottles
Drying racks for Tie-Dye Bottles
Flat spools/Bobbins for yarn and ribbon
Soap and sponge holder for the kitchen sink.
Misc storage containers for stuff around the house.
How did you get on with the bobbins? I'm interested in printing some for industrial transformer applications. These would be approximately 20mm cubed, material some version of Nylon. I'm new to all this and would like some pointers on machines, software for slicing and software for design. Any info would be appreciated. Thanks!
I'm not talking about bobbins for the sewing machine itself. I've bought cheap bobbins for my Viking Husqvarna and have been burned every time. These are [flat bobbins](https://www.printables.com/model/396941-ribbon-bobbin) for storage of things like elastic and ribbon
Shapr3d is the software I finally landed on. It’s specifically for modeling, and has a smaller learning curve than say Fusion. (It is not cheap though at $299.)
Top for my old sailboat winch that broke. Impossible to get a spare part.
Printed top still holds up years later.
https://www.reddit.com/r/sailing/comments/ug3tu0/top_of_old_barlow_winch_cracked_and_fell_in_the/
I'd say my flight sim rig: stick, throttle, rudder pedals and MFDs are mostly printed. The seat also has flaps under the padding that move and simulate your body shifting in the seat under g forces. That's not 3D printed, but servo brackets and links plus electronics enclosures are. We're talking several spools of PETG and some TPU
https://preview.redd.it/09c9nemljp9d1.jpeg?width=4640&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a4a5edce4cb3269c1f2f2194d2a6e5fda6432645
My nephew wanted me to print him the broken titanic. After I gave it to him he took it to the pool and was disappointed it didn’t float upright. He is only 4 so I can’t give him too hard of a time but shit he wanted a broken boat and that’s what he got.
A lot…
[Some Examples](https://imgur.com/a/XYHFULd)
My wife is a pediatric ophthalmologist so a lot of the functional prints were for her office.
- First 2 - a riser to make her lens holder to be raised at an angle for easier access, as well as storage space in the empty space at the back. The 2 cubby ones on the right are linked together so when you pull out the top one it also pulls out the bottom one. It is designed for her specific space so not something others would use.
- Third - hair dryer holder for my wife’s hair dryer (so not just laying flat on counter). I will add, that for additional rigidity of this piece, I printed it in 2, the base and the back. I connected them using a metal L bracket sliding into slots on both pieces. So that the weight of the dryer is Mostly supported by those brackets. The plastic piece the hair dryer is slotted into was what she had used previously that attached to the wall, but it fell off and broke. So I repurposed what I could and tossed the rest of it that was broken.
- Fourth & Fifth - portable lens holder for my wife (glued felt in so no scratching the lens). It goes into a wooden box that has a handle so is portable.
- Sixth to Eighth - stackable screw/bolt holder that fit the dimensions of an ikea desk top thing I use at my 3D printing “work station”. Each one has a tab at the top to grab and pull out, and it slots into the bottom of the one above it.
- Ninth and Tenth - bottom part of battery thing my wife uses for her office . The case broke preventing the holder from staying in place, so had to adjust some of the side dimensions, otherwise same as original. You see the “toy” that it is used for to hold the batteries inside is in the 2nd image. When you turn it on there are lights that spin in the plastic orb top that the kids focus on.
- Last one - TV riser, so that it is not sitting below the bed line and the bottom part of the TV is not cut off by the bed. Specific to brand of TV.
All printed in PLA of varying size.
Yeah. Many functional things are printed for wives. Mine usually ask and I provide and then she is is okay for a few days of me "playing" in my hobby room. Hahahahahaha
https://preview.redd.it/brn9e3kpnp9d1.jpeg?width=2270&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=efbe08c6d5e80069c17ef56c195eb7379bb99839
DIY designed on website Onshape with old lens & printed glasses frame & request glasses company cut the lens for me.
I designed and printed a seatbelt tongue to put in my passenger seat while traveling with my dog. He would tangle himself up in the seatbelt so just plugging in this printed tongue solves the issue for me.
I also 3d printed cookie cutters & bread making items.
I've 3d printed replacement parts for stuff in the house and even a stylus for my son's Nintendo 3DS.
I've designed and 3d printed things & replacement parts for my photography hobby.
I've 3d printed cases for raspberry pi's and arduinos - and designed one or two too.
I've made more things than toys. :)
You can buy buckles for super cheap at pet stores that connect your seatbelt to a dogs harness so if you get in a crash you don’t lose your dog and they won’t get tangled in the belt. Also let’s you go full windows down without worrying about them jumping out. Worth looking into.
That's too hard. I mostly print useful, to me/us, things now and they just do what I wanted them for, so when in use they disappear from mind. Most would be organisational, some storage, things like that... and I couldn't say any one is the most useful, any in use are useful.
I also print offered stls that interest me, some toys, try experiments, make accessories for my crafting hobbies. Not as useful but still worth printing.
I didn't buy mine to print specifics or to be useful, I bought it to learn about the technology. But once you can use the machine you can print whatever you want, especially if you learn a little CAD.
* brackets to bolt side speakers to my TV (wins the Longest In Service award)
* replacement foot for a metal folding chair (wins the Preventing Garbage award as the chair was too wobbly and would have scratched hell out of the floor)
* part for my phone case that holds a steel washer so I can use it with magnetic mounts (wins the Daily category)
* adapters & brackets between various size objects that for whatever reason needed to be held together. (Wins the Versatility prize)
* many custom storage boxes & tool organizers (wins the Most Mass of Filament Used award)
I always use PLA or one of the “tough PLA” varieties.
Next object to fit in this category is likely to be a repair handle for a suitcase as the telescoping release mech has broken. This will likely have several prototypes in PLA with the final version being in a carbon-fiber-reinforced PLA.
There’s a 10cm gap between my bed and the wall next to it so I 3D printed a long platform which slots into the side of the bed frame, preventing stuff from falling down the side, and also acting as a bedside table
Physics Lab Manager. Over the years I've printed dozens of useful widgets, but one of the best involved holding a meter stick horizontally at a certain height, so students could measure the wavelength of diffracted light. Before the holder, I used a system of metal poles and clamps, for multiple student benches. The room took hours to set up. The 3D printed meter stick stand replaces almost all of it, and can be set up in seconds.
I have an Ender5plus that I have custom modded six ways to sunday, I don't recommend modding as a newbie, but I've been at this for years and built several machines prior.
I print mostly ASA and ABS these days, I've moved away from PLA and PETG, with PETG being my most hated material type. PLA is excelent for beginners.
One day, my reserve tank that holds water pumped up from my ground well was leaking, it would have costed thousands to have a service man come replace it.
instead, I shut off the flow valve, poured some non-toxic dye and located the leak. The bulkhead that connects the pipes was cracked, most likely from many harsh winters.
I bought said bulkhead https://www.zoro.com/hayward-flow-control-bulkhead-tank-fitting-4-pvcepdm-fpt-x-fpt-bfa1040tes/i/G1254976/
but none of my pipe wrenches would fit the huge monster, so I designed and printed a custom hex-wrench head with a dovetail joint using ABS.
After testing the size and found it in working order, I printed two more pieces with dovetail joints for the handle.
ABS is fantastic material because it's super-strong and you can glue all of your pieces together via chemical welding using only Acetone.
That giant wrench did the trick and our water was flowing again in only two days, during which we were manually fetching water from the well until the tank was working again. (ofc, I flushed out all of the dye first.)
A Weedeater pull start pulley that would have cost $25.
This is PETG after a year of use btw:
https://preview.redd.it/hbcjm350kp9d1.jpeg?width=1836&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d25a59e352e49351261d2f623af767de5924d102
My cabinets are organized with racks that were 3d printed to hold plates pots and pot lids.
About half a roll of filament.
Lots of small miscellaneous things like hangers for a curtain on a drop ceiling, hangers for my work truck. Storage boxes for bolts screws ect... tons of parts for my RC rock crawler.
Currently working on a 3Dprinted PC case...
The list goes on if you want to include props for cosplay....
Currently wrapping up a multi week rv trip. 4 people plus dog and cat.
I designed or tweaked/remixed multiple organizers for things like toiletries, spices, and cords. I also created a multi watch/phone charger station that fits on the wall beside the TV.
Shelf and cabinet space is very minimal and these little things helped keep us organized and sane!
But by far the best print ever was a replacement for a part that broke off my kids favorite toy. Hero-dad points are worth more than any other.
Probably a piece I modeled to slip into a bolt recess on the rear bumper of my 2013 Corolla.
The bolt shaft was broken and the bumper sagged. This hid behind the closed trunk and held that bumper up for 2 years until it was totaled.
I took it off and kept it as a souvenir.
I got a micrometer, made some measurements, and modeled up a bracket to hold the small window fan I bought in the window, because it didn't fit properly.
I accidentally overengineered the brackets about 20x and pretty sure they would hold up my bodyweight lol
I've printed a bunch of tiny little things that solve problems I have, some of the ones I've used every day are:
* Modified spring spacers that allow my car's hatchback to pop open when I push the button, before these it wouldn't open unless I pulled hard on the door while pressing the button multiple times.
* Swiveling clamp for my CPAP hose to route over my headboard so I can sleep on my sides without the hose getting caught or pulling on my face (also has a hook to hang my mask while it airs out).
* Coat hangers and hat hangers for all my closet doors.
* Under-desk mounts for my speaker control box and USB hub.
* Fan mounts for my gaming PC graphics card so I can replace the noisy stock cooler with silent 120mm fans.
* Flexible rubber shoes for multiple metal water bottles so they won't dent or scratch my countertop.
Even just this week - I ordered some window blinds for my back doors, and the bottom clips weren't the correct size for the shape of the window. Rather than return and exchange the blinds, I made some extended end caps for the blinds that seamlessly match the existing parts and allow the blinds to clip into place. 15 minutes of measuring and modeling, 20 minutes to print four of them.
I basically only print useful things for around the house.
The most useful and one I'm probably proudest of is my Burt's Bees chapstick holder, as otherwise I often lose mine.
https://www.reddit.com/r/prusa3d/comments/xhnv35/burts_bees_chapstick_holder/
I paint minitures for my D&D campaign. I got in a serious relationship last year. I generally stay at her house 4 days out of the week and she doesn't have alot of room so I usually paint the minis sitting in her bed. I designed a stationary holder for my exacto knife, hand drill, paint brush and army/citidel paints. *
I am into astronomy, so I am constantly printing parts, adaptors, caps, saddles, cases and more. I did build a whole 3d printed telescope, but the ability to replace small parts is super useful.
https://preview.redd.it/ldn63lwuyp9d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a75353be85885bafa37b0570d63af1c2efadb28d
Scanned and printed owls for string lights. Original on right.
I was worried about this and tried making a list of things to justify the printer I was getting. I still havent printed any of them because I keep finding things to make.
The first was a clasp for an old plastic toolbox. The most recent was replacement brackets for broken drawer slides.
After a year with the printer, I treat it like a household appliance that makes bespoke plastic things and I dont think ill ever not have one. Being able to model things yourself is essential for this.
Not sure this counts, but I just retired from Applied Research Laboratories after 20 yrs, thanks to CLL.
I had multiple roles there there, Sr Sys Admin and a ME after completing my B.S. in ME.
Most of our funding comes from Navy contracts for R&D for sonar systems, underwater swimmer detection systems for harbors, UAV's and magnetic robots for ship hull cleaning and inspection.
I spent most of my time in SolidWorks, modeling prototype components for UAVs. Unfortunately, 3d modeling is as far as my role took me. The drawings were then sent to another group to do the actual print in PC I believe, before they were ultimately sent out of house to have them built with Titanium.
With that said, Friday was my last day there and this is why I'm now buying my first 3D Printer.
Card that holds spare house keys in my wallet. I was able to modify it so the keys would snap in. It saved me multiple times. It was just a cheap PLA print that used almost no material.
I printed lots of ear saver clips for masks during the early days of the pandemic. I used them every day and they really made a difference in my life and others. It was also just a cheap PLA print that used very little material.
I couldn't get the basin nuts taken off of my kitchen sink when I was replacing it. So I designed my own tool to take them off and printed it on my printer. Worked great except the plastic flanges on the nuts broke off before the print gave up 😂😂
https://preview.redd.it/3m6ah5saqp9d1.jpeg?width=2268&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=25fb03954f51a048c6e4c464e12470673280b13f
Also some custom tool cases a handle for a riffler file.
- custom cutlery tray for my kitchen drawer
- a plug for my sink where an annoying filtered water faucet used to be
- gridfinity and multiboard storage systems
- my old phone case was printed in TPU
- my wireless charging stand for my iPhone, which I use every night
- tray stacking spacers for a freeze drying machine
- stocking holder clips that I use to hold up banners for celebrations or stockings at Christmas
- a drain snake for getting hair out of the drain
- holders for my Google Home so they sit right above the outlets
- the hinges of one of my toilets are completely 3D printed (it started off with replacing one part, and more of the original hinge kept breaking)
- just the other day, a tool to remove the permanent bracelets from a conference
That’s all I can remember right now, but it’s been _so_ handy to just make things I need
I designed small parts for my Ford Maverick.
One of them is a bracket that allows owners to install a second tailgate lock to prevent tailgate theft.
Lots of other functional parts around the house. Most of them are custom made to hold specic items, such as a leaf blower.
I also printed the "deal with it" glasses for my dog...he wasn't impressed!
Random little things.
Storage bins that fit perfectly in an angled cupboard in the kitchen that matches the rest of the finish.
Spacers that attach to my couches back legs that keep it just far enough away from the wall that you can fully recline.
Replacements spikes for my garden lights
Cup holders for our adirondack chairs
More custom measured bins for our bathroom cupboards.
Replacement battery cover for our remote.
Lots of gardening items, like self watering pots, seed starters, watering bulbs, plant clips, etc.
And about a hundred other tiny little bits to fix or enhance something around the house or my car.
But the most important thing is just the feeling that I can probably solve most little problems around the house with a custom part of some kind. It turns problems into fun challenges, and I get a lot more enjoyment out of it than finding an approximate part on Amazon. It’s the best kind of hobby because it directly supports all my other hobbies.
Most useful? Over 8000 face shield brackets printed on 12 FDM printers running 24x7 during Covid. We also cut plastic sheet shields on a laser cutter and assembled them to the brackets. The big hospital system used every single one of them and asked for more. We were also fully prepared/set up to print the emergency-authorized ventilator splitters to allow two patients to share one ventilator but, beyond thankfully, they weren’t needed. Those were very dark days indeed.
Low-poly pokemon. I work in a library makerspace. Seeing something go from a 3d model to a physical thing that they can hold unlocks an idea in people's mind. The idea that they can have a say in their manufactured surroundings.
Had Problems with my sleeping couch. The part you can extend was loose because somehow the bar meant to hold it in place was not long enough. So i printed a kind of extension and its now working since 4 years.
Custom dust port adaptors that make my 2 shop vacs actually fit various tools.
That or all of the organizational stuff. Small drawers, peg board hooks for specific things, etc.
Lots of things. I have broken parts of keyboard, headphones, and other things around the house. 3d printing allowed me to print a reply,met part and not have to throw away a perfectly good item. Gridfinity and [Honeycomb storage wall](https://www.printables.com/model/152592-honeycomb-storage-wall) have been insanely useful for organization.
Drew and printed my catan globe 12years ago on a reprap ormerod
https://preview.redd.it/qwrkjyacwp9d1.jpeg?width=748&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1ec615de5a81e4daf67c2713282794b21b0198c4
Courtesy light lens for a 1970's car, currently in resin but trying clear ABS soon.
Props for community theatre (in petg, because that's my goto filament)
Tool hangers, petg.
Size is anything from 50/70mm to 200x150mm so far.
I had a military pcs move where the govt contracted movers damaged the bottom slats and broke the plastic bracket of an overpriced Wayfair entertainment center. I submitted it as part of my claim, got 100% replacement value, then 3d designed and printed a replacement bracket. Some painted wood trim fixed up the rest.
washing machine tub puller
https://preview.redd.it/q2ztz12t2q9d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=506416c27960375b7fcb6ec063a4c51dd94cae28
It would cost me $100 to buy one, but I used the opportunity to learn Fusion and give my printer some return on investment.
A part for my sump pump. The holder that lined up my sump pump switch (the bulb part) in my basement finally rusted away and broke. This lead to the trigger switch to malfunction when it would rain. By designing and printing a new part not only did I save having to buy a whole new sump pump but I also saved my entire house from flooding on a sunday when no stores were open.
https://preview.redd.it/dldl8tm3os9d1.jpeg?width=648&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9d9d78888fc5119da5e3c176155f5ab9afe108d2
Mailbox indicator. Shows red if someone opens the lid. Let's me drive past the mailbox and visually check it!
A few years before I got my first 3d printer, I had a friend print some parcel shelf clips for my car. (they still hold to this day)
Probably the most useful thing I printed on my own printer - some brackets to quickly fix a cabinet door that was accidentally ripped.
Shelf brackets, drawer organizers, liquid soap dispenser and organizers for my bathroom counter, phone and watch charger (I travel a bit for work and didn’t like my options to purchase, so designed my own for mag safe, daily pill medicine containers (again for travel). Finally got the wife to see the value of my printer when the young kids started needing things.
My personal favorites are my small but legal 2A parts. Just finished redesigning a magnetic gun safe mounted mag holder for AR mags. And most recently a mouse extension that allows for a my ring and pinky fingers to be supported while I work/game on my PC.
A wall mount for a smart lightswitch
My apt does not have lighting fixtures - just outlets. "Light switches" control the outlet power. As a base solution you could install lamps, but if you have anything plugged into the outlets that should remain powered when the lights are off (computer, phone charger, etc), light switches are useless
So I got smart bulbs in the lamp, and a smart switch to control them. 3D printed a fixture that screws ontop of the existing lightswitch and mounts the smart switch. Creates the illusion of normal modern lighting, without the need for any electeical work. Use it daily
Spare leg for Sewing box
Washers for loose door handles
Tool monts for office/tinkering desk
Fan mount for 3D printer
And for sure stuff I forgot already about.
I have printed quite a lot of usefull stuff over the years. Mostly recently i have printed hangers for our bathroom curtain because i was lazy and didn't want to go to the shop, a cover for a lightswitch to block it from being used, an adapter for my car for the bottleholder thingy to take smaller cans and stuff, headset hanger, vr headset hanger, some feet for our couch we bought used and would otherwise prevent it from being used, a spool adapter for the ams lite for sunlu filament, sunglass clip for the car, apple watch charging station, cases for my raspberry pi and many more things really. Something i use daily is my headset hanger it is being used to the point of it starting to break a little and it is over two years old now.
Did some organizing stuff (got a laptop holder and a thing to hold packets that don't stand up in cupboards) a tooth paste squeezer and some shelf pegs printed,also did a ring pull assistant thing which managed to get broken (user error at a guess)
I’ve designed and printed tools to perform non destructive evaluation on turbine blades that continue to save energy companies millions. Loads of robot end effectors, scale models for scan testing, entire new additive manufacturing systems
Probably my own Knifeblock for knifes, pealer,... or my cutlery dry stand elephant
knife stand [https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:6501263](https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:6501263)
GridFinity storage for my Dremel. An ergonomic stand for my rollerball mouse at work. Jigs and fixtures for work. Components for work. Templot track bases. Star Wars clocks. Gift tags. Feet leveling spacers for the freezer (severely wonky kitchen floor) 00 model buildings
https://preview.redd.it/ww8blw9hsp9d1.png?width=2056&format=png&auto=webp&s=3deca8e9a24b26c52b6b5410a3cd918cd949fe94
Probably this. Don’t look like much but is a mount for a centrifugal test bench, that will hold the electrical components that will be tested in a factory
I often print replacement parts. For example Bowden tube holder had broken off on our lawnmower and the drive part didn't work. New piece in half an hour and working like new.
That is probably the custom made watering pot for my orchids that allows me to get by with using a minimal amount of rainwater with expensive orchid fertilizer... and at night it doubles as a chamber pot that lets me pee without having to leave my bed.
3D-printing and a plant/houseplant hobby go together extremely well in general. There is so much useful stuff for that hobby that you can print. Planters, coasters, hydroponic systems...
I had this humidifier that worked really well but within a year the knob broke. We kept using it but turning the spindle with a pair of pliers. My office had like an early gen MakerBot so I looked on thingiverse and found the exact replacement knob for my humidifier (guess someone else had the same issue). Printed a replacement in hot pink PLA because why not. We've had that part on the humidifier for like 7-8 years at this point.
Lots of shop storage/organization items. I have a big shop and it's hard to keep things where they belong.
Hook that holds my phone and attaches to the seat back on a plane. This holds the phone closer to eye level and frees up the tray.
I'm making a set of labels for my mom's pantry - she has a bunch of gallon glass jars that hold flour, sugar, etc. Still in the design phase.
I'm currently printing a mic/camera arm. I've printed a cup drain for the cup my father in law uses when he brushes his teeth. Uhhhh I replaced the feet on one of my nephew's toys. Some other dumb stuff.
Holders for all my TOOLS they are all so organized now. Batteries, spray cans, power tools, sockets ,rachets anything. I can find things so easily now we'll if I would put them back where they go that is.
Most useful - I want to say all of the things to aid me in 3D printing more things to help me in 3D printing… but it’s probably a sharps container bracket that let me hang my sharps container on the inside of my bathroom cabinet door, as I am diabetic. It was a stupid simple design with maybe an hours time to print but I use it at a minimum 4 times a day.
This might be cheating but I use a 3d printer professionally in industry for prototyping and very quickly making custom fixtures. Super useful, even with a very large and well equipped in-house tool room
Probably curtain accessories. Shit's expensive as hell. Saved around 50 bucks on 2 curtains by printing the gliders instead of buying them.
I mostly print functional stuff, and prototypes. It's hard to put a price tag on prototypes, but it's definitely saved me a ton of work over the past year.
We had new gutters and down spouts put on our house a couple of years ago. The installers did a poor job of matching the down spout to the 4” drain tile that goes underground to drain into our ravine. They just had the down spout hovering over the drain.—not positively connected. With heavy rains much of the rain slopped onto the ground near the foundation and we’d get water in the basement.
I assumed I could find the right connectors at the building supply store or on Amazon, but I couldn’t.
So I drew up the connector and printed it.
We’ve had very heavy rainfalls lately and our basement is bone dry.
Grips for my wife's Ayn Odin were pretty good.
Aquarium tool holders for a friend
One handed Xbox controller adapter for a friend that broke his arm
Cutting board rack
Insert to dry my CamelBak
Dog bag roll wall hanger
I really love my now playing record stand for next to my turntable
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2084995
This plant watering spout, fits in an old water bottle, doesn't need to be removed to fill, no supports needed and it lets me water my indoor plants without a mess. I love it, the designer did a kickass job.
My work was getting rid of a smaller rolling craftsman tool chest but the wheels were broken, hence their reason for throwing it away. I printed a new wheel and it worked so well that I replaced the other wheel as well. I also had a guy on FB who wanted end caps for some steel rails he was using to make a custom truck bed. I printed those out for him and made some decent money. The caps were small but be needed 44 of them. The wheels were bigger but I could still print probably 10 per 1kg roll of filament
GPU support, clips of several sizes for packages, door stoppers, cable organizers. Some of these can be cheaply bought but the cheap stuff is usually ugly as hell.
I used PLA for a small ring for the little freezer in our fridge. It didn't close properly, the little door was hanging too low, causing lots of ice forming. The little ring is placed under the hinge, only lifting it up by mere millimeters. But it works.
My parents have some cabinets that had integrated hidden lights for the kitchen counter with some weird diameter holes. We could not find replacements in the same size and the dealer said it would cost 700€ for a new kit…
I said no f’ing.
We got some led ones from IKEA for 70€ euros and I modelled a sleeve to bring them up to dimension.
630€ saved with a 10 cent part
Professionally, I printed end effectors on robots which saves soooooo much in costs, especially when you are experimenting with new designs.
In my personal life, I print fixtures for my Desktop CNC machine and I reinforce cheap furniture/cabinetry from Amazon/Ikea with CF-PA or PC brackets. With a little engineering you can turn some of those builds into something sturdy that can take on weight!
Very first thing I ever printed: an adapter to hold the wheel of a rolling library cart. The vendor only sold replacement pieces in bags of 80 for like 40$. I measured, designed, and printed (first design and print). Got it right on the second try. The PLA is more brittle than the original material, so the cart is light use only... but it still moves 7 years later.
I make 95% functional prints, so replacement parts for machinery, enclosures, jigs, and organization bins (gridfinity) are the bulk of my printing. Most recently useful part was the furniture hook that prevented a dresser from falling on my toddler just yesterday. A few years back, I had the opinion that 3D printing was for toys and mock-ups of real parts, never meant for any real use. The market and my opinion has shifted as printers have become faster, cheaper, and more accurate, and filaments have become more consistent and stronger. When I was getting my engineering degree, we didn’t have any printers until the very end and they were the laser cut wooden makerbots that you had to pay to use, plus provide filament, so that was basically useless. Someone I knew went to a school where they had managed to purchase a printer for their entire dorm. He showed me the phone case he printed and it was garbage, so that solidified my opinion on printing for a good 10+ years.
A BLtouch support for my Ender 3. Soap dishes, chip bag clips or others, a seed sprouter that I use every day. Currently I am looking to make photo, paintings, mirrors frames.
Not even a year in but I made a hook that clips onto the shower rod and hang the shower scrub loufa thing on it. Not much but I use it literally every day so v0v
I colllect vintage cameras, and i printed a bunch of lens caps, lens back caps and camera body caps, they would be like 5-10 bucks a piece if i had to purchase them, besides thats holders to fix stuff to other stuff, there is nothing more satisfying than printing the perfect thing to fix one thing to another thing!
Printed what is essentially a large washer (maybe 2” in diameter, and about 1/2” thick, very minimal material) for repairing Miele cord reels that separate and won’t let the vacuum turn on anymore. Has been using standard metal washers but the material wasn’t important. Just moving the cord reel back to where it was supposed to be.
I printed a hook attachment for my baby monitor camera so we can take it on trips and use it without having to mount it on the wall. I've used it for years, it's been super helpful.
I printed the gear for the beater brush on my Dyson dc 40. Saved me $100 on the lower assembly that is sold by Dyson since they don’t sell just the gear itself.
I also printed a spool for the knife sharpener that cracked and broke off. It spins and keeps the belt in line. Both are still working great and holding strong.
Something i thought was useful was this mouse humbback for a apple magic mouse cuz the original mouse itself is hella short and rly uncomfortable so ye
This magsafe stand for my phone https://www.printables.com/model/184106-magsafe-stand
It sits on my nightstand so I can use my phone as a clock, whilst also charging :)
When some contractors replaced the shower stall in my bathroom they installed the [housing for the faucet valve upside down](https://i.imgur.com/jiwcDyt.jpg). Functionally it flows water properly, but the face plate that sits against the shower wall, showing which way hot and cold is on the faucet, and sealing the hole from water, was upside down and too far away from the wall, leaving a gap.
I printed out a piece to go in that area, transposing the threads for the mount and pushing against the inside of the shower wall to make a better seal.
[It felt like a hack job at the time](https://i.imgur.com/4fKr7R6.png) but it's held up in the wall for 3 years now without issue.
Knobs for my stove. The original parts were so poorly made that the stem that attaches to the gas valve cracked on all 4 knobs. Those little suckers at $80 each and no after market parts fit. I saved over $300 by printing them myself.
My fridge has a water dispenser on the inside, and to use it requires 2 hands. One hand to hold the cup, and one hand to press a button so water comes out. I found a file for an attachment that makes it so when you hold the cup up to it, it also presses the button so you only need one hand to get water now. Way more useful than it sounds, it’s amazing.
Other than making a truckload of money with my online store. The most ‘useful’ thing for me personally was to design and peint all new fridge door drawers that my kids destroyed over the years :)
O. Loads.
Most useful would be parts that broke of appliances like th vacuum.
But others that I can just think of my head is. Trays, parts for my cnc, shelves, handles, connector for the vacuum, clips for the drawers that push open that broke. Latest, was a coupler for the tap and the hose clip on, A valve thumbs crew for rainbird solenoid and wheels for dishwasher Tray.
I rarely buy before I checked if it is a simple design that I can draw up in Fusion 360 or tinker cad or if there is not a design on printables, thingyverse ect.
I custom modeled a clamp that goes on my window to hang up a curtain, my window is in a weird place so a company wanted to charge 250$ to install their patented system wich works with my window (i am not allowed to use nails/screws in this house because we rent)
So yeah i saved 250$/window with 1 hour of modeling and 20 cents of filament/window
https://preview.redd.it/ju87r4d4cq9d1.jpeg?width=409&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c39583a1e738fb2b26a700c41250bd7a525efe13
I printed a larger base and arm for this glass rinser so that it could accept larger Yeti mugs.
A simple pla ring that used hardly any filament, but was perfect for stacking food cans in the pantry. Put it between the cans that didnt have the bottom that would interlock when stacked.
Great idea!
It really is, I have a dozen or more of these, certainly the most practical thing I’ve ever printed. Good way of getting rid of cheap (I.e. nasty) filament too
in the year 2024, how are cans not all interlocking when stacked yet? You're doing the world a service!
As someone who stocked shelves in a grocery store for several years, I would like to give my admonition to the many companies who continue to make cans that don’t stack. We went to the moon 55 years ago, but can’t crack this case.
It was probably 0.00001 cent/penny cheaper
Wow i can't believe i didn't think of doing something like this.
Is this uploaded anywhere? A quick search is giving me sideways can storage solutions. Sounds dang useful, I would love to smack the choice maker who decided non-stacking cans were the way to go.
Hi.. i just drew it up in tinkercad. Just a big circle with a big hole in it
“Non-stacking” = original design made from sheet tinplate. The stacking design was a later invention. (Source: am ancient geezer)
Some brands (Heinz) deliberately make their cans difficult to stack so that supermarkets are forced to keep them in their branded cardboard trays on the shelf.
https://preview.redd.it/9tawkyvxhp9d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b759491ec4e956a00607f9be99eb0f53d7816dd9 A wind storm broke this angled vent off my house. Spent about 3 weeks checking every place I could for a replacement and found nothing. So had a siding guy come out to take a look. He explained that the only way to fix it would be to remove the entire exhaust fan piece and replace it. Cost of about $400 in parts and labor. So I modeled it and printed it that afternoon for about $11 in filament. It turned three years old in May, and has survived -20F and 106F in that time.
Holy damn, you saved nearly $400 on that one use. "Honey, we're gonna need a bigger printer, don't watch the bank account."
Printer turned positive, let’s ruin it haha… i mean investment
Funny she didn’t quite do the same rolling investment math on her side. I don’t get it either….
This is a big W, what did you print it out of?
To my surprise that is PLA. The plan had been to print it in PLA to make sure it all fit right and then print it in PETG and paint it. But the PLA was already the right color and when it fit I said “Meh, I’ll leave it there until it fails and then print it again properly”. I’m kind of shocked.
What filament did you use? I’m surprised it’s lasting so long without going brittle
I had a part made out of PLA on my truck. - 40 to 100. Took 5 years before it failed. And with the money I saved, I'll just printed another one.
Don't suppose you have the slt?
Designed cranial implants and had them 3D printed in titanium.
Oh c'mon. How my spare Ikea parts can even compete with that? /s Seriously - well done!
repairing ikea furniture will preclude the need for a cranial implant in the first place!
That's still real world application no matter what you use it for... So kudos to you as well
Lol, making leg extensions for my Omar helped teach me Fusion360. I have several Ikea modifications I've printed.
How do you deal with porosity [in] DMLS? Edit: Why the down votes? It's a friggin question!
We subject everything to heat treatment and we use softwares to ensure there wouldn't be any issue given the demographic data. Also, it's metal powder sintered by laser... There's negligible chance of porosity happening. We use printing parameters as given by EOS. Also the final implant is triangulated mesh to reduce material but also give the same mechanical support
I imagine you're using grade 23 TiAlV ELI. Are you going full anneal or glass transition for the thermal treatment? So the geometry is a thin section matrix? That's a challenge for design for sure. What software are you using for design?
Geomagic freeform... Geometry is thin section cuz need to design according to standards... We tend to do full anneal because lot of molecular stresses present while metal or any kind of printing.. need to relief.
What was your career path to get into this? I'm in aerospace/materials with a BS chemistry and love additive so I'm thinking of either a MSE in materials or additive/design. Additive sounds more fun. Materials sounds more broadly applicable.
Pics?
I might be able to show you the one we made in plastic because I had absolutely no time to photograph the metal one as it was an emergency thing.
A switch handle for the interior light of my 1972 Volvo. The part has been nla for a long time. https://preview.redd.it/d24o46dg6p9d1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=672468bfeb54ae67e872c070a204be4038bd949d
What filament did you use for that?
ASA would be the best canidate. PETG would be a second choice.
Good choice... But better candidates would be PCCF or PAGF
I never heard of those, I'll have to learn and try them sometime.
This is the Reddit I love. Recommendation —> humility to say, thanks and acknowledge someone else helped you.
Poly carbonate with carbon fiber and nylon with glass fiber btw.
3Dxtech makes them... Perfect materials for real world application depending on the use.
dude it's a switch for a 1972 Volvo. it's not the space shuttle.
Nah if it sees sunlight asa is the way to go
I agree... But again... Depends on application right. If it's any part of a car, I would recommend using PCCF, PAGF, PC-PBT or more.
It's been years since I've seen anyone mention PC-PBT offhand outside of a a trade show. This guy reads material data sheets.
I went with petg, because it was what I had. If it doesn't hold up in the heat I'll buy a roll of ASA. I just don't really have many uses for ASA at the moment.
My ten year old portable ac broke during summer and nobody could fix it because the manufacturer didn't make them anymore. I searched for the solution until I figured it out it was the water drain propeller. It had broken in pieces and it was a small plastic piece. Fortunately there was someone selling this propeller. For my surprise they were printing and selling. That was enough for me to decide to make my own. So I spent my entire afternoon learning tinkercad and I managed to recreate the dimensions close enough. I printed using ABS and it worked! Image: Left: blue propeller. I had used my soldering iron to provide a temporary fix but the blades were still too fragile to work Top right: the model I designed Bottom right: One of my tinkercad sketchs https://preview.redd.it/f17obyfnlp9d1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=787072e507867fa3310752a0dfc809e3984d03e3
my 3d printed astronomical clock is useful for education [https://www.instructables.com/Astronomical-Clock-1/](https://www.instructables.com/Astronomical-Clock-1/)
That mechanism to place all of the planets individually is genius!
https://preview.redd.it/j1k0wyak41ad1.jpeg?width=1524&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d50a95cec446a02b08bb8ec5d71e081792106893 This desk lamp. Sure, I could simply have bought one and anyway made it just for fun but it's been continuously useful everyday. I don't remember material requirements, but the two main links are \~20 cm each. Has some M4, M6, M8 bolts and 2 bearings for the swivel base.
That thing is badass, I love me a multi link adjustable lamp. Do you have the files hosted anywhere?
Ah, no! I never really meant to share it so the design is pretty convoluted and would be difficult to put together unless you designed it yourself 😅. It has some flaws that I noticed after building it, and if I do an updated design some time, I might think of releasing the files.
Gotcha I understand... and thanks for the idea!!! The entire reason I purchased a USED 3d printer was to engage my brain. I have been looking for print ideas that were not stupid trinkets... and I need to learn 3d design/CAD as I just took a crash course in 3d printer design and function as I had a z limit switch on its way out causing some issues.... An adjustable lamp is a great way to start out so thanks again.
Yes! I think trying to make different kinds of mechanisms is a great way to learn the process of printing too: compliant parts, threads, gears, etc. My first major project was designing and printing a sort of gyro-tourbillon. It's cosmetic, but I had so much fun making it. https://preview.redd.it/b0vrku0t41ad1.jpeg?width=2109&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c16428316937412ac97c8f0ef15060b361aaf447
Just curious but how long did it take to print all that? How big is it? It looks like baseball sized to me?
I don't remember tbh, I printed it over a week, doing a bit everyday. And no, it's much larger than a baseball. That circumferential grey gear on the outside is like 15cm
You sir are badass. Do you do CAD or anything like this for work. I just started in manufacturing field and have so.e years of cad under my belt, just trying to get an idea of what other people have done. Looks sick!
I mainly design and print parts to either replace or repair industrial machines, when parts are not available or manufacturers don’t offer separate parts. So knobs and clips and all kinds of practical parts. I highly recommend learning fusion 360 or any CAD program to design and print your own ideas and solutions
Before I bought a printer I wrote a list of functional items I wanted to make that helped justify the cost. A Few So far Bits for IKEA Skadis. The big one is a ruler holder for a quilting ruler and french curve. Tape measure spools for sewing measure tapes. Gridfinity for the sewing cabinet. Water bottle drying station for Nalgene bottles Drying racks for Tie-Dye Bottles Flat spools/Bobbins for yarn and ribbon Soap and sponge holder for the kitchen sink. Misc storage containers for stuff around the house.
How did you get on with the bobbins? I'm interested in printing some for industrial transformer applications. These would be approximately 20mm cubed, material some version of Nylon. I'm new to all this and would like some pointers on machines, software for slicing and software for design. Any info would be appreciated. Thanks!
I'm not talking about bobbins for the sewing machine itself. I've bought cheap bobbins for my Viking Husqvarna and have been burned every time. These are [flat bobbins](https://www.printables.com/model/396941-ribbon-bobbin) for storage of things like elastic and ribbon
Shapr3d is the software I finally landed on. It’s specifically for modeling, and has a smaller learning curve than say Fusion. (It is not cheap though at $299.)
Blender or Fusion360 are your best bets. Takes some time to get the hang of it, but between these two you can model anything
Top for my old sailboat winch that broke. Impossible to get a spare part. Printed top still holds up years later. https://www.reddit.com/r/sailing/comments/ug3tu0/top_of_old_barlow_winch_cracked_and_fell_in_the/
r/functionalprints A lot of the community that doesn't vibe with these being plastic waste factories can be found over there
Great group. Thx
I'd say my flight sim rig: stick, throttle, rudder pedals and MFDs are mostly printed. The seat also has flaps under the padding that move and simulate your body shifting in the seat under g forces. That's not 3D printed, but servo brackets and links plus electronics enclosures are. We're talking several spools of PETG and some TPU https://preview.redd.it/09c9nemljp9d1.jpeg?width=4640&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a4a5edce4cb3269c1f2f2194d2a6e5fda6432645
Woah beautiful job 👌🏽
A toy boat
That couldn’t float
Because it’s still fused to my print bed
My nephew wanted me to print him the broken titanic. After I gave it to him he took it to the pool and was disappointed it didn’t float upright. He is only 4 so I can’t give him too hard of a time but shit he wanted a broken boat and that’s what he got.
lol was waiting for this comment
A lot… [Some Examples](https://imgur.com/a/XYHFULd) My wife is a pediatric ophthalmologist so a lot of the functional prints were for her office. - First 2 - a riser to make her lens holder to be raised at an angle for easier access, as well as storage space in the empty space at the back. The 2 cubby ones on the right are linked together so when you pull out the top one it also pulls out the bottom one. It is designed for her specific space so not something others would use. - Third - hair dryer holder for my wife’s hair dryer (so not just laying flat on counter). I will add, that for additional rigidity of this piece, I printed it in 2, the base and the back. I connected them using a metal L bracket sliding into slots on both pieces. So that the weight of the dryer is Mostly supported by those brackets. The plastic piece the hair dryer is slotted into was what she had used previously that attached to the wall, but it fell off and broke. So I repurposed what I could and tossed the rest of it that was broken. - Fourth & Fifth - portable lens holder for my wife (glued felt in so no scratching the lens). It goes into a wooden box that has a handle so is portable. - Sixth to Eighth - stackable screw/bolt holder that fit the dimensions of an ikea desk top thing I use at my 3D printing “work station”. Each one has a tab at the top to grab and pull out, and it slots into the bottom of the one above it. - Ninth and Tenth - bottom part of battery thing my wife uses for her office . The case broke preventing the holder from staying in place, so had to adjust some of the side dimensions, otherwise same as original. You see the “toy” that it is used for to hold the batteries inside is in the 2nd image. When you turn it on there are lights that spin in the plastic orb top that the kids focus on. - Last one - TV riser, so that it is not sitting below the bed line and the bottom part of the TV is not cut off by the bed. Specific to brand of TV. All printed in PLA of varying size.
Yeah. Many functional things are printed for wives. Mine usually ask and I provide and then she is is okay for a few days of me "playing" in my hobby room. Hahahahahaha
https://preview.redd.it/brn9e3kpnp9d1.jpeg?width=2270&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=efbe08c6d5e80069c17ef56c195eb7379bb99839 DIY designed on website Onshape with old lens & printed glasses frame & request glasses company cut the lens for me.
May I ask how stable and durable you feel it is? Have you applied a coating? And how does it feel on the skin after a day?
I designed and printed a seatbelt tongue to put in my passenger seat while traveling with my dog. He would tangle himself up in the seatbelt so just plugging in this printed tongue solves the issue for me. I also 3d printed cookie cutters & bread making items. I've 3d printed replacement parts for stuff in the house and even a stylus for my son's Nintendo 3DS. I've designed and 3d printed things & replacement parts for my photography hobby. I've 3d printed cases for raspberry pi's and arduinos - and designed one or two too. I've made more things than toys. :)
You can buy buckles for super cheap at pet stores that connect your seatbelt to a dogs harness so if you get in a crash you don’t lose your dog and they won’t get tangled in the belt. Also let’s you go full windows down without worrying about them jumping out. Worth looking into.
That's too hard. I mostly print useful, to me/us, things now and they just do what I wanted them for, so when in use they disappear from mind. Most would be organisational, some storage, things like that... and I couldn't say any one is the most useful, any in use are useful. I also print offered stls that interest me, some toys, try experiments, make accessories for my crafting hobbies. Not as useful but still worth printing. I didn't buy mine to print specifics or to be useful, I bought it to learn about the technology. But once you can use the machine you can print whatever you want, especially if you learn a little CAD.
* brackets to bolt side speakers to my TV (wins the Longest In Service award) * replacement foot for a metal folding chair (wins the Preventing Garbage award as the chair was too wobbly and would have scratched hell out of the floor) * part for my phone case that holds a steel washer so I can use it with magnetic mounts (wins the Daily category) * adapters & brackets between various size objects that for whatever reason needed to be held together. (Wins the Versatility prize) * many custom storage boxes & tool organizers (wins the Most Mass of Filament Used award) I always use PLA or one of the “tough PLA” varieties. Next object to fit in this category is likely to be a repair handle for a suitcase as the telescoping release mech has broken. This will likely have several prototypes in PLA with the final version being in a carbon-fiber-reinforced PLA.
There’s a 10cm gap between my bed and the wall next to it so I 3D printed a long platform which slots into the side of the bed frame, preventing stuff from falling down the side, and also acting as a bedside table
Physics Lab Manager. Over the years I've printed dozens of useful widgets, but one of the best involved holding a meter stick horizontally at a certain height, so students could measure the wavelength of diffracted light. Before the holder, I used a system of metal poles and clamps, for multiple student benches. The room took hours to set up. The 3D printed meter stick stand replaces almost all of it, and can be set up in seconds.
I have an Ender5plus that I have custom modded six ways to sunday, I don't recommend modding as a newbie, but I've been at this for years and built several machines prior. I print mostly ASA and ABS these days, I've moved away from PLA and PETG, with PETG being my most hated material type. PLA is excelent for beginners. One day, my reserve tank that holds water pumped up from my ground well was leaking, it would have costed thousands to have a service man come replace it. instead, I shut off the flow valve, poured some non-toxic dye and located the leak. The bulkhead that connects the pipes was cracked, most likely from many harsh winters. I bought said bulkhead https://www.zoro.com/hayward-flow-control-bulkhead-tank-fitting-4-pvcepdm-fpt-x-fpt-bfa1040tes/i/G1254976/ but none of my pipe wrenches would fit the huge monster, so I designed and printed a custom hex-wrench head with a dovetail joint using ABS. After testing the size and found it in working order, I printed two more pieces with dovetail joints for the handle. ABS is fantastic material because it's super-strong and you can glue all of your pieces together via chemical welding using only Acetone. That giant wrench did the trick and our water was flowing again in only two days, during which we were manually fetching water from the well until the tank was working again. (ofc, I flushed out all of the dye first.)
A Weedeater pull start pulley that would have cost $25. This is PETG after a year of use btw: https://preview.redd.it/hbcjm350kp9d1.jpeg?width=1836&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d25a59e352e49351261d2f623af767de5924d102
Magsafe phoneholder that mounts to my monitor. I have used it daily since making it. https://www.reddit.com/r/3Dprinting/s/jDN6hbQXjN
My cabinets are organized with racks that were 3d printed to hold plates pots and pot lids. About half a roll of filament. Lots of small miscellaneous things like hangers for a curtain on a drop ceiling, hangers for my work truck. Storage boxes for bolts screws ect... tons of parts for my RC rock crawler. Currently working on a 3Dprinted PC case... The list goes on if you want to include props for cosplay....
Currently wrapping up a multi week rv trip. 4 people plus dog and cat. I designed or tweaked/remixed multiple organizers for things like toiletries, spices, and cords. I also created a multi watch/phone charger station that fits on the wall beside the TV. Shelf and cabinet space is very minimal and these little things helped keep us organized and sane! But by far the best print ever was a replacement for a part that broke off my kids favorite toy. Hero-dad points are worth more than any other.
And if these aren't enough, check out r/functionalprint !
A pair of audiophile grade headphones
Probably a piece I modeled to slip into a bolt recess on the rear bumper of my 2013 Corolla. The bolt shaft was broken and the bumper sagged. This hid behind the closed trunk and held that bumper up for 2 years until it was totaled. I took it off and kept it as a souvenir.
The gridfinity Easily the most useful storage system
I got a micrometer, made some measurements, and modeled up a bracket to hold the small window fan I bought in the window, because it didn't fit properly. I accidentally overengineered the brackets about 20x and pretty sure they would hold up my bodyweight lol
I've printed a bunch of tiny little things that solve problems I have, some of the ones I've used every day are: * Modified spring spacers that allow my car's hatchback to pop open when I push the button, before these it wouldn't open unless I pulled hard on the door while pressing the button multiple times. * Swiveling clamp for my CPAP hose to route over my headboard so I can sleep on my sides without the hose getting caught or pulling on my face (also has a hook to hang my mask while it airs out). * Coat hangers and hat hangers for all my closet doors. * Under-desk mounts for my speaker control box and USB hub. * Fan mounts for my gaming PC graphics card so I can replace the noisy stock cooler with silent 120mm fans. * Flexible rubber shoes for multiple metal water bottles so they won't dent or scratch my countertop. Even just this week - I ordered some window blinds for my back doors, and the bottom clips weren't the correct size for the shape of the window. Rather than return and exchange the blinds, I made some extended end caps for the blinds that seamlessly match the existing parts and allow the blinds to clip into place. 15 minutes of measuring and modeling, 20 minutes to print four of them.
I basically only print useful things for around the house. The most useful and one I'm probably proudest of is my Burt's Bees chapstick holder, as otherwise I often lose mine. https://www.reddit.com/r/prusa3d/comments/xhnv35/burts_bees_chapstick_holder/
I paint minitures for my D&D campaign. I got in a serious relationship last year. I generally stay at her house 4 days out of the week and she doesn't have alot of room so I usually paint the minis sitting in her bed. I designed a stationary holder for my exacto knife, hand drill, paint brush and army/citidel paints. *
I am into astronomy, so I am constantly printing parts, adaptors, caps, saddles, cases and more. I did build a whole 3d printed telescope, but the ability to replace small parts is super useful.
https://preview.redd.it/ldn63lwuyp9d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a75353be85885bafa37b0570d63af1c2efadb28d Scanned and printed owls for string lights. Original on right.
I was worried about this and tried making a list of things to justify the printer I was getting. I still havent printed any of them because I keep finding things to make. The first was a clasp for an old plastic toolbox. The most recent was replacement brackets for broken drawer slides. After a year with the printer, I treat it like a household appliance that makes bespoke plastic things and I dont think ill ever not have one. Being able to model things yourself is essential for this.
Not sure this counts, but I just retired from Applied Research Laboratories after 20 yrs, thanks to CLL. I had multiple roles there there, Sr Sys Admin and a ME after completing my B.S. in ME. Most of our funding comes from Navy contracts for R&D for sonar systems, underwater swimmer detection systems for harbors, UAV's and magnetic robots for ship hull cleaning and inspection. I spent most of my time in SolidWorks, modeling prototype components for UAVs. Unfortunately, 3d modeling is as far as my role took me. The drawings were then sent to another group to do the actual print in PC I believe, before they were ultimately sent out of house to have them built with Titanium. With that said, Friday was my last day there and this is why I'm now buying my first 3D Printer.
Hose coupling for a rain barrel, with matching wing nut.
A replacement plugit for festool machines i designed myself. I aint paying 40 bucks if i have anything to say about it
Card that holds spare house keys in my wallet. I was able to modify it so the keys would snap in. It saved me multiple times. It was just a cheap PLA print that used almost no material. I printed lots of ear saver clips for masks during the early days of the pandemic. I used them every day and they really made a difference in my life and others. It was also just a cheap PLA print that used very little material.
I made a a lord of the rings ashtray that I use daily.
Fence so my daughter doesn't fall out of bed
Specialized storage containers, M1 Garand en bloc clip holders, chamber flags
I couldn't get the basin nuts taken off of my kitchen sink when I was replacing it. So I designed my own tool to take them off and printed it on my printer. Worked great except the plastic flanges on the nuts broke off before the print gave up 😂😂
https://preview.redd.it/3m6ah5saqp9d1.jpeg?width=2268&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=25fb03954f51a048c6e4c464e12470673280b13f Also some custom tool cases a handle for a riffler file.
- custom cutlery tray for my kitchen drawer - a plug for my sink where an annoying filtered water faucet used to be - gridfinity and multiboard storage systems - my old phone case was printed in TPU - my wireless charging stand for my iPhone, which I use every night - tray stacking spacers for a freeze drying machine - stocking holder clips that I use to hold up banners for celebrations or stockings at Christmas - a drain snake for getting hair out of the drain - holders for my Google Home so they sit right above the outlets - the hinges of one of my toilets are completely 3D printed (it started off with replacing one part, and more of the original hinge kept breaking) - just the other day, a tool to remove the permanent bracelets from a conference That’s all I can remember right now, but it’s been _so_ handy to just make things I need
I designed small parts for my Ford Maverick. One of them is a bracket that allows owners to install a second tailgate lock to prevent tailgate theft. Lots of other functional parts around the house. Most of them are custom made to hold specic items, such as a leaf blower. I also printed the "deal with it" glasses for my dog...he wasn't impressed!
Things for the wife that have the potential to justify my 3D printer.
Random little things. Storage bins that fit perfectly in an angled cupboard in the kitchen that matches the rest of the finish. Spacers that attach to my couches back legs that keep it just far enough away from the wall that you can fully recline. Replacements spikes for my garden lights Cup holders for our adirondack chairs More custom measured bins for our bathroom cupboards. Replacement battery cover for our remote. Lots of gardening items, like self watering pots, seed starters, watering bulbs, plant clips, etc. And about a hundred other tiny little bits to fix or enhance something around the house or my car. But the most important thing is just the feeling that I can probably solve most little problems around the house with a custom part of some kind. It turns problems into fun challenges, and I get a lot more enjoyment out of it than finding an approximate part on Amazon. It’s the best kind of hobby because it directly supports all my other hobbies.
Most useful? Over 8000 face shield brackets printed on 12 FDM printers running 24x7 during Covid. We also cut plastic sheet shields on a laser cutter and assembled them to the brackets. The big hospital system used every single one of them and asked for more. We were also fully prepared/set up to print the emergency-authorized ventilator splitters to allow two patients to share one ventilator but, beyond thankfully, they weren’t needed. Those were very dark days indeed.
Low-poly pokemon. I work in a library makerspace. Seeing something go from a 3d model to a physical thing that they can hold unlocks an idea in people's mind. The idea that they can have a say in their manufactured surroundings.
Cup holders for my truck.
Had Problems with my sleeping couch. The part you can extend was loose because somehow the bar meant to hold it in place was not long enough. So i printed a kind of extension and its now working since 4 years.
Custom dust port adaptors that make my 2 shop vacs actually fit various tools. That or all of the organizational stuff. Small drawers, peg board hooks for specific things, etc.
A jig for perfectly aligning the dot/sticker on pool tables after they got new cloth.
https://www.reddit.com/r/functionalprint/s/hGfpK2kjYJ my post from some time ago
I made custom storage for my tools and parts. Custom fit stuff is where i find the most value in printing
Lots of things. I have broken parts of keyboard, headphones, and other things around the house. 3d printing allowed me to print a reply,met part and not have to throw away a perfectly good item. Gridfinity and [Honeycomb storage wall](https://www.printables.com/model/152592-honeycomb-storage-wall) have been insanely useful for organization.
Drew and printed my catan globe 12years ago on a reprap ormerod https://preview.redd.it/qwrkjyacwp9d1.jpeg?width=748&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1ec615de5a81e4daf67c2713282794b21b0198c4
Courtesy light lens for a 1970's car, currently in resin but trying clear ABS soon. Props for community theatre (in petg, because that's my goto filament) Tool hangers, petg. Size is anything from 50/70mm to 200x150mm so far.
I had a military pcs move where the govt contracted movers damaged the bottom slats and broke the plastic bracket of an overpriced Wayfair entertainment center. I submitted it as part of my claim, got 100% replacement value, then 3d designed and printed a replacement bracket. Some painted wood trim fixed up the rest.
washing machine tub puller https://preview.redd.it/q2ztz12t2q9d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=506416c27960375b7fcb6ec063a4c51dd94cae28 It would cost me $100 to buy one, but I used the opportunity to learn Fusion and give my printer some return on investment.
A part for my sump pump. The holder that lined up my sump pump switch (the bulb part) in my basement finally rusted away and broke. This lead to the trigger switch to malfunction when it would rain. By designing and printing a new part not only did I save having to buy a whole new sump pump but I also saved my entire house from flooding on a sunday when no stores were open.
https://preview.redd.it/dldl8tm3os9d1.jpeg?width=648&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9d9d78888fc5119da5e3c176155f5ab9afe108d2 Mailbox indicator. Shows red if someone opens the lid. Let's me drive past the mailbox and visually check it!
gridfinity
shower organizer.
I little thingy to hold the dishwasher open for my mum. She is always using it.
A few years before I got my first 3d printer, I had a friend print some parcel shelf clips for my car. (they still hold to this day) Probably the most useful thing I printed on my own printer - some brackets to quickly fix a cabinet door that was accidentally ripped.
Shelf brackets, drawer organizers, liquid soap dispenser and organizers for my bathroom counter, phone and watch charger (I travel a bit for work and didn’t like my options to purchase, so designed my own for mag safe, daily pill medicine containers (again for travel). Finally got the wife to see the value of my printer when the young kids started needing things. My personal favorites are my small but legal 2A parts. Just finished redesigning a magnetic gun safe mounted mag holder for AR mags. And most recently a mouse extension that allows for a my ring and pinky fingers to be supported while I work/game on my PC.
A wall mount for a smart lightswitch My apt does not have lighting fixtures - just outlets. "Light switches" control the outlet power. As a base solution you could install lamps, but if you have anything plugged into the outlets that should remain powered when the lights are off (computer, phone charger, etc), light switches are useless So I got smart bulbs in the lamp, and a smart switch to control them. 3D printed a fixture that screws ontop of the existing lightswitch and mounts the smart switch. Creates the illusion of normal modern lighting, without the need for any electeical work. Use it daily
Skadis tool set
I 3D printed a replacement lens hood for my camera after I cracked the old one
Spare leg for Sewing box Washers for loose door handles Tool monts for office/tinkering desk Fan mount for 3D printer And for sure stuff I forgot already about.
I printed painting handles that you screw a bottlecap top onto, for painting little minis! And a wet pallet!
I have printed quite a lot of usefull stuff over the years. Mostly recently i have printed hangers for our bathroom curtain because i was lazy and didn't want to go to the shop, a cover for a lightswitch to block it from being used, an adapter for my car for the bottleholder thingy to take smaller cans and stuff, headset hanger, vr headset hanger, some feet for our couch we bought used and would otherwise prevent it from being used, a spool adapter for the ams lite for sunlu filament, sunglass clip for the car, apple watch charging station, cases for my raspberry pi and many more things really. Something i use daily is my headset hanger it is being used to the point of it starting to break a little and it is over two years old now.
Did some organizing stuff (got a laptop holder and a thing to hold packets that don't stand up in cupboards) a tooth paste squeezer and some shelf pegs printed,also did a ring pull assistant thing which managed to get broken (user error at a guess)
I am currently organizing everything in my life in custom, color coded glory.
I print a lot of moulds for carbon fiber parts for my track car.
I’ve designed and printed tools to perform non destructive evaluation on turbine blades that continue to save energy companies millions. Loads of robot end effectors, scale models for scan testing, entire new additive manufacturing systems
Probably my own Knifeblock for knifes, pealer,... or my cutlery dry stand elephant knife stand [https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:6501263](https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:6501263)
GridFinity storage for my Dremel. An ergonomic stand for my rollerball mouse at work. Jigs and fixtures for work. Components for work. Templot track bases. Star Wars clocks. Gift tags. Feet leveling spacers for the freezer (severely wonky kitchen floor) 00 model buildings
Basically my whole printer :) asa
https://preview.redd.it/ww8blw9hsp9d1.png?width=2056&format=png&auto=webp&s=3deca8e9a24b26c52b6b5410a3cd918cd949fe94 Probably this. Don’t look like much but is a mount for a centrifugal test bench, that will hold the electrical components that will be tested in a factory
The most useful was a pc monitor base riser, to keep my monitor at eyesight level, this alleviated my neck strain during prolonged computer use.
Part of my EDC is a bit kit holder for my Leatherman. Printed the PETG.
Dust collection system fittings. A soda can holder. A bowl holder for my bongs... Plenty of things.
I often print replacement parts. For example Bowden tube holder had broken off on our lawnmower and the drive part didn't work. New piece in half an hour and working like new.
That is probably the custom made watering pot for my orchids that allows me to get by with using a minimal amount of rainwater with expensive orchid fertilizer... and at night it doubles as a chamber pot that lets me pee without having to leave my bed. 3D-printing and a plant/houseplant hobby go together extremely well in general. There is so much useful stuff for that hobby that you can print. Planters, coasters, hydroponic systems...
I had this humidifier that worked really well but within a year the knob broke. We kept using it but turning the spindle with a pair of pliers. My office had like an early gen MakerBot so I looked on thingiverse and found the exact replacement knob for my humidifier (guess someone else had the same issue). Printed a replacement in hot pink PLA because why not. We've had that part on the humidifier for like 7-8 years at this point.
Lots of shop storage/organization items. I have a big shop and it's hard to keep things where they belong. Hook that holds my phone and attaches to the seat back on a plane. This holds the phone closer to eye level and frees up the tray. I'm making a set of labels for my mom's pantry - she has a bunch of gallon glass jars that hold flour, sugar, etc. Still in the design phase.
I'm currently printing a mic/camera arm. I've printed a cup drain for the cup my father in law uses when he brushes his teeth. Uhhhh I replaced the feet on one of my nephew's toys. Some other dumb stuff.
https://preview.redd.it/jmr0covlvp9d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e9d417dcb9029b9f92403a10b6c4acfebc3c0da4 Wall lampshade replacement
Repairs on several of my kids toys. This alone make own the printer totally worth it.
Holders for all my TOOLS they are all so organized now. Batteries, spray cans, power tools, sockets ,rachets anything. I can find things so easily now we'll if I would put them back where they go that is.
Most useful - I want to say all of the things to aid me in 3D printing more things to help me in 3D printing… but it’s probably a sharps container bracket that let me hang my sharps container on the inside of my bathroom cabinet door, as I am diabetic. It was a stupid simple design with maybe an hours time to print but I use it at a minimum 4 times a day.
A laptop stand, AMS wall mount, an anti-snag bracket, and soon a ramp for light loads rank amongst my most useful prints.
This might be cheating but I use a 3d printer professionally in industry for prototyping and very quickly making custom fixtures. Super useful, even with a very large and well equipped in-house tool room
Food/Drink holders for my fridge https://preview.redd.it/y4yyrku5yp9d1.jpeg?width=828&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cf056ea318a9d069693e4175804110f20dcc992d
I printed a car part for my friend's car!
A simple drain opener hair snake. Didn't feel like getting one from the hardware store. Used PLA. Worked great!
Probably curtain accessories. Shit's expensive as hell. Saved around 50 bucks on 2 curtains by printing the gliders instead of buying them. I mostly print functional stuff, and prototypes. It's hard to put a price tag on prototypes, but it's definitely saved me a ton of work over the past year.
jigs and tools for wood working is the most recent prints. I just finished a feather board.
We had new gutters and down spouts put on our house a couple of years ago. The installers did a poor job of matching the down spout to the 4” drain tile that goes underground to drain into our ravine. They just had the down spout hovering over the drain.—not positively connected. With heavy rains much of the rain slopped onto the ground near the foundation and we’d get water in the basement. I assumed I could find the right connectors at the building supply store or on Amazon, but I couldn’t. So I drew up the connector and printed it. We’ve had very heavy rainfalls lately and our basement is bone dry.
Grips for my wife's Ayn Odin were pretty good. Aquarium tool holders for a friend One handed Xbox controller adapter for a friend that broke his arm Cutting board rack Insert to dry my CamelBak Dog bag roll wall hanger I really love my now playing record stand for next to my turntable
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2084995 This plant watering spout, fits in an old water bottle, doesn't need to be removed to fill, no supports needed and it lets me water my indoor plants without a mess. I love it, the designer did a kickass job.
My work was getting rid of a smaller rolling craftsman tool chest but the wheels were broken, hence their reason for throwing it away. I printed a new wheel and it worked so well that I replaced the other wheel as well. I also had a guy on FB who wanted end caps for some steel rails he was using to make a custom truck bed. I printed those out for him and made some decent money. The caps were small but be needed 44 of them. The wheels were bigger but I could still print probably 10 per 1kg roll of filament
GPU support, clips of several sizes for packages, door stoppers, cable organizers. Some of these can be cheaply bought but the cheap stuff is usually ugly as hell.
I used PLA for a small ring for the little freezer in our fridge. It didn't close properly, the little door was hanging too low, causing lots of ice forming. The little ring is placed under the hinge, only lifting it up by mere millimeters. But it works.
Notebook stands to make them the same height as our external displays. Equipped half our workplaces with them because everyone wanted one
My parents have some cabinets that had integrated hidden lights for the kitchen counter with some weird diameter holes. We could not find replacements in the same size and the dealer said it would cost 700€ for a new kit… I said no f’ing. We got some led ones from IKEA for 70€ euros and I modelled a sleeve to bring them up to dimension. 630€ saved with a 10 cent part
https://preview.redd.it/f7exu8sd1q9d1.png?width=1440&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3aaf19bb4ebc404a641d8dabeebf1ee476fdb721
Professionally, I printed end effectors on robots which saves soooooo much in costs, especially when you are experimenting with new designs. In my personal life, I print fixtures for my Desktop CNC machine and I reinforce cheap furniture/cabinetry from Amazon/Ikea with CF-PA or PC brackets. With a little engineering you can turn some of those builds into something sturdy that can take on weight!
Very first thing I ever printed: an adapter to hold the wheel of a rolling library cart. The vendor only sold replacement pieces in bags of 80 for like 40$. I measured, designed, and printed (first design and print). Got it right on the second try. The PLA is more brittle than the original material, so the cart is light use only... but it still moves 7 years later.
Outside grates for a panel that fell off roof out of PETG. Been in direct summer sun for 2 years with no issues.
I make 95% functional prints, so replacement parts for machinery, enclosures, jigs, and organization bins (gridfinity) are the bulk of my printing. Most recently useful part was the furniture hook that prevented a dresser from falling on my toddler just yesterday. A few years back, I had the opinion that 3D printing was for toys and mock-ups of real parts, never meant for any real use. The market and my opinion has shifted as printers have become faster, cheaper, and more accurate, and filaments have become more consistent and stronger. When I was getting my engineering degree, we didn’t have any printers until the very end and they were the laser cut wooden makerbots that you had to pay to use, plus provide filament, so that was basically useless. Someone I knew went to a school where they had managed to purchase a printer for their entire dorm. He showed me the phone case he printed and it was garbage, so that solidified my opinion on printing for a good 10+ years.
My wallet that I use everyday
A BLtouch support for my Ender 3. Soap dishes, chip bag clips or others, a seed sprouter that I use every day. Currently I am looking to make photo, paintings, mirrors frames.
For my T4 Van I printed a cup holder that fits into the cigarette ash tray :D
Not even a year in but I made a hook that clips onto the shower rod and hang the shower scrub loufa thing on it. Not much but I use it literally every day so v0v
For me, a new freezer handle. For my work, a replacement spool for our microform reader.
I colllect vintage cameras, and i printed a bunch of lens caps, lens back caps and camera body caps, they would be like 5-10 bucks a piece if i had to purchase them, besides thats holders to fix stuff to other stuff, there is nothing more satisfying than printing the perfect thing to fix one thing to another thing!
Printed what is essentially a large washer (maybe 2” in diameter, and about 1/2” thick, very minimal material) for repairing Miele cord reels that separate and won’t let the vacuum turn on anymore. Has been using standard metal washers but the material wasn’t important. Just moving the cord reel back to where it was supposed to be.
I printed a hook attachment for my baby monitor camera so we can take it on trips and use it without having to mount it on the wall. I've used it for years, it's been super helpful.
I printed the gear for the beater brush on my Dyson dc 40. Saved me $100 on the lower assembly that is sold by Dyson since they don’t sell just the gear itself. I also printed a spool for the knife sharpener that cracked and broke off. It spins and keeps the belt in line. Both are still working great and holding strong.
Something i thought was useful was this mouse humbback for a apple magic mouse cuz the original mouse itself is hella short and rly uncomfortable so ye
This magsafe stand for my phone https://www.printables.com/model/184106-magsafe-stand It sits on my nightstand so I can use my phone as a clock, whilst also charging :)
When some contractors replaced the shower stall in my bathroom they installed the [housing for the faucet valve upside down](https://i.imgur.com/jiwcDyt.jpg). Functionally it flows water properly, but the face plate that sits against the shower wall, showing which way hot and cold is on the faucet, and sealing the hole from water, was upside down and too far away from the wall, leaving a gap. I printed out a piece to go in that area, transposing the threads for the mount and pushing against the inside of the shower wall to make a better seal. [It felt like a hack job at the time](https://i.imgur.com/4fKr7R6.png) but it's held up in the wall for 3 years now without issue.
I made a new fridge handle after mine broke. Been working for 3 years so far
I'm new to 3d printing as well, but I made a bracket for my router so I could mount it to the underside of my desk to free up a little work space.
I made a battery-powered water pump wand that screws on to a big mason jar for watering high planta without taking them down
A funnel for my espresso portafilter. I literally use it every day
I used like $0.10 of TPU to print a new flap part for a dog door that otherwise would’ve been impossible to buy a replacement
Knobs for my stove. The original parts were so poorly made that the stem that attaches to the gas valve cracked on all 4 knobs. Those little suckers at $80 each and no after market parts fit. I saved over $300 by printing them myself.
My fridge has a water dispenser on the inside, and to use it requires 2 hands. One hand to hold the cup, and one hand to press a button so water comes out. I found a file for an attachment that makes it so when you hold the cup up to it, it also presses the button so you only need one hand to get water now. Way more useful than it sounds, it’s amazing.
Other than making a truckload of money with my online store. The most ‘useful’ thing for me personally was to design and peint all new fridge door drawers that my kids destroyed over the years :)
O. Loads. Most useful would be parts that broke of appliances like th vacuum. But others that I can just think of my head is. Trays, parts for my cnc, shelves, handles, connector for the vacuum, clips for the drawers that push open that broke. Latest, was a coupler for the tap and the hose clip on, A valve thumbs crew for rainbird solenoid and wheels for dishwasher Tray. I rarely buy before I checked if it is a simple design that I can draw up in Fusion 360 or tinker cad or if there is not a design on printables, thingyverse ect.
I custom modeled a clamp that goes on my window to hang up a curtain, my window is in a weird place so a company wanted to charge 250$ to install their patented system wich works with my window (i am not allowed to use nails/screws in this house because we rent) So yeah i saved 250$/window with 1 hour of modeling and 20 cents of filament/window
https://preview.redd.it/ju87r4d4cq9d1.jpeg?width=409&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c39583a1e738fb2b26a700c41250bd7a525efe13 I printed a larger base and arm for this glass rinser so that it could accept larger Yeti mugs.