What useful things have you printed on a 3D printer?
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@infiniteloop these sound awesome - do you have a blog or other place you document these projects?
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@elmoret Sorry, no time to blog as long as I make
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@dc42 the first useful thing I remember printing was a clip. A simple clip. I had a PC case that I really liked - an aluminium ($$$ at the time) Lian Li ATX or similar PC case. It had a removable front that was just clipped on with four clips; you removed the front in order to get at the fan filters for cleaning. Anyway, after a while the clips broke, one by one. At some point the front really didn't stay on any more and I was considering the $$$ options for a new case and all the headaches... Then I bought my first 3D printer. The clip was a simple extrusion, which I took a photo of from above, and used some web based software at the time to extrude it, and then printed it. No CAD even. Worked a treat and saved the case from landfill.
Since then, I have printed so many things. I learnt early on that brackets and adapters were the unsung heroes. Never even thought about that as a use for a 3D printer until I owned one.
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@dc42 I lately printed funnel-like adapters for my woodworking machines. Many machines needed wood chip/dust extraction of a different diameter.
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During COVID I was given the task of making the home aquarium totally silent , the sound of trickling water apparently has adverse affects on some people.
Using PLA printed a number of parts. A water shoe for returning water to flow over silently and allow a wood piece to be attached to imitate a submerged root, an under gravel grid filtration system and a holder for the water valves to control water pressure to the top and bottom filters.
The end result was going from a noisy tank I needed to constantly coax along and monitor to keep everything healthy to one that thrives, plants grow fast and fish have multiplied and grown, unaffected by PLA in the water . I don't think I could have done it as quick any other way. The bonus is I don't worry about keeping the fish alive any more
About to redo the tank as the first accessory printed that supports a wood piece has cracked after 4 years of total water submersion.
One side effect of actually printing for me has been learning to move from 2D drawing to designing and thinking in 3D , for me that was a big thing and having a printer to print out your concept and hold it in your hand really helped me to learn and to think better in 3D
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Around the house, the most useful item I've printed was a chopping board holder designed to snuggly fit each of our different boards and stop them falling over in the cupboard. Now half my firends and family also have a set!
Outside, I have an old Reliant Scimitar as a project car which had a lot of non-standard parts on it and has needed several 3d printed items. I started with simple gauges on the dashboard, but have now got a few bits in the engine bay including the intercooler mounts and the throttle mount on the engine (both out of some high temp filament). Next big item will be a full intake manifold which I'd probably then fibreglass wrap for extra strength, toughness and sealing. I've been quite impressed with how the 3d printed bits have held up with the abuse the car gets when I take it on track!
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I 3D printed a motorcycle crank puller and a tool for installing gearbox lock rings when I was rebuilding my motorbike engine.
I also used it to produce prototypes of an axial to radial caliper adapter to fit a radial motorcycle brake to my axial forks, before having the real bracket machined locally.
Now it gets used to make parts and develop new machines for the Millennium Machines team.
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repair / reinforcement brackets, wall holders to turn rods into hangers, all kinds of connectors; emergency replacement wheels for 1:32 slot cars, self watering plant pots, shims, spacers, wedges, skadis holders of all kinds for a sewing station, ....and some more I forgot about
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The most useful print I've ever done is a shoe horn -
A quick print using PLA on BambuLab printer.Use mine once or twice every day.
https://makerworld.com/en/models/122098?from=search#profileId-131553
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Many things, upgrade parts and mounts for bikes, timetrial starting clock, pool shot timer, electronic telescope focuser conversion, workshop storage bins/trays/holders, battery adapters, camera flash reflectors, speaker mounts and things I've long since forgotten about.
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A set of adapters to mount deck railing lights on new deck.
Prototype plastic brackets to mock up an air conditioner compressor on a 1967 MGB. After several iterations the plastic was used as a template to cut brackets in aluminum.
Oil catch can mount for a1946 MG-TC
Several fabric holders for wife's sewing machine.
Timing gauge for wife's long arm quilting machine
Jewelry display mounts
Housing for an O2 sensor display.
And, of course, parts to update my other printer -
Several lamps, a bread box, bicycle disc brake sanding tool, bicycle fender mount, Nespresso capsule dispenser, Pax Plus vaporizer handle, Ikea Frakta bag handles, physical therapy rubber band handles, incandescent lamp replacement for microscope illuminator, camera and cell phone mounts for telescopes, microscopes, and 3D printer, in-drawer knife block, wire twister tool, Wago lever nut mounts, several furniture feet, a Van de Graaff generator, 3D printer spool holders, coin and wallet holder for Prius console, replacement for failed Prius trunk release cover, stand for S&B Mighty vaporizer, bottle cover for Uberlube, parts for my sand table and 3D printer, parts of a 20 liter soda syrup tank agitator, replacement pushbutton caps for an old preamp, brackets for a "cat ladder", cat puzzle toy, aperiodic tile array pieces and storage box, cutting board drying rack, dental x-ray sensor wall mount, brackets for mounting curtain rods,
racks for torx and hex screwdrivers, bicycle air horn bracket, coasters, cable hold-downs, bicycle chain guard, One Wheel electric skateboard car stand, ear-savers and bias tape making tools for COVID masks, compartmentalized refrigerator storage box, binaural mic earpieces, manual coffee grinder electric drill adapter, antique radio dial belt, Audi and BMW jack pads, white board marker and eraser holder, and many more.Bread box and cover:
Disc brake sanding tool:
Bicycle fender mount:
Button caps for old preamp:
Lamps:
Another lamp:
Coin and wallet holder for Prius console:
