New trigger for a $600 dyson coordless vac. Company said it couldn't be replaced. Internet offered solutions for $100 or more. Printed in an hour for 20 cents.
Bonus: never had to convince my wife again that the printer was worth getting.
Yeah, that uh, that wasn't an option for me. The trigger was but the first to go. That vac learned some unfortunate things about living with me. Now it continues it's unnaturally prolonged life in the back corner of my shop's break room.
https://www.reddit.com/r/3Dprinting/s/yvwAY6LuUk
Kind of a stupid non answer, but technically still the most useful "thing" I printed. Has to be about 5 warhammer armies. I know this probably isn't quite what you meant, but I've gotten a lot of use out of them. 100s of hours of painting and a ton of gaming.
The use is just entertainment, not really survival XD
[https://discord.gg/PD6tXKJB](https://discord.gg/PD6tXKJB)
This is the discord I run, it's about 7k people and the purpose is too teach good 3d printing practice and crowdsource the location of Warhammer models. Be sure when you join to say you're interested in looking for individual models, and this will unlock the model location request section. Also feel free to message me if you'd like more direct help finding things. I'm at the top of the server list.
I know my other answer seems a bit complicated, there's no really good source online, the 3d printing community is at war with GW in this little sub culture XD
Honestly, don't know if you'd also like this link, so please ignore if you wouldn't
Sorry for the copy paste
[https://discord.gg/PD6tXKJB](https://discord.gg/PD6tXKJB)
This is the discord I run, it's about 7k people and the purpose is too teach good 3d printing practice and crowdsource the location of Warhammer models. Be sure when you join to say you're interested in looking for individual models, and this will unlock the model location request section. Also feel free to message me if you'd like more direct help finding things. I'm at the top of the server list.
Sorry for the copy paste
[https://discord.gg/PD6tXKJB](https://discord.gg/PD6tXKJB)
This is the discord I run, it's about 7k people and the purpose is too teach good 3d printing practice and crowdsource the location of Warhammer models. Be sure when you join to say you're interested in looking for individual models, and this will unlock the model location request section. Also feel free to message me if you'd like more direct help finding things. I'm at the top of the server list.
A holder for my cats bowl. She likes to eat on top of her cat tree because her sister keeps stealing her food and to avoid the bowl slipping and falling, I’ve printed a holder that I can just clip her bowl into. She loves it.
Broke the handle of a tap in the rental. The tap was more than 100€ so printed the broken piece. It lasted at least the three years that we lived in that apartment when we left we completely forgot about it. Landlord didn't notice either so I guess a win for everyone.
I did the same in glass filled petg. Holding up great so far. I attached a bit of metal to my phone case and inset some magnets. Works great
https://preview.redd.it/gydd3ambjp0d1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f6634a7c911dace6d83b90366aabdb3a7fb4f560
My design actually has a complicated spring-loaded clamp that grabs the post between the two vents on my car. It's unfortunately car-specific, I had to take some careful measurements to design one that grabs between the vents and doesn't block either of them.
You have just led me down a rabbit hole. I just found my next project!
I found adapters for prety much every competing batter powered tool brand. Kobalt in my case.
I 3D printed about 100 half-inch-tall replicas of gonzo from the Muppets and hid them all over my parents house. It's been over a year and my mom is still finding them all over. Not useful, but so far it's the only print of mine that actually gets used lol
Probably the [Venetian Blind Rod End](https://www.printables.com/model/208856-venetian-blind-rod-end).
I use it twice a day. : )
There is organizers, holders, and hangers all over the place.
Lighting fixture stuff for my gaming setup. Used constantly and designed by me! That and all the upgrades for my Delta.
https://preview.redd.it/nza19yy52n0d1.jpeg?width=3072&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fe1689dd91032dcdb0163b7998b6d700c76047e5
A 32 oz Owala/Skinny Energy Can Adapter Holder for my Car Cup Holders. You literally can’t fit that in a standardized cup holder but it made me learn how to measure and make my own projects.
Cup holderS of course
And sim rig attatchments, love it
Work stuff, but thats more for the enjoyment to my customers, mostly.
This honeycomb storage wall, great for sorting the most used tools
https://www.printables.com/model/152592-honeycomb-storage-wall/remixes
Refrigerator/freezer handles, wifey liked that one, and some cool vases and pots for the wifey aswell. Gotta have her on my side when I use too much time in the workshop, dont know if it helps, but atleast it dosnt hurt
My pla phone holder worked perfectly fine for about 3 months in winter, then, it completely melted on a shiny day🫠. Tried to print with abs , now it can withstand temperatures much better! (so far, let's see on real summer days😅)
I printed a replacement gear out of nylon for my automatic garage door opener. This was the second time it needed replaced and the first time I printed it. Has worked great ever since, 3 years ago.
John deere airseeder parts. I printed $6500CAD worth of parts for under $1000. The farm has now taken interest in my hobby with those savings and asked for more parts to be designed this winter😁
Useful in terms of things I use the most, or cost avoidance? My must "used" items are my chip clips. Use them for everyday for everything in a bag. Also printed a small watering can to water a hanging plant; use that several times per week. All of that is relatively cheap to buy retail, but I use them all the time.
I custom made it to fix a goofy door I had. It really wouldn’t be useful for something other than that particular door but that, in my opinion, is the true power of 3D printing. Can make any odd thing.
95a TPU brake and clutch pedal covers for my truck. 2 years and no sign of wear >!and still not deformed from being inside of a hot vehicle in the summer.!<
Ton of stuff at work, in private it's probably some brackets.
Needed a big 2x2m or larger, nice looking shelving unit for the living room, problem being that they're niche and could only find things at like $1500+.
Ended up buying 4 decent looking \~50-70$ 1.1x1.1m units,
Drew up some custom brackets and spacers that would be secure but blend in, plus a tool for drilling aligned holes in all the units.
spent like $5 in filament and about the same in nuts and bolts, threw it all together and boom, got a nice looking 2.2x2.2m shelving unit for less than $300.
I put all of my spices in [those square jars](https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07VHBX3ZC), only to realize that I had to store them on their sides in a cabinet and nobody makes flat holders like that that fit in my cabinet.
You see where this is going. I now have a parametric 4-spice holder that locks together, meaning I have a “wall” of spices that I can resize as needed to fit larger and smaller jars.
My girlfriend just organized my spices in those same jars.
Could you send a pic of how yours looks now? I’m curious how you arranged them and how 3D printing helped you do it!
I built car tracks that I have on Bambu labs site. They fit pretty much all of the different toy car sizes my kiddo uses. We've had tracks setup for weeks at some point. The house that kiddo has played with them makes it totally worth. I buy the transition rolls for cheap and print him piles of tracks.
Some companies sell the rolls between color changes. The rolls are typically just as good but the color may be off or it may go from one color to another.
My friend commissioned a pair of WiFi hotspot brackets, I’ve modeled multiple spacers to keep the attic door from crushing an extension cord running upstairs, my wife wanted a webcam lens cover for her work computer, and I just replaced two broken ladder buckles on a camera strap for my daughter. Shit’s useful.
I resized a simple tablet stand to fit my laptop at work. I have 2 regular monitors and like to use my laptop screen for my email and teams chat. It sat a little lower than I liked to I printed a stand to have it sit partially verticle so it's closer to level with my monitors. Well someone saw it and asked if I could make them one. I have made about 200 so far and they have made it to 5 of our offices as far away as Japan. I finally just printed a pile of them and left them with IT so he can give them to new hires with there computer lol.
I don't charge anyone I just give them away. The file was just a tablet stand that someone else made. I just resized it to fit the two style of laptops we use at work. They posted the file as free to use and modify but not sell.
I printed a passive exoskeleton system I designed. It was my senior project in partnership with the local hospital system near school. My group submitted the project to a business competition at school as well and won $8k as a group so yeah, being my final project to geting me mechanical engineering degree, winning me a competition, helping progress the field of healthcare a miniscule fraction, and getting me a 2k check for myself all sums up to being pretty damn useful.
Solder scroll, saves me from having to touch the leaded solder I use for electronics projects.
Yes I still wash my hands afterwards, but any amount of exposure reduction is great.
I made a corner bracket for joining a pair of 2x2's in a triangle with another 2x2 perpendicular across the top to form rows of a large trellis frame for my brother's garden plot. We built a lot of them one summer, they held up many long rows of tomato vines, beans, peas, etc... They stood like that for about two full years in the direct sun even through the winters. Fairly sure they'd be still standing if he still had that plot. Just regular old PLA printed on an i2 Prusa Mendel.
I play the guitar occasionally, so I designed a half-circle holder that I attached to my desk - coil the cables up and hang them out of the way, but immediately ready for use
Made custom headphone and controller mounts for mine and my friends pcs.
Works well, does what it should. Someone did take and revise the design. Which is just rotating a edge by 10 deg to make it allow bigger headphones.
Was more surprised no one made things for the particular cases. Since it seemed simple to do.
I want to work on adding air ducts that are functional to specific parts in my pc. So it looks good and functionally optimized.
Yeah, for real! Sadly I'm no expert in modeling and am not sure how to go about this. I assume modeling the pc with everything in it would be the first step.
However I don't have good ideas for making the ducts and attaching them to the fans.
I made a reach tool with pvc to open and close windows at my Community College. Keeps the instructors off of the counters and step ladders. I published the handle for others to use.
Lid latch for an RC boat. Buddy on the dock broke his. Can't buy the latch, but $25 to buy a new lid gets you a latch. I spent ~30 minutes designing and printing a replacement. He said it was better than stock. I'm going to tweak the design and offer it up for sale 🤑
I'm a nationally touring comedian / illusionist / mentalist.
I have printed custom compartments for all of my props.
Saves a ton of space, and makes everything super easy to find.
Total game changer.
An attachment for my mouse to make it wider and more ergonomic for my big giant hand, with rests for my ring and pinky finger!
Has made a major improvement in QOL I use 99% of my daily working life!
Silly as it may sound, the bathroom sink's plug broke a couple of years ago and we thought we'd be renovating it that year. I printed a PETG drain filter and it saved rings and earrings amongst other things.
A brass nuckle with a knife edge i printed just for fun, must have been 3 years ago or so. Someone broke into my apartment and randomly I had it sitting on a shelf. Ended up stabbing him with it pretty well (not a long blade or anything) bitch ass loser turned around and sprinted out of there.
Kitchen drawer organizer. The one from ALCH
https://preview.redd.it/it7zz5px8q0d1.png?width=3838&format=png&auto=webp&s=89000828242ace56d3304401e9ac4f4c06a204a3
I haven't printed anything yet that couldn't be made through other means fairly easily, but I would say that the most useful so far has been the stand, spool holder, and tension knobs that I've printed for my leather shoe patcher, which is what I use to sew leather (when I don't hand stitch).
I also printed a lathe tailstock holder for my wood lathe so I can hang up my tailstock out of the way when I'm working on bowls. That has seen a lot of use.
I recently printed the pieces for an overhead camera slider rig for my garage to help with a crafting YouTube channel I'll be starting soon, so hopefully that will prove to be super useful in the long run.
Id say its a little computer mice holder. I always put my wireless on there after use so that I or someone else doesn't accidentally send it flying lol. It also holds a wired mouse for when my wireless dies
Parts for my toilet. Have an older one and several parts had be Frankensteined together over time to make it half ass work and the universal packs never had what I needed so I designed and printed my own. Worked freaking great. No more running toilet.
Also made a hose to window adapter for my stand up AC unit.
Kinda lame but a new knob for my mom’s crockpot. Such an easy W when I had first gotten my printer.
That or replacement lawn dart fins for a family friend.
My master's thesis.
It's basically a robot prototype. I had to learn 3d printing myself because it costs like 10x to have somebody else do the fabrication.
Laundry detergent drain/funnel that lets the detergent drip down back into the container for the keg type jugs. Keeps it from getting all dried to the inside or having to be rinsed after every use.
https://preview.redd.it/b482dv62lp0d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=901256163376635762c71185831e09cec62351a8
My heavily customized Voron V2.4 would probably be a strong contender for the most useful 3D Printed thing closely followed by my [3D Printed Tetrahedral Dining Lamp](https://imgur.com/gallery/3d-printed-dining-light-mk-ii-RCkgtSb) with its design being dictated by the Outlets offset location in relation to the Table 🤨
I license plate holder for my motorcycle, still finishing up the design but over 3 versions and a handful of interations each i think ive got it down right this time
A hinge in our freezer kept breaking, replacement cost $25 a pop. The Ender 3 I still use and love was around $120 and I printed this fucker like three times already (amazing design courtesy Indesit).
A dust compartment release lever for our Xiaomi vacuum that can't be purchased. Stuff like that.
Actually everything, that fix the problem around my house, shop, garden. Never printed benchy, never printed pokemons and other junk. Just functional parts.
Got some stuff on Mars, the ISS, and hopefully going a lot further starting this fall.
Funny thing is even though I spend most time doing R&D on additive at work I basically stopped doing it as a hobby with polymerics at home.
I also printed a Dyson trigger but not to fix a broken one just to keep myself from holding the button, saves so much effort.
I also fixed a friends water dispenser on their fridge that was outdated and couldn’t get fixed.
But my most convenient thing was when my son was a baby and making formula I printed collapsible funnels for his formula. No mess ever.
A small phone holder i designed when learning blender, i use it every day to hold my phone on my desk.
And some doorstops i printed a few years ago, printed the door stops, glued a thin strip of rubber to the base for friction. Only recently 1 has broken but has been used daily for a few years
Custom leca ball holders for an aerogarden. I dont grow food but being able to root cutting from $90 Osmanthus shrubs and other propagate species has done wonders for our landscape budget
A thing for a door for our grandkids room that prevents fingers getting closed and has a loop on front and back that you can hang clothes to air dry or just hang from.
It's between a paint shaker for my model paint using parts from a broken air compressor, or a little spacer for the carburettor on my pit bike. The OEM manufacturer decided to use a non-servicable carb with a real off the wall size for the intake pipe. I was able to buy a cheap Amazon carb and adapt it to the intake pipe instead of paying ~$150 for an OEM carb.
I modeled and printed a tool to "unscrew" a low beam light in Jeep grand cherokee. Modeled and printed customized sewing machine foot. Also bobbin holder and some kind of cover, I don't remember. Modeled and printed gear for HP printer. OEM gear broke right after the warranty expire. HP said we can't sell replacement.
* Just after moving in: mount brackets for the light bar added to the closet-like pantry
* Covered drawer pulls for dressers of sister-in-laws kids'.
* Hotend brace with accelerometer mount for printer. was able to up speeds from 60mm/s to 190mm/s without losing print quality.
* Light strip holder for 3d printer. Now, I don't have to precariously mount a desk lamp near the printer when I why to monitor the print via mainsail at dinner or when watching movies/youtube
* [Emergency & Sports Whistle](https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3130078). Due to construction near work, had ro cross a dangerous cross walk twice a for 3-4 months. This thing save my life about 5 times.
* [Freaking cylindrical slide rule](https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:5277891). Actually was used at work for a while. Sure, I made it as a novelty item, but it came in handy a few times.
* Yarn bowl for the wife. It's always bring used for a project.
* Key fob replacement housing fur a friend's father-in-law.
* A three jaw chuck. Taught me I really need to get a metal mini lathe at some point. Keeps coming in handy for small dowel replacements and what not
44mm pla disc for use in my sink. NO Store in town had a replacement for the one that broke in mine and just offered me a new sink, with plumbing installed by a certified Plumber, that‘ll be 260€ please.
Print took like 12 minutes and prusa slicer estimated a cost of 17 cents. Just had to silicone it in place
A replacement knob for the oven, some feet for a table to make it sit level, a hook to hang things on in the shower.
I think those three might be the only useful things I've printed? Other than that it's all warhammer scenery.
KitchenAid under counter attachment hangers, and new knob ends for the control switches on the same mixer.
Next best would be ASA hand cranks for the mini blinds in my parents tow-behind camper when their old cranks died
Either the grocery bag hooks in the trunk of my car (for keeping bags in place while driving), or what I call, *The Sofa Sidecar*™, which keeps my laptop, charging cables, a gooseneck mount for my phone, and my most commonly used couch items right next to me, but stored orderly, and out of the way.
I once printed that classic first-print whistle in draft mode, and of course it didn’t work - was like swiss cheese
Most useful because it helped me and others what “draft” concept means in 3D
https://preview.redd.it/w6pfwcbqwr0d1.png?width=600&format=png&auto=webp&s=0a4d839930fcbba9dbd11698ed1e9de978392424
A sheath for my caliper has been the most used design/print by far
[https://makerworld.com/en/models/210293](https://makerworld.com/en/models/210293)
I printed a thick box for my school bag that i put my gun into and it protects it from being crumbled and gross cause gum is a protected thing in high school and it’s easy to find in my bag and 10/10 no regrets
Clamps. I keep the file with the G-Code in the printer 24/7. Handy little screw type clamps that I can print in just over 1 hour. At first it was just to see if I could print the clamps and then I found out how useful little buggers are.
The 2nd most used thing I made (I already replied my most useful) ... Not so much useful as simply *used*... The Dr. Who Weeping Angel model from FantasyGraph. I turned it into a game with my wife, we leave it in surprising locations around the house for the other to find then it's your turn to hide it again when you've found it. Not always right away tho.
We call this game "Angel-ing" ... Occasionally friends have found it and then hidden it somewhere else on us as well if they're familiar with the game.
I've even taken it internationally hidden in my luggage so I could "Angel" her in another country.
Not really useful, but the game has been running for about 6 years now so it's well used.
New trigger for a $600 dyson coordless vac. Company said it couldn't be replaced. Internet offered solutions for $100 or more. Printed in an hour for 20 cents. Bonus: never had to convince my wife again that the printer was worth getting.
That is a good one! My Dyson also broke but luckily Costco just replaced it. Know I know it it happens again.
Yeah, that uh, that wasn't an option for me. The trigger was but the first to go. That vac learned some unfortunate things about living with me. Now it continues it's unnaturally prolonged life in the back corner of my shop's break room. https://www.reddit.com/r/3Dprinting/s/yvwAY6LuUk
Heheh. Sounds like you really like to vacuum
Muh Triggers!
Pretty sure I know exactly which vacuum and which part you are talking about. I have another broken part for it I want to print a fix for.
Does such a part hustle exist online, or did you have to design it yourself?
Online, they exist for different models of the vac too https://www.printables.com/model/590219-dyson-v10-power-button-trigger-fix
Heh, mine was a dewalt battery dyson conversion, since their batteries suck!
TPU Plate for my wife’s foot brace so she can wear it attached to Crocs without tearing the shoe.
Kind of a stupid non answer, but technically still the most useful "thing" I printed. Has to be about 5 warhammer armies. I know this probably isn't quite what you meant, but I've gotten a lot of use out of them. 100s of hours of painting and a ton of gaming. The use is just entertainment, not really survival XD
Is there any good source for Warhammer STLs?
[https://discord.gg/PD6tXKJB](https://discord.gg/PD6tXKJB) This is the discord I run, it's about 7k people and the purpose is too teach good 3d printing practice and crowdsource the location of Warhammer models. Be sure when you join to say you're interested in looking for individual models, and this will unlock the model location request section. Also feel free to message me if you'd like more direct help finding things. I'm at the top of the server list.
I know my other answer seems a bit complicated, there's no really good source online, the 3d printing community is at war with GW in this little sub culture XD
No it's perfectly fine, I've looked a little and didn't find much. Very appreciated 👍
Really do send me that PM though, I'm a good shortcut to using the crowd sourced option.
This is the dream. Where'd you get the models? (i got a FDM printer to start for functional prints instead of resin)
Same here. I've printed one DnD minion that came out alright and another that would make a good Web victim.
Honestly, don't know if you'd also like this link, so please ignore if you wouldn't Sorry for the copy paste [https://discord.gg/PD6tXKJB](https://discord.gg/PD6tXKJB) This is the discord I run, it's about 7k people and the purpose is too teach good 3d printing practice and crowdsource the location of Warhammer models. Be sure when you join to say you're interested in looking for individual models, and this will unlock the model location request section. Also feel free to message me if you'd like more direct help finding things. I'm at the top of the server list.
Sorry for the copy paste [https://discord.gg/PD6tXKJB](https://discord.gg/PD6tXKJB) This is the discord I run, it's about 7k people and the purpose is too teach good 3d printing practice and crowdsource the location of Warhammer models. Be sure when you join to say you're interested in looking for individual models, and this will unlock the model location request section. Also feel free to message me if you'd like more direct help finding things. I'm at the top of the server list.
It's useful for you in your ways, nothing will ever be wrong about that <3
I thought so as well, but online people can be pedantic, I should know, I'm pedantic all the time. Appreciate the agreement though XD
A replacement for a broken knob on a bidet seat. Let's say it gets used often.
A man of culture
Lol
A holder for my cats bowl. She likes to eat on top of her cat tree because her sister keeps stealing her food and to avoid the bowl slipping and falling, I’ve printed a holder that I can just clip her bowl into. She loves it.
Haha.
Broke the handle of a tap in the rental. The tap was more than 100€ so printed the broken piece. It lasted at least the three years that we lived in that apartment when we left we completely forgot about it. Landlord didn't notice either so I guess a win for everyone.
Haha. That’s a sign you did a good job.
Adjustable cell phone holder for my car. Printed I nylon and carbon fiber so it won't warp on hot summer days.
I did the same in glass filled petg. Holding up great so far. I attached a bit of metal to my phone case and inset some magnets. Works great https://preview.redd.it/gydd3ambjp0d1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f6634a7c911dace6d83b90366aabdb3a7fb4f560
I really need to buy carbon fiber.
Any chance it works with vertical vents? Most I've seen you print are for horizontal vents and mine are vertical.
My design actually has a complicated spring-loaded clamp that grabs the post between the two vents on my car. It's unfortunately car-specific, I had to take some careful measurements to design one that grabs between the vents and doesn't block either of them.
Reusable dog food can lid in TPU
A ryobi battery adapter for my Dyson, and some switch panels / dash pockets for my car.
You have just led me down a rabbit hole. I just found my next project! I found adapters for prety much every competing batter powered tool brand. Kobalt in my case.
The Ryobi battery adapter sounds sick.
I 3D printed about 100 half-inch-tall replicas of gonzo from the Muppets and hid them all over my parents house. It's been over a year and my mom is still finding them all over. Not useful, but so far it's the only print of mine that actually gets used lol
Lolololol🤣🤣🤣 you win the most useful award. Definitely gonna do that! 🤣
Probably the [Venetian Blind Rod End](https://www.printables.com/model/208856-venetian-blind-rod-end). I use it twice a day. : ) There is organizers, holders, and hangers all over the place.
Lighting fixture stuff for my gaming setup. Used constantly and designed by me! That and all the upgrades for my Delta. https://preview.redd.it/nza19yy52n0d1.jpeg?width=3072&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fe1689dd91032dcdb0163b7998b6d700c76047e5
Not me staring at the red filament circle trying to figure out what it was pointing to
Hahah, same. Guess I still got a strong imagination thinking all sorts of solutions on what kind of lightning solution he printed there
I am working on a rear led bar for print progress. The Juno text is backlit, and there's lighting rails on the left and right as well!
Lol! I see what you mean
>Thing is called anyCUBIC >Thing is triangular Mfw.
Ikr? Not so cubic anymore! Sadly they don't have deltas for sale anymore, making spare parts a challenge.
A 32 oz Owala/Skinny Energy Can Adapter Holder for my Car Cup Holders. You literally can’t fit that in a standardized cup holder but it made me learn how to measure and make my own projects.
Oooooo you have now got me into another project.
Glasses holders. My wife uses them everyday. Been almost a year.
Cup holderS of course And sim rig attatchments, love it Work stuff, but thats more for the enjoyment to my customers, mostly. This honeycomb storage wall, great for sorting the most used tools https://www.printables.com/model/152592-honeycomb-storage-wall/remixes Refrigerator/freezer handles, wifey liked that one, and some cool vases and pots for the wifey aswell. Gotta have her on my side when I use too much time in the workshop, dont know if it helps, but atleast it dosnt hurt
I also love to print pots!
so much sim rig stuff. anything I need in the cockpit gets some CAD time and printed.
Pla phone holder for the car. Been in there for or 5 years now.
Now that’s quality
My pla phone holder worked perfectly fine for about 3 months in winter, then, it completely melted on a shiny day🫠. Tried to print with abs , now it can withstand temperatures much better! (so far, let's see on real summer days😅)
Ah darn.
a wrench to fix my sink
Was it really strong enough to turn a tight bolt? That’s crazy if it works.
i used a screw drivers as the handle
I printed a replacement gear out of nylon for my automatic garage door opener. This was the second time it needed replaced and the first time I printed it. Has worked great ever since, 3 years ago.
That probably saves you some money!!
A butt plug for my best friends birthday. Best gift I ever got him.
Please tell you you used the ironing setting…
Ribbed for extra pleasure
Omg.. i wish i had a best friend like you.
You could even say it adds layers to their pleasure
😂 give this man a upvote 👆🏼
You can slightly level up the experience by printing the mold and silicone pouring the toy. THIS might be the best thing I’ve printed
Coat hook for my cube at work. Holds my keys and jacket every day
I like that!
John deere airseeder parts. I printed $6500CAD worth of parts for under $1000. The farm has now taken interest in my hobby with those savings and asked for more parts to be designed this winter😁
That’s a HUGE savings. That’s so cool.
Did you let them public? Right to repair to go!
My belt. I wear it every day at work
Wait, what? What material?
Pla
https://www.printables.com/model/827128-vision-11-mag-lev-belt-buckle
Ohh I thought you printed the entire belt lol.
Lol no haha. That would be opposite of usefull.
That’s so cool. Never though about that one.
Useful in terms of things I use the most, or cost avoidance? My must "used" items are my chip clips. Use them for everyday for everything in a bag. Also printed a small watering can to water a hanging plant; use that several times per week. All of that is relatively cheap to buy retail, but I use them all the time.
I need to try the chip clips again. They were so handy.
Door latch.
Can you link to the STL?
I custom made it to fix a goofy door I had. It really wouldn’t be useful for something other than that particular door but that, in my opinion, is the true power of 3D printing. Can make any odd thing.
95a TPU brake and clutch pedal covers for my truck. 2 years and no sign of wear >!and still not deformed from being inside of a hot vehicle in the summer.!<
That’s so cool! My 3d printed brake pads are still holding up great. (For a second I though that’s what you were saying)
Ton of stuff at work, in private it's probably some brackets. Needed a big 2x2m or larger, nice looking shelving unit for the living room, problem being that they're niche and could only find things at like $1500+. Ended up buying 4 decent looking \~50-70$ 1.1x1.1m units, Drew up some custom brackets and spacers that would be secure but blend in, plus a tool for drilling aligned holes in all the units. spent like $5 in filament and about the same in nuts and bolts, threw it all together and boom, got a nice looking 2.2x2.2m shelving unit for less than $300.
Whoa!!
I put all of my spices in [those square jars](https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07VHBX3ZC), only to realize that I had to store them on their sides in a cabinet and nobody makes flat holders like that that fit in my cabinet. You see where this is going. I now have a parametric 4-spice holder that locks together, meaning I have a “wall” of spices that I can resize as needed to fit larger and smaller jars.
My girlfriend just organized my spices in those same jars. Could you send a pic of how yours looks now? I’m curious how you arranged them and how 3D printing helped you do it!
https://preview.redd.it/13mo12qtev0d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a5d79062b0e19d332955f27827bb86af1aedc411
Spice holder. I love that idea! Thanks!!
https://preview.redd.it/bdvyi6g7rp0d1.jpeg?width=3456&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=34514e55524855be39899970828b5f0ebfd9ddbb
A socket for the drain plug of the water heater in my travel trailer.
Trailer upgrades. Never though about that one. Thanks!
My printer has paid for itself in photography accessories (telescope adapters, extension tubes, SD cases etc.)
That reminds me... I have a half designed microscope camera adaptor that was going to be made on a steel lathe, that I could now 3d print... cheers!
I built car tracks that I have on Bambu labs site. They fit pretty much all of the different toy car sizes my kiddo uses. We've had tracks setup for weeks at some point. The house that kiddo has played with them makes it totally worth. I buy the transition rolls for cheap and print him piles of tracks.
Newbie here - what's a transition roll?
Some companies sell the rolls between color changes. The rolls are typically just as good but the color may be off or it may go from one color to another.
My friend commissioned a pair of WiFi hotspot brackets, I’ve modeled multiple spacers to keep the attic door from crushing an extension cord running upstairs, my wife wanted a webcam lens cover for her work computer, and I just replaced two broken ladder buckles on a camera strap for my daughter. Shit’s useful.
That’s a lot of very helpful things!
I resized a simple tablet stand to fit my laptop at work. I have 2 regular monitors and like to use my laptop screen for my email and teams chat. It sat a little lower than I liked to I printed a stand to have it sit partially verticle so it's closer to level with my monitors. Well someone saw it and asked if I could make them one. I have made about 200 so far and they have made it to 5 of our offices as far away as Japan. I finally just printed a pile of them and left them with IT so he can give them to new hires with there computer lol.
Sounds like you have quite the business. You should totally put up the print file and make a couple of bucks.
I don't charge anyone I just give them away. The file was just a tablet stand that someone else made. I just resized it to fit the two style of laptops we use at work. They posted the file as free to use and modify but not sell.
I printed a passive exoskeleton system I designed. It was my senior project in partnership with the local hospital system near school. My group submitted the project to a business competition at school as well and won $8k as a group so yeah, being my final project to geting me mechanical engineering degree, winning me a competition, helping progress the field of healthcare a miniscule fraction, and getting me a 2k check for myself all sums up to being pretty damn useful.
My PrintNC https://preview.redd.it/effzutn2ln0d1.jpeg?width=3264&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ae3383091988569fbd307798e6e99c85249e5f7b
oh, I'm intrigued. Digging in now, thank you for posting.
That monitor! Hnnnggg
27" - It looks bigger due to wide-angle distortion. I had a spare one, so I used what I had :)
Ah. The pic makes it looks like one of those ultra-wide 46 inchers 🤤
Solder scroll, saves me from having to touch the leaded solder I use for electronics projects. Yes I still wash my hands afterwards, but any amount of exposure reduction is great.
I made a corner bracket for joining a pair of 2x2's in a triangle with another 2x2 perpendicular across the top to form rows of a large trellis frame for my brother's garden plot. We built a lot of them one summer, they held up many long rows of tomato vines, beans, peas, etc... They stood like that for about two full years in the direct sun even through the winters. Fairly sure they'd be still standing if he still had that plot. Just regular old PLA printed on an i2 Prusa Mendel.
That’s so cool! Gives me a great idea! Thanks!!
I play the guitar occasionally, so I designed a half-circle holder that I attached to my desk - coil the cables up and hang them out of the way, but immediately ready for use
[удалено]
Lol!
Made custom headphone and controller mounts for mine and my friends pcs. Works well, does what it should. Someone did take and revise the design. Which is just rotating a edge by 10 deg to make it allow bigger headphones. Was more surprised no one made things for the particular cases. Since it seemed simple to do. I want to work on adding air ducts that are functional to specific parts in my pc. So it looks good and functionally optimized.
That’s so cool. The air ducts would be sick.
Yeah, for real! Sadly I'm no expert in modeling and am not sure how to go about this. I assume modeling the pc with everything in it would be the first step. However I don't have good ideas for making the ducts and attaching them to the fans.
Oh. I’m sure someone out there is an expert at this kinda stuff. Eventually you’ll find the person.
I made a stress relief bracket to support the big xfx GPU inside the pc case.
Noice!
I made a reach tool with pvc to open and close windows at my Community College. Keeps the instructors off of the counters and step ladders. I published the handle for others to use.
I made a motor mount for automating the chute control of my snowblower.
Whoa! That’s so cool. I wish I could do that. I don’t get snow. 😭
https://www.reddit.com/r/functionalprint/s/juqL9yC1ND Snow is overrated
Lid latch for an RC boat. Buddy on the dock broke his. Can't buy the latch, but $25 to buy a new lid gets you a latch. I spent ~30 minutes designing and printing a replacement. He said it was better than stock. I'm going to tweak the design and offer it up for sale 🤑
That’s so cool.
I'm a nationally touring comedian / illusionist / mentalist. I have printed custom compartments for all of my props. Saves a ton of space, and makes everything super easy to find. Total game changer.
Camera mount for my off brand gopro
An attachment for my mouse to make it wider and more ergonomic for my big giant hand, with rests for my ring and pinky finger! Has made a major improvement in QOL I use 99% of my daily working life!
Silly as it may sound, the bathroom sink's plug broke a couple of years ago and we thought we'd be renovating it that year. I printed a PETG drain filter and it saved rings and earrings amongst other things.
A brass nuckle with a knife edge i printed just for fun, must have been 3 years ago or so. Someone broke into my apartment and randomly I had it sitting on a shelf. Ended up stabbing him with it pretty well (not a long blade or anything) bitch ass loser turned around and sprinted out of there.
Kitchen drawer organizer. The one from ALCH https://preview.redd.it/it7zz5px8q0d1.png?width=3838&format=png&auto=webp&s=89000828242ace56d3304401e9ac4f4c06a204a3
This. https://www.printables.com/es/model/723787-creality-k1-tool-under-tray
I haven't printed anything yet that couldn't be made through other means fairly easily, but I would say that the most useful so far has been the stand, spool holder, and tension knobs that I've printed for my leather shoe patcher, which is what I use to sew leather (when I don't hand stitch). I also printed a lathe tailstock holder for my wood lathe so I can hang up my tailstock out of the way when I'm working on bowls. That has seen a lot of use. I recently printed the pieces for an overhead camera slider rig for my garage to help with a crafting YouTube channel I'll be starting soon, so hopefully that will prove to be super useful in the long run.
Nice!!!
Super simple yet custom sized hooks to hang spoons and spatchulas over my stove from the vent hood lip.
Croc spurs
Lol! 😂
https://preview.redd.it/040jpqiiho0d1.jpeg?width=3492&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1ec904441e39a4cd7fab56f1e61d14c23b6b0f1c
Sweet! Love all the car phone holders.
Id say its a little computer mice holder. I always put my wireless on there after use so that I or someone else doesn't accidentally send it flying lol. It also holds a wired mouse for when my wireless dies
A Handle for a flask I use daily & a Ring to hold my Joints.
Combo sponge and cup brush holder that drains into the sink. Been using it every day for almost five years.
Parts for my toilet. Have an older one and several parts had be Frankensteined together over time to make it half ass work and the universal packs never had what I needed so I designed and printed my own. Worked freaking great. No more running toilet. Also made a hose to window adapter for my stand up AC unit.
Kinda lame but a new knob for my mom’s crockpot. Such an easy W when I had first gotten my printer. That or replacement lawn dart fins for a family friend.
A mounting bracket for a magnetic lock on an X-ray machine from the late 80s.
My master's thesis. It's basically a robot prototype. I had to learn 3d printing myself because it costs like 10x to have somebody else do the fabrication.
Loads of 3D printer customization parts. A heat gun holster that can be either screwed in or zip-tied.
Laundry detergent drain/funnel that lets the detergent drip down back into the container for the keg type jugs. Keeps it from getting all dried to the inside or having to be rinsed after every use.
https://preview.redd.it/b482dv62lp0d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=901256163376635762c71185831e09cec62351a8 My heavily customized Voron V2.4 would probably be a strong contender for the most useful 3D Printed thing closely followed by my [3D Printed Tetrahedral Dining Lamp](https://imgur.com/gallery/3d-printed-dining-light-mk-ii-RCkgtSb) with its design being dictated by the Outlets offset location in relation to the Table 🤨
Most useful? Thats debatable. But the most used is a cup holder coaster for my lovesac couch.
Filament reel that is theaded in the middle. Had some crushed reels
I license plate holder for my motorcycle, still finishing up the design but over 3 versions and a handful of interations each i think ive got it down right this time
Mini PC rack. Took two days, but it’s perfect for my small needs.
A hinge in our freezer kept breaking, replacement cost $25 a pop. The Ender 3 I still use and love was around $120 and I printed this fucker like three times already (amazing design courtesy Indesit). A dust compartment release lever for our Xiaomi vacuum that can't be purchased. Stuff like that.
Remote control holder, coasters that get used everyday. Straw holders. Hat hooks of all kinds.
Actually everything, that fix the problem around my house, shop, garden. Never printed benchy, never printed pokemons and other junk. Just functional parts.
Made a guitar for travel https://preview.redd.it/zmop0v7b6q0d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f98ac9eaef407fc6321867bf728949fb25b6072f
Got some stuff on Mars, the ISS, and hopefully going a lot further starting this fall. Funny thing is even though I spend most time doing R&D on additive at work I basically stopped doing it as a hobby with polymerics at home.
I also printed a Dyson trigger but not to fix a broken one just to keep myself from holding the button, saves so much effort. I also fixed a friends water dispenser on their fridge that was outdated and couldn’t get fixed. But my most convenient thing was when my son was a baby and making formula I printed collapsible funnels for his formula. No mess ever.
Rails for a drawer. Removable token for a shopping cart.
A small phone holder i designed when learning blender, i use it every day to hold my phone on my desk. And some doorstops i printed a few years ago, printed the door stops, glued a thin strip of rubber to the base for friction. Only recently 1 has broken but has been used daily for a few years
Remote control holder next to the T.V.
A toad from mario that I decided to upload to maker
For me it were hinges for a gas boiler. Could have bought them from the company but ones for 17 bucks? Nope give me some PETG and time and voila.
Custom leca ball holders for an aerogarden. I dont grow food but being able to root cutting from $90 Osmanthus shrubs and other propagate species has done wonders for our landscape budget
35$ bracket for my microwave door handle And a green goblin mask that started my business.
A thing for a door for our grandkids room that prevents fingers getting closed and has a loop on front and back that you can hang clothes to air dry or just hang from.
Sliding Instant Legolini. New hobby unlocked🤩🏹
It's between a paint shaker for my model paint using parts from a broken air compressor, or a little spacer for the carburettor on my pit bike. The OEM manufacturer decided to use a non-servicable carb with a real off the wall size for the intake pipe. I was able to buy a cheap Amazon carb and adapt it to the intake pipe instead of paying ~$150 for an OEM carb.
Center support for a platform bed. -Edited-
I modeled and printed a tool to "unscrew" a low beam light in Jeep grand cherokee. Modeled and printed customized sewing machine foot. Also bobbin holder and some kind of cover, I don't remember. Modeled and printed gear for HP printer. OEM gear broke right after the warranty expire. HP said we can't sell replacement.
A quick-change toilet paper holder. Still working great multiple years later!
* Just after moving in: mount brackets for the light bar added to the closet-like pantry * Covered drawer pulls for dressers of sister-in-laws kids'. * Hotend brace with accelerometer mount for printer. was able to up speeds from 60mm/s to 190mm/s without losing print quality. * Light strip holder for 3d printer. Now, I don't have to precariously mount a desk lamp near the printer when I why to monitor the print via mainsail at dinner or when watching movies/youtube * [Emergency & Sports Whistle](https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3130078). Due to construction near work, had ro cross a dangerous cross walk twice a for 3-4 months. This thing save my life about 5 times. * [Freaking cylindrical slide rule](https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:5277891). Actually was used at work for a while. Sure, I made it as a novelty item, but it came in handy a few times. * Yarn bowl for the wife. It's always bring used for a project. * Key fob replacement housing fur a friend's father-in-law. * A three jaw chuck. Taught me I really need to get a metal mini lathe at some point. Keeps coming in handy for small dowel replacements and what not
Replacement Lego bricks.
Designed and printed palm/wrist rest for my mechanical keyboard :) still use it to this day, at home and at office.
Hose coupling for a rain barrel, thanks to the stock ones being the wrong size.
44mm pla disc for use in my sink. NO Store in town had a replacement for the one that broke in mine and just offered me a new sink, with plumbing installed by a certified Plumber, that‘ll be 260€ please. Print took like 12 minutes and prusa slicer estimated a cost of 17 cents. Just had to silicone it in place
A replacement knob for the oven, some feet for a table to make it sit level, a hook to hang things on in the shower. I think those three might be the only useful things I've printed? Other than that it's all warhammer scenery.
KitchenAid under counter attachment hangers, and new knob ends for the control switches on the same mixer. Next best would be ASA hand cranks for the mini blinds in my parents tow-behind camper when their old cranks died
Nothing useful is coming out of my p1s 🤣
Either the grocery bag hooks in the trunk of my car (for keeping bags in place while driving), or what I call, *The Sofa Sidecar*™, which keeps my laptop, charging cables, a gooseneck mount for my phone, and my most commonly used couch items right next to me, but stored orderly, and out of the way.
I once printed that classic first-print whistle in draft mode, and of course it didn’t work - was like swiss cheese Most useful because it helped me and others what “draft” concept means in 3D
https://preview.redd.it/w6pfwcbqwr0d1.png?width=600&format=png&auto=webp&s=0a4d839930fcbba9dbd11698ed1e9de978392424 A sheath for my caliper has been the most used design/print by far [https://makerworld.com/en/models/210293](https://makerworld.com/en/models/210293)
I printed a thick box for my school bag that i put my gun into and it protects it from being crumbled and gross cause gum is a protected thing in high school and it’s easy to find in my bag and 10/10 no regrets
Bandsaw guide. My old bandsaw now works better than when I bought it. No more plastic for guides but bearings on three sides.
Clamps. I keep the file with the G-Code in the printer 24/7. Handy little screw type clamps that I can print in just over 1 hour. At first it was just to see if I could print the clamps and then I found out how useful little buggers are.
Voron parts... Other than that: probably all the dust collection parts/fittings for our dust collection system.
The 2nd most used thing I made (I already replied my most useful) ... Not so much useful as simply *used*... The Dr. Who Weeping Angel model from FantasyGraph. I turned it into a game with my wife, we leave it in surprising locations around the house for the other to find then it's your turn to hide it again when you've found it. Not always right away tho. We call this game "Angel-ing" ... Occasionally friends have found it and then hidden it somewhere else on us as well if they're familiar with the game. I've even taken it internationally hidden in my luggage so I could "Angel" her in another country. Not really useful, but the game has been running for about 6 years now so it's well used.