9 Best Things to 3D Print Around the House
The 3D printing revolution is finally here and the technology has transformed the world of custom manufacturing. It might feel as though 3D printing has not been around for too long, but the technology actually dates back to the 1980s! In that time, the technology has evolved considerably.
In recent years, the field of additive manufacturing (AM) has promises to harness the power of 3D printing, with increasingly complex designs widely available for free online. 3D printers work by using a compound mixture called photopolymers that are heated and molded layer-by-layer to manufacture three-dimensional objects. The hardware reads a design created in computer-aided design (CAD) programming.
With 3D printing, the sky appears to be the limit. Since 3D designs use precise mathematical ratios, most designs are scalable, meaning that you can print designs in any size that a specific printer can handle. Designs are also customizable. This means that a 3D printer can be used to make almost anything imaginable. This list will highlight some of the best things to 3D print around the house:
1. Furniture parts
Did you know that modern 3D printing technology in many ways owes its existence to a clever furniture manufacturer? Charles “Chuck” Hull was working for a furniture manufacturer that specialized in making tabletops.
Hull was frustrated with the difficulties involved in getting small custom-made components for the furniture. He suggested using UV lamps to cure a photosensitive material in a layer-by-layer process so that he would be able to manufacture any part the company needed on demand and decided to file a patent for the process. With this, stereolithography, or STL, was born.
In addition to replacement parts, 3D printing can be used to craft just the right part for any job. A simple example is a custom hose connector perfect for bridging two different hoses or tubes. Because 3D designs are easily adjustable using an openSCAD file, the design can be tailored to fit any scenario.
2. Custom containers
With 3D printing, you can make custom-sized containers suitable for storing really specific or oddly shaped things like screws, harmonicas, guitar picks, walnuts, rulers, loose tea, or anything else you might need! This is because, most 3D designs are easily configurable. Changing the size or colour is easy. You can custom print containers to suit any object you desire, in any size your 3D print materials will support.
3. Custom storage solutions
From shoe holders that allow you to stack shoes in your size on the wall to wall hangers to safely store a baritone ukulele, thousands of DIY designers have created storage solutions for any situation that you can imagine. Most designs are open-source, which means that you can print them free of charge. Some suggestions: custom coat racks, skateboard holder, keyholders, spice racks, paper towel holder, and bike rack.
In fact, you can even customize your refrigerator to suit your specific needs by 3D printing custom shelving that will hold your jar of muffuletta, ketchup bottles, or cheese slices, or whatever else you are into. There are designs for shelving, crispers and more. Some will even slot right onto your fridge’s existing shelving.
4. Custom drawer organizer
These are the best things to 3D print if you are serious about house organization. Perfect for the handyman or any home application, custom drawer organizers can be tailored to accommodate any specific storage needs like electronic equipment, ratchet sets, or just kitchen utensils!
5. Wallets
Most wallets have yet to catch up with the fact that people carry less cash than they used to. Multi-component smart wallets combine compartments for multiple credit cards and IDs, and feature a classic billfold clip for foldable money. Additional compartments can be added for keys, change or receipts.
6. Musical instruments
The 3D printing community has designs for all kinds of musical instruments from completely playable ukuleles, mouth harps, kazoos, glockenspiels, harmonicas, recorders, ocarinas, and much more. Try googling “3D printing designs” plus the name of any musical instrument you can imagine, even drums, violins, guitars and saxophones! The quality ranges from novelty toys to novel creations like a percussive hunk of plastic shaped like a frog.
7. Power strip holder
People use more specific electronic devices today than ever before. All of these devices require their own specific power sources. A custom power strip holder can be mounted to the side of a computer desk, TV stand, night stand or bed frame to provide easy access to any cables and power supplies that you need.
8. Adult novelties
3D printing is well-known for its ability to generate toys and novelty of all kinds, and we do mean all kinds—including customizable items suitable for more private environments. There are a number of websites that allow users to custom design their desired object and a wide range of other adult content freely available for 3D printing, but be conscious of important cleanliness and hygiene issues.
9. Party items
These are the best things to 3D print, especially for Halloween. Turn your Halloween party into a haunted house with custom party cups, serving trays and decor! Halloween is a great holiday for showcasing your creativity with custom decorations and costumes like a novelty spooky headstone with a humorous epitaph, a lifelike jack-o-lantern, and any number of costume ideas with masks, prosthetics, and more! Watch any of the class “Treehouse of Horrors” Halloween episodes of The Simpsons for inspiration.