3D printing has gained a bit of a stigma recently, with craft fairs and the like filled to the brim with tchotchkes and bric-à-bracs that serve no real purpose other than to take up some room on a shelf. Yes, I’m also guilty of printing off plenty of these little things myself, but I’ve also saved some cash by printing off things for myself and my home.
Home improvement is a long and arduous task, but if you’ve been on the fence about purchasing a 3D printer for yourself, maybe this is what you need to see. From making my Nest Hub more usable in the kitchen to organizational habits, my printer has been there for me through thick and thin.
An under-cabinet mount for my Nest Hub
Print it with the right amount of infill, and you’ll have a sturdy helper
I love my Nest Hub even more so now that it has Gemini on it. It’s something that I use daily, whether I’m looking for recipes or just need to set a simple timer; it’s one of the best additions to my kitchen. Rather than leaving it on the counter where it could be damaged, I jumped on Amazon to find a bracket I could use to mount it. Then I remembered I could find a file for exactly what I wanted, downloaded this particular version, and let my printer handle the hard work.
At this point, this bracket has held up incredibly well over the past three months. The Nest Hub hasn’t shifted positions, the plastic has not warped or bent, even though it is next to a stove, and it’s held up incredibly well. It took just a little while to print, and I didn’t have to wait for Amazon to deliver an expensive option to my house. It’s a win-win in my books.
- Build Volume
-
220mm x 220mm x 250mm
- Materials Used
-
PLA, ABS, TPU, and PETG
- Brand
-
Creality
- Extruder Quantity
-
Single
Cable and hole hiders for large cords
My Dad helps with DIY, but sometimes goes overboard
I love having a father who is more of a handyman than I’ll likely ever be. No matter the problem I have, he’s bound to know the solution. But sometimes, his solution is “drill a giant hole into your kitchen floor to run a cord through, because why not?”, and I needed to figure out a way to make it look nice, while remaining functional. I found this particular print, enlarged it, and made a few tweaks to the overall thickness, and I quickly had a nice way to cover up the hole in our kitchen floor.
To be fair, we’re hoping to eventually replace the linoleum flooring in the kitchen with something a bit nicer and more modern. But while we wait, this is a functional and fashionable way to make sure the cord still has enough wiggle room, while keeping our cats from sticking their paws halfway down into the basement.
Organizing games and other things
I love Game Boy games, and this makes it easier to display and find them
I’ve been playing games since I was young, and I’ve always had a soft spot for the Game Boy, especially the Game Boy Advance. My indigo purple GBA came with me everywhere I went, and the worm light provided me with countless hours of gaming memories. I’ve slowly found my way back into collecting physical cartridges, reproductions or originals when possible, but I forgot how much of a pain they were to store. That’s why I fell in love with this particular print when I first got into printing, and it’s lasted for quite some time.
I’m able to store almost all of my collection with this, and if I ever need more room? I can just print off another set of holders, and I’ll be ready to go. There are also plenty of prints available for NES, SNES, Genesis, and other cartridge-based consoles, so you can display your favorite games wherever and however you’d like.
4 USB gadgets that every PC user should keep on hand at all times
You’ll never know when you’ll need them until you need them.
To be fair, this was one of the first prints I ever made
When I got my first 3D printer, a Voxelab Aquila, I was working at an auto body shop. I was between work, and I’m always eager to brush up and learn new skills, so I figured, why not give it a try? While it wasn’t a line of work for someone like me, who is incredibly asthmatic, I was able to pad out my newly purchased toolbox with plenty of tools that would benefit me for years to come. And one thing that I did right away, rather than run to the store for organization helpers, was print them off myself.
While I wasn’t entirely familiar with infill and the like at the time, they haven’t withstood the test of time as well as I would have liked them to. It doesn’t help that my dad had access to my toolbox for a few years, and, unlike my careful hand, he likes to dive in and get to work right away. But with my printer, I can just print off a new set of these any time I’d like. I try to keep my toolbox organized, but after moving from an apartment to my house, I need to start over from scratch once again.
As I said, I’m still guilty of making goofy things with it, too
Finding unique and quirky things that also double as household helpers is so much fun. In fact, rather than just printing off trinkets, I’d rather ensure that almost everything that comes off my plate has a purpose. After discovering the joy of the Scrub Daddy, but getting tired of it sitting on my shelf, I found this print. It brings a smile to everyone who sees it, and it’s also incredibly easy and quick to make.
While my experience with 3D printing relies almost entirely on designs put together by folks far more talented than I am, I’m slowly starting to tinker more with the idea of making my own special prints to put on these sites, as well. I mean, with how good 3D scans are getting with phones, you could start printing with minimal tweaks. It’s a ton of fun to see these ideas spring to life, and even more satisfying to finally peel them off the plate.