I’m going to have access to a 3D printer for a few days. I know two friends who’ve used them, but it’s only been for art and figurines, or professional purposes.

Are there any other cases you can think of where a custom-printed item is better than the myriad of mass-produced plastic items?

  • lemmyman@lemmy.world
    22·
    3 days ago

    I generally come across specific things that prompt me to print a custom solution for my life. I wouldn’t be surprised if there literally isn’t any truly useful better-3d-printed-than-purchased thing that someone can recommend for you. (But maybe I’m just not imaginative enough :))

    Maybe the biggest category of things is replacement parts for stuff around your house. The $7 doohickey might cost you $1+time to print instead.

    That said, here are some things I’ve printed for use around my house, which might give you some ideas for your own life:

    • drain spouts with hose connection to route water from my gazebos “gutters” to the ground instead of just splashing down out of a hole
    • a cover for the switch on my floor lamp so the light can only be toggled with the wall switch instead of in 2 places
    • wall mount for my cable modem/router
    • temporary oil cap replacement for my car when I accidentally lost it after changing the oil
    • custom tool holders to 5-S my workspace
    • large v block clamps for my drill press
    • riser for my bench top power supply, to tilt it at a better angle for viewing
    • infinite toys for my kids
    • replacement part for a model kit that my kid accidentally broke
    • handlebar basket custom sized for my kids bike
    • replacement latch clip for my car’s fuse cover
      • lemmyman@lemmy.world
        2·
        2 days ago

        It’s a whole process for streamlining production environments, but I just meant it as shorthand for organizing my tools, specifically giving each one its own dedicated place so I can tell at a glance whether everything is put away, and if not, what’s missing.

        A couple examples of the concept