Bored Panda
54 Fun And Useful Things People Printed With Their 3D Printers

54 Fun And Useful Things People Printed With Their 3D Printers

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There are so many advanced technologies that feel almost like magic. Smartphones. Airplanes. Robotic surgery. Virtual reality. Robot vacuums zooming around your local supermarket. And... 3D printing. No matter how much time goes by, we still can't get over how cool it is that you can quickly make almost any three-dimensional object that you envision from the comfort of your own home.
We want to celebrate the brightest and most brilliant creators and hobbyists out there who have come up with some truly inspiring 3D printed designs. So, we're featuring our favorite projects and designs from the awesome '3D Printing' online community to show you what’s possible with a bit of imagination, patience, and out-of-the-box thinking.

#1 Printed An Insect Water Station For Some Thirsty Boys In Europe, Had My First Visitor After A Few Minutes

Printed An Insect Water Station For Some Thirsty Boys In Europe, Had My First Visitor After A Few Minutes
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83points

#2 Tape Dispenser - Snail

Tape Dispenser - Snail
I always thought regular small dispensers looked like snails. So I made one and it turns out really cute. My wife and son really love this.
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80points

#3 3D Printed A Pot For My New Bonsai Tree

3D Printed A Pot For My New Bonsai Tree
My wife got me a dwarf jade bonsai for father day, unfortunately it came in a cracked pot. I decided to print the living pot to put the bonsai in. My wife painted and decorated it! What do you think?
76points

3D printing essentially involves taking a digital file and then using that info to layer various materials like plastics, composites, or bio-materials to create whatever object you want, with whatever properties you want. Size, texture, material, color, rigidity, flexibility, etc—everything is up for grabs.

The 3D printing industry is predicted to be worth a jaw-dropping $84 billion by 2029 as the technology’s capabilities continue to soar. This continued spread of 3D printing tech makes it highly likely that you and I will, eventually, interact with products, homes, buildings, toys, prosthetics, medical models and implants made with this tech.

To say that we’re excited for the future of this tech is underselling things.

#4 I Made A Desk Corner Lamp

I Made A Desk Corner Lamp
I made a large wooden one of these for my living room last year and decided making a mini one was the perfect way to learn cad.
This is my first original design: a simple, minimalist corner desktop LED lamp. It’s designed to sit neatly in a corner and cast a soft, indirect glow on the wall. The lamp uses a cheap $7 LED strip from Amazon and prints in one piece, sitting at 10inches tall.
75points

#5 There Is A Baby Shower Coming Up For One Of The Supervisors At A Chemistry Lab O Work At. Printed These For The Occasion

There Is A Baby Shower Coming Up For One Of The Supervisors At A Chemistry Lab O Work At. Printed These For The Occasion
Crochet look labware! These were long prints but I’m super happy how they turned out. PLA for all. Corks and the test tube stand are wood fiber PLA.
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64points

#6 New Moon

New Moon
Just finished my moon nightlight. Adaptive layers, cotton white pla, ender 3. I haven't packaged the print files for distribution yet.
64points

One of the coolest things about this tech is that it completely shifts timelines. If you urgently need protective medical gear (like healthcare workers did during the pandemic) or a niche replacement part for an important piece of machinery, you can, effectively, use a 3D printer to get what you need instantly instead of waiting days, weeks, or months.

Meanwhile, companies can use this speed to iterate on prototypes and test out products incredibly quickly.

#7 In Response To The Caesar Pen Holder, I Present My Kitchen Knife Block!

In Response To The Caesar Pen Holder, I Present My Kitchen Knife Block!
60points

#8 "3D Printers Are A Waste Of Money!". Oh Yeah? Well

"3D Printers Are A Waste Of Money!". Oh Yeah? Well
The bottom of my deodorant broke and there was still like a quarter of it left. So I grabbed my $50 calibers and took some measurements.
Then I fired up my $2000/year CAD program on my $3000 computer and designed a replacement in a few minutes.
I then used the FREE slicer that came with my $1500 3D printer and after 20 minutes, I had a 15 cent replacement.
This saved nearly $2 in deodorant that I would have had to throw away.
All said and done I saved I saved -$6548.15!
Totally worth it! Engineering School really has helped me save money!
60points

#9 Faded Girl Statue

Faded Girl Statue
60points

3D printing can be incredibly efficient, quick, economical, and even eco-friendly. The technology has come a long way over the past few decades since it was created.

Even though the hype surrounding 3D printing has dimmed, the tech has proven to be very solid. It is practical and commercially viable in the manufacturing and automotive industries.

It is now used in a wide range of niches, from mass manufacturing and medicine to everyday maintenance (e.g., part replacement), hobbyist DIY, and even art.

#10 My Doom Tda Suit

My Doom Tda Suit
58points

#11 Just Finished Printing And Painting This Celtic Wolf Head. Super Happy With How The Copper Details Came Out!

Just Finished Printing And Painting This Celtic Wolf Head. Super Happy With How The Copper Details Came Out!
Printed this vertical on my setup to get all the clean details on the knotwork. For the finish, I went with a dark base and used a dry brushing technique to make the copper and silver elements really pop.
What do you guys think of the look?
58points

#12 I Turned My Workshop Key In To A Chainsaw

I Turned My Workshop Key In To A Chainsaw
This is the silliest thing I've ever made xD
When I first fantasized about getting a 3D printer I always thought about all the useful things I could print with it, like replacement parts, etc. But ever since I got it, I catch myself having way to much fun making useless funny stuff :)
54points

The ‘3D Printing’ online community has been inspiring and amusing the internet with awesome designs and projects for the past 16 years, since early 2010. It is one of the most popular 3D printing communities on the internet, with a whopping 1.1 million weekly visitors and 25k weekly contributions on the subreddit.

The moderators of the awesome and friendly community emphasize that this is a place for everyone, amateur and veteran alike. It is a community “where makers of all skill levels and walks of life can learn about and discuss 3D printing and development of 3D printed parts and devices.”

#13 Remember The Droideka I Showed You All? This It Now

Remember The Droideka I Showed You All? This It Now
49points

#14 My Friends Showed Me Their 7 Yr Old Son's Drawing. 2 Months Later, I Surprised Him With The Real Thing

My Friends Showed Me Their 7 Yr Old Son's Drawing. 2 Months Later, I Surprised Him With The Real Thing
My friends showed me a sketch their 7 year old son, Teddy, had drawn. I immediately knew I wanted to turn this zap ray into a real thing for him, while keeping and expanding on all of the different details he had envisioned in his original concept.
Teddy's vision was for the zap ray to transport him in and out of the TV so he can meet the characters in one of his favourite shows, Dragon Ball. So of course, he would also need a way to remotely control it (last pic).
Two months later, this is what I surprised him with (my cat, Cosmo, for scale!).
48points

#15 Designed And Printed My Dog A Custom Stainless Steel Dog Collar

Designed And Printed My Dog A Custom Stainless Steel Dog Collar
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48points

Earlier, Bored Panda interviewed Germany-based computer vision engineer Sricharan Chiruvolu. He was kind enough to share his thoughts on 3D printing, including its applications and upsides, with our team.

He emphasized that 3D printing has affected the common consumer goods market, allowing for more personalized, custom-made items, whether you’re talking about phone cases or prosthetics.

“Also, it [3D printing] helps to bring down the production cost for a few products, giving customers more access to distinctive designs,” the expert told us earlier.

One huge upside of this technology is that it cuts the costs of creating prototypes. This way, businesses can quickly and cheaply test new products, parts, and designs.

#16 So My Teenager Wanted A Headphone Stand

So My Teenager Wanted A Headphone Stand
.. and he’s really into Breaking Bad at the moment. Mike is (was) his favorite character.
Esun PLA+ Bone, P1S, 23.5 hrs.
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45points

#17 I Printed A Tow Ball Cover

I Printed A Tow Ball Cover
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45points

#18 Office Chair Wheel Guards To Safe Your Cables And Pets

Office Chair Wheel Guards To Safe Your Cables And Pets
After running over a cable one time too many, I decided to design some wheel guards for my office chair.
I tried a few different design approaches such as wheel covers, but in the end, this simple ring design proved superior to all others.
44points

“It has brought about faster distribution of prototypes, thus hastening market entry for new products, while on-demand creation has also prolonged product life for many consumers,” Chiruvolu explained.

“Through 3D printing, waste can be reduced by using only the required materials for each product; it also supports local production that could reduce transit-related emissions.”

#19 My Girlfriend Lives In An Apartment Where An Anonymous Neighbor Is Leaving Some Of Their 3D Printed Objects On The Stair Banisters. Here Are Some Of The Recent Ones

My Girlfriend Lives In An Apartment Where An Anonymous Neighbor Is Leaving Some Of Their 3D Printed Objects On The Stair Banisters. Here Are Some Of The Recent Ones
42points

#20 It’s Luigi!

It’s Luigi!
41points
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