3D printers are far more useful than many people first realize, and that's because the devices have unlimited potential. If you're creative enough, you can modify and enhance most of your belongings with a 3D printer. Crafting 3D-printed accessories may seem like a gimmick at first until you realize all the possible enhancements you can make.
Tool Battery Holders
If you own Ryobi, Dewalt, Makita, Milwaukee, Porter Cable, or any of the many other battery-operated lines of tools available, you know how many batteries you must rely on to get work done. All these loose batteries end up on shelves, stuffed in drawers, or tucked in closets. They usually don't look neat and can end up lost if you aren't careful. That's why one of our favorite 3D printed accessories is custom battery holders. Use a 3D printer to create wall-mounted battery holders that enable you to slot your tool batteries in and out for storage easily. Mount a few holders near your charger, and easily charge up batteries before storing them on a wall when they're ready to go. You'll always know where your spare batteries are with these holders, and you'll never have to deal with battery clutter again! Be sure to use the proper 3D printing rolls, to utilize a durable filament type that's going to make a strong battery holder for the high-capacity batteries with a heavier weight.
Cable Organizers
Most gadgets today come with chargers or data cables required to operate them. All these cords can create significant clutter in your home, and they give you something to lose. One simple print that will help organize most gadgets in your home is a cable organizer. Simple cable organizers effectively wrap up cables, make them easy to label, and give your space a cleaner look. Imagine how much neater your electronics drawer or box will look when lined with uniform cable organizers. There are many different cable organizer options on the market today, but our favorites make cables compact and have an enclosed look that makes them seem more orderly.
Electronics Cases
Whether it's for your smartphone, your MP3 player, a smartwatch you're storing, or something else, it's important to have sturdy cases for the devices you want to protect most. Cases enable you to customize the look of your most valued devices, and they work to protect them. One of the best 3D printer projects for new users is a phone or MP3 player case. It's simple to create, sturdy and gives you an immediate way to benefit from the new technology. 3D printers enable you to create cases for electronics without aftermarket case options. Raspberry Pi, Arduino, and knockoff boards are perfect examples of electronics that benefit from custom cases. Learn to design your own cases and you can hold products capably while creating space for any extra accessories you have as well. You can craft cases for older electronics as well, giving you the ability to protect everything that's important to you.
Stands and Mounts
Phones, monitors, laptops, headphones, and just about everything else can benefit from stands or mounts. Whether you need a stable tripod to hold your webcam, or you want someplace to stash your VR headset when you aren't using it, you can 3D print incredibly stable mounts and stands with a good printer.
Hose Adapters
One common problem that many people have is old vacuum accessories that don't fit a new vacuum. Different crevice tools and brush rollers are designed for different hose diameters. By 3D printing an adapter piece, you can fit those tools onto different vacuum cleaners. Make use of all your vacuum accessories on every vacuum you own, and stop worrying about compatibility issues.
Custom Tools
Most electronics and gadgets benefit from custom tools. Whether you need a tiny scraper to remove residue remaining from 3D prints, you need a special clamp to hold wires when soldering, specialized scrapers, pliers, depth gauges, or more, you can make tools custom-tailored to one specific application. You can print exceptionally strong models with the right design and the proper filament, and make tools that enable you to complete difficult tasks more easily. If you've ever struggled to accomplish a specialized task and wished you had the tool to do so more capably, a 3D printer may be your answer.
Parts Holders
Whether you have different cameras, board games, gaming systems, or anything else with many small pieces, creating part holders is one of the most useful things you can do with a 3D printer. If you're worried about losing small parts, or you have many little pieces you have to sort through when packing and unpacking your camera, or board game, you can organize everything more effectively by making custom parts holders. Print holders that accommodate your parts precisely. You can even theme the holders to give your item more style, and you can make better use of the space within a case, board game box, drawer, or wherever you're storing all the small pieces. Stop struggling to keep your belongings organized and use a specialty organizer that can do the job better than anything else.
Get Creative
No matter what gadgets you have around your home, you can improve them with help from your 3D printer. From organizing spare parts to forming cases, holders, stands, adapters, and more, a 3D printer allows you to create the parts you need for nearly any device. Get started with a beginner guide to 3D printing, then start crafting the accessories you need.
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