We’re on the hunt for stories about 3D-printed parts that have come to the rescue: replacement parts, custom tools, adaptations of existing objects, and more.
So please share with us your stories (and links to images) in the comments below. When have you 3D-printed an object to solve a problem or improve your life in some way?
We’ll be picking our favorite stories to feature in our next 3D printing guide. For inspiration, here are some of our favorite “just what I needed” stories from our 2012 Make: Ultimate Guide to 3D Printing.
โ When some plastic part breaks in your car,ย the chances of finding a replacement and thenย being able to buy it without getting a secondย mortgage are slim to none. My Thing-O-Maticย allowed me to replace a broken plastic fitting inย my carโs luggage cover, which saved me fromย having to buy a whole new one at roughlyย half the price of my 3D printer kit. I have nowย helped many others make vacuum cover clips,ย showerhead holders, and many other hard-to-findย replacement parts. โ
โMiguel Angelo de Oliveira, Hartsdale, N.Y.
โ I wanted to attach a rear light toย my bike, but I have a rack installed,ย so it couldnโt go on the seat post. Theย rack already had holes for a licenseย plate, so I made this simple adapterย that goes on the rack using the existingย holes, and then has a spring clipย that fits the bike light directly, so thatย I can attach and remove it quickly. โ
โGian Pablo, San Francisco, Calif.
โ I ordered a KitchenAid standย mixer and its ice cream makerย attachment. The ice cream makerย attachment arrived on a Monday,ย but the mixer itself wasnโt goingย to arrive until the followingย Thursday. I wanted ice creamย on Tuesday. This is my solution:ย an adapter to drive the ice creamย maker with a standard โ ” drillย socket adapter (and a strongย drill). โ
โLee Holmes, Seattle, Wash.
โ I bought a tackle box to help organize all myย electrical components. Unfortunately I didnโtย realize until I got home that it was missing a clip,ย and since it was the last one on the shelf (whoย sells out of tackle boxes?) I wouldnโt be able toย exchange it. I fixed my problem by modelingย a replacement from photos of the existing clipย and caliper measurements. The replacementย actually snaps tighter than the original, soย I replaced them both! โ
โChris Krueger, Arlington Heights, Ill.
โ My old Bosch 1611 is a killer router,ย but itโs 20 years old and almost impossibleย to find parts for. I couldnโt find aย stock pattern collar adapter, so I justย designed and printed my own. โ
โBozo Cardozo, Ketchum, Idaho
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