On the magic of 3D printing

3D printing is one of life’s small hacks. It allows for small, quality-of-life improvements that wouldn’t be possible otherwise, things like creating small tools, replacement parts, or even fully customized solutions. There are tons of examples out there, but here are a couple from my life.

In a house with kids, you accumulate a lot of toys. Toys of all shapes and sizes, and toys with lots of small parts. These parts are bound to get lost (they’re usually found a few months later in a nook or cranny somewhere but that’s beside the point).

One of these toys is this simple numbers learning board. You can see the dowels at the very top for holding the counting beads. Two of those got lost a while back (and haven’t been found as of today), but with very basic modelling and printing, I was able to come up with the replacement pieces. Now, instead of being annoyed every time I look at it, it brings me a small sense of joy.

My magnum opus, though, was the following custom tray. If you’re an espresso nerd, you tend to accumulate a lot of tools to chase that ever-elusive perfect cup. For the longest time, I had the espresso accessories dispersed around the counter but my modelling skills improved to the point that allowed me to create this,

That’s the magic of 3D printing, the ability to turn small frustrations into satisfying solutions. While I’m not suggesting everyone rush out, buy a printer, and learn to model, if you do happen to have one, it can make your day-to-day just a little bit better.

Mohammed