Awesome 3d Printed

At first glance, this object looks like a square, but with a quick rotation it transforms into a circle. Physicsfun shows off this intriguing optical illusion created by Matt Enlow. When viewed from the side, you can see it’s actually madeup of four identical parabola segments. A 3D print of the model is available from Shapeways.

After casting a metal bolt with double threads, Robinson Foundry is back to show off another unusual bolt design. This oversize bolt has a maze thread pattern, which requires a complex sequence of moves to remove its nut. Like many of his other builds, he created ceramic molds over 3D prints, which he melted away.

Do you have lots of hex bits, drill bits, and sockets scattered around your workshop? These 3D-printed holders have hundreds of 1/4″ hexagons for holding onto your bits. Each tray can store up to 400 bits, and their design means you can place multiples snugly against each other. JackofAll3D sells them in nine different colors.

Slanted Designs makes 3D-printed busts of famous characters and people for you to rest your headphones on. They come in a variety of designs like Iron Man, Hulk, The Terminator, Pickle Rick, and even Jar Jar Binks. They can also make a custom headphone stand based on a character of your choice for $160.

You could just put M&Ms in a candy dish, or you could overengineer a solution like JBV Creative did. The machine is basically a tiny candy factory that dishes out individual candies from a storage tank onto a conveyor belt and then into a tray. Money shot at 7:56. Want your own? Grab the STL files for 3D printing here.

An old-fashioned hourglass is a handy way to count down fixed increments of time. While a traditional hourglass is filled with sand, Engineercly’s 3D-printed version is completely digital, counting time on a pair of LED matrices controlled by an Arduino Nano. He used an accelerometer to track its angle and to direct the LED dots.

In 2021, PC and accessory maker Corsair announced they were making an enormous 20″ square version of one of their PC cooling fans. It turned out to be a joke, but lots of people wanted one anyhow. Rather than wait for Corsair to make good, Angus from Maker’s Muse decided to design and build his own overpowered version.

Want a grand piano for your house, but don’t have enough room for one? Why not 3D print a mini version? Breaks’n’Makes shows off a tiny grand piano model he built based on a design from Mechanistic. It’s fully functional, with keys, hammers, and strings, and it even tiny working casters that it rolls on.

If you want a portable Mac, you can pick up a Mac Book. But Scott Yu-Jan wanted something with better reliability. So took his M1 Mac Mini and converted it into a portable by creating a 3D-printed bracket that holds the computer and an iPad Mini for its display. Now, if only the computer ran on batteries…

To celebrate the purchase of his new iPhone 13 Pro Max, Matty Benedetto of Unnecessary Inventions wanted a case that nobody else has. So he got to work designing, fabricating, and assembling a case that not only protects his phone but can launch pieces of candy into his mouth. He’s gonna need a bigger pocket.

Ivan Miranda built himself a massive 3D printer, so what better to use it for but to make a 3D-printed tank that’s big enough to sit inside of and drive? He’s been working on the tank for some time but only recently added the seat and control pedals. He plans on adding a turret and a cannon soon.

Adafruit Industries shows us some nifty DIY zipper pulls they made using a 3D printer and glow-in-the-dark powder. Each pull holds a tiny glass bottle charm in the center that contains the pigment and has holes to help light to shine through. Read the full build guide on the Adafruit blog.

JBV Creative loves to engineer kinetic sculptures and machines using 3D-printed parts. For this interactive piece, he created a wall-mounted mechanism that represents the slow, repetitive churning of the corporate machine. It launches ping pong balls into the air and catches them in a funnel to repeat the process endlessly.

Model maker Plasmo shows off another amazing build, taking on Imperator Furiosa’s epic War Rig from Mad Max: Fury Road. He used a resin-based 3D printer and a downloadable 3D model to generate its numerous parts, but bringing it all together and making it look so great is all Plasmo.

Minibricks created this amazing miniature based on the scene in The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King where Frodo faces Shelob, the giant spider demon. They crafted the environment by carving foam, while the spider and Frodo were 3D printed then meticulously hand-painted.

JBV Creative is always coming up with cleverly-engineered machines using 3D printed parts. This fun plaything is made up of interconnected gears arranged in a snowflake pattern, and all of its 145 gears turn smoothly with the turn of a knob on its back. You can purchase the STL files for printing here.

IKEA is now making home accessories using a 3D printing technique known as selective laser sintering. The collection includes wireframe models of heads and hands, which can be hung on the wall or placed on a tabletop. They’re currently only available from IKEA Germany, but we hope to see them elsewhere soon.

UK shop ReadyPlayerTwo creates these nifty 3-dimensional logo signs inspired by classic video game and computer systems. Each one is 3D printed from PLA plastic to accurately replicate the original color scheme, and has neodymium magnets securely mounted inside.

O3D’s modular storage drawers remind us that hexagons are the bestagons. They’re perfect for organizing small hardware and electronic parts. Modules include two types of drawers, which can be customized by sliding together sections. They’re sold as a set of digital files for 3D printing, and also come in a square design.

Portland-based Honey & Ivy Studio makes these casual but modern accent lights that have a faceted shape reminiscent of a gemstone. They’re 3D printed from high-quality PLA and come in four colors. Also shown is the matching Mishi faceted vase.

To celebrate the holidays, JBV Creative cracked open a cold beer with his 3D-printed bottle opener. The mechanical wall art delivers both a Christmas greeting and a beer-drinkers’ greeting with a flick of the wrist. The 3D model is available free to JBV’s Patreon supporters, or you can buy the model from his website for $3.99.

JBV Creative loves to make unique machines using 3D printed parts. Inspired by a computer simulation of a similar contraption, he created a mechanism that splits a circle into four quadrants, flips them over, and reassembles them with a turn of its crank. You can purchase the STL files at the link.

BecomingBetter’s puzzle consists of six interlocking bullets which come together to form a pointy, abstract sculpture. It’s easy to take apart, but challenging to reassemble. Choose from a .308 caliber or larger .50 caliber BMG rounds. While we wish they were made from metal, they’re 3D printed from metallic PLA filament.