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Fun with 3D Printing: A Few Ideas

Fun with 3D Printing: A Few Ideas | 3D Printing Spot

Updated by

William Stone

/

January 26, 2023

3D printing is about more than just producing professional parts to cut costs and improve performance to create better products for consumers.

We explore the various ways we can have fun with 3D printing and use the technology to add some pleasure and entertainment to our lives. Read about a few ideas for using 3D printing to create interesting everyday products.

This article may contain affiliate links where we earn a commission from qualifying purchases.

Table of Contents

Fashion Accessories

When we talk about fun, what better start than fashion accessories. Let us see what fun products we can 3D print.

Pendants

Numerous fashion accessories can be 3D printed, and pendants are among the most popular. These are available in a variety of styles and designs. These can range from simple to extremely complex and one-of-a-kind, making you stand out from the crowd. These simple pendants can be transformed into premium-looking products with a little post-processing. Because 3D printing allows for customization, the pendants can be personalized for the occasion and event. Don't put off exploring this category and 3D printing a pendant that's right for you.

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Bracelets

Bracelets are also popular 3D printed items. Most bracelets have a complicated design that is unique to 3D printing. Such products are difficult or expensive to manufacture using traditional methods, so 3D printing has an advantage over such methods due to its affordable range of complex and unique designs. The majority of these print files are available for free download, and some are also available for purchase at reduced prices. These can be purchased from online stores and printed at home or through service providers. These can stand out with a little post-processing.

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Rings

Rings are a stylish accessory that can be worn by both men and women. It's a fun item to 3D print, and depending on your preferences, a ring can be customized to reflect the wearer's style. Rings of all shapes and sizes are available. Makers and large jewelry brands are both using 3D printing technology to create personalized rings.

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Earrings

Lastly, one more fun fashion accessory to 3D print is an earring. Earrings also can be customized to a person’s liking and therefore unique designs can be created. By electroplating or painting, it can be given a metallic finish to make it look pristine. 3D print one today and wear them to the next occasion.

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Party Utility

Peg Maker

The peg maker is an excellent addition to any party. Instead of filling glasses one at a time, why not use a little assistance to fill the glasses all at once and share the beverage equally? This product makes it easier for the host to serve their long list of thirsty guests with aplomb.

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Party Glasses

Every party requires an accessory that adds to the whimsy of the occasion. Party glasses are just the product. It is an eye-catchy, quirky, and fun accessory that will make the guests go crazy with their photo sessions. It is the bare minimum for any party and will quickly become the highlight of the event. So, save the file to your computer and 3D print it. It is a short print, is comfortable to wear for a shorter period of time, and also looks cool.

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Crowns

What could be more enjoyable than feeling like a king or queen? A crown is an appropriate accessory for a party that wishes to go viral. Accessories such as party glasses and crowns will set your party apart and make it the place to be. A crown is a simple product to print, and by combining colors, it can be made even more unique and appealing. So, print it now and have a good time at the party.

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Bottle Opener

A bottle opener is a most commonly used item at a party. A party means a lot of bottles have to be opened, and having a funky bottle opener is a must if you are planning a fun theme party. So, look through online repositories for the most unique opener design and have it 3D printed. If you like more than one, print them all because not all will be with you at the end of the party. It's a small accessory, but it's one of the most important.

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Musical Instrument

A party would not be complete without a musical performance. But wait, 3D printing can assist you in creating a new musical instrument. The ocarina is a musical instrument that can be easily 3D printed and, yes, it does sound good. You'll find a version you like if you look through the various versions available on online repositories.

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Collections

Collections or collectibles are an excellent way to display a variety of similar products. It is often a source of pride to be able to brag about having all of the pieces of a collection. Collections come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and they serve a variety of functions. We'll look at a few of them below:

Monument Collections

This is a famous monument collectible. These can be the Seven Wonders of the World, or they can be much more extensive to include a broader range of monuments. It can even represent a monument that you have visited or plan to visit. The monument collection is also a source of learning for schoolchildren who may not be aware of them, as well as for art students to pique their interest.

Monuments such as the Taj Mahal, Pyramids, the Eiffel Tower, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, Christ the Redeemer, and many others are extremely popular and can frequently be found in homes. Including these and many other items will be a treat for guests to see and have interesting conversations around them. Even deteriorated or destroyed monuments can be resurrected using images and a little design skill with the help of 3D printing.

Character Collections

These are the most sought-after collections. Characters from famous movies, games, TV series, cartoons, graphic novels, etc. People are crazy for such character collections and often go to lengths to get even a single piece of the collection. By 3D printing such a collection, you can boast of the collection. Though it may not be the official merchandise sold by the brand it still will be an awesome replica.

People are crazy mad for Marvel and DC comic character figurines, cartoon characters like Pokemon and Dragonball Z, or movie characters from Star Wars, Star Trek, etc.

Art Collections

This is specifically for art lovers. Famous pieces of art are often costly and cannot be visited again and again. It is always great to keep such collections as a souvenir at your home or office and revisit the same time and again.

My Mini Factory a popular online digital file repository has a scan the world collection which offers free art and sculpture files of famous artworks from around the world. These are quite a collection to 3D print for home or office.

Animal Collections

This is purely for a kid who can learn about animals from their physical models. While the most common animals are known to all, lesser-known animals, fish or birds are rarely known. Having an animal collection at home to teach kids about the various animal species will be a fun learning experience.

Kitchen Utility

A kitchen is a place that is a source of new inventions. There is always something that can be done to make the place a little nicer. Consumer appliances, vessels, gas stoves, ovens, and other types of equipment are common in a typical kitchen. And the actuating knobs or buttons on all of these appliances are prone to breaking. 3D printing these items can be a huge help because if a part breaks, it can be quickly replaced with a 3D printed part.

Knobs and Buttons of Appliances

Consumer appliances such as mixers, grinders, juicers, and ovens have buttons and knobs that can break after extended use. Knobs and buttons are simple in design and construction. Even inexperienced users can design a knob and, with a few iterations, get the dimensions correct to fit the equipment at home. A knob or button can also be 3D printed in a short amount of time. So it is an alternative option to 3D print the knob/button instead of getting a spare part. 

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Clips

Clips are always misplaced in the kitchen. It is a void for items such as clips. Clips are useful for closing an open bag or a pack of wafers. Clips are inexpensive, simple to design, and can even be 3D printed. It also does not require a lot of strength, making it ideal for desktop 3D printing.

Enthusiasts can also work on developing a one-of-a-kind design that they like and prefer. Such customized designs will be possible even with free software. The clips will stand out and not feel monotonous if they are made of different material colors.

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Hooks

Hooks are a must-have item in every kitchen. They are required for hanging grocery bags, kitchen rags, and other tools such as a spatula, tea strainer, or large utensils, among other things. Hooks are essential yet simple items to create. Due to their simple design, they are easy to 3D print even at home and with a splash of colored filaments, the hooks will look attractive. Hooks though predominantly used in the kitchen, but can also be used for household needs. 

If you search for online repositories, you will find hinged hooks, designer hooks, and hooks that can be customized based on personal preferences.

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Measuring Cups

This is a common household item used to measure the ingredients of a recipe. This is frequently purchased in supermarkets as a set of measurable cups with quantities written on the product itself. They are, however, found in standardized measures. If you need something in a unique size, you won't be able to find it. Furthermore, they are typically found in sets rather than single pieces, so if you lose one, you must purchase the entire set.

3D printing is the ideal solution if you want a single piece or an uncommonly sized measuring cup. 3D printing offers the perfect solution to both the problems.

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Coasters

Coasters, while not strictly a kitchen product, are required in every household to rest beverage glasses. They are useful for resting both hot and cold vessels, as well as protecting the surface on which they are placed. It serves a very simple purpose, but it is critical and can be found in every home.

3D printing makes it very simple to create customized coasters in a variety of sizes and colors.

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Knife Cover/Sheath

A knife sheath is extremely useful for avoiding unwarranted injuries and accidents. When it comes to a family with children, this is a simple but important product.  In the case of children, they are constantly on the lookout for such items, and keeping them covered with a sheath adds an extra layer of protection.

An FDM 3D printed can be 3D printed in minutes and customized depending on the size and type of knife.

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(Note: For all items related to the kitchen and especially those which come in contact with food, it is recommended to use a Food-safe filament, for example, food-safe PLA. Coat the object with a food-safe sealant, so that food doesn’t get stuck in cervices.)

Games & Toys Utility

Indoor games always require unique accessories that can be flaunted while playing and having fun. While it is well known that toys can be 3D printed but sports utility items can also be 3D printed with ease on a 3D printer. We see a few of them below.

Whistle

Whistles are required in many sports, including those played at home or with friends. They are a treat for children who enjoy whistling as loudly as they can. It's a simple product, but it has the potential to bring joy to those who use it. It produces sound and thus also remotely qualifies as a musical instrument.

There are a plethora of free whistles to 3D print available in online repositories. Some have distinctive designs, while others produce distinct sounds, and still others produce sounds above a certain decibel level. Check them out and 3D print one for yourself right now.

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Dice

The most fundamental requirement of a board game. Die or dice come in a variety of shapes and sizes and are required to play almost all board games. In casinos, it is even used to gamble. Multiple dies are sometimes required to play a game, and if an extra die is required, a 3D printer will assist you in printing on the spot. The dice can be assigned to a specific player by printing them in different solid colors.

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Chess Pieces

Chess is one of the most well-known and competitive board games. The beauty of this game is that it can be easily set up anywhere and requires few resources to get started. The chess pieces, as well as a black and white board. Chess pieces can be easily printed using a 3D printer. Chess pieces of various types can be found in online repositories. Some are even redesigned to look like popular movie or cartoon characters. You can find one that appeals to you and 3D print it for fun while playing a game of chess.

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Office Utility

Offices require a large number of utilities for their employees, and the majority of them are ordered in bulk with similar designs, styles, and sizes. However, no two users have the same taste. So, what if you could 3D print some office tools to use at work? We look at some of the most popular office utilities that can be easily 3D printed.

Pen Holder

One of the most basic items used in any office. But pen holders are often very bland and simple. They lack attractiveness and due to this many employees don’t even use this product. But CAD designers have designed a wide variety of interesting penholders and uploaded them on online design platforms for people to download and 3D print. 

You can download any free design that you like and 3D print one to use at your office. 

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Business Card Holder

When it comes to office supplies, a business card holder is something that every employee needs. Business cardholders are classified into two types. One is used at your desk, and all of your business cards are collected in it, and the other is carried with you to business meetings and cards are exchanged prior to or after meetings. A one-of-a-kind and eye-catching business card holder can help you stand out from the crowd.

This product is easily 3D printed at home and post-processed as needed.

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Smartphone Stand

A must-have nowadays, as smartphones are items that we carry with us everywhere. Besides all the things that a smartphone does, they are now increasingly used to view video content, which necessitates holding the phone in place for longer periods of time. This job necessitates the use of a stand. While the market is flooded with phone stands of all shapes and sizes, it is not always easy to find one that you like.

What should you do in such a case? Make a smartphone stand out of 3D printed parts. Yes, there are a plethora of phone stand designs available for free download on the internet. Simply look for one that appeals to you and have it 3D printed in your preferred color.

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Fun with 3D Printing: A Few Ideas

About THE AUTHOR

William Stone

William Stone

William has spent 20 plus years in the custom manufacturing industry as a COO, CEO and Owner of various custom product businesses. His experience has exposed him to all types of manufacturing from die cast, die struck, injection molding, CNC machining, laser etching, engraving and of course 3D printing.

Learn more about William Stone

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