I’m wildly amazed by the usefulness of a 3D printer for home workshop related tasks. Here are a few super useful shop-related things I’ve printed recently.
Better Bench Dogs
Bench dogs for the 20mm Festool MFT table are expensive. I bought the $40 Veritas set of 4, then designed and printed these red ones that have a ridge to pull them out and a 1/4" hole for mounting 1/4" bolts. I use these over my Veritas set any day.
Here’s a modification to hold an articulating boom arm (20mm dog to 3/8" hole):
Custom Grommets
I needed a few grommets for a particular hole size, so I designed and printed them.
Router Corner Radius Templates
There’s a great set on Thingiverse here. It has a hole for gripping with the opposite hand.
Drill Bit Holders
My newest Makita drills did not come with bit holders, so I downloaded a bit holder from Thingiverse here and printed it.
Fan Baffle for Custom HEPA Filter Box
Custom design for a particular need.
Lathe Sander Mount
I use the lathe as a sander far more than I use it for woodturning. Here’s a plate I designed (uploaded to Thingiverse here.)
Yes, the 3D printer printed the threads.
Replacement Router Knob
My router knob broke. I designed a replacement that solves a major pet peeve: the new design has a square hole to accommodate a 1/2" square socket bit, allowing it to be raised and lowered with a drill.
How To Get Started
For about $300 you can get started with a printer, some accessories, and a whole bunch of filament. Click here for my recommendations about where to start.