3D Printing
I've upped my nerd cred, and I am a 3d printing guy now! Summer 2025 I bought Centauri Carbon 3D Printer.
My models
I've made a lot of stuff! Fusion 360 is great, and brings me right back to being an engineering student at Virginia Tech. All the extruding. I feel like I spent semesters extruding.
Aerobar computer mount
I may have spent more time designing and printing this part than I did training for the ride, but it was a lot of fun. I was very worried about the strength of the part, and what would happen to it with all of the rattling on the road; hence my reinforcements. The thing is rock solid and was the least of any problems I had!
It comes in three versions.
Toilet paper snail
A last minute gift for Sam, I stretched my 3d modeling skills with this one!
Train tracks
Match with Lionel.
On v3.
Ebike chainring ATTACH
Attached a few files I used as starters, this is a remix.
Extended the size to fit my massive chainring. This definitely helped! Combined the battery box on the side, works brilliantly.
Ebike battery holder
See EBike Battery Mount.
Prestacycle torq ratchet holder
Custom design, took two iterations to get it to fit.
After using it, the bits are hard to remove from the top…
Ideas
- Pegboard system: https://www.printables.com/model/117489-pegboard-system-hangers/comments
- There is a whole world around "gridfinity"
- Park tool released some models: https://www.parktool.com/en-us/blog/news/park-tool-launches-3d-printable
- Everything from Dave Rome is gold: https://escapecollective.com/threaded-11-3d-printing-your-own-tools/
- SRAM: https://www.thingiverse.com/3dprinting_sram/designs
Other models I've printed
Dewalt tool hanger ATTACH
Printed like 7 of these in blue PLA and they seem great: https://www.printables.com/model/1002999-dewalt-tool-hanger-dewalt-tool-mount-dewalt-tool-h/files
Made 1 initially, printed 5 for Roo and another for myself. Works great.
Radar labs tool mounts
https://radarlaboratories.com/, one of the first things I printed.
As of , happily holding my Silca T-handles.
PegBoard Wizard holders ATTACH
https://www.printables.com/model/34992-pegstr-pegboard-wizard/files
I printed 3 small containers and the 16-hole thing. Both work pretty well. Tight fit and you have to be careful not to break it while inserting.
Extension cord cover ATTACH
This one printed the hinges already attached…very fancy! While the latch worked, the hinges between the sides of the box broke all up. Seems to still actually work.
Lego light switch cover ATTACH
Cool! Works!
I think the light switch cover is a bit of a safer idea than the outlet cover…
Bolt measurement jigs ATTACH
Printed two designs, 2 x little one and a big fancier one (extra little one for Olson, he asked while watching me slice them to print!).
One bolt measured! The thread pitch for 0.8mm worked well on the fancier one, though I couldn't read the label and had to go back to the model to check it.
Both stl attached.
Microcad
With a programming language, could probably get an LLM to help?
OpenSCAD
Code objects:
OpenSCAD is a rather different type of CAD tool, one in which you write code to generate objects.
Gridspace
Parametric CAD
In rust!
Some other options here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46786196
Seems nice for simple parts…