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While the words “3D printing” may still conjure up ideas right out of science fiction, some users of the 3D printing subreddit are already creating things from the comfort of their homes. Below we’ve put together photos of some of the most creative projects on r/3Dprinting.

The actual technology isn’t that complicated. Basically, 3D printing involves laying down material, layer by layer, until it forms the desired 3D object. This “layer“ can be anything from plastic to metal or even clay! If there is a digital 3D model and enough printing material, the sky's the limit. And it’s not just passion projects and art, some creators are solving real world problems. Make sure to upvote the creations that you just realized you need in your house and check out part 1 for more.

#1

This Kid Answered A Request From Local Hospitals To Create Ear Guards, To Help Take The Pressure Off Healthcare Worker’s Ears From Wearing Masks All Day. He Also Made The 3D Printing Patterns Available To Everyone

This Kid Answered A Request From Local Hospitals To Create Ear Guards, To Help Take The Pressure Off Healthcare Worker’s Ears From Wearing Masks All Day. He Also Made The 3D Printing Patterns Available To Everyone

Greenthund3r Report

To find out more, we reached out to Joel Telling, self-described 3D printing nerd and educator. He was kind enough to share his own thoughts on the hobby. “I believe the biggest barrier to entry for new people who want to get started with 3D printing is the cost of the machines and materials. 3D printers can be expensive, or at least not within the budget ranges of many. Plus, the cost of filaments and other materials can add up over time,” he shared when discussing common concerns would-be 3D printing enthusiasts might have. 

Fortunately, there is a plethora of good, educational content out there. “What initially drew me to explore 3d printing was reading about it and watching videos on it around 2013 and 2014. I read articles on Slashdot and watched videos by Barnacles Nerdgasm and Thomas Sanladerer. Reading about it was really cool because it showed me what was coming up, and watching the videos by those two really inspired me to want to get into it myself,” Joel added, regarding his own experience.  

#2

Printed A 4-Foot T-Rex And Buried It In My Yard For My Nieces To Discover And Excavate

Printed A 4-Foot T-Rex And Buried It In My Yard For My Nieces To Discover And Excavate

blatherskite01 Report

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yvettesherman avatar
Scooter
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Way to go Uncle, I would have loved something like this when I was a kid.

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#3

Last Weekend We Began Delivering 3D Printed Bionic Hands To Ukraine! First Up, A 24 Year Old Soldier

Last Weekend We Began Delivering 3D Printed Bionic Hands To Ukraine! First Up, A 24 Year Old Soldier

EatPrayNub Report

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“I'd like to add that while 3d printing can be a scary unknown to some, I and others are working not just to enable more people to learn about this amazing field, but also demystify the professional and industrial side. It's crazy to think that we are in a spot where many of the jobs that kids in school will have when they are older just don't exist yet."

#4

Wife And I (Mostly Her) Added Hearing Aids To Our Niece's Gift. They Match Hers

Wife And I (Mostly Her) Added Hearing Aids To Our Niece's Gift. They Match Hers

UselessCourage Report

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Rabbit Of ill Portent
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Damn onion ninjas. This has got to be the sweetest thing I've ever seen what an absolutely beautiful thing to do

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#5

This Eagle Was Shot In The Face And Got 3D Printed Beak Which Made Him More Badass

This Eagle Was Shot In The Face And Got 3D Printed Beak Which Made Him More Badass

thunde-r Report

"Once we can empower more young people to get started in 3d printing, that experience in their schools or at home in the garages will get them ready for the professional and industrial Additive Manufacturing jobs many will take. It's a VERY exciting time!”

#6

I Designed A 3D Printed Mirror Array To Propose! The Mirrors Are Angled So That Just Before Sunset, They Reflect The Sunlight To Spell “Marry Me?”

I Designed A 3D Printed Mirror Array To Propose! The Mirrors Are Angled So That Just Before Sunset, They Reflect The Sunlight To Spell “Marry Me?”

bencbartlett Report

#8

A Moon Staff That I Made For My Renaissance Faire Costume This Year. Turns On By Hitting The Base Of The Staff On The Ground

A Moon Staff That I Made For My Renaissance Faire Costume This Year. Turns On By Hitting The Base Of The Staff On The Ground

Joshhawk Report

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Like many inventions, 3D printing does actually have its roots in science fiction. US fiction writer William Fitzgerald Jenkins, operating under the pen name Murray Leinster, depicted a device that functions very similarly to modern 3D printers. In his 1945 short story “Things Pass By,” a character describes a machine that takes raw plastic, then molds and shapes it based on scanned drawings. The first real world attempts to design a 3D printer were met with general disinterest. In 1981 Dr. Hideo Kodama designed and prototyped a machine that would apply a resin, layer by layer. Unfortunately for him and the world in general, his superiors showed little interest in the idea. Without adequate funding, Dr. Kodama abandoned the project. 

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#9

My Wife Got A New Job As A School Bus Driver. Her First Day Of Training She Only Hit One Cone. I Was So Proud Of Her I Had To Make Her Something To Remember The Day

My Wife Got A New Job As A School Bus Driver. Her First Day Of Training She Only Hit One Cone. I Was So Proud Of Her I Had To Make Her Something To Remember The Day

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#10

Someone Kept Drinking My Milk From The Office Fridge, So I've Made A Lock For The Milk Bottle

Someone Kept Drinking My Milk From The Office Fridge, So I've Made A Lock For The Milk Bottle

wilika Report

#11

I 3D Printed Matching Helmets For Myself And My Nub. "Don't Talk To Me Or My Son Ever Again."

I 3D Printed Matching Helmets For Myself And My Nub. "Don't Talk To Me Or My Son Ever Again."

EatPrayNub Report

Other industries experimented with the idea of “printing” parts and pieces to use in manufacturing or tests, but the first publicly available printer was created in 2005. Called RepRap, the printer was designed to be affordable and self replicating. That’s right, a RepRap owner could use RepRap to make another 3D printer. And another. And another… 

#12

Ugh... Another Bird Feeder... But This One Is For The Common Good!

Ugh... Another Bird Feeder... But This One Is For The Common Good!

Tic-Tor Report

#13

My Wife Keeps Asking For Help In The Kitchen, Apparently This Doesn't Count

My Wife Keeps Asking For Help In The Kitchen, Apparently This Doesn't Count

sleeky91 Report

#14

A Walk Around Of The 1:1 T-Rex Print. Started Printing The Ribs Today

A Walk Around Of The 1:1 T-Rex Print. Started Printing The Ribs Today

topgunsi Report

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David
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

HOW? Do you have a house sized 3D printer and a football stadium full of medium?

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By 2009, many of the licenses and copyrights for older 3D printing technologies had entered the public domain. As the costs dropped, more hobbyists could afford to buy 3D printers for personal use. Internet resources, from forums to freely available designs lowered the barrier for entry, which was often the biggest hurdle. Enthusiasts were now free to share designs, tips and tricks. Now a person who wanted to get into 3D printing could find helpful guides online instead of being forced to rely on technical manuals. Plus, hobbyists at home have quite different ideas from a manufacturing business regarding what they should print. 

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#16

Began Making Bootleg Collectibles With My Mars 3

Began Making Bootleg Collectibles With My Mars 3

psybermonkey15 Report

#17

Dragon Finally Done! She’s Not Perfect, But After Some Surgery, She’s Beautiful. Almost 5 Feet Long!

Dragon Finally Done! She’s Not Perfect, But After Some Surgery, She’s Beautiful. Almost 5 Feet Long!

Dazzling-Shoe-2282 Report

Look around you. Coat hangers, coasters. The case for your glasses or a pen holder. Imagine being able to just make them at home, with almost infinite customization options. Plus, as the technology improves, the range of materials could grow. And it’s not just decorations of knick-knacks. Some creative hobbyists have already worked out how to make 3D printers that use chocolate or sugar. Envision the look of awe on your dinner guests faces when you unveil a 1-to-1 chocolate replica of the Taj Mahal or whatever else strikes your fancy.

#19

A Friend Of Mine Recently Lost A Lot Of Weight. So I Made This Figure To Celebrate That!

A Friend Of Mine Recently Lost A Lot Of Weight. So I Made This Figure To Celebrate That!

and0re1 Report

#20

Ultimate Tic Tac Toe

Ultimate Tic Tac Toe

Skinny128 Report

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It can be inspiring to see what creative individuals do when given the opportunity to express themselves. 3D printing, despite advances over the last decade, still remains a daunting hobby to start with. Imagine paying four figures just for the equipment alone! But on a wider scale, hopefully these creations inspire you to find that creative niche in your own life. Besides having a hobby, there are actual medical benefits to being creative. In an analysis of the effects of creative activities on wellbeing, researchers Scott and James Kaufman found that creative writing could even improve a person's immune system.

#21

I 3D Printed A Completely Pointless New Lid For My Sharpie, Based On A Medieval Mace In The Royal Armouries Collection

I 3D Printed A Completely Pointless New Lid For My Sharpie, Based On A Medieval Mace In The Royal Armouries Collection

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juice
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

completely pointless? on the contrary, i see many points. that thing is spiky!

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#22

Ran Out Of Filament Overnight But The Print Was Too Pretty To Waste So I Found A Hat On Thingiverse And Made A Spooky Squirtle Instead!

Ran Out Of Filament Overnight But The Print Was Too Pretty To Waste So I Found A Hat On Thingiverse And Made A Spooky Squirtle Instead!

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yvettesherman avatar
Scooter
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I really love this. You can't tell the hat is not original to the design.

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#23

I Made A Reusable Grocery Shopping List

I Made A Reusable Grocery Shopping List

Mupoc Report

Creativity can also help with mental health. Ruth Richards, author of “Everyday Creativity: Coping and Thriving in the 21st Century,” believes that creativity is strongly connected with self-actualization. The feeling of being engaged and in control is directly related to a person’s mental wellbeing. Without an outlet, people can feel trapped, depressed or burnt out. Humans who feel like they have some impact on their environment, like redesigning a room or painting a fence, are more resilient to some mental disorders. If you are not sure where to begin, some psychologists recommend finding a problem. A simple mental challenge, like finding ten ways to improve your workspace this month can help positively stimulate the brain. And if you do it right, maybe you’ll generate some useful ideas in the meantime. 

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#24

Yes! Finally Dialed In Wood Filament On My Printer!

Yes! Finally Dialed In Wood Filament On My Printer!

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#26

My Latest Dual-Pattern Mechanical Dice Box

My Latest Dual-Pattern Mechanical Dice Box

ARRpolitics Report

We also had the chance to ask the 3D Printing Guru about his journey with this topic. "In my experience the biggest barrier to entry for 3D printing is the misperceptions around the complexity and cost of the technology. Before the 3D printing boom around 2015, 3d printers consisted of high cost enterprise solutions and a handful of hobby printers which required a baseline knowledge around coding and most certainly did not work straight out of the box. Today in 2023, the learning curve and costs have reached historic lows. With this a new barrier has presented itself, knowing which printer to pick amongst all the competition that has popped up. Do you go with a name brand printer with a large support network? Or… do you go with a dupe at a lower price with less support? My advice? Do your research and don’t bite off more than you can chew. If you are less technically inclined, spend the extra couple bucks and go for the name brand printer with strong support. If you have an engineering background, are very patient, or just enjoy a challenge; think about opting for a lower cost, entry level printer and purchasing upgrades you can install to make it even better than the higher priced alternatives."

#28

Tired Of Having Your Charging Cable Stolen? Try Security By Obfuscation

Tired Of Having Your Charging Cable Stolen? Try Security By Obfuscation

A_Very_Brave_Taco Report

#29

I Designed Drawer/Cabinet Knobs In The Shape Of Rock Wall Climbing Holds

I Designed Drawer/Cabinet Knobs In The Shape Of Rock Wall Climbing Holds

thenightmuffin Report

Like many others, he started 3D printing as a side business' that grew into an obsession. "I got involved in 3D printing in 2015 while I was in high school. I really wanted to buy a car as I was turning 16 soon, so I was brainstorming business ideas and got an ad for a Makerbot 3dprinter. I had some money saved up, but nowhere near enough to cover their high price tag. I did though, have enough to get a lower cost printer from XYZ 3D Printing; A “no name” brand at the time with proprietary materials. I quickly learned that working with a machine that used overpriced cartridges with chips that prevented you from using 3rd party materials was a mistake. I am fortunately technically inclined and was able to build a micro computer that could reset the chip with whatever information I pleased. This allowed me to leave the empty cartridge in the machine and feed in a 3rd party filament into the printer."

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#31

Over 3500 Print Hours, To Hold 100 Raspberry Pi Cameras. For A Custom 3D Scanning Rig

Over 3500 Print Hours, To Hold 100 Raspberry Pi Cameras. For A Custom 3D Scanning Rig

Echalon88 Report

#32

I'm Happy With How My Chess Board Came Out

I'm Happy With How My Chess Board Came Out

hartwog Report

"Once I got used to the printer and dialed in my settings, I started to look for opportunities to make money using the printer. I decided to launch “TK 3D Printing” an On-Demand 3D printing service, servicing the greater New Haven county area. I would cold call business at the age of 16 asking if they could benefit from my services. I quickly realized there was a high demand for custom keychains, and that very quickly became my Niche. On that small 200mmX200mm print bed I would crank out over 1,000 keychains for companies. I had key rings ordered in bulk, a quality assurance process, and even some friends who helped with distribution. By the end of that year, i had scaled to 3 printers, expanded my offerings to include 3D modeling services, and had successfully bought my first car with a little money left over to customize it and make it mine. Today, roughly 8 years later, I have a degree in Marketing from Bentley University, I have worked at 3D Printing companies like Formlabs, and through my social media efforts, I have worked with almost all 3D printer manufacturers on the market."

#34

Now With Random Eye Movement. Powered By A Arduino. Any Suggestions?

Now With Random Eye Movement. Powered By A Arduino. Any Suggestions?

OneIdMonSTR Report

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Anonymous
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Attach a motion sensor and leave it in the bushes outside.

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#35

I Had A Stupid Idea That I Think Is Hilarious. Meet Licking Lickitung

I Had A Stupid Idea That I Think Is Hilarious. Meet Licking Lickitung

twolf201 Report

#37

I Designed And Printed A Working Desktop-Sized Model Of An Escalator

I Designed And Printed A Working Desktop-Sized Model Of An Escalator

FuseBox3 Report

#38

I Pranked My Family By Secretly Upgrading My Submarine Into A U-Boat!

I Pranked My Family By Secretly Upgrading My Submarine Into A U-Boat!

ZackGear Report

#39

Business Card Enbosser. I Know That I Am Not The First With This Idea But I Managed To Design It From Scratch With Only Two Prototypes And Am Quite Happy With The Result

Business Card Enbosser. I Know That I Am Not The First With This Idea But I Managed To Design It From Scratch With Only Two Prototypes And Am Quite Happy With The Result

Magnethusiast Report

#40

Pet Bottle To 3D Print!

Pet Bottle To 3D Print!

psycot Report

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max198326 avatar
Max M
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

How does it work? I though the plastic needed to be round and a special quality yo be printed with

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#42

I Couldn't Find A Product That Could Open My Curtains So I Made My Own

I Couldn't Find A Product That Could Open My Curtains So I Made My Own

Prelzel Report

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zelephant2010 avatar
Asexual Zelephant
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's why I want to start learning how to 3D print - because I think it's the coolest thing: I couldn't find one... SO I MADE ONE :D

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#43

I Designed And Printed A Scale Model Of The Titanics Engine, And Today Was The First Time She Ran By Itself On Air. Still Work In Progress

I Designed And Printed A Scale Model Of The Titanics Engine, And Today Was The First Time She Ran By Itself On Air. Still Work In Progress

Oli_Vier_0x3b29 Report

#44

Translucent Orange Benchy Right Out Of The Oven

Translucent Orange Benchy Right Out Of The Oven

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#46

A Bearded Christmas Gnome I Designed

A Bearded Christmas Gnome I Designed

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#48

I Designed This Charger For My Apple Watch

I Designed This Charger For My Apple Watch

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#49

Honestly, I Don't Think It's A Problem That Needs That Kind Of Solution, It Just Came Across My Head While I Was... Well You Know

Honestly, I Don't Think It's A Problem That Needs That Kind Of Solution, It Just Came Across My Head While I Was... Well You Know

Kito_3D Report

#50

Of Everything I've Designed And 3D Printed, This Simple Toy Still Wins

Of Everything I've Designed And 3D Printed, This Simple Toy Still Wins

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Note: this post originally had 72 images. It’s been shortened to the top 50 images based on user votes.

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