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A 3D printer is a unique invention that has made it possible for woodworkers to create small elements for their woodworking shops. With 3D printing, you can customize any gadget to your exact specification. 3D printing has increased digital woodworkers desire to create complex devices without limitations or wasting materials and time.
Most of these projects are designed to make woodworking easier and more fun. With a 3D printer, you can design anything that you believe can make your work easier in the workshop. So here are some unique 3D printing projects that every woodworker should try.
True-Flex Feather board With Accessories
Whether you are using a T-slot or Miter-slot when working on your router table or table saw, this True-flex feather board can hold everything in place. This feather board can allow you to work confidently. Unlike most feather boards available in the market, which apply less pressure or too much pressure, this 3D print can be customized to your standards.
The good thing about this printout is that you can stack over three feather boards together when re-sawing massive logs on a bandsaw. Woodwork Nation advises that instead of using your hand to hold your workpiece in place when re-sawing, you should print a customized 3D feather board.
DIY Drill Dust Collector Vacuum Attachment
Drilling is a tedious task that leaves a lot of dust for you clean afterward. Luckily, you can avoid that with this drill dust collector attachment. This dust collector vacuum attachment has made drilling fun and dust-free. This design works with a drill bit with a diameter of about 24mm. The vacuum will cause this device to stick to the side of your workpiece, leaving your hand free to drill. The vacuum sucks all the dust as soon as you start drilling, leaving you with a clean workshop.
Sanding Strips
Sanding in tight spots can be quite tricky, especially if you don’t have the right gadgets. But, thanks to 3D printers, you can print these sanding strips to help you tackle tight spots. These sanding strips can hold replaceable sandpaper and glass-paper. These strips are about 150mm long and 20mm wide; therefore, they require 280mm long paper. However, the size varies slightly, plus sandpaper can be easily replaced using a clamp and thumbscrew.
Knobs
The most frequently used device in any digital woodworkers is an adjustment knob. You need them for jigs and many projects in your workshop to lock things in place. However, purchasing different sizes and shaped adjustment knobs in shops can be quite expensive, so why don’t you print them instead? With a simple Anet A8 printer, you can print different types of knobs and customize them to the exact job you are working on.
Keyhole Hangers
A keyhole hanger is a very simple but useful tool that can be easily designed and printed with a 3D printer. A keyhole hanger can make it easy for you to hang lightweight furniture or portraits on your wall, and if done correctly, it can leave your frame leveled every time and depending on the softness of your frame and the size of your drill bit, you might have to increase the size of the hanger a little. A 20.2mm wide hanger can be ideal for 20mm holes. To hang your portrait, all you have to do is bore the right-sized hole in the frame and then glue your keyhole hanger to the hole.
Epoxy Glue Station
An epoxy glue station can come in handy when you are gluing your frames together. This station can hold your glue, mixing cups, and some glue application/mixing sticks safely. With this epoxy glue station, you will always have everything near you every time you want to glue your pieces together, and you can design it to hold more than one glue stick. Milk and juice bottles caps make excellent mixing trays for epoxy glue, so when designing your station, make sure you create enough space for them.
Corner Clamps
Another simple design that you can try in your workshop is printing corner clamps. Corner clamps can come in handy when gluing a picture frame or small boxes together. With four clamps and a ratchet strap, you can comfortably clamp the four sides of a frame together and allow the glue to dry up without interruption. These clamps will ensure that you end up with a proportional box or picture frame. It can also be a perfect replacement for a lost or broken corner bracket that is used on the Bessey web clamp.
Easy Print Push Stick
Working with a table saw can be quite dangerous if you are not well prepared for the job, especially when you have to push your workpiece near the blade or when cutting a small piece of wood. But thanks to this push stick, you will get a clean cut with your hand being at a safe distance from the blade.
This stick can guide your workpiece through the saw. The push stick has a triangular shape, with the base having a heel that holds onto the edge of your wood when feeding it to the saw. There are two models with the prototype having a short heel; therefore, you can use it straight out of print. The second one, with a longer heel, has enough space for you to place your non-slip pads.
Dust Collector Adaptors
You can print your fittings and adaptors for shop vacuums and dust collection systems. These adaptors can connect your dust collecting system to all your power tools with a dust collection area. You can even make a Y-shaped adaptor to split the airflow of dust when working.
3D Printers In Digital Woodworkers Conclusion
The introduction of 3D printers in digital woodworkers revolutionized the industry and made it possible for digital woodworkers to print numerous small devices instead of buying them. With these printers, you can easily replace a broken part of most tools in the workshop. The 3D printers also made it possible for digital woodworkers to experiment with new designs that can make their work easier and fun. And the above projects are designed to make your work easier in the workshop.
