Category: Gadget
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Folding Box Opener Knife
I saw a real knife like this online and thought what a cool design. So I set out to make an equivalent one but out of plastic hoping it would be durable enough to be functional. And, it is…
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Hook-On AirTag Holder
Apple AirTags are awesome little devices to help you find things when they are lost or misplaced. But finding the AirTag inside a busy tool bag, luggage, or backpack is another thing. This little clip-on AirTag holder is designed to solve that problem. Just snap in an AirTag then clip this onto a pocket or…
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Folding Door Wedge
When I am not designing and 3D printing, I am often doing work that frequently leaves me wanting to have a doorstop or door wedge with me. And, I have thought about it a lot – I wanted to make one! I wanted to create something novel, functional and convenient. This is what I came…
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USB Cable Lock
So this is the partner product to my USB Cable Theft Deterrent. This one is properly lockable and can serve as a more serious theft-preventative measure. This USB Cable Lock is actually a clasp and the clasp is locked by a physical lock that you provide so that the clasp can not be opened. I…
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USB Theft Deterrent
My Mum spent a few days in the hospital recently and (to make a long story short) someone stole her Apple watch charger. Someone placed their watch on her charger (beside her bed) and then when she was not present they took their watch and her charger cable. Such a simple “crime” of opportunity –…
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Folding Scalpel XL
After creating my v2.0 Folding Scalpel I received quite a few requests for it to work with the #60 blade. I originally thought it did because I was misinformed about what a #60 blade is. The number 60 blade is huge (71mm long) and simple too big for the earlier design. So I have created…
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Compliant Clip-on Dog/Tennis Ball Holder
The STLs for this design are free to download on thangs.com from July 19 to July 25. Three years ago I designed the first generation of this dog ball holder (fits a standard tennis ball too) and I felt it was time to revisit it based on the progress I have made in my designs.…
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Tweezer Tower 2.0
I made a tweezer holder (aka Tweezer Tower) for my wife a few years ago and she loves it but it always bothered me that it was not more than it was. Well, I finally revisited it and here it is…
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Pen Tower Silent Spinning Fidget
I was working on a new version of the Tweezer Tower for my wife and as I created a new spinning base I could not resist the temptation to divert to something fun for me… the spinning Pen Holder (Tower) Fidget. It is nice to play with while concentrating at my desk. And, it keeps…
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Desktop Scalpel Station with Auto Blade Extract & Capture
I have to admit this is one of those unnecessarily complex designs that border on a “contraption”. But my intentions were good… I wanted to make a fun desktop scalpel station as a kind of desktop widget. And, I wanted it to achieve the following:
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StashCan V2.0
What seemed impossibly ambitious to me when I started this project has become a reality. A programmable combination lock, hidden in the bottom of a faux soda can, with a sequential puzzle lid that can only be opened when first the correct code is entered into the combination lock. I give you… my “StashCan 2.0”.
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WallPlateMate™
See wallplatemate.com for more product information. So this is a big one for me… It has evolved out of a few simple ideas and has become a lot of different parts that all work together to make my life better. And, I hope it will for you too. I originally started out trying to create…
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Coffee Mug Lazy Susan
You know… so if the handle on your coffee mug is on the wrong side you can just spin it around to grab a hold of it. Ok, maybe you will not need it for that but it is still kind of fun. A mini turntable mechanism for displaying things or just as a fidget…
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380mm Lazy Susan Printed on a 220mm Bed!!
One of my key design strategies is breaking everything down into small design challenges and in doing so even the biggest project becomes tackleable. When I first created my Lazy Susan mechanisms I wanted one bigger than my print bed allowed but that seemed too challenging so I ended up settling for 330mm diameter on…
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Modular (Box) Chain System
A modular chain system with medium strength seemed like a good idea when I started it. But I am not sure what to do with it. So for now it is in the fun and curious category of things to print. I hope to one day find a purpose for it. I have designed a…
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Lazy Susan 2.0
Okay, this is better, I have to admit. When I created the first Lazy Susan mechanisms (previously posted here) I was pretty pleased with myself. And, to be clear they are designed for low speed and work very well. But I have received a few comments about using conical bearings and I could not resist…
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Secret “Stash-Can” Safe
I remember as a child I always loved secret hiding places for things. I am not sure if that is normal or not and what it says about me but… I still love secret hiding spaces. And, to that end, I have designed a soda can (think cola or beer can) that is a secret…
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Kanger™
I mean… who does not need more desk space? Ok, I know, tidy people. I hope to be one when I grow up. But for now, the Kanger™ has become one of my best friends.
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Phone Multi Widget
This is (another) one of those projects that has been more than a year in the works. It started as something quite different but in essence, it was intended to be a pocket-size tool to hold a phone for watching videos in a multitude of situations. And, now I am finally happy enough with it…
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Lazy Susan
2023-02-25 Update: I have created version 2.0 of these which use conical bearings and consequently runs much smoother and more freely. Although they are in different sizes I recommend these newer versions as opposed to the older ones described here. The new versions are linked here. Lazy Susan Mechanism 2.0 (Conical Bearings) Original Posting: I…
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Universal Phone Holder / Body Camera Mount
This phone holder has a sliding/locking top that can adjust to many phone sizes. I started this as a holder to allow me to use an old iPhone as a body camera. In other words to hold the phone horizontally, forward-facing and clip-on. In the end, it is not excellent for that purpose but it…
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Split Ring for Keys
I designed this just for fun but they work quite well also. I was interested in seeing how to print two components together without them bonding. I used a 0.2mm print layer and a 0.2mm gap between the two rings. They stick together but don’t fuse together and can be pried apart quite easily. Nozzle…