Ars staffers share some of their favorite unexpected 3D prints

I got mushrooms and companion cubes for days!

Credit:
Lee Hutchinson

The other thing that has brought delight, honestly, is this little screw-top Mario 1-Up mushroom (at least, I think that’s the same one as the one I’ve been printing—it’s hard to tell, but it looks the same). It’s a little silly, but these things are not only really fun to fidget with—the top comes off and you can hide stuff in them!—but they also make fantastic little gifts for folks, especially anyone with kids and/or Gen-X sensibilities. Everyone needs more screw-top 1-Up mushrooms in their lives, and they work great in tons of different colors!

— Lee Hutchinson, Senior Technology Editor

Festool track hangers

Festool track hanger and protective end cap.

Aurich Lawson

Festool track hanger and protective end cap.

Aurich Lawson

The knob rotates on an embedded bolt to allow the track to be released or locked back in place.

Aurich Lawson

The knob rotates on an embedded bolt to allow the track to be released or locked back in place.

Aurich Lawson

Festool track hanger and protective end cap.

Aurich Lawson

The knob rotates on an embedded bolt to allow the track to be released or locked back in place.

Aurich Lawson

I have three different tracks for my Festool tracksaw that I like to hang on my garage wall. It keeps them from getting dinged up, and they are easily accessible when I’m ready to cut with them. For these, I modeled my own designs in Fusion 360, with the main body printed in matte black PLA and the knob printed in a green HTPLA called Lootsef by Protopasta. That’s “Festool” spelled backward, of course, and it’s designed to pretty much perfectly match Festool’s signature green.

I used nuts embedded in the main body and bolts through the knobs to allow them to be turned to lock or release the track in place. I modeled the Festool logo into the top of the knob and used the ironing option in Bambu Studio to use the printer’s hotend to smooth the top surface around the logo.

The protective end caps were printed in the same HTPLA from a file someone uploaded to Printables.

—Aurich Lawson, Creative Director

Gridfinity all the things!

Gridfinity is a modular, grid-based storage and organization system that’s optimized for 3D printing and rapid customization. Created by Zack Freedman, Gridfinity uses a standardized 42×42 mm base grid upon which you can place highly adaptable tool trays, organizers, and workspace layouts.

The upshot is that you can print anything from a little 1x1x1 cube (42 mm³) to a massive storage bin the size of your print bed. If your desk, kitchen, or bathroom drawers scream out for organization, this is a good solution because you can print exactly what you want.