5 fast and functional 3D printing projects to make this weekend (February 27 - March 1)

Not everything needs to be an hours-long project. Sometimes you just want to 3D print an item and have it in your hands in an hour or less. Sometimes the "project" is little more than bulk-printing a bunch of items and putting them all around your house.

So here are some useful projects that you can print and put to use without feeling like you've bitten off more than you can chew.

Battery organizers so you can ditch the packaging

I'm about to hit print on one of these because my dreaded "battery drawer" is a wasteland of half-empty packets of AA and AAA batteries. I try not to use these too often, but many of my smart home sensors are battery-powered, and I'm too lazy to bother with rechargeables.

I'm fond of the beer-crate style battery bank by MakerWorld user 3db , but the stackable remix by Jonatan is probably the more practical option. There's also an XXL version by Maker Tom that holds more cells and includes space for buttons and 9V batteries (plus remixes).

There are all manner of battery dispensers out there, but I'm not a fan of seeing my batteries, so the drawer organizers are best for me.

Use by dates are usually printed on cylindrical batteries like AAs, so you can ditch the packaging. For other battery types, notably cell batteries, you might want to keep the packaging or at least part of it for this reason. Old batteries can leak and damage your electronics.

Utility knives that take bulk-buy blades

A few years ago, I bought four utility knives for all the unpacking and maintenance that goes with moving house. Somehow, we're now down to one, even though none have broken or been thrown away. I can never find it, because it's always being used for something, and it moves around the house depending on the task.

That's why I'm making a whole load of Trent Studio 's lightweight utility knives , which is advertised as an EDC thing but for me will mean that I can keep a knife in various drawers around the house and know there will always be one there when I need it.

These take standard-sized blades like the Stanley 11-921 , which cost $8 for a 20-pack, plus you can reverse the blade when it dulls to get twice the use out of it.

Smartphone stands and mounts for every occasion

You might be bored of smartphone mounts by now, but there are so many models out there that fill so many gaps. Perhaps the most practical are the foldable designs like this print-in-place model by Sanja 3D . They're great for travel or throwing in your pocket.

Even smaller still is the phone holder keyring by 3D Vibe , which means you never need to leave the house without one. I printed this for my iPhone 17 Pro in Apple's TechWoven case, and the fit is snug but secure. There are many more robust options with "lipless" designs like The Big Greek 's rolled phone stand and all manner of novelty designs.

Power cord reels and spools

I hate power cords; they're a necessary evil, but they still drive me nuts. I have a super-long extension cord in the garage that rarely gets used, instead sitting messily on a hook on the wall. It's a nightmare to wind and keep tidy, so I was delighted to find this power cord winder from Pixel Studio that reuses old filament spools.

There are different models available for different filament manufacturers, including an Elegoo cardboard spool reel from charlie designs . These models are freestanding, which makes them perfect for storing on a garage or shed floor. Alternatively, there's a lightweight cable winder from Singh Design that fits all spools and offers handheld winding capability.

Tape dispensers to keep rolls tidy

Tape can be a real pain to work with. Though some tapes come with dispensers, you'll often pay over the odds for these, and it's far cheaper to buy rolls in bulk. You also probably haven't got individual dispensers for every kind of tape you use, whether that's standard sellotape, double-sided tape, duct tape, packing tape, or masking tape. So why not print your own?

There are many designs to choose from, with Kapusa 's modular tape dispenser having been through several iterations and receiving multiple blade options. There are remixes available that are designed with specific tape sizes in mind, and the option of building a "battery" of tapes that all live within a single dispenser block.

Alternatively, there are mobile options like the on-hand tape dispenser by glaucon1984 , which even comes with tape recommendations. I love this design for its raw utility; it's the very definition of a functional print.

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Sometimes, the most effective 3D printed items are the most boring ones. Thankfully, there are plenty of other fun things to print. Check out some more elaborate projects, including speakers you can print yourself .