Welcome back to our series on practical prints for your 3D printer. While many love 3D printing because it lets them make really cool props and miniatures, 3D printing has many practical applications. I use 3D printing to solve problems and to fix things. Although I admire the artistic creations folks make with 3D printers, I don't even own model paints.
Also: Practical 3D prints: A first TinkerCAD project for your 3D printer[1]
The problem we're solving
A good place to start is a problem statement. What exactly do you need your 3D print to accomplish? In the case of the project shown in the attached video, I wanted to increase my workshop storage. Here's some background.
Also: ZDNet's DIY-IT 3D Printing and Desktop Fabrication Discovery series[2]
I have four metal shelving units here in the workshop, and I've had them for something like 20 years. Recently, I had a welder add wheels to them so that they can move around, and that's proven to be incredibly useful. Unfortunately, individual shelves are pretty far apart, which leaves a lot of space unused. There's a lot of dead space where I could very much use some more storage.
I decided I was going to 3D print supporting brackets for four plywood shelves to make it happen.
Also: Everything you need to know about 3D printing and its impact on your business[3]
Designing in TinkerCAD
In the attached video, I show how I built these little support units in TinkerCAD and 3D printed them, and how they will support three-quarter-inch plywood shelves and give me more shelf space.
The unique design feature for this build is the captive nut built into