I love that having a 3d printer means you can create custom parts when you need them. I wanted a set of leveling brackets for a router table insert. Sketched up something in Solid Edge, sent it to the printer and a few hours later I have what I need. Nothing complex but functional. Used PETG on this set.
Right?
My favorite story about this that you all may have already heard: My washing machine broke while it was still full of water and the first step of fixing it was to drain it first. But since the motor wouldn’t drain it, I couldn’t just get the washing machine to drain.
So I designed an adapter that would let me run the pump from a regular cordless drill. Super simple. I printed it with 100% infill for extra strength. And it still broke while I was using it to drain the washing machine, but I had the foresight to print a few extras ahead of time. It only took 3 to fully drain the washer that way.
Aside from that, I’ve built wall mounts for particular electronic devices, a desk mount for a Raspberry Pi (adapted from a model on Thingiverse), custom yarncraft tools for my mother, custom shelving solutions, and all kinds of other things I’m sure I’m forgetting.