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3D printers are ridiculously cool. There’s something about seeing a digital object slowly manifest in the real world that is pure magic. But they’re also useful. Being able to custom manufacture replacement parts can save otherwise perfectly-working equipment from the landfill. I’ve written before about some of the things I’ve 3D printed, including my Zoom light and my weird keyboard; here are some other useful things I’ve printed: Monitor arm adapter My main monitor - a Samsung U28E590D - has a terrible design flaw. Its VESA mount is at the very top of the monitor! This means that when connected to my monitor arms, it sits much too low, even with the arm at its maximum height. While searching for solutions, I ran across this adapter, which effectively moves the VESA connection near the bottom of the monitor. Sadly, I couldn’t find a way to purchase it in Canada. So I decided to design and print my own! I originally printed the adapter in PETG, as PETG is strong and flexible and usually a better choice for functional prints. However, it was a little too flexible - it caused my monitor to bounce around in a sickening way whenever I bumped my desk. I printed another in PLA (unfortunately the only color I had in enough quantity was a bright blue), which is much stiffer and has mostly eliminated the wobble. The adapter, printed in blue PLA Attached to the monitor and arm My workspace post-adapter. The monitor now sits comfortably at eye-level. Thingiverse link: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:6845708 SodaStream bottle stabilizer I drink way too much carbonated water, usually straight from the SodaStream bottle. The bottles look cool, but their tiny bases resulted in many a messy spill. The very stylish and tippable SodaStream bottle I modeled a base using the exact curvature of the bottle’s bottom, resulting in a nearly untippable receptacle. The curvature exactly matches the shape of the SodaStream bottle 100% less tippage As silly as it sounds, this simple print mig