One of the more practical and useful things that a 3D printer can do is print jigs, holders, and other little improvement hacks to annoying problems found with in your everyday tools. Rotary tools, that very universal of maker tools, have lots of holders and accessories associated with them, and so they’re ripe for 3D printed solutions. Here are a few of our favorite rotary tool related prints currently on Thingiverse.
This is one of the most popular prints on Thingiverse in the rotary tool category. And with good reason. This simple device adds a router collar to your rotary tool. Just screw this on, set your bit depth, and hand-routing here we come. The maker of this project, Len Trigg, mentions and links to the invaluable Screw Library on Thingiverse. This is a repository of design files that allow you to add common threads to an object you wish to design and print. Using this library allows the router collar to be screwed directly into your rotary tool. Links: Router Attachment for Rotary Tool, Screw Library on Thingiverse.
I really like this idea of a 3D printed index for holding all of your Dremel bits in a tool caddy. I wonder how it handles the larger disks, etc.? Link: Rotary Tool Bit Holder.
This little 3D printed holder turns the flexishaft accessory of your rotary tool into a tiny cut-off saw. Sweet. Link: Rotary Tool Cut-off Saw.
There are a number of stands for creating a stationary holder for your rotary tool, but none simpler than this one. It was built to hold the Black & Decker RTX3 with the aid of two C-clamps. A rotary tool almost feels like a completely different tool once it’s stationary like this. The way this print works now is that it friction fits over the silver collar that protects the collet asssembly. One of the commenters pointed out that, you could modify this print with threads so that it can accept the threads beneath the collar for a more secure fit. Screw Library to the rescue! Link: Rotary Tool Stationery Holder.
Do you use any 3D printed accessories, holders, or jigs for your rotary tools? Or for any other tools? If so, we’d love to hear some of your experience and favorite printables. Please post your thoughts in the comments below.