[LandStander]

This is a great example of a good use case for 3D printers. The smooth marble run action combined with the interwoven organic forms would be a huge PITA to fabricate with any other method I can think of, even if your just making one.

[stavros]

A good use case for 3D printers is random, small, custom household items that greatly increase my quality of life, much more than it is a unique sculpture.

[cissou]

What printer do you use for that and are you happy about it?

[gaudystead]

I'm not the person you asked, but depending on what kinds of quality of life improvements you're looking for, your budget, your 3D design abilities, and your tolerance for working on the printer versus printing with it, the answer will vary in terms of what works for you.

If you're casually interested, the Bambu Lab A1 combo will do most things you'd want it to do, fairly reliably, but with a closed ecosystem.

If you want something more robust, go for a Prusa, but be ready for a more hands on experience.

If you want an entirely customized bespoke with a high learning curve, go for a Voron.

[jstanley]

If you want something more open source go for a Prusa. I don't buy that a Prusa is more robust than a Bambu.

I used to have a Prusa Mini and now have a Bambu X1C and it is a world of difference. I would never go back.

[deaux]

Really curious to hear a few of these!

[CobrastanJorji]

I'll give you an example from my life. I got a set of cheap LED lights for a closet. They come with a little remote control to turn them on, but I didn't have a good place to put the remote control, so I made a little wall holster that's sized exactly to hold the little remote.

I also got one of those SimpliSafe home security systems. It came with a door sensor, but the sensor didn't quite fit our door frame. So I printed a tiny piece whose dimensions exactly matched the SimpliSafe and my door frame, so it allows the parts to meet up but doesn't look weird.

Of course, 99% of what I print is useless stuff that looked neat on Printables, but sometimes I make stuff that actually serves a purpose!