My first useful object – Tulip On The Mountain

I started 3D printing a few years ago after receiving an Ender 3 for my birthday. Like most people who started 3D printing at that time, I tried using it, quickly got discouraged, and set it aside for 6 months or so. I guess with the new generation of 3D printers, the adoption might be a bit smoother!

Initially, I mainly printed other people’s designs, but at some point, I spotted my first use case for a useful object. We recently moved into a new house and installed a small border in the garden. You might know the type, the ones out of metal that rust. It has quite a sharp edge and I soon got nervous that someone would get hurt when passing by. I decided to try and design a cover for the corner. Since my printer only printed PLA, I decided to ignore most people saying it’s not a suitable material for the outdoors and use it after all.

As you can see below, the object is extremely simple, but what a satisfaction to make something that has a use! And PLA in the garden? Turns out it’s more durable than I imagined, as it lasted four full years before showing signs that it needed to be replaced. (Aka holes) However, just to be safe, I recently re-printed a new one out of PETG, hopefully, it will last a bit longer.

If you’re new to 3d printing, trying simple projects around the house is an easy way to stay motivated along the (sometimes steep) learning curve that this hobby entails.