Customizing a PC with handy accessories is a great way to help keep your desk organized and efficient. These accessories can help keep things tidy, improve performance, or help you keep track of the various parts and cables that keep your machine running well.
3D printing computer and laptop parts and accessories helps cut costs, lets you ensure you get exactly the kind of look you’re going for, and adds to your customization options. Not to mention it cuts out a trip to the store.
Quite often, even simple computer accessories are more expensive than they’re worth, and don’t always offer the kind of help you’re looking for.
Here we’ll look at how to cheaply make your workspace more efficient and orderly with the best 3D printed computer parts. Some of these parts require more DIY than just beyond 3D printing, but don’t worry, we’ll be sure to include links to building instructions along with these more complex files.
3D Printed Computer Parts – Full Round-Up
Cable Organizers
While wireless technology is all the rage, some of us still use wired keyboards, mouses, webcams and the like. Cables and wires are unavoidable in many cases, like needing ethernet connections.
Wires can be an eyesore and get in the way. Whether you’ve been unfortunate enough to trip over cables on a regular basis, or are simply sick of looking at the oft-tangled mesh of wires, 3D printed cable organizers are a great way to keep your workspace both safe and tidy.
The best thing about 3D printing cable organizers for PCs is that they can be as simple as you like. Minimalist designs like this one are easy to make and use without any fuss. They can be used to keep cables together and tangle-free whether they’re in use or not.
Others can be fun and creative, like this mountable owl cable holder that keeps your wires off the floor and removes them as a tripping hazard.
For those of you with too many cables to count, this 3D printed organizer for PCs is a great way to keep everything in check and out of the way. The open ends of the individual holders make removing and replacing cables easy for quick switch-outs.
External Hard Drive Holder
3D printed accessories help with organization in simple and effective ways. This handy holder for an external hard drive or SSD is a great way to keep track of where your additional odds and ends are.
Whether you use these hard drives to back up projects, or simply like to keep all your files organized on separate drives, this holder is an ideal way to make sure they don’t get lost.
The design for this holder also acts as a bracket, working like a shelf to be fitted alongside your PC whether you’re using it or not. No longer will you need to wonder where you put the darn thing every time you need to access an externally stored file.
USB Organizers
Speaking of keeping external drives organized, USB organizers are the kind of simple 3D printed computer accessory that you’ll never be able to live without once you’ve used one.
Just about everything from keyboards, mouses, webcams, chargers, thumb drives, and splitters use USB connections. And in this world of endless devices for just about any purpose, most homes (like mine) are absolutely lousy with USB cables.
That’s why USB organizers are such a necessity in these electronic times. While you can use the cable organizers we’ve already discussed to do the job, more creative and USB-specific 3D printed organizers like this one are designed to hold USBs as if they’re connected to it. Along with slots for SD cards and the like, this file works as an all-in-one desk organizer.
For a more space-saving solution, these USB charger organizers are a cool wind-up way to keep your various device connectors in check, and you can even label them for easy location when you just need that one specific cable that always seems to go AWOL.
Ethernet Cable Repair
3D printed computer parts don’t need to be electronically active or even boost your computer’s performance, sometimes a good bit of maintenance is needed to keep things running smoothly.
My PC doesn’t have Wi-Fi, so I need to use an ethernet cable that runs through my living room to connect to the internet to write articles like these. This cable often gets accidentally unplugged by guests, and after one too many unfortunate yanks, the connector broke off.
There’s nothing more annoying than sitting down to work only to find that your ethernet cable has once again come loose, forcing you to stand up and reconnect the already unreliable cable.
Fortunately, that’s where this simple ethernet cable repair piece comes into play. As far as 3D printed computer parts go, it’s an easy one-size-fits-all fix that will keep your ethernet cable in place and your internet connection reliable and secure, and your net surfing worry-free.
Laptop Stands
Using a laptop daily can be an awful strain on your body. Leaning in to read or type can cause some serious problems with your back, neck, and shoulders over time. Having your monitor at eye level is the best way to make sure you can use your device while sitting comfortably to help with posture.
3D printed laptop stands keep your laptop elevated and your back straight while you’re using it. They also improve performance and longevity by increasing the efficiency of your cooling fan, so there’s really no reason not to.
You can check out some of the best 3D printed laptop stands to improve both your health, and that of your laptop.
Laptop Webcam Cover
3D printed laptop parts don’t end at laptop stands. In a world of cookies, hackers, and internet tracking, privacy is a huge issue for many daily web browsers.
A good low-tech solution to your privacy concerns is this 3D printed laptop webcam cover.
The webcam cover is an easy print that fits right over most laptop-sized webcams. It’s equipped with a slider for easy use. It’s a very easy print achievable by any 3D printer and any user regardless of experience to help keep your household safe from would-be spies at basically no effort or cost.
Mechanical Keyboard
Now comes the more complicated 3D printed PC part, your very own homemade mechanical keyboard!
Codenamed ‘SiCK’ (Super inexpensive cheap keyboard), it’s a great replacement for your old one that’s even fully customizable whether by altering the file itself or by adding your own 3D printed keycaps.
The mechanical keyboard is a custom design perfected for both ease of use and compact size, making it ideal for those of you who need a new keyboard that you can personalize to your heart’s content without spending an extortionate amount of money.
The link above includes building instructions and even a cost breakdown for the extra parts you’ll need to get the keyboard working. This means you’ll go into this project with a good idea of both the work involved and the price, so no unpleasant surprises!
Phone Next To
While messaging services like WhatsApp are available online, calls and notifications from things like Slack and e-mails don’t always come through so noticeably. While I don’t really use my cell while at the computer, I have many friends who need to keep theirs handy even while working.
The Phone Next To is a 3D printed PC part that attaches directly to your monitor to mount your smartphone so it’s always in view. This simple print means you’ll never again miss a call or text, and even works as a good mount for video calls and recordings in lieu of a reliable webcam.
Headphone Stand
3D printed PC parts and accessories do need to be practical, but they can also look cool, as evidenced by this 3D printed headphone stand.
Designed to mimic the stereotypical look of a gaming setup, the mesh aesthetic looks awesome and won’t seem out of place on any desk. I can tell you through experience that hanging your headphones on the back of your chair or on your monitor is a good way to see the expensive things tumble to the ground.
3D printing these headphone holders is another example of not knowing how much you needed something until you have it. They’re sleek, they’re practical, and they’ll make sure your headphones don’t end up underfoot like mine have many a time.
Raspberry Pi Parts and Accessories
Given their small size and basic appearance, it’s easy to forget that Raspberry Pis are, in fact, personal computers.
For your viewing pleasure, you can 3D print this universal casting center, or you can make setting up and personalizing your Raspberry Pi a lot easier with this racked mount for easy storage and use for one or more Raspberry Pis at once.
My personal favorite is this 3D printed Raspberry UMPC (ultra-mobile personal computer), making a tiny working laptop for big projects on the tiniest of screens. It’s hard to deny that having a working laptop that literally fits in your pocket is one of the coolest 3D printed PC projects around!
Don’t worry if you don’t have the right size hardware, as each of these files can be modified in your preferred software to suit your particular model.
Related articles:
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- Top Useful 3D Printed Keycaps You Can Print At Home
- Functional Raspberry Pi Projects For All Skill Levels
- Which Are The Best Sites To Download 3D Printer Models
- Download Trendy and Classic 3D Printed Board Game Files Now!
- Best 3D Printed PC Cases You Can Make At Home!