15 Useful Things to 3D Print for Your Workshop or Garage
A 3D printer earns its keep fast in a workshop or garage. Most of what you need is free to download, prints in PLA or PETG, and solves problems that shop-bought solutions either do not address or charge too much for. Here are 15 of the most genuinely useful things you can print.
1. Tool Wall Mounts and Holders
Pegboard hooks break, warp, and fall out constantly. Printed tool holders are a better option - sized exactly for your tools, as deep or shallow as you need, and replaceable in minutes if one breaks.
Search Printables or Thingiverse for holders specific to your brand (DeWalt, Milwaukee, Makita) or design your own in Fusion 360 for an exact fit. PETG is a better choice than PLA here - it handles workshop temperatures without softening.
2. Drill Bit and Screwdriver Organisers
Drill bits scattered in a box is one of the most common workshop frustrations. A printed drill bit holder - organised by size, labelled, wall-mountable - costs nothing and takes under two hours to print.
Screwdriver holders work the same way: sized for your specific set, angled for easy grab, and printable in any colour so you can colour-code by type.
3. Sanding Block Handles
A sanding block is just a handle that holds sandpaper flat. You can print one in 20 minutes. Print it hollow, add a piece of 3mm foam inside for backing, and wrap sandpaper around it. Better ergonomics than a folded piece of paper and costs nothing.
4. Cable Clips and Wire Management
Printed cable clips - sized for your specific cable diameter - keep workshop wiring tidy along bench edges, wall channels, and floor runs. Print a batch in different sizes, stick them with double-sided tape or screw through the base.
Printed cable ties work too. Not as strong as commercial zip ties, but reusable and easy to open without cutters.
5. Clamp Pads and Jaw Covers
Clamp faces scratch soft wood and workpieces. Printed jaw covers fit over the metal faces of G-clamps and bar clamps and protect surfaces during glue-ups. TPU is the ideal material here - flexible, grippy, and durable. PLA works if TPU is not available.
6. Measuring and Marking Aids
- Centre-finding rulers - printed gauges for finding the centre of boards quickly
- Angle gauges - set squares, angle finders, and bevel gauges that complement metal ones
- Spacing jigs - printed spacers for consistent hole spacing, shelf pin placement, or drawer gap alignment
None of these replace precision metal tools, but they add convenience and save time on repetitive tasks.
7. Paint Brush and Roller Holders
A printed holder that hangs paint brushes bristle-down keeps them dry between coats without resting on the bristles and ruining the shape. Print one per brush size, hang on a hook above the work area.
Roller holders that keep the roller off the tray surface stop the nap from getting compressed. Simple to print, useful immediately.
8. Parts Bins and Organiser Trays
Workshop drawers and shelves fill with loose hardware fast. Printed bins - sized for your drawers and your fastener collection - keep bolts, nuts, washers, and screws organised and visible.
The Gridfinity system is worth looking at if you want a modular, expandable bin system. It is open-source, widely supported, and works well on a bench or in drawers.
9. Extension Cord and Hose Guides
Printed cord guides mount to the edge of a bench or wall and route extension cords and air hoses cleanly out of the way when not in use. A simple U-channel shape holds the cord without kinking it and keeps it off the floor.
10. Jig for Repetitive Drilling
If you drill a lot of repetitive holes - shelf pins, cabinet hardware, rail mounting - a printed drill jig saves time and improves consistency. Design the jig with holes at the exact spacing you need, add a fence to register against the workpiece edge, and drill through the jig into the material.
This is one of those things that takes 30 minutes to design and saves hours over a project.
11. Tap and Die Holder
A printed holder that organises your tap and die set by thread size keeps the set usable. Taps and dies scattered in a box get lost and damaged. A printed block with labelled pockets for each size sorts this completely.
12. Flashlight and Torch Mounts
Printed mounts clip a torch to a workbench leg, tool handle, or drill press arm for hands-free lighting during detailed work. Size the clamp to your specific torch diameter for a snug fit. PETG handles the occasional bump better than PLA.
13. Dust Port Adapters
If your shop vac does not quite fit your sander, router table, or tool's dust port, print an adapter. Design it to go from the tool's port diameter to your vac hose diameter. This is one of the most practical things you can print - no off-the-shelf adapter will fit every combination of tools.
PETG is better than PLA for anything near a belt sander or tool that generates heat from friction.
14. Knee and Elbow Pads (TPU)
Printed TPU knee pads or work mats are surprisingly useful for concrete garage floors. Print in flexible TPU at 30 - 40% infill for a cushioned, grippy surface. Not as thick as commercial kneelers but cost almost nothing and are easily replaceable.
See the TPU flexible filament guide if you have not printed with TPU before.
15. Bench Hooks and Stop Blocks
A bench hook is a simple L-shaped piece that hooks over the edge of a bench and provides a stop to saw against. Printed bench hooks work for hand sawing, chiselling, and marking. Print in thick, solid PETG for durability and add rubber feet to the base to stop it sliding.
Stop blocks for a mitre saw or table saw fence clamp to the fence and give a repeatable length stop. Print with solid walls and high infill (60%+) for rigidity.
What Material Should You Use for Workshop Prints?
PETG is the best general choice for workshop parts. It handles temperatures up to around 80°C without softening, is more impact-resistant than PLA, and does not get brittle over time. See the PETG printing guide for settings.
PLA is fine for light-duty parts that do not get hot or take impacts. Avoid it for anything near heat or in an unventilated car or shed in summer - PLA softens at relatively low temperatures.
TPU for flexible parts - pads, grips, clamp covers, anything that needs to flex or absorb impact.
ABS or ASA for outdoor parts or anything that will be in a hot environment. See the ABS and ASA guide for printing tips.
Where to Find Files
- Printables.com - the best-curated free model library, backed by Prusa
- Thingiverse.com - huge selection, older models, less moderated
- Fusion 360 - design your own for exact-fit jigs and adapters (free for personal use)
See where to download free 3D print files for more sources.
Related Guides
- 10 Useful Things to 3D Print for Your Home - household applications
- TPU Flexible Filament Guide - for grips, pads, and flexible parts
- PETG Printing Guide - best material for most workshop parts
- ABS and ASA Printing Guide - for outdoor and high-heat applications
- How to Design 3D Models for Beginners - design your own jigs and adapters
