More 3D Printed Gadgets for Woodworking

A great collection of simple 3d printed gadgets to make life easier in your woodworking shop. This is a follow-up on my prior Instructable to make useful 3D printed gadgets for your workshop. You can view the original Instructable here.

Some of the gadgets may be commercially available; so decide for yourself whether you want to make your own. Other gadgets are custom designed/build for my woodworking shop and my specific equipment.

All gadgets were designed in Autodesk Fusion 360; the resulting stl files are included for 3d printing, and free for you to use or modify. I print with PLA filament using a Dremel Idea Builder 3d printer.

Step 1: Corner Clamp Pads

Let's start with clamping gadgets. You can never have enough clamps!

These are corner clamping pads to slip onto standard Irwin Quick-Grip clamps. They will pull together and hold a corner joint. Print a set for four clamps, and you are all set to finish your box or frame.

This and the following designs can be modified and adapted for other types of clamps.

Step 2: Replacement and Specialty Clamp Pads

Replace lost or worn pads for your Irwin Quick-Grip clamp with your own 3d printed version. This is where I wish I could print flexible filament on my printer. If necessary, glue 80-grit sandpaper onto the faces to prevent slipping.

Create specialty clamp pads with v-grooves to hold round pieces as shown in the picture. They make cutting a pipe or dowel a lot easier.

Step 3: Infinite Band Clamp

A band clamp is useful for clamping larger assemblies with square or odd angles. This is a much improved and simpler 3d printed version of my earlier band clamp Instructable. The clamping blocks are sized for 3/4” nylon webbing. Adjustable loops are created with tri-glide buckles (see Step 14). A Quick-Grip clamp pulls the webbing tight around the assembly. The picture shows a blind-dovetailed box being clamped.

Step 4: Clamp Set-up Blocks for Parallel or Bar Clamps

Use these blocks to prop up clamps and arrange them to glue up a rectangular frame or box as shown in the picture. Makes assembly and gluing a lot easier. Sized for Bessey parallel clamps; modify the design for your specific parallel or F-style bar clamps.

Step 5: Clamp Set-up Blocks for Pipe Clamps

Use these blocks to prop up pipe clamps. Sized for 1/2 inch pipe. There is a shorter and a taller version so you can set up clamps crossing each other like in the previous step.

Step 6: Pipe Clamp Spacers

Clip-on spacer tabs to keep your workpieces from resting on the pipe.

Step 7: Frankenclamp: the Clamp Connector

Now this is what I call 'cheesy'; but hey, it works! Frankenclamp! 3d-print this adaptor for Irwin Quick-Grip clamps and you can extend the reach of your clamps. Works well as long as the middle part, where the clamps connect, doesn't get in the way! Awesome!

Use a similar connector design for other types of clamps.

Step 8: Drill Guide for Mortise/Tenon

You can make dowel joints or mortise and loose tenon joints with this jig. Hook over the edge of 3/4” board, clamp securely, and drill holes for a dowel or a mortise, it really helps with drilling down straight. Sized for 3/8” drill bit and dowel. As it's made from PLA plastic, it will wear with drilling, so just print a new one when worn out.

Shown is a loose 'tenon' consisting of five 3/8" dowels. The holes and notches on the vertical side piece are for alignment.

Step 9: Dowel Center Finder

Need to find and mark the center of a dowel or disk? Draw a couple of lines across your round piece, they intersect in the center. Sized for up to 2 inch diameter. Make a smaller or larger version for your needs.

Step 10: Bar Gauge

Use this gauge to measure, compare, and transfer interior dimensions when building larger boxes, cabinet cases, or frames. Check for squareness by comparing the two internal diagonals. 3d-print the cam levers (use supports), then reinforce with 8d nails for the hinge pins on the cam lever. Designed for use with 1/4 inch hardwood dowel. The picture shows how to use the gauge.

Step 11: Drill Bit Set Trays

Store a countersink drill bit set (DeWalt) in this tray along with the hex key. Keep things organized! Make similar trays for other specialty drill bits like the metric Forstner bits shown.

Step 12: Miter Gauge for Belt or Disk Sander

Misplaced or lost your miter gauge for a stationary belt and/or disk sander? Sand accurate 45 degree chamfers or points as shown at the end of posts, dowels, or trim. Modify the design for other fixed angles. Also make sure to modify for your machine's miter slot design.

Use a similar design for a fixed-angle miter gauge for your bandsaw.

Step 13: Contour Sanding Grips

Did you route or cut a special profile that needs some sanding for cleanup? Make your own sanding block to match the profile while being easy on your fingers. Shown is a 1/2 & 3/8 inch round profile for a groove in a cutting board; and an inside/outside corner sanding profile. Design other profiles for v-grooves, round-overs, Roman Ogees, etc.

Step 14: Tri-glide Buckle

These tri-glide buckles are used with 3/4 inch nylon webbing. I don’t know how strong they are, so be careful and don’t use where people, animals, or equipment could be at risk.

Step 15: That's It!

Let me know if you have any ideas for other gadgets or for improvements to the ones shown!