Convincing my wife the 3D printer was worth it (Part 10) #3dprinting #3dprint #diy #3dprinted

We lost the quick-release buckle to my daughter’s favorite shoes, making them completely unwearable. Instead of throwing away a perfectly good pair of shoes over one tiny missing piece, it was time to engineer a custom replacement.

In Part 10 of trying to convince my wife the 3D printer was a worthwhile investment, I designed a brand-new snap-fit receptacle from scratch. Since printing an exact replica of the original tiny parts would be too fragile in plastic, I engineered a much sturdier double-peg locking system that slides securely onto the existing strap. To hide the mechanical bits, I topped it off with a sleek cover featuring interchangeable accent colors to match her outfits.

The shoes are saved, my daughter loves them, the wife approves, and we live to print another day!

#3dprinting #engineering #maker #shorts #diy #3dprint #3dprinted #functionalprint #lifehacks #dadlife #parentinghacks

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