3D Printed Gadgets for Woodworking

by rschoenm

72K59363

Intro: 3D Printed Gadgets for Woodworking

This is a collection of simple 3D printed gadgets for my woodworking workshop. All where designed in Autodesk Fusion 360, and I have included the stl files so you can print your own. The designs are pretty simple, so it should not be difficult for you to modify any of the parts.

STEP 1: Clamping Brackets for Mitered Corners

The brackets are used to clamp mitered joints like picture frames and boxes. The miter angle does not need to be 45 degrees. When 3D printing use 50% or more infill for strength. Glue 80 or 100 grit sandpaper to the flat inside surface to prevent the bracket from slipping during use. The pictures show how the clamp brackets are used.

STEP 2: Knobs

Make threaded knobs and handles for fixtures and jigs. The interior threads are 1/4-20 and 5/16-18. Thread in a hex bolt and super-glue in place.

STEP 3: Rounded Corner Layout Templates

These templates allow you to mark rounded corners for 1/2", 3/4", 1", and 1.5" corner radii. Hook the template over the corner and mark with a sharp pencil. Then saw and sand to the line.

STEP 4: Mortise Layout Templates

These templates are useful for laying out mortises on your stock for routing, chiseling, or a mortising machine. Draw the centerline of the mortise across the stock, line up the template, and mark it with pencil or marking knife. Templates are included for 1/4", 3/8", and 1/2" mortises for 3/4" stock.

STEP 5: Temporary Corner Brackets

They provide extra 'hands' during the assembly of your workpieces. Useful for alignment during glueing, clamping, assembly with screws, etc. Use on corners or for T-joints. Sized for 3/4" stock.

STEP 6: Angle Gauge

Set your saw blade to exact tilt or miter angles. 30, 60, 90 degrees. Design your own for other angles.

STEP 7: Height or Cutting Depth Gauge

Easily set the height (cutting depth) of your table saw blade or dado blade for creating grooves, rabbets, or dados. The gauge includes 1/16", 1/8", 3/16", and 1/4" settings. 3D print standing on edge - no supports needed.

STEP 8: Miter Slot Bars

These fit into miter slots on you table saw, band saw, router table, or sander. Use as stop, or attach to jig/fence/sled. Modify to fit your saw/sander/router table.

STEP 9: Band Saw Insert

Replace a worn band saw insert. The file is for my Grizzly G0555 bandsaw. You may have to tweak the dimension to fit your bandsaw. Omit the center slot to make it a zero-clearance insert.

STEP 10: Magswitch Jigs

Make your own Magswitch jigs. Shown is a featherboard using the commercially available Magswitch magnets (MAGJIG 95). You can design other jigs and reuse the same Magswitch magnets as needed.

STEP 11: Dust Collector Adaptors

Make your own adaptors and fittings for dust collection systems and shop vacuums. The second picture shows a belt sander to shop vac adaptor. Use blue painters tape when you don't get the fit quite right! The dimensions are very specific to your machinery, so you'll have to design your own. I use a 2.4 mm wall thickness, 0.2mm layer height, 3 top/bottom layers, 3 outside/perimeter shells, and 35% infill where needed.

STEP 12: Center Marker

Use this simple gadget with 8d nails to mark the centerline of a board.

STEP 13: More ...

More gadgets to come. Feel free to improve the designs or add your own ideas. Share what you create!

48 Comments

HughC13 4 months ago

thanks very much

JefferyB16 4 years ago

I took your design for the Angle Gauge and created my own (using SketchUp) to practice designing. I made some modifications to the angles and a notch on the bottom to help mark 90 degrees and I love it! I just wanted to make sure to thank you and give you credit for inspiring me! I will probably be making some of your other designs (some with and some without modifications) in the future! Thank you!!

rschoenm 4 years ago

Great idea! Thanks for your kind comments.

steegs8319 5 years ago

Love these ideas, now I need a printer!
Some suggestions for the next post- a Dowelling joint jig, & a pocket hole jig?

rschoenm 5 years ago

Thanks for the suggestions. I have a doweling (mortising) jig designed, printed, and tested for my next Instructable; to be published before too long. Not sure about the pocket hole jig; I haven't used pocket holes so I haven't thought about it. Working on a bunch of clamping aids.
Any further suggestions are welcome.

youngrh 5 years ago

I decided to post this again as a question in case Instructables handles questions differently than comments.Thank you for these! I would like to make several of these. But being relatively new to Fusion 360, I do not know how to 'inspect' the wire frame drawings for dimensions. My question is what size 3d printer do I need and do you have a recommendation for a particular 3d printer to consider?

rschoenm 5 years ago

The largest thing on the list is the featherboard, about 7.5 inches by 3.5 inches. The tallest gadget would be one of the vacuum hose adaptors, about 2.5 inches tall and 2 inches diameter. All stl files are in millimeter units.


After importing a mesh (stl file) into Fusion 360 (“Insert > Insert Mesh”), use the “Inspect > Measure” menu item and click on different nodes of the mesh to get distances and angles.


If you just want to 3d-print the stl file use the free Autodesk Print Studio program to process the file for your specific 3d printer. Again, import stl files with mm units.


To modify any files you would need the original Fusion 360 files. If you have a specific gadget in mind I could send you the file. Many of the designs are simple enough for you to recreate quickly and learn Fusion 360 in the process.


Regarding recommendations for specific 3d printers, I don’t have experience with many available systems. I am using an older Dremel 3d20 Idea Builder. It has worked well and reliably for me. Search the internet for current recommendations.

youngrh 5 years ago

Thank you so much, Sir! Exactly the kind of response I was hoping for, and then some!! I look forward to learning something new while making a few very useful things for my woodworking. Looks like the Tevo Tornado may fit the bill but I will be researching some more before buying. Thanks again and my best wishes to you in your endeavors.

vistamachine 5 years ago

I love these. You are making good use of your printer. Can't wait for your next post.

youngrh 5 years ago

Thank you for these! I would like to make several of these. But being relatively new to Fusion 360, I do not know how to 'inspect' the wire frame drawings for dimensions. My question is what size 3d printer do I need and do you have a recommendation for a particular 3d printer to consider?

Philbert D 5 years ago

Excellent, practical collection. Allows me to justify both melting plastic and creating sawdust at the same time. I've purchased several of these items over the years and this will allow me to expand my collection of them for much less money while having much more fun. Thanks.

BonJiba 5 years ago

Great design on the temporary corner brackets. I also use Fusion 360 and would like to modify them for 1/2" width material. Could you also please post the .f3d fusion files. Thanks...

rschoenm 5 years ago

Here it is. Modify Sketch1

TheMainMan 5 years ago

Love these gadgets! And it introduced me to Magswitch so I've now got something to get my father-in-law for his birthday!

What is the notch for in the rounded corner templates?
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