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Custom DIY car parts with a heat gun and 3D pen

Hey guys! For months I've been committed to one thing: making custom car parts out of plastic with a 3D pen. Let's just say, it's been interesting...

First, I did sketches and measurements - many, many attempts. The next steps, tracing it out with my 3D pen and slowly building up the plastic. The result was a... functional(?) part. Looked pretty janky, ngl.

BUT! Between my heat gun on low setting, a lot of patience and PLENTY of sandpaper, my third attempt looked pretty decent! Only thing, it had the strength of a wet noodle. Honestly, I wouldn't trust it to stay intact if a butterfly landed on it!

I love this hobby, but maybe there's a good reason people buy car parts instead of making them from plastic with a 3D pen 🤔

Submitted 1 year, 2 months ago by PlasticBender


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Totally get the temptation to create your own stuff, it's super fun and often cheaper. Love the creativity here, but I gotta agree with others, car parts get real dangerous real fast if they fail. Maybe stick to DIYing less risky items. Keep up the enthusiasm though, I love to see it! 😊

1 year, 2 months ago by emmagetscreative

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This is why people come into my garage with whack repairs. Stop this nonsense! Buy the proper parts. Think car safety.

1 year, 2 months ago by GrumpyOlMechanic

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3D pen user and kinda expert here.

Pour love into your hobby, but I see why most folks stick to buying parts... it's about reliability and safety. But for non-structural stuff that doesn't need to bear weight or major strain, this could be a fun route.

Maybe not for anything related to the running of the vehicle though. I wouldn't trust a plastic 3D pen bearing to hold up for long. But hat's off to you for making it work as well as you have. Keep experimenting, but stay safe 🖊️🚗

1 year, 2 months ago by Expert3dMan

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lol sounds like an interesting journey, I'm just over here with my duct tape 'repair jobs'.

1 year, 2 months ago by Here2Lurk

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Professional mechanic here.

I admire your creativity, and DIY is certainly a fun hobby, but car parts are engineered and tested for a reason, man. Safety is a big factor in this. It may look decent but a shoddy part could fail big time when you really need it to work.

Just saying. Be careful and safe out there!

1 year, 2 months ago by TheRealCarGuy

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Ha, sounds like quite the project! I had a similar experience trying to build a clock with popsicle sticks. As long as you're having fun and not risking safety, keep it up! 🙌

1 year, 2 months ago by DIYgoneWild7