Beginner

Building Your Spare Parts Library - Printable Replacements for Common Items

Strategic guide to printing and storing replacement parts that fail regularly, saving money and repair time

Difficulty
Beginner
Print Time 2-100 hours (depending on scope)
Category Functional Prints

Materials Needed

  • PLA or PETG (quantity depends on selections)
  • Labels (optional, for organization)
  • Storage containers

Certain items fail predictably. Printer nozzles wear out. Keyboard keycaps break. Drawer handles snap. Clip tabs on enclosures fracture. Instead of buying replacements repeatedly, print them once and stock up.

This guide helps you identify candidates for your spare parts library, print strategically, and store organized. One weekend of printing saves money and headaches for years.

Which Items Are Worth Printing?

Good candidates:

  • Items that fail regularly (you’ve replaced it before)
  • Items with long replacement lead times (2+ weeks to order)
  • Items costing $10-50 (replacement cost justifies print cost + your time)
  • Items you use across multiple devices (one design serves multiple needs)
  • Items you use consumptively (you go through multiple per year)

Poor candidates:

  • Complex items with electronics (print the case, not the circuit)
  • Items requiring tight tolerances (functional failure if slightly wrong)
  • Items under $2 (already cheap)
  • Items that fail unpredictably (can’t stock enough variants)

Top 10 Items Worth Printing

1. Keyboard Keycaps

  • What fails: Legends wear off, caps break
  • Replacement cost: $20-50 for sets
  • Print cost: $0.50-1.00 per cap
  • Storage: One container holds 100+ caps
  • Value: Unlimited spare keycaps for any keyboard you own
  • Print settings: 0.2mm layers, 20% infill, PLA sufficient
  • Pro tip: Print in different colors (WASD in red, modifiers in blue)

2. Drawer and Door Handles/Pulls

  • What fails: Clip tabs break, especially on cheap furniture
  • Replacement cost: $5-15 per replacement
  • Print cost: $0.20-0.50 per handle
  • Storage: Drawer space, small box
  • Value: Any drawer that fails gets an instant fix
  • Design: Use remixable handles on Printables (thousands exist)
  • Pro tip: Print in black PETG to match most furniture

3. Bathroom Hardware (Soap Dispensers, Toothbrush Holders)

  • What fails: Clip mechanisms, mounting brackets, lids
  • Replacement cost: $8-20 per item
  • Print cost: $0.30-1.00 per item
  • Storage: Under-sink cabinet
  • Value: Extend life of $15 dispensers by 5+ years
  • Materials: PETG for water resistance (PLA still works, less durable)
  • Pro tip: Stock multiple holder variations (wall-mounted, counter-top)

4. Drawer Dividers and Organizers

  • What fails: Nothing really fails—you just need more
  • Replacement cost: $5-10 per divider
  • Print cost: $0.20-0.40 per divider
  • Storage: Stack flat in closet
  • Value: Customize any drawer without buying expensive systems
  • Design: Simple rectangular boxes, quick prints (20-40 minutes each)
  • Pro tip: Print in matching colors for aesthetic appeal

5. Cable Clips and Organizers

  • What fails: Cheap plastic snaps, clips wear out
  • Replacement cost: $2-5 per clip
  • Print cost: $0.05-0.15 per clip
  • Storage: Large container holds hundreds
  • Value: Massive ROI—stock 50 clips, use them all
  • Design: Customizable sizes for different cable diameters
  • Variants: J-clips, adhesive-backed clips, screw-mount clips

6. Speaker/Device Mounting Brackets

  • What fails: Compatibility issues when replacing devices
  • Replacement cost: $15-30 per bracket
  • Print cost: $0.50-1.50 per bracket
  • Storage: Wall-mounted shelf
  • Value: Every time you buy a new speaker or device, print a mount
  • Design: Remixable on Thingiverse for specific devices
  • Pro tip: Print mounting brackets BEFORE mounting devices (pre-printed library of future needs)

7. Shelf Supports and Brackets

  • What fails: Metal brackets rust or bend; shelves sag
  • Replacement cost: $3-8 per bracket
  • Print cost: $0.20-0.50 per bracket
  • Storage: Garage shelf, organized in bins
  • Value: Stock dozens; any shelf project gets instant supports
  • Design: L-brackets in multiple sizes (100mm, 150mm, 200mm)
  • Materials: PETG > PLA (better load bearing)

8. Cord Organizers and Cable Boxes

  • What fails: Aesthetic issues, poor organization, outdated designs
  • Replacement cost: $10-20 per organizer
  • Print cost: $0.50-2.00 per organizer
  • Storage: Under-desk drawer
  • Value: Print new ones when reorganizing (custom sizes)
  • Design: Printable cable boxes, spiral organizers, desk-mounted clips
  • Pro tip: Print in translucent colors to see cables while keeping them organized

9. Clip Attachments (GoPro-style mounts, phone clips, tool clips)

  • What fails: Friction-fit clips wear out, break from drops
  • Replacement cost: $5-15 per clip
  • Print cost: $0.30-1.00 per clip
  • Storage: One container holds 30+ mounts
  • Value: Clip anything to anything (universal mounting)
  • Design: Ball-and-socket joints, adjustable friction mounts
  • Pro tip: Different clip sizes for phones, cameras, tools

10. Desk Accessories (pen holders, monitor stands, cable management)

  • What fails: Cheap plastic cracks, designs are non-functional
  • Replacement cost: $10-30 per item
  • Print cost: $0.50-2.00 per item
  • Storage: Desktop or shelf
  • Value: Create custom desk setup once; reprint if needed
  • Design: Customizable through software (edit hole sizes, heights)
  • Pro tip: Print desk organizers to match your specific desk dimensions

Printing Strategy for Spare Parts

Batching: Print multiple of the same part to amortize setup time:

  • One clip: 15-minute print, 1-minute cleanup = 16 minutes total
  • 10 clips: 150-minute print, 5-minute cleanup = 155 minutes total
  • Cost per clip: 16 min vs. 15.5 min (minimal savings per unit)
  • But: 9 free spare clips

Always print 5-10 extras:

  • You’ll use them (guaranteed)
  • Storage is minimal
  • Cost per extra is negligible
  • Guests often appreciate spare clips/organizers

Print in batches by material:

  • Print all PLA parts on Monday (similar settings)
  • Print all PETG parts on Tuesday (different settings)
  • Reduces printer recalibration between prints

Storage Organization

Recommended system:

  1. Clear plastic bin per category (10-15 bins total):

    • Keycaps (by color)
    • Handles (by style)
    • Cable clips (by size)
    • Desk organizers
    • Misc hardware

  2. Labeling:

    • Handwritten labels on bins (quick)
    • Printed labels with item descriptions (professional)
    • Include print time and material used (useful for reordering)

  3. Inventory list (optional):

    • Spreadsheet on phone: “100 keycaps, 50 cable clips, 20 handles, etc.”
    • Update when you use items
    • When inventory drops below threshold, print more

  4. Storage location:

    • Closet shelf: Easy access, hidden
    • Under-desk drawer: Accessible for daily items
    • Tool cabinet: If parts are heavy

Real example: 30-minute weekly inventory check + 4-hour monthly print batch = organized spare parts forever.

Cost-Benefit Calculation

Example: Cable Clips

  • Replacement cost (retail): $3.00 per 5-pack = $0.60 per clip
  • Print cost (material): $0.04 per clip
  • Your time printing 50 clips: 400 minutes (6.7 hours)
  • Your time value: $25/hour (your spare time) = $167 labor cost
  • Total cost: $2.00 (material) + $167 (labor) = $169 for 50 clips = $3.38/clip

Seems expensive. But:

  • Retail clips fail in 6 months
  • Printed clips fail in 2-3 years
  • After 3 years: 5-6 retail replacements ($15-18) vs. 1 print batch ($2)
  • Break-even: After year 2
  • Years 3-10: Pure savings

Better cost case (valuable items):

Example: Keycaps (custom legends worth it)

  • Retail replacement: $50 for custom keycaps
  • Print cost: $2.00 for 10 keycaps
  • Your time: 3 hours = $75 labor
  • Total: $77 for 10 keycaps

Seems bad, but:

  • Custom legend keycaps literally don’t exist retail
  • You’ll use 10+ keycaps over 5 years
  • Retail cost would be $500+
  • Printing one batch pays for itself 6× over

Designing Your Own Parts

Easier than you think:

  1. Find existing designs: Search “keyboard keycap” on Printables or Thingiverse
  2. Modify existing design: Use Fusion 360 (free) or Tinkercad (browser-based)
    • Change height: Simple parameter edit
    • Change size: Scale model up/down
    • Change color: Different material
  3. Import photos: Use lithophane generator for custom legends on keycaps

Ultra-simple example: Print existing keycap design, measure your keyboard, scale to 95% for tight fit or 105% for loose fit. Done.

Material Selection for Spare Parts

PLA:

  • Keycaps, organizers, light-duty clips
  • Easier to print, better surface finish
  • Not recommended: Items with load bearing or heat exposure

PETG:

  • Hinges, brackets, handles, items with stress
  • More durable, withstands flex
  • Recommended: Anything that gets regular use or environmental exposure

TPU (flexible):

  • Seals, gaskets, flexible clips, shock mounts
  • Print slower but incredibly useful
  • Niche: Only print if you need flexibility

Maintenance and Replacement Cycle

Track usage:

  • Tally marks on bin labels (simple)
  • Note which items fail frequently
  • Identify design improvements needed

Replacement signs:

  • Clip isn’t as tight (design needs improvement)
  • Multiple cracks visible (upgrade material to PETG)
  • Completely broken (time to print a replacement)

Upgrade strategy:

  • Print v1 design, observe usage
  • After 5-10 prints, redesign v2 (smaller, stronger, better)
  • Retire old v1 stock (recycle or keep as backup)

Pitfalls to Avoid

Over-printing:

  • Don’t print 100 of items you use 1 per year
  • Print 10-20, reprint annually

Printing things that shouldn’t be printed:

  • Critical structural items (print backup, not primary)
  • Items with specific material properties (metal hinges are better than printed hinges)
  • Things that break if wrong (test before mass-printing)

Poor design selection:

  • Print from creators with reviews (check “Made it?” photos)
  • Avoid untested new designs (stick with proven 500+ likes)
  • Test one before printing 10

Neglected storage:

  • Bins hidden away and forgotten
  • You print spare parts but can’t find them in emergency
  • Keep bins visible or maintain searchable inventory list

Real-World Spare Parts Library Example

One person’s library (compiled over 2 years):

  • 150 keycaps (various colors, legends)
  • 75 cable clips (3 sizes)
  • 40 desk organizers (multiple designs)
  • 30 shelf brackets
  • 25 handle/pull replacements
  • 20 monitor stands (different heights)
  • 15 speaker mounts
  • 10 custom drawer dividers
  • Misc: 50+ small items

Total print time: ~120 hours (spread over 24 months = 5 hours/month) Total material cost: ~$40 Retail replacement value: $800-1000 Your time value: $3000 (at $25/hour, but usually background printing while working on other things) Real ROI: 15:1 ratio between retail cost and material cost

Is a Spare Parts Library Worth It?

Yes, if:

  • You like projects and customization
  • You have printer capable of running background prints
  • You value convenience (instant replacements instead of waiting for shipping)
  • You print other things anyway (spare parts are bonus use of printer)

No, if:

  • You rarely print (printer sits idle)
  • You prefer to buy retail
  • Your time has significant opportunity cost

Most 3D printer owners fall into “yes” category. A spare parts library transforms your printer from a hobbyist tool into a practical household utility.

Start small: Print 20 cable clips, 20 keycaps, and 10 drawer dividers this month. In 6 months, you’ll use them all and understand the value. Scale from there.

The printer pays for itself one spare part at a time.