This is now a legacy page soon to be removed. I upload my most recent projects on Printables.com, a great repository for all 3D works.

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Click or scroll to view all designs:

1. Idiot Proof Coffee Maker Mod
2. Re-useable Verismo Pod
3. Mini Sanding Block
4. Oven Guard
5. Dog Food Lid
6. Fan Knob
7. Anti-Mold Device
8. Swimming Biomechanics Joint Marker

Idiot Proof Coffee Maker Mod

I don’t know about you, but sometimes when I’m first waking up in the morning, I’m not quite fully alert… I throw together my coffee and hit the button and only about a minute later do I realize that I forgot to put my coffee mug under the machine. As part of Mark Rober’s Creative Engineering class on Monthly I desingned a device to solve this problem. You can watch the build video and read the article here on the projects section of my website.

Re-useable Verismo Pod

One ongoing frustration I’ve faced was a coffee maker my family owns, or more specifically, the pods for the coffee maker. Being environmentally conscious as I am, I couldn’t allow my parents to use a disposable pod coffee maker. However, unlike other coffee makers, the Starbucks™ Verismo System does not offer reusable pods that you can fill with your own ground coffee.

Since this option didn’t exist, I decided to make one. Using Fusion 360 and careful measurements of existing pods, I modeled a reusable pod with a screw cap design. The pod incorporates a washable metal filter to trap the grounds and easy to clean closure mechanism.

The image above show a vertical cross section of the pod and the alignment holes and screw top. At this stage in the design process I printed a prototype and then made a few adjustments to achieve a proper fit. With the new model printed, I had a working prototype, however there is one ongoing issue. There are no available 3D printable thermoplastics that are FDA food-safe, though many that would withstand the temperatures. Thus moving forward I am looking to adapt my design to be printed or manufactured in a food-safe metal such as stainless steel which will allow for heat resistance and easy cleaning, while not leaching any harmful chemicals into the coffee.

At this stage in the process, the quarantine due to Covid-19 was well underway, thus, to occupy some of my downtime, I decided to make a ‘commercial’ for the new pod. Just to have fun.

Mini Sanding Block

I needed a small sanding tool with rounded and sharp features in order to reach every section of the 3D printed brain model I made. Thus I quickly made this tool which is based on similar designs avaliable on the internet, but is custom sized to my application. You can view the full write-up and build video here.

OvenGuard

Another recurring annoyance I dealt with was that the gas burners on my kitchen stove accidently turned on when leaning over the oven to stir a pot or reach into a cabinet. Since they are gas burners this is not only an annoyance, but also a serious safety hazard, both in terms of gas inhalation and fire risk.

I was able to solve this problem by designing a simple cap that slides over the burner controls and prevents the knob from moving in any direction.

The design process was relatively simple, and only two iterations were needed to get a model that felt strong enough, but also allowed for easy removal when cooking. The final model was printed in PLA. I did have some initial concerns about using PLA in the high heat environment of the stove, but over 4 months of ongoing use, there have yet to be any issues.

Dog Food Lid

The next project, though decidedly less complicated was nonetheless a needed upgrade in my day to day life. Like many families over quarantine, we ended up with a new member of the family, in our case a 1-year old rescue dog named Talisker. However, as we joined the multitudes of families in dog ownership (now for our second time) we quickly discovered that seemingly everywhere was sold out of dog food lids.

As much as we love Talisker, we were not prepared to have his smelly food left open to stink up the house, so while a temporary foil lid was employed, I set off designing a new lid.

The design requirements I set out for myself was that it must fit both small and large can sizes and must be easily removed and washable. With some quick measurements the first requirement was satisfied and only two design loops were required to get a finished product I was proud of. Printed in a flexible TPU, the lid is rigid enough to grip the can, but is easily removed and can flex with changes in pressure inside the can. It features an easy lift handle and smooth top, perfect for adding monograms of your favorite furry friend. I optimized the model to reduce the ammount of plastic used and decrease surface area exposed to food elements.

Replacement Fan Knob

Another day, after the control knobs on our outdoor fans broke off due to age, rather than throwing away the fans or having to use pliers to turn the dial, I modeled a new knob and had the fan back to new within hours. This was another relatively simple model, with the only hint of complexity coming in the form of aligning the dial indicator with the underlying fan controls.

Washing Machine Anti-mold Device

Another everyday item that could do with some improvement was our washing machine. Since it had a tendency to grow mold if the door and filling tray was not propped open, we needed a way to keep it open. For too long, we had just used cloths or anything else lying around, so I decided to create a long-term solution. While I could have mounted something to the wall, a key design requirement was easy adjustment of the angle the door was propped open at. This was to stop our dog from getting into the washing machine as he often tries to do.

After a couple rounds of ideation and modeling, I came up with the simple design above, with a variety of angles available for propping the door open by changing the orientation of the block. I also incorporated an adjustable arm to prop open the filling tray over the full range of block positions.

Swimming Biomechanics Joint Marker

As a part of my high school senior capstone project I needed to develop a marker for each of the joints on the swimmer I wanted to analyze. I created this simple mount to house a waterproof LED and battery. It conforms to the swimmer’s body geomertry at each joint and offers minimal resistance. You can view the full project write-up and video here.