20 Things to Print with Flexible Filament

The world of 3D printing has gotten all the more creative with flexible filaments. For different reasons, you may need your printed work to be flexible, elastic, bendy, or come with a soft feel when touched. A flexible filament allows you to achieve this.

Not only do they promise flexibility, but they are also durable and some come with other possible features like flame-retardancy and chemical resistance.

It’s not so fun to run out of ideas, so here are 20 things you can print with flexible filament.

#1. Watch Strap

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A printed watch strap could be a quick fix for a broken watch band. You might also just feel like changing your watch's band to something softer on your skin or more colorful. Either way, printing it yourself is a good fix. A watch strap makes one of the simplest things to print with a flexible filament.

#2. Bracelet

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If you can 3D print a watch strap, who says you can create a beautiful 3D model for bracelets using a flexible filament. This assignment allows you to go creative with your unique designs. You can also go online for 3D-printed bracelet ideas.

#3. Phone Case

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Phone cases are common examples of 3D printed materials. Thankfully, we don’t have to write an essay to explain how protective a plastic/rubber phone case can be. You can print your phone case to incorporate openings for all the ports and cameras or add hollowed fittings for the volume and power buttons.

#4. Cable Ties

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Go the extra mile to protect your phone’s accessories by 3D printing cable ties for your charger, earpiece, USB cords, and other cables around you.

#5. USB Sleeves

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Take it a step further by printing USB sleeves for your cables and USB drives. These sleeves protect the connection points of your cables from dust, insects, fluids, and other mechanical impacts that could cause potential damage.

#6. Vibration Damper

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Here is an example of a material printed by your printer, for your printer. If your 3D  printer tends to produce offending noises due to vibrations, you can dampen the shakes with vibration dampers. This will also prevent the vibrations from causing distortions to your works.

#7. Hose Adapter

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A hose adapter works to join the ends of two pipes together. Rather than visiting a plumber's store to get one, you can create one yourself with your 3D printer.

#8. Ring

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Back to the jewelry space! You do know you can 3D print rings right? You can experiment with different designs, colors, and sizes, and even create some unique models for yourself. A simple band will be a good place to start.

#9. Tiara

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Tiaras are typically 3D printed so nothing should stop you from printing yours. You can start with simple models or go for slightly complex ones like this.

#10. Sneakers

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You can take things a bit further by printing complex models like sneakers. 3D printed sneakers expand easily and will not be too tight on the feet. They are also waterproof and can be printed in every imaginable color mix.

#11. Tong Makeshift

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Supposing you're having a barbecue night with friends but don't have a chef's tong, you can innovate a tong by 3D printing a foldable handle where the ends of two cutlery can fit in.

#12. Curtain Ties

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Curtain ties help to keep curtains aside so illumination can seep in. There are several ideas for 3D printing curtain ties. Ensure you print one that is large enough to accommodate the bulk of your curtain.

#13. Joy Stick Caps

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Printing a couple of joystick caps would be a great addition to your game console. Those flexible caps will relieve your thumb of pain and can help improve your grip on the joysticks.

#14. Drain Filter

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You can 3D print drain filters for your bathroom or kitchen. Remember to always consider the size and pattern of the drain before printing.

#15. Ear Saver

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Whether for safety, fashion, or just a personal flair, it's now a common thing to find people wearing face masks. Ear savers help to prevent pain on the ears due to the long use of face masks. Have you ever considered printing one?

#16. Water Bottle Sleeve

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A great way to prevent your water bottle from scratches is to put it in a water bottle sleeve. The sleeve can also serve as a fitted carrying bag for the bottle.

#17. Doorstop

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A simple but effective innovation, a 3D printed doorstop keeps your doors open when you need them to.

#18. AirPods Case

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You don’t have to fret if you suddenly can’t find your AirPods case, just print a new one! This time around you can customize it with your name so it stays yours and yours alone.

#19. Apple Watch Case

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Just like you’d print a phone case for your iPhone, you can also 3D print a protective case for your Apple Watch. The case could be a frame that forms a thick enclosure around the watch. This will prevent heavy damage from falls and hits.

#20. Wallet

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We’ll round our list of things to print with flexible filament by suggesting you print a foldable or small-size wallet. This would be perfect for you as you can customize it into your preferred size or color and add as many spaces as you wish. 3D printed wallets are fit for carrying money, ATM cards, and other plastic cards.

Conclusion

When working with flexible filaments, remember that they come in different types just like hard filaments. A type of flexible filament may be more suitable for your 3D model than the other. Also, different filaments come with their unique texture, flexibility, and elasticity rates. Generally, you sho