3D Printer Cart Made from PVC Pipe: A DIY Solution for Every Maker

Build your own 3-D Printer Stand

3D Printing has given us the ability to create and build pretty cool things, from small custom components to larger prototype elements. One critical element many makers getting into 3D-printing sometimes overlook is how to effectively store and manage all the tools and accessories that come with the printer. That's where building a 3D Printer Stand out of FORMUFIT PVC pipe and fittings comes into play.

We've released a new PVC plan showing you how to build your custom 3D printer stand out of FORMUFIT Furniture Grade PVC pipe and fittings. Composed entirely of 1-1/4" Size pipe and fittings (with some 1" pieces to add some neat features), it's an excellent way to maximize efficiency and ease of use and customize your 3D printing setup to where you want it to be. Here are a few of the perks of the FORMUFIT 3D Printing Stand design:

Easy Access to Filament Spools

We designed the 3D Printer Stand with a top-bar section that is easy to remove and allows convenient access to your printer filament spools. By creating the stand with a large bar across the top, you can place the spools precisely where needed, ensuring that the filament feeds smoothly into the printer. The bar is 1" Size PVC which will accept any spool in the standard 34-53mm range and easily slips into the 1-1/4" uprights for a tool-less changeout. This characteristic improves the quality of your prints and makes changing material types or colors a breeze. If needed, there is also a second, easily removable 1" Size PVC bar in front of the printer for front-loading filament spools.

Better Height than a Table

Raising the stand to chest height facilitates better airflow around the printer. This elevated position ensures good airflow near the printer components, which is essential for long printing sessions. Additionally, the raised height provides a more accessible entry to your prints, enabling you to monitor the printing process more closely and easily remove completed prints. It's not too tall to make things unsteady, but still the perfect height to access your projects.

Integrated Shelves for Filament Storage

Adding integrated shelves designed to hold filament boxes perfectly in place adds another level of convenience to the stand. Proper storage protects the filament from dust and moisture, enhancing its lifespan when put back into their boxes. These shelves also enable you to organize different filament types and colors efficiently, so you can quickly find and access suitable material for your project. Since there are two shelves, you can use one for filament boxes and build a second wood platform to store tools or additional heating element pads, pliers, or snips.

It's an Entirely Free Plan

Check out our FORMUFIT PVC Plans Library to download the 3D Printer Stand project for free. You can then customize it using the available SketchUp file for download on the page. Add elements such as tool holders and a vacuum mount to make it your own. You can customize the PVC colors to your theme for a maker space location or your school colors. Want to make it a cart to move where you need it? Easy. Just replace the four bottom End Caps with 1-1/4" Caster Pipe Caps and four FORMUFIT Swivel Casters.

A 3D Printer Stand made from PVC pipe and fittings is a highly functional, customizable, and affordable solution for any 3D printing specialist. Any 3-D printer devotee must customize a stand such as this entirely to their own 'making'. Still, as a start, this stand offers a tailored experience that will enhance any 3D printing workflow.

How to Get it:

You can download the entire 3-D Printer Stand PVC plan in step-by-step PDF format from the FORMUFIT PVC Plans Library or click here to go directly to the 3D Printing Stand plan page. A full list of required PVC parts is provided on the page and the plan goes into details about the wooden shelf dimensions and cutting. A Trimble SketchUp file is also available for download.