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Industrial Designer's Side Gig is 3D-Printing Hard-to-Find Replacement Ikea Parts
A great use of the skillset!
Let's say you own Ikea's discontinued Tobo unit, which features sliding glass doors.
And let's say you lose or break one of these four funky-looking, complicated components:
That little plastic gewgaw is what holds the sliding doors in place at the top. Without it you're screwed. The product is discontinued, so Ikea doesn't support it anymore. Time to throw the whole thing out, right?
Thankfully, no. "In my free time, I like helping people by making 3D printed replacements for their broken Ikea parts," writes L.A.-based industrial designer Peter Szucs.
Szucs has already created files for dozens of parts...
...and is actively taking requests for more (you can contact him at the link above). To see what he's already got ready-to-print, check out his Shapeways store, Replacement Parts for Ikea Products.
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Comments
Nice - I've done this a few times since getting my own 3D printer and it's a good feeling to get something back in use for the sake of a small plastic widget. (Not ikea, but all sorts of random household goods)
I wonder if IKEA has IP protection on these parts.
Heh. I'm not a designer but I designed and made a replacement German kitchen cabinet door hinge for my brother-in-law. He says it's more solid than the original.
I have that Tobo unit and that piece broke! Fortunately Ikea sent a replacement. It's a shame that something so large can be rendered useless by something so small.