5 3D Printer Projects For Movie Lovers

3D printing hasn't quite been adopted by the masses yet, but it's far more popular than the niche hobby it once was. 3D printers and tools have become more and more affordable, and 3D printed parts can be quite reliable. Additionally, there are no shortage of items around the house that can be 3D printed, thus saving the owners of 3D printers some money, in addition to providing them with a creative outlet.

A 3D printer can be put to use for many items. Kitchen and office accessories are popular 3D printing options, but movie lovers with their home theater setups can also benefit from unique 3D printer projects. Some of the best sites for free 3D printing projects and open source models are full of objects, gadgets, and accessories that can not only make one's movie-watching experience better, but more theater-like as well.

We regularly find ourselves kicking back with a movie, and whether you do so in front of a smart TV for cinephiles or while on the go with your smartphone, we've come up with some 3D printer projects meant just for movie lovers. Among them are some ideas for making the solo movie watching experience more convenient, or to welcome guests when hosting movie night.

Movie libraries have become increasingly digital over the years, but every movie lover's library is likely to consist of at least some physical media. Blu-ray is a nostalgic way to watch movies that's making a comeback, and there's any number of classic movies every cinephile should own on Blu-ray that may be sitting on your shelves. Physical movie libraries can be a chore to organize, but there are several 3D printing options that can help keep everything from becoming clutter.

CD cases that can be 3D printed and repurposed to store DVDs and Blu-ray discs are available at Printables. Some of them are styled like classic jewel cases, which are significantly smaller than standard DVD and Blu-ray packaging. This 3D printing option makes a good way to size down the footprint of a physical movie library, shrinking the cases down to a size that takes up far less shelf or drawer space. These cases could also be utilized for any stray discs that have become separated from their original case over the years.

Also available to 3D print are ways to organize such cases. This would include things like storage racks and containers. A well-reviewed Blu-ray disc organizer is available at Maker World. Its three reviewers have all given it a perfect 5-star rating and it comes with detailed instructions. Storage bins are also popular across 3D printing sites, and while it may be difficult to track one down that perfectly fits Blu-ray and DVD cases, this route may offer more flexibility for bulk organization.

Standard viewing setups tend to consist of at least a TV and one other peripheral device, and there's a good chance that a movie lover's consists of even more. Such a setup can include things like soundbars and streaming devices, and there are several 4K Blu-ray players for cinephiles that may be included too. This has the potential to need several remote controls within reach, especially if your movie watching world consists of multiple streaming services.

One option to resolve this is to simply work through the clutter, keeping the remotes on your lap or tucking them into a couch pocket to reach when the time comes. Another option would be to buy some sort of remote control caddy. The third option would be to 3D print one of these caddies, which can be done without much fuss through any number of available models. Maker World has more than 1,000 remote control organization models available, and they include some with modern styling and retro vibes.

Many of these models have individual compartments for each remote. This allows you to create a permanent home for the remote that goes with each device you use when watching movies, and to commit to memory exactly where you need to reach for. In addition to numerous visual styles, Maker World also has a number of different designs available, including table-top caddies, wall-mounted caddies, and even drawer-like caddies that can be attached to shelving.

Movie lovers who take the viewing experience seriously may also take the snacking experience seriously. There's no shortage of 3D models available for those who like to snack through a movie, no matter what their favorite concessions may be. A 4-compartment snack bowl model is available at Maker World, and it's received a 4.9-star overall user rating. It may be a little small for some viewers, in which case a more theater-like snack caddy called the Cine-Companion is available. It has one large compartment for snacks like nachos, as well as two smaller compartments and a cupholder. The Cine-Companion 3D print model has received a perfect 5-star overall rating among users at Maker World.

Of course, these 3D print models are more for the individual movie goer. For those who host movie nights from time to time, there are larger snack caddy options available at both Maker World and Printables. Included among these are things like popcorn bowls, which can easily be 3D printed in bulk so each visitor can have their own bowl to snack from. Maker World even has some movie-themed popcorn bowls and popcorn buckets. A Death Star popcorn bucket there has received an overall user rating of 4.8 stars, and a Spider-Man popcorn and candy bowl has received a nearly perfect overall user rating. A classic movie theater-style popcorn bucket 3D model with a 4.9-star overall user rating is also available.

While the technical aspects of a viewing setup are a necessity, some movie lovers may want to incorporate some decor. Whether you watch movies in a basic living room setup or have a full home theater arrangement quarantined to its own room, some replica movie magic can go a long way toward creating the right kind of viewing vibes. You can, of course, spend tens of thousands of dollars collecting historical, real-life movie memorabilia, but with a 3D printer you can create your very own, much more affordable, versions.

3D print models for famous movie props can be found across a number of websites. One movie prop with a bit of lore behind it is Thor's hammer, "Mjolnir." A 3D print model of Mjolnir is available at Thingiverse, as is an Avengers logo stand. "Guardians of the Galaxy" fans can print themselves a Baby Groot, and Thingiverse even has a Silver Surfer 3D print model available for "Fantastic Four" fans.

But there's far more available to 3D print than movie props from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Maker World has a wide variety of models in the movie prop category, including a Harry Potter wand, as well as plenty of props from "Star Wars," the "John Wick" franchise, and even "Ghostbusters." You can also find some movie prop 3D print models at Printables. The selection isn't as varied, but movies like "Inception" and "The Goonies" are represented among what's available there.

Nowadays, the moviegoing experience isn't limited to the recliner. While smart TVs and accompanying surround sound systems may be the best way to kick back with a movie, such a setup may not always be accessible. Smartphones and tablets offer the potential for alternative viewing setups, and they can be especially beneficial when traveling. Anybody with digital versions of their favorite movies can load them onto such devices, or access them through digital purchases and streaming services.

But what can be a little more difficult is getting comfortable when watching on these smaller devices. Holding them up to your face can work for short stretches, but over the course of an entire movie, you're likely to need some reinforcements. Stands are among the cool smartphone accessories you can 3D print, and there are also 3D print models available for tablet stands. A tablet stand riser at Maker World is great for a movie watching setup, as it has a nearly perfect overall rating across four different 3D print model versions.

There are hundreds of other stands to 3D print available at Maker World, and other 3D printing sites offer even more. Another piece of tech that can expand a mobile movie setup is a good set of earbuds. When it comes to 3D printing models for such devices, you can find travel cases for a number of different earbuds models, as well as 3D printable cleaning tools and cable management clips for wired earbuds.