A small, well-made part can remove a barrier that gets in the way every single day. This is an ongoing project to design and 3D-print custom assistive parts, built around one person’s real needs, and shared at no cost.

The idea

Mass-produced products are designed for an imagined average person. If your hands, reach, strength, or coordination work differently from that average, the everyday objects around you can be hard or impossible to use. The fix is often not complicated. It is just a shape that nobody has made for you yet.

That is where a 3D printer earns its keep. I can take a specific challenge, model a solution in CAD, print it in a few hours, hand it over, and then change it as many times as it takes to get it right. The part costs a couple of dollars in plastic, so there is no reason to settle for “close enough.”

I share the designs openly wherever I can, so that an occupational therapist, a maker, or a family member somewhere else can print and adapt the same part for someone they know.

Kinds of parts I can make

Every request is different, so this is a starting point rather than a catalog. If your idea is not on the list, it is still worth asking.

  • Grips and handle builders. Larger, shaped grips that slip over a fork, pen, toothbrush, razor, or garden tool so it is easier to hold with limited hand strength or dexterity.
  • Holders and stands. Cradles for a phone, tablet, playing cards, or a book, and stands that hold an object at a usable angle so it does not have to be gripped at all.
  • Mounts and clamps. Brackets that attach a light, cup holder, joystick, or communication device to a wheelchair, bed rail, table edge, or walker.
  • Adapters and connectors. Small bridges between two things that were never meant to fit together, such as a switch adapter, a key turner, or a part that joins a standard accessory to a non-standard device.
  • Button and switch aids. Larger buttons, guards that prevent accidental presses, and levers that turn a hard-to-reach control into an easy one.
  • Daily-living aids. Zipper pulls, bottle and jar openers, buttoning aids, and other small tools that take friction out of getting through the day.

How to request a part or collaborate

Individuals, family members, caregivers, teachers, and occupational or physical therapists are all welcome to reach out. The design work is free. Here is roughly how it goes:

  1. Describe the challenge. Tell me the task that is hard and what a good outcome would look like. Photos of the object, the hand or setup involved, and a few measurements help a lot.
  2. We talk it through. I will ask questions about measurements, comfort, materials, and how and where the part will be used.
  3. I model and print a first version. The first print is a prototype meant to be tried, not a finished product.
  4. We test and refine. You try it, tell me what is off, and I adjust and reprint until it genuinely works for you.

Start a request on the contact page.

A note on safety

Please read this part. The items I make are custom-printed plastic parts, not certified or regulated medical devices. They are not a substitute for professional medical equipment, advice, or care. A part should be checked for the specific person who will use it, ideally with input from a qualified clinician such as an occupational or physical therapist, especially if it bears weight, contacts skin for long periods, or is used near the face, mouth, or airway. Plastic can wear, crack, or fail over time, so inspect parts regularly and stop using anything that looks damaged. I cannot make guarantees about durability or fitness for a particular medical purpose.