A 3D-printing tinkerer balked at the Snapmaker U1’s optional factory top cover price and used a clear 45 L IKEA Samla storage box instead, pairing it with 3D-printed parts to improve print conditions and keep dust out.
The Snapmaker U1 3D printer already looks like a lot of machine for the money, until the optional factory-offered top cover lands at a price that doesn’t sit right with everyone. One maker, Beaver Works, decided not to pay for the enclosure at all.
Instead. he built a workaround: he 3D printed a fixture and used a clear 45 L Samla storage box from IKEA as the cover. The goal wasn’t just aesthetics. A cover helps retain heat and block drafts, which can improve print quality. It also keeps the printer’s insides dust- and debris-free. and it adds a physical barrier against curious fingers—or paws.
This approach leans on something many makers already know but don’t always see put to good use: off-the-shelf parts that fit the real-world messiness of printer enclosures. Getting the right enclosure isn’t as simple as it sounds. The size and weight of materials can quickly push costs up for something that seems straightforward in concept. By 3D printing the fixtures while buying the bulky storage box locally and affordably. the design becomes easier on the wallet without abandoning the basics that matter for printing.
There’s also a practical detail in IKEA’s favor. IKEA sells the box’s lid separately, so you can buy just the box and avoid ending up with an unused lid after the fact.
The method isn’t without risk. Integrating off-the-shelf components into a design can go wrong when availability changes or a manufacturer tweaks dimensions and design elements without warning. Still. IKEA’s storage products are described as “pretty well standardized. ” and in this case they’re a good fit for the purpose.
If a custom adjustment is needed, Beaver Works has provided STEP files for the 3D-printed parts—an especially welcome touch for anyone who wants to reproduce the setup or refine it for their own printer and space.
IKEA Samla Snapmaker U1 3D printing printer enclosure storage box STEP files home workshop
So basically IKEA fixed the printer enclosure problem for cheaper? I love it.
Wait wait… the “cover” was like extra money from Snapmaker and he just used a storage bin? That seems ghetto but also smart? Dust is a real issue though so I get it.
Beaver Works sounds like a company name but also like he’s just a random guy with a beaver? Idk. Wouldn’t a plastic IKEA box melt or warp with heat? Like the article says “retain heat” so… how is that safe?
I don’t even know what Snapmaker U1 is but I saw “IKEA Samla” and thought of those things being for clothes/storage. STEP files too?? This is why I can’t keep up—next they’ll be 3D printing the printer enclosure out of cardboard or something. Also how does it block drafts if it’s not sealed, ya know?