3D Printer - impressive

 Starting with a story about my kitchen sink.  I have posted about it here before. Every couple of years it needs it's cartridge replaced and Moen sends them for free.

But this time it was something else, the aerator, that little thingy in the end of the spout that keeps the water from pouring out like an outdoor faucet.

Mine had started spraying off to the side. I unscrewed it and found some black rubber chunks inside but I also saw a crack in the plastic that was causing the problem.

I thought it would be easy to find a replacement locally...rather than waiting for Moen to mail one.

But no, I bought one at Lowes...too tall, so I looked at Ace Hardware - no, didn't have it.

The Sasquatch has been making some small items on a 3D printer so he said he'd try printing the plastic parts.  He was finished with it in just a couple of hours and brought it over.

It worked wonderfully for about a day and a half, then failed. The Sasquatch pryed it open and looked at it and found that some of the thinner plastic inside had melted, just from hot water.

The red one is the old one, the white one is the one he made.

The plastic for the printers comes in different types and grades. This particular one was a cheaper one...good to use while in the learning curve.  He said a better grade of plastic probably wouldn't have melted so easily.

Anyway, I was impressed.   

I called Moen and 8 days later I received my new free aerator, including a new metal screw on part.

He's been using the 3D printer a lot...making custom fittings and so forth for some equipment he has.

Also, several accessories for a friends HO scale train set.

Last week the Sasquatch had a surprise for me.  At first I couldn't figure out what it was.

Then he brought my laundry detergent bottle up from the basement to demonstrate.

I buy the giant size Tide with a spigot dispenser.  This gadget screws into the top opening...

After pouring the detergent from the measuring cup into the machine, you turn the cup upside down on the platform.

Any remaining detergent drains from the cup and funnels back into the bottle.

You can just leave the cup sitting there until next wash day. No build up of detergent in the bottom.

What a smart man! Although he found the pattern for this online for free. He is also learning how to use the settings and program to create patterns of his own.

Hmmm, now what else do I need?