I love the beach: the crystal-clear water, soft sand, and gentle sea breeze. I plan a beach vacation almost every year and have discovered some 3D printed items that can enhance the experience. From fun activities to solving minor annoyances, there are 3D models for nearly every aspect of your beach experience.
In this article, I will introduce five printed items that I will take to the beach this summer. I will also share some tips to ensure they are sturdy enough to withstand sand and sunlight.
01
“Beach Umbrella”
Stably “inserted into the sand”
Unless you enjoy sunburns, a beach umbrella is an absolute necessity when going to the beach. Personally, I find it a bit challenging to securely insert the umbrella into the sand, especially on windy days. I found the perfect model on Printables: a beach umbrella drill tip. Thanks to this drill tip design, the umbrella can be inserted more securely.
I printed this model last year and tested it at the beach. Following the designer’s advice, I printed it using PLA material, with a wall thickness of 4 layers (perimeters) and a 40% infill rate. It took just over two and a half hours on the printer.
Depending on the size of your umbrella pole, you may need to scale the model up or down—this can be easily done in your preferred slicing software.
Print it with PETG (stronger than PLA), setting a wall thickness of 5 layers and a 50% infill rate. This should make the part sturdy enough to handle even the toughest beach conditions.
Download link:
https://www.printables.com/model/369001-beach-umbrella-drill-tip
02
“Towel Clip”
No more worries about “getting covered in sand or being blown away”
Every time I lie on my towel, it shifts or even rolls up. Honestly, it’s quite uncomfortable. After browsing various 3D model libraries, I found this beach towel clip design.
Since UV rays degrade PLA, I decided to print these clips with PETG. I set the wall thickness to 3 layers and the infill rate to 20%. These parts do not need to be too strong, so we can save material and time while maintaining functionality.
These clips work perfectly. They are not only used on the beach but also during picnics on the grass. No more worries about towels getting covered in sand or being blown away!
Download link: (requires VPN)
https://www.printables.com/model/545258-beach-towel-clip-to-prevent-towel-flying-for-sand
03
“Phone Holder”
Finally, a place to “put” it
I always bring a book to read at the beach, along with a few essentials, usually packed in a small bag. The problem is, there’s nowhere to put the bag. It usually ends up on the ground, and by the end of the day, it’s as sandy as my clothes.
This beach gear organizer is an excellent solution. It fits over the pole of the umbrella and is secured with a 3D printed screw. The design includes hooks for hanging items and a convenient small tray for small objects. The model comes in four sizes to fit different diameters of umbrella poles.
These parts will be exposed to sunlight. If you prefer, you can choose more weather-resistant engineering materials like ASA or nylon. Additionally, to make it sturdier, I would set a wall thickness of 4 layers and a 30% infill rate for printing these parts.
Download link:
https://makerworld.com/zh/models/485126-umbrella-hooks-tray-beach-gear-organizer?from=search#profileId-397554
04
“Tic-Tac-Toe”
Theme “Game”
Now that we have all the practical items we need, let’s find a fun model. I don’t know about you, but I sometimes feel bored at the beach. While I swim and read, it’s also fun to mix in other activities during a long beach day.
This beach-themed tic-tac-toe game is fantastic: portable, easy to print, and cute. The design includes a tray that serves as the tic-tac-toe board, along with pieces representing shells and starfish. You can play around with color choices.
Considering the material’s heat resistance, the designer recommends printing the model with PETG. I will definitely print the board with PETG, but I will use some special PLA for the pieces to add some fun. Although PLA is not very UV resistant, we mainly play under the umbrella, so we can avoid direct sunlight.
For printing settings, I will use my standard settings: 0.2mm layer height, 3 layers wall thickness, and 15% infill rate.
Download link:
https://www.makeronline.com/zh/model/Beach%20Ready%20-%20TIC-TAC-TOE%20Board%20Game%20for%20anyone/188407.html
05
“Funnel”
“Squeeze” out “sandcastles”
This sandcastle maker consists of just two parts: a funnel and a sieve. Fill the funnel with sand, pour water into the sieve, and the sand will “squeeze” out of the funnel, allowing you to “3D print” the coolest castles on the beach.
Although the funnel is quite large, it can be printed on a Bambu Lab A1 Mini or similar-sized machine. You need a printer with a build volume of at least 150mm³. If you want to increase the sand output, you can even scale the model up and print the funnel again.
The overhangs on the funnel handle may print a bit rough without supports, but if you prefer a smooth surface, be sure to enable supports. Tree supports are my preferred choice.
Download link:
https://makerworld.com/zh/models/489856-sand-3d-printer?from=search#profileId-403176
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