3D-Printable Furniture Hacks
March 14, 2019 10:28 AM Subscribe
ThisAbles offers 3D-printable add-ons that make existing IKEA furniture more accessible for people with disabilities. Looking for a 3D printer to use? Try this map of 3D printers in libraries worldwide. (Via Curbed).
So many of these are fantastic and have wide-ranging appeal. I hope that this gains traction. In particular, as a short thirsty clumsy person I'm a big fan of the clip for a mirror that's angled above shelves so I can see what's on them, the cup holder, and the glass bumpers.
posted by Mizu at 10:49 AM on March 14, 2019
posted by Mizu at 10:49 AM on March 14, 2019
I would like the mirror thing for my upper kitchen cabinets. I'm not in a wheelchair, but I still can't see what's back there behind the first row of stuff. Also, the Spot On Shelf thingies are just nice looking. I would like them to make my plain shelves look less plain.
posted by jacquilynne at 10:51 AM on March 14, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by jacquilynne at 10:51 AM on March 14, 2019 [1 favorite]
Mr Elizilla has made similar furniture lifters for a number of pieces of furniture. There are also hundreds of commercially produced "bed risers". I have weakness in my legs, and higher seats can make the difference between independence and not.
posted by elizilla at 11:17 AM on March 14, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by elizilla at 11:17 AM on March 14, 2019 [2 favorites]
I immediately want one of the cupholders designed for the Malm bed. My wife and I put beverages on those little ledges all the time, and they get knocked off by us or the cats more often than I care to admit. Just goes to show you, once again, how accessible design is universal design.
posted by Rock Steady at 11:44 AM on March 14, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by Rock Steady at 11:44 AM on March 14, 2019 [2 favorites]
Oh my god this is lovely. My partner has physical disabilities and uses a wheelchair part-time and other assistive devices, and we have a 3D printer, so I shared this with her before even clicking the link myself. Thanks so much for sharing!
I hope this keeps growing. 3D printed stuff is hideous to me but it's been really cool to be able to make solutions for things like this and make our lives a little easier.
posted by the thorn bushes have roses at 11:44 AM on March 14, 2019
I hope this keeps growing. 3D printed stuff is hideous to me but it's been really cool to be able to make solutions for things like this and make our lives a little easier.
posted by the thorn bushes have roses at 11:44 AM on March 14, 2019
Gotta wonder why Ikea, since they support this site, doesn't just produce a bunch of these and make them available for sale from the stores directly.
posted by spudsilo at 11:52 AM on March 14, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by spudsilo at 11:52 AM on March 14, 2019 [1 favorite]
Just goes to show you, once again, how accessible design is universal design.
So much this.
posted by Dip Flash at 12:06 PM on March 14, 2019
So much this.
posted by Dip Flash at 12:06 PM on March 14, 2019
This is seriously awesome. Definite curb cut appeal.
posted by stoneegg21 at 1:02 PM on March 14, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by stoneegg21 at 1:02 PM on March 14, 2019 [2 favorites]
> Gotta wonder why Ikea, since they support this site, doesn't just produce a bunch of these and make them available for sale from the stores directly.
I hope that they will eventually if they don't already, but also want to say that IKEA is a fucking nightmare if you have any sort of physical disability, at least here in the States. (I know this project seems to be a partnership between two Israeli access-focused companies and IKEA so it's not based in the U.S.) They only offer manual wheelchairs for patrons and often we'll find those are used up, so we've wised up and brought our own but that's an access issue by itself. And the stores are huge and so often very crowded and all of the IKEAs (three different locations) I've been to are on more than one level and they don't make it easy to go directly to the checkouts (and the checkouts themselves are hard to navigate with a mobility device), so honestly I know someone like my partner would much rather 3D print a solution and not have to go to IKEA for it and deal with parking, finding the item, and checking out.
I'm not saying that everyone has a 3D printer, like, obviously that's a huge barrier too. But getting to the library to use one seems easier any day than a trip to IKEA. And you can control more variables and customize to your needs and color preferences.
posted by the thorn bushes have roses at 1:46 PM on March 14, 2019 [1 favorite]
I hope that they will eventually if they don't already, but also want to say that IKEA is a fucking nightmare if you have any sort of physical disability, at least here in the States. (I know this project seems to be a partnership between two Israeli access-focused companies and IKEA so it's not based in the U.S.) They only offer manual wheelchairs for patrons and often we'll find those are used up, so we've wised up and brought our own but that's an access issue by itself. And the stores are huge and so often very crowded and all of the IKEAs (three different locations) I've been to are on more than one level and they don't make it easy to go directly to the checkouts (and the checkouts themselves are hard to navigate with a mobility device), so honestly I know someone like my partner would much rather 3D print a solution and not have to go to IKEA for it and deal with parking, finding the item, and checking out.
I'm not saying that everyone has a 3D printer, like, obviously that's a huge barrier too. But getting to the library to use one seems easier any day than a trip to IKEA. And you can control more variables and customize to your needs and color preferences.
posted by the thorn bushes have roses at 1:46 PM on March 14, 2019 [1 favorite]
Thank you for this! I've passed it along to someone who works at one of the library makerspaces on that list and I hope it'll help folks out.
posted by ITheCosmos at 2:41 PM on March 14, 2019
posted by ITheCosmos at 2:41 PM on March 14, 2019
Sometimes technology fulfills its promise. Thanks for posting.
posted by theora55 at 4:39 PM on March 14, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by theora55 at 4:39 PM on March 14, 2019 [1 favorite]
I have to say that the (huge, purpose-built) Ikea I generally go to seems access-hostile-by-design for anyone with limited mobility. There are entrepreneurs who will fetch and deliver things for you, but otherwise purchasing a desk (e.g.) requires a lot of upper-body strength plus the ability to push a large trolley around a store. And if you want to actually see assembled pieces you're forced to wander along a deliberately twisty path with obvious exits only at the start and end.
posted by Joe in Australia at 5:46 PM on March 14, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by Joe in Australia at 5:46 PM on March 14, 2019 [1 favorite]
What an awesome idea, thanks for sharing
posted by TheoFreedom at 5:26 AM on March 16, 2019
posted by TheoFreedom at 5:26 AM on March 16, 2019
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The couch lifter would be also be generically of interest to anyone that thinks Ikea furniture is stupidly low to the ground.
posted by mcstayinskool at 10:40 AM on March 14, 2019 [1 favorite]