Personal safety and safety for others is very important these days due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, some essential tasks will still need to be carried out, such as essential work or groceries shopping. If you are one of those people who need to come in contact with others, you should consider wearing some safety equipment.

But because safety equipment is scarce at the moment, we tested some 3D prints that we found online for free. In this article, we’ll show you how we 3D printed these items on the Vertex Delta, how we assembled them, and what our findings are.

Be aware! These items are DIY and can be used as a last resort. They are not as safe as a PPE. But, it’s better than nothing! Be sure to share your DIY safety equipment, tips and tricks with us! We’re in this together.

The 3 items that we tested were by Copper 3D, Materialise and bennoitlechasseur. Be sure to check out their respective website for all the designs and more info.

1. Face Mask

We found this face mask design on copper3d.com. Copper3d is an open-source organization that develops antibacterial 3D printing material. They want to hack this pandemic by designing and sharing this model. Their page also includes a lot of useful information and the use and safety of this face mask. Find the .stl download here.

Our experience:

  • filament: we used PP filament because it is a bit flexible so it can adapt to the form of your head.
  • Design: the mask has a very nice and unique design. At first, we thought it would be too difficult to 3D print on the Vertex Delta, but the Delta proved us wrong. No brim or support was needed.
  • Filter: we used a makeup pad as a filter because it fits perfectly, and most people have something similar. There is more info about the use of different types of filters on the Copper 3D page. Be sure to read it!
  • Result: the design fits nicely and is easy to make. However, like any safety equipment, it’s not particularly comfortable to wear.

2. Hands-free door opener

Stop spreading germs by opening your doors with this hands-free door handle. We particularly like these designs from materialise because they are very easy to 3D print and assemble. They posted multiple designs that fit different types of door handles. Once printed and installed, they enable you to open a door by using your elbow without any clumsiness. It’s ideal for public venues! Find all designs here.

Our experience:

  • Filament: TPU
  • Design: lots of different designs for different types of door-handles. No support is needed on the Vertex Delta.
  • Extras: you will need 2 M4 nuts and bolts for the installation.
  • Result: little effort, and a great result! But don’t forget to wash your elbows at the end of the day ;)!

3. Face shield

Another great design is this DIY face shield by bennoitlechasseur and based on the Prusa RC2 design that we found on cults3d.com.

Our experience:

  • Filament: PLA
  • Design: easy to 3D print, but brim was needed on the Delta.
  • Extras: we used a Mika sheet as a shield.
  • Result: the face shield stays in place nicely, and is not that uncomfortable. This is something we could definitely wear while grocery shopping.

That’s it for now. If you have any other designs, tips, or tricks to share, be sure to post them below or tag us on social media!