Have you ever had one of those moments where you're staring at a mundane household problem and thinking, "I could totally make a better version of that"? That's exactly what happened to me recently with my shower drain. The old trap was broken, and as I rinsed the shampoo out of my hair, I realized I had the perfect opportunity to design and 3D print a replacement! Armed with my trusty Lulzbot Taz 6 and some color-changing ABS filament (grey to white, super cool!), I embarked on another DIY journey.

This wasn't a one-and-done project, mind you. It took a few iterations to get it just right. Version 1, modeled after the original trap with a simple array of 6mm circle holes, proved too restrictive for water flow. Version 2 had more and larger holes (8mm), but soap suds still lingered. Switching to square holes in Version 3 helped, but the drainage was still sluggish. The breakthrough came with Version 4, where I introduced 7mm x 20mm slits alongside the remaining square holes. Finally, the water flowed freely! But being the tinkerer I am, I couldn't resist one more tweak. Version 5 replaced the four center holes with two more slits, and while Version 4 worked well, I'm incredibly pleased with the final result.

This project was a fantastic reminder that sometimes you can be creative with simple everyday objects. Not only do I have a fully functional shower drain, but it's a unique, custom-made piece that adds a touch of personality to my bathroom. Plus, the satisfaction of designing and creating something useful with my own two hands (and a 3D printer) is unbeatable! Who knows what household conundrum I'll tackle next?