Top 5 Useful & Fun 3D Printer Poop (Purge) Models
3D printer poop with a purpose? Yep! Check out five creative 3D models that turn your multi-material purge waste into something totally new!
When we think of 3D printing, we usually imagine incredible parts, detailed miniatures, or useful upgrades for our machines. But who would have thought that even waste could steal the show? Yes, we’re talking about the famous purge (or poop) – that little thread that’s discarded when changing filaments in multi-material setups (hi, Bambu Lab AMS).
Instead of simply throwing it away, why not turn this inevitable waste into something… fun?
Seeing the poop pile up can be frustrating, and getting rid of it even more so as we try to be more environmentally mindful. While the amount of purge created may not be easy to limit, in this article we delve into a creative (and unexpectedly useful) alternative: We’re looking at models designed specifically for repurposing, organizing, or even playing with discarded filament.
Get ready to discover our top models that are as useful as they are fun, because even trash can have style!
Purge Tower
Few games turn waste into fun quite like the Purge Tower. The game consists of a 3D printed tower with walls in a honeycomb pattern through which horizontal beams are placed. Once assembled, players drop the filament waste from the top of the tower and take turns removing beams, hoping they’re not the one who makes the poop tumble down.
The beauty of the game lies in its simplicity and unpredictability, plus the flexibility in gameplay. The creator offers a few rule variations, and others have been suggested by makers, like adjusting the number of beams, changing turn orders, or adding fun penalties.
Printing is easy and addictive, and each tower ends up with a unique look thanks to the random mix of colors and shapes in the reused filament.
According to the designer, no supports are needed for the parts, and while using a brim can help with bed adhesion for the tower’s parts, it isn’t necessary for the beams. Just ensure you’ve got a properly calibrated printer, so that there are no problems with dimensional accuracy.
- Who designed it? GlennovitS3D
- How printable/popular is it? Among the different repositories, it’s possible to observe more than 1,500 downloads and 750 prints.
- Where to find it? Printables, MakerWorld
Don't Spill the Poop
This game looks simple enough – that is, until you try to stack the poops with surgical precision on the slanted base, which is set on a post. Make a false move and the pile collapses in a spectacle of colors. It’s the perfect mix of tension and laughter, ideal for playing with friends, kids, or that friend who insists that they “know how to print without wasting anything”.
The charm is in the imperfection: The crooked purges, different weights, unexpected curves, and unruly threads make every play unpredictable. To play, the creator recommends accumulating at least 60 grams of purge, which can be quite fast depending on your multi-material model and slicing configuration. Although this print may appear to require supports, they aren’t necessary for the base or for the post, which can be printed separately. The designer suggests a layer height of 0.2 mm, two walls, and 15% infill.
- Who designed it? kmdesignslinn
- How printable/popular is it? So far, 9 prints and 13 downloads are the numbers of this model.
- Where to find it? MakerWorld
Shadow Box
If throwing it away feels like a sin and keeping it makes no sense, why not frame it? The Shadow Box turns leftover filament into conceptual art.
The 3D printed frame acts as a backdrop for a color composition that follows no rules, and maybe that’s exactly why it works so well. It’s a project with an artsy, alternative-gallery vibe: Messy, expressive, and always unique! Perfect for those who print a lot and want a visual (and slightly poetic) reminder of everything that’s come out of their extruder.
You’ll need an acrylic sheet to keep the poop from falling out of the cutout, and there are 23 front plate designs available on MakerWorld. If you prefer, you can also customize your own plate or box following the author’s Fusion tips; you can even get the commercial version on Cults for ~$9. There’s also an optional loading funnel to make filling it up easier.
- Who designed it? Catherine Doucet
- How printable/popular is it? A cool 3,300 downloads and over 1,500 prints on MakerWorld show that it is as printable as it is popular.
- Where to find it? MakerWorld, Cults
Decorative Flower Pot Set
Here, trash literally blooms. This set of vases was designed to be filled with poops, creating decorative arrangements that don’t require water or care, just creative leftovers; topped by a 3D printed flower, you won’t have to worry about watering these blooming designs.
Just roll, crumple, or organize the discarded filaments and voilà: An eccentric look with an eco-geek touch. It’s a charming solution for those who already have a shelf full of poops and don’t know what to do with them. It works as a decorative item or as a conversation piece for curious visitors.
Designer Kopp3D suggests cutting the ends of the poops to prevent them from sticking out of the holes in the vases. For those who want to be bold, you can even combine the poops with fairy lights, creating surreal-looking illuminated pieces.
In total, there are five vase sizes that can accommodate from 25 g to 70 g of poop.
- Who designed it? Kopp3D
- How printable/popular is it? These designs are being steadily printed and shared, with almost 900 downloads and around 700 confirmed prints so far.
- Where to find it? MakerWorld
PoopKeyCap
This is a great example of creative use that can surprise even the most skeptical makers. The PoopKeyCap is a simple but ingenious PETG mold, created to transform leftover filament into custom keys with a unique style. For the whole process, the poop is melted – in an oven, for example – and then the filament is poured into the mold and pressed to shape.
In addition to the Artisan version, there’s also the XDA version, based on maker evils keycap set design, so you can choose the style that feels more comfortable for you. The main differences lie in the design and sizing.
If you’re up for trying something a little different, the designer also created molds for medals and shoe charms, all following the same logic of turning purge waste into stylish pieces.
- Who designed it? ysk1025
- How printable/popular is it? With almost 450 downloads and more than 200 prints in its variations, it’s easy to see that you won’t face difficulties repurposing the purge if you just have a little patience.
- Where to find it? MakerWorld
License: The text of "Top 5 Useful & Fun 3D Printer Poop (Purge) Models" by All3DP is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.