The Snapmaker U1 3D printer is an impressive machine for the price, but [Beaver Works] found the optional factory-offered top cover a wee bit expensive for his tastes. The solution? 3D print a fixture and use a clear 45 L Samla storage box from IKEA as an effective and affordable cover for the machine.
Why a cover? A cover helps retain heat and block drafts, which can help improve print quality. A cover also keeps the machine’s insides dust and debris-free, not to mention serving as a decent barrier to curious fingers or paws.
This is a great use of an off-the-shelf product that performs at least as well as any bespoke solution. The nature of printer enclosures makes them trickier than one might think, with the size and weight of materials often driving costs up for something that seems relatively simple in concept. Getting one by 3D printing the fixtures and purchasing the bulky part locally and affordably is a great alternative. IKEA even sells the box’s lid separately, so one can buy just the box and isn’t stuck with an unused lid afterward.
Integrating off-the-shelf components into a design is often risky because much of it is outside the designer’s control. Availability can change, and a manufacturer might alter dimensions or design elements without any notice. But IKEA’s storage products are pretty well standardized and work really well for this purpose.
On the off chance you need a design tweak, [Beaver Works] has provided STEP files for the 3D-printed parts, something we always love to see.
There are not enough IKEA hacks on HAD! Their products have so much more potential than being storage containers!
Not enough IKEAs, just like Microcenters.
Agreed on Microcenter.
In the major metropolitan area where I live, I just saw a second IKEA pop up. It’s a much smaller footprint than the other one which is about 25-30 miles(?) away but I guess at least IKEA is trying to meet these expectations. I’d sure have preferred a Microcenter…
Welcome to November 2025 I guess?
Love my U1 tho; I don’t regret getting rid of my A1 for it. It’s an upgrade in every way imaginable. I never want to have to fiddle with Bambu’s garbage AMS ever again. So much purge waste even with a purge object.
Don’t get obsessed with IKEA, there are plenty of other options. Any plastic box will do the job. In Netherlands and Belgium a better option is Sencys T-box 47L, în all Praxis or Brico shops, which fits perfectly with the U1.
am i the only one noticing the wall thickness has gotten thinner and thinner the last couple of years?
I’ve been happy with the enclosure I made with a LACK coffee table from Ikea a decade ago. $11 for the coffee table, $60 for the clear acrylic side panels to suit :-)
It would have been much much cheaper to use cardboard or corflute, but the clear panels are much prettier, and arguably more practical because you can see at a glance how the print is going. (No fancy webcam monitoring on my 2016 i3 clone from Aldi)