Weekly Roundup: Ten 3D Printable Minecraft Things

If you haven’t heard of Minecraft, then you probably don’t have kids, know anyone who plays video games and I have doubts that you’re even reading this because you’ve probably never been on the Internet. The simple, open world video game was launched in beta in 2011 and before it had even been advertised, it had sold over one million copies based entirely on word of mouth. As of 2015 the game has sold more than seventy million copies on multiple platforms, including PC, mobile devices and the XBox.

The world that you play in is made up of simplified, 8-bit-style blocks that, depending on the game play mode, involves building, arranging or breaking them to build virtually anything. The different types of cubes that players encounter will include dirt, stone, ores, water, lava and trees, and they can often encounter animals like cows, pigs, and chickens. They can also encounter hostile creatures like spiders, skeletons, zombies and, of course, the Creepers. The game is wildly popular with gamers of all ages, but it has become especially popular with younger players who enjoy the open world, sandbox game play mechanics.

Because the graphics are so simple, they are ideal for turning into 3D printable models, and often the actual game assets can be extracted and turned into 3D models. Naturally, that means that the Internet has tons of amazing Minecraft 3D models just waiting to be 3D printed, and I found some of my favorites. Here are ten 3D printable Minecraft things:

TORCH NIGHTLIGHT

Minecraft Torch Nightlight by SuperInfraMan

Found on: Thingiverse
Cost: Free

This fantastic wall-mounted nightlight is made to look like the torches encountered in caves and underground structures throughout the game world. It’s made with the LED lights from eight small candle tea lights that give the torch a realistic, flickering glow. The main body is made of 3D printed from standard PLA, while the top “flame” is printed from a transparent material.

TOOLS AND WEAPONS KEYCHAINS

Minecraft Tools with Keychain Hole by GSAMakerspace

Found on: Thingiverse
Cost: Free

Throughout the game, players often need to use tools and weapons, and of course they’re styled in the classic 8-bit style. These simple 3D models can be used as keychains, pendants or even Christmas tree ornaments. There are four different models, a sword, axe, pickaxe, and shovel.

DIAMOND ORE LAMP

Minecraft Diamond Ore Lamp by I_am_me

Found on: Thingiverse
Cost: Free

One of the coolest 3D printable lights is this great LED cube made to look like the elusive Diamond Ore block. As one of the most difficult to find ores in the game, there isn’t a more valuable material in the game. It can be turned into diamonds, which in turn can be turned into the best, highest-grade weapons and tools. The LED function is controlled with neopixel strips, so it will shift between colors.

Here is some video of the cube at work:

CREEPER LIGHT SWITCH COVER

Minecraft Creeper Light Switch Cover by redbeardmathpirate

Found on: Thingiverse
Cost: Free

Creepers are hostile mobs that will chase players throughout the game, and explode if they get too close. Because they come out only at night, naturally a Creeper-themed light switch cover couldn’t be more appropriate. It’s a really simple model to 3D print, and I think a perfect use of any glow in the dark filament that you may have lying around. If not, a transparent green filament would also look pretty great.

BINARY CLOCK CASE

Minecraft-Themed Binary Clock Case by bogenfreund

Found on: Thingiverse
Cost: Free

This binary clock case was made to look like it was constructed within the game, and even on its own it would be a fun 3D printing project. While this was 3D printed on a Zprinter 650, a powder bed 3D printer, the model looks simple enough to be 3D printed on any 3D printer, however it may need to be altered slightly. The real fun comes from installing the LED clock electronics, which is made from inexpensive and readily available parts. This binary clock would be a perfect class project to teach kids about 3D printing and basic programming and circuits.

CHESS SET

Minecraft Chess Set by FuelCell250

Found on: Thingiverse
Cost: Free

If you’re already sick of me sharing 3D models for lamps, then get ready for chess sets to become just as annoying. While I was looking for great 3D printable chess pieces for last week’s column, I stumbled on these cool Minecraft-themed chess pieces. The pieces are patterned after Overworld Mobs, characters that can attack or encounter the player, and include mobs like Skeletons, Creepers, Zombies and of course the teleporting Enderman. Oh, and don’t forget the Slime pawns!

MINECRAFT BOX

Minecraft Box by Simone Fontana

Found on: MyMiniFactory
Cost: Free

This simple, 3D printed box super easy to print, however the real challenge is in painting it to look like a basic Minecraft cube. A few different shades of green and brown paint, and a lot of masking tape, are all the supplies that you’ll need. Well, except for a bit of patience, but once its done it will be more than worth the efforts.

SKELETON KEYCHAIN

Skeleton Key Holder by Powell3244

Found on: Thingiverse
Cost: Free

They’re not a lot of fun to encounter in the game, but I sure like the simple design of the skeleton. Personally I think this model is too fragile to be an effective key chain, but it would make a great pendant or ornament. I actually 3D printed this model myself, and it was super easy and didn’t require much work. It will need to be assembled with a bit of superglue, but that only took me about five minutes. Just use a Sharpie to color in the eyes and mouth black, and your skeleton is all done.

MINECRAFT SKULL

Minecraft Skull by benymax2

Found on: Pinshape
Cost: $4.29

I honestly tend to avoid including models that need to be purchased, not because I have a problem with purchasing models, but they just don’t seem to be very popular. Clearly you’re all a bit cheap. But when I find something really cool I can’t help but include it, and this fantastic 3D printed skull made to look pixelated like it was made from Minecraft cubes is just great. And it’s only a little over four bucks, so you won’t be breaking the bank. At a little over four inches, it is kind of large, so make sure that your 3D printer has a printing bed large enough for it, and there are a few spots that will need some rafting and supports.

ENDER DRAGON

Minecraft Ender Dragon by Mark Ledwold

Found on: MyMiniFactory
Cost: Free

I always like to save the best for last, and this amazing 3D printable Ender Dragon is one of the best Minecraft 3D printable models that I’ve seen. It looks like it popped right out of the game itself, and has movable limbs and has a fully articulated neck and head so it can be put into a wide variety of poses. The jaw will even open and close, and the wings can flap up and down. And because it is printed in small pieces, it is a really simple 3D model to print. It will take a bit of work to assemble everything, but boy is it a fun project. I’m currently in the process of making this for my nephew as a birthday present, and so far it’s been a lot of fun. I’ll probably post some pics on Twitter when i’m done.

Here is some video showing how the dragon is assembled:

There you have it, the ten coolest 3D printable Minecraft models! If you’ve never played the game before, I highly encourage you to check it out, because it is a ton of fun, and Minecraft has several different game modes, so there is something for everyone. Plus, believe it or not, the game is a great way to get kids to learn basic programming concepts and skills.

As always, I want to see what 3D printing projects you’re working on, especially if you found them in one of my columns! You can either send me an email, or make it more fun by tweeting me @SJGrunewald. Happy 3D printing!