Weekly Roundup: Ten 3D Printable Bookends & Book Stands

I’ve been rearranging the books and collectables on the bookshelves in my living room this month and was looking for some way to keep some of my nicer books standing upright. I decided to go looking for some 3D printable options and as with just about anything that you can think of, I had tons of fantastic options available to me. I just ended up printing myself some basic bookends, but I found so many cool designs that I had no choice but to pull together enough of them for this weeks column.

The projects that i collected this week range from simple projects for beginners and more complicated projects for intermediate or experienced 3D printers and painters. But I also tried to pick some models that would give you a lot of different options and opportunities to make them your own, whether with filament choice or by painting and decorating the final prints.

Here are Ten 3D Printable Bookends & Book Stands:

“BOOKS” BOOKENDS

Bookstand by rus

Found on: Thingiverse
Cost: Free

This “Books” bookend may be a little on the nose, but it’s nice looking accent piece for a decorative bookshelf and easy to 3D print at several different sizes. The designer also created a mirrored version of the stand so you can use two of these on the same shelf.

A 3D model like this can be 3D printed in just about any material and look pretty great, but a really bright or bold color would pop off of a white or standard brown bookcase really well. You could also 3D print these with a metallic filament and polish them up to look like they are real metal.

TO BE READ & ALREADY READ BOOKENDS

“To Be Read” bookends & “Already Read ” bookends by Simmons

Found on: Thingiverse
Cost: Free

If you’re a regular reader like me then you probably have the same problem that I do: telling apart the books that you have read and those that you are still trying to get to. Well these great bookends will make that a lot easier, and maybe encourage you to read a little bit more so you can catch up.

Like the “Books” bookend, both of these designs would look great in just about any material that you have. It might also look nice if they were printed in woodfill filament and then stained. They can even be sanded and painted for a more unique, handmade look.

EXTENDING BOOK CLAMP

Extendo Bookend by JakobS

Found on: Thingiverse
Cost: Free

The Extendo is a little different than the rest of the bookends on this list in a really cool way. Rather than holding a stack of books at either end, the Extendo was made to fit in between a row of books and push them apart, presumably into the sides of the bookshelf where they will be held upright and securely. Just turn the screws to extend the hand-shaped ends until they fit.

I really think a model like this would look great in a woodfill material and then weathered and finished to look like a old wooden piece. The Extendo can be printed in multiple sizes, either large enough for full-sized books or small enough to hold playing cards or magazines secure in storage boxes.

VISE CLAMP BOOKENDS

Vice Bookend by yoojin ko

Found on: MyMiniFactory
Cost: Free

The reverse of the Extendo is this fantastic set of 3D printable vise clamps that can be used to push a stack of books or magazines together and keep the securely in place. Each bookend looks like a real vise clamp, including a crank that really turns and extends the end of the clamp. Just be careful using this on larger books; because it is 3D printed in plastic it’s not going to be heavy enough to hold up anything too hefty.

These could be 3D printed in just about any filament, but the stronger the material that you use the more stable it is going to be holding your books. ABS is probably a better option than PLA if you have a printer with a heated bed, but anything will work.

FALLING BOOKS BOOKEND

book holder by alavanimation

Found on: Thingiverse
Cost: Free

This is a more whimsical design that is as humorous as it is functional. The bookend was designed to prop the books up at a slight lean, so they look like they are about to drop on a small person. Or perhaps he is using the Force to push the books back? Either way, it would probably be a good idea to put some rubber tabs on the bottom so it won’t be shifted by the weight of the books that it is holding up.

I think this 3D model would look great on a white or brown bookshelf when 3D printed in a black filament, so the little guy looks like a shadow and really stands out against the background. Of course it can be printed in just about any material and still be a fun accessory on your bookshelf. You’re going to have to do a bit of post-processing no matter what material you use however, so it might even be worth printing this in woodfill and staining it.

COLLAPSIBLE BOOK STAND

Foldable Book Stand by Wotudoin

Found on: Thingiverse
Cost: Free

This collapsible book stand is perfect for use in the kitchen while using a cookbook, or on your desk while studying or working. And then when you’re done with it you can simply fold it up and store it away until you need it again. It includes a fold down shelf for the book to rest on, and page holders to the book will stay open to the page that you’re reading without needing to use your hands.

While just about any filament would work well with this design, this is a great time to color-coordinate a print with the room that you’re going to use it in. If this is primarily for use in your kitchen, then print it to match. Or you can just use your favorite color filaments and make it look however you want.

UFO ABDUCTION BOOKENDS

UFO Bookends by Conceptus3D

Found on: Thingiverse
Cost: Free

These fun bookends show a couple of victims fleeing from a UFO. These would make a great gift for a UFO fanatic, or any science fiction fan. The designer has even uploaded all of the individual shapes so you can customize your own version of these bookends.

These would be great candidates for a glow in the dark filament so they will stand out on your bookshelf at night. They could also easily be painted in fluorescent paint that will make them glow at night.  

BOOKMARK HOLDER BOOKENDS

Bookend Book for Bookmarks by holmbot

Found on: Thingiverse
Cost: Free

This pair of book-shaped bookends is also an excellent way to keep track of extra bookmark and place holders. The top of the book is hollow, so you can store bookmarks in them and always have one at hand when choosing a new book to start reading.

The model doesn’t look like it will need any supports to print, so there shouldn’t be too much post-processing work to be done. Personally I think this is a great option to paint to look like a real book, so any basic PLA filament would be the best material to use.

PORTAL BOOKENDS

Snap On Portal BooksStand by humberto

Found on: Thingiverse
Cost: Free

This super easy to print set of bookends is based on the popular puzzle game Portal, where you are armed with a gun that can open and close teleporting doors that you need to use to solve a series of puzzles and navigate complicated levels. This snap together version of the Portal bookends was adapted from the original design by Thingiverse user konrad44 which needed to be glued together.

Because all of the parts are printed individually you can print them all in whatever colors that you like. In the game, the portals are yellow and blue, so each of the round portals can be printed in a corresponding material, or you can simply paint all of the parts before you assemble them.

CAPTAIN AMERICA SHIELD & THOR HAMMER BOOKENDS

Captain America bookend & Thor bookend by Laura Pantaleone

Found on: MyMiniFactory
Cost: Free

Two of the most popular Avengers from the live action Marvel movies are Captain America and the Norse god of thunder, Thor. These two bookends feature those characters’ iconic weapons, Captain America’s vibranium shield and Thor’s magical hammer Mjolnir, which can only be wielded by those who are worthy. The base of each bookend includes a 3D Avengers logo.

Because both of these bookends are intended to be painted, the filament that you use really doesn’t matter all that much. However, use something that is durable and sturdy like a high quality PLA or an ABS for some added stability.

Thank for coming back again this week; I hope that I found a few new 3D printing projects for you to make. Remember, with the holidays coming up, now is the time to get started on complicated 3D printing projects that you’re planning on giving for gifts. And as always I would really love to see what kinds of projects you’re working on, especially if they are gifts. I may even collect some of the best and feature them in a future article.

You can either email me a few pics of what you’re working on, or just go ahead and Tweet me @SJGrunewald and say hi. See you next week with the first of several holiday-themed columns, happy 3D printing!