When most people talk about 3D printing, they focus on the printers, the upgrades, the slicer settings, or the millions of free models you can download online. And sure, all of that stuff is cool. But that’s not the real magic.
Here’s the part most people never tell new makers:
The coolest part about 3D printing is that you can make anything you can think of—solutions to your own problems that no one has ever designed before.
That’s where the fun really begins
Welcome to the World of Making
If you’re new here—welcome to Maker Build It. I’m Bryan DeLuca, and if you’re just getting into 3D printing or 3D modeling, you absolutely belong in this community. This hobby is one giant playground for creativity, problem-solving, and occasionally melting plastic onto things you definitely did not mean to. It happens.
The moment you buy a 3D printer, you’ve put real engineering tools into your hands. Suddenly, you’re able to solve problems that have been bugging you for years.
Well… maybe not eons. But definitely long enough to be annoying.
The Bug Graveyard Problem
Let me give you a perfect example from my own home.
We have those upside-down, bowl-style ceiling lights. And apparently every bug in the state thinks they’re a five-star luxury resort. They fly in. They never check out. And I’m left staring at a dusty insect graveyard every time I look up.
Normally, the fix looks like this:
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Grab a ladder
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Unscrew the dome
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Try not to drop the dome
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Try not to fall off the ladder
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Curse quietly while pretending you’re in control
It’s a whole circus act.
But I thought…
Why not design a vacuum attachment that bends into the light and sucks the bugs out instantly?
Ridiculous? Yes.
Useful? Extremely.
Impossible without 3D printing? Completely.
Designing the Tool: Vecna’s Fingernail
To build this little bug-removal contraption, I jumped into Nomad Sculpt. Nothing complicated—just a tube bent into the shape I needed. I made sure it fit my vacuum hose (39mm outer diameter), scaled the model, and tightened the tip so it could reach into tighter spaces.
A little funneled shape to guide the bugs, a bit of cleanup…
And boom: Vecna’s Fingernail was born.
Some makers will ask, “Why Nomad Sculpt?”
Answer: Because I like it. Use whatever works. Blender, Tinkercad, Fusion, FreeCAD—your toolbox is your choice.
Now I’ve got a purpose-built tool engineered in minutes that solves a weirdly specific household problem. And you can actually download Vecna’s Fingernail for free on MakerBuildIt.com or on MakerWorld. Links are in the description.
🔗 Downloads The Fingernail of Vecna: (Bug Vacuum Head):
👉 MakerBuildIt - https://makerbuildit.com/products/the-fingernail-of-vecna-bug-vacuum-head
👉 MakerWorld - https://makerworld.com/en/models/2079960-vecna-s-fingernail-ceiling-light-bug-vacuum-head
This Is What I Want New Makers to Understand
Yes—download all the cool dragons, organizers, and lightsabers. People have made some crazy good stuff and it’s absolutely worth printing.
But the real joy of the hobby is this:
Solving problems no one else has solved yet.
It’s seeing some small annoyance in your home and thinking:
“Yeah… I can fix that. I can design something better.”
You print the shape, hold it in your hand, and suddenly you realize:
You just engineered a real, functional solution.
That’s the moment you stop being “someone with a 3D printer” and become a maker.
You Don’t Need Expensive Tools to Get Started
Forget the idea that you need fancy CAD software or the newest printer off the assembly line. You don’t.
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Blender and Tinkercad work great.
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Any modern 3D printer is more than enough.
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Use the tools you have right now.
Start small. Fix something. Create something weird. Make something you wish existed.
And then print it.
That’s the magic of this hobby.
The Fingernail of Vecna and the Maker Mindset
Vecna’s Fingernail isn’t just a bug vacuum tool.
It’s a reminder:
3D printing becomes making when you start creating your own solutions.
This community is full of creative weirdos (myself included), problem solvers, inventors, tinkerers, and people who build entire Iron Man suits out of PLA just because they can.
And if you’re new—welcome to the club. You fit right in.
For more 3D printing, DIY, and maker projects, make sure you follow MakerBuildIt.
And remember:
A 3D printer doesn’t just make objects.
It makes possibilities.
Fingernail of Vecna.
🧰 Tools & Software Mentioned Nomad Sculpt - https://nomadsculpt.com/
3D printers (any model works!) - https://amzn.to/4pVDKH3
Filament - https://amzn.to/4pjL5A3