Print Your Own Bong

Sure 3D printers can replicate human body parts, make dramatic art and might even open the door to space colonization, but what about helping cannabis consumers reach the perfect high?

A search for “bong” on Thingiverse, a digital-design hub, results in about 30 bongs that can be made with 3D printers. Bongs can also be found on similar sites such as Shapeways and 3D Warehouse.

Additive manufacturing, or 3D printing, creates three-dimensional objects by building them layer-by-layer until the object is complete. Once a 3D printer receives a digital file for printing an object it can then read the data to create the item.

The 3D-printed bongs, including ones shaped like skulls and Nintendo’s Mario, are not the only smoking accessory one can print with the technology, there is also an array of herb grinders, pipes and ashtrays. When the bongs are printed, consumers will still need to buy metal or glass bowl pieces as it is unsafe to smoke from the two dominant 3D plastics, ABS and PLA. While objects can be printed in glass and metals, using these materials in 3D printing is not as pervasive.

With the rapid expansion of 3D printing, maybe eco-friendly and tech-forward stoners will one day be able to print their own accessories in hemp plastic, a smart move to ensure smoking sessions for generations to come.