With Spring finally making its appearance, it serves as a good reminder that pool-cleaning season is right around the corner. And I've found the best tool to help keep my beloved pool clean: a 3D printer.
Living near a gravel road in rural Kansas makes keeping my pool clean a chore. Between the trees in the area, all the bugs and the gravel road in front of my house, my pool can get dirty. Last year was different, and it's all because of a clever design and my 3D printer.
Save $60 on one of CNET's favorite 3D printers
But if you don't have a 3D printer, don't worry. There are plenty of pool-cleaning gadgets currently on sale during Amazon's Big Spring Sale that can help cut down the tedious time you spend on the chore. One is Beatbot's AquaSense Cordless Robotic Pool Vacuum Cleaner, which is suitable for both above and in-ground pools and is currently $300 off.
This robotic pool cleaner is 23% off during Amazon's Big Spring Sale.
The chargeable and cord-free device cleans your entire pool on its own, including the floor, walls and even the top of water where we know debris often lingers.
However, if you're looking for something that will simply take care of that debris and is more affordable, this Betta SE Solar Powered Automatic Robotic Pool Surface Skimmer Cleaner is $70 off during the sale, making it available for just under $300.
Once this cleaner is fully charged, it has an impressive battery life of 30 hours. It is available in both white and blue colors.
Now, if you do have a 3D printer or are planning to purchase one soon, here is the genius way you can use it to create an amazing pool cleaner.
Working smarter, not harder
Using a 3D printer, PETG filament, a pool skimmer net and some PVC, my pool is cleaner than ever.
3D printers are nothing new, and I've been using these handy devices for about three years now. I'm still amazed by the creativity of some designers out there and what they come up with. While browsing for something new to print, I found a pool skimmer hack designed by Jamie Claye on Printables.
This design uses the pool skimmer net that most pool owners already have and a couple of 3D-printed items. In case you want a wider option like I have, I'm using the Intex Leaf Rake. So, I fired up one of the best 3D printers on the market, my Bambu Labs A1 Mini, and loaded up some PETG filament. I chose to use this type of plastic due to its ability to withstand high temps and direct sunlight, as well as its greater resistance to UV rays.
I also printed off a model by AlexMu on Printables that fit onto the nozzle attachment from my pool filter for the Bestway Power Steel 18 by 48 foot round above-ground pool set I bought to start the summer. This 3D design directs the filtered water coming into the pool in a circular flow, which will help the skimmer I'm building work better.
After downloading the files, I prepped the design using the Bambu Studios slicing software and started printing. While that was going, I looked for a couple of pieces of 1-inch PVC in my barn and got out my Velcro cable ties. The PVC will be used to attach my pool net to one 3D-printed piece and the other to the pool frame.
Time to build
My 3D printer made keeping my pool clean so much easier.
With everything printed and extra parts found, it was time to put it together. I decided to use some screws to attach the PVC to the 3D-printed parts along with the net handle for a more secure connection. After predrilling some holes and putting in the screws, all that was left for the skimmer was to use the Velcro cable ties to attach the whole thing to the pool frame.
Finally, I switched off the pool pump, removed the filter outlet that came with the filter, and then threaded it into the 90-degree outlet I had printed. Now, for the moment of truth: it was time to turn the pump back on, and fortunately, it worked.
Water flowed and began swirling around the pool, and little bits of debris and bugs on the water's surface started going into the net. Now, at the end of each day, I simply remove the Velcro and use a garden hose to rinse out the net and then reattach it for the next day.
Along with using my 3D printer to help keep my pool clean, I've also enlisted a robot to help out. Like how I'm using robot lawn mowers to help me save time taking care of my yard, the Beatbot Aquasense Pro has been scrubbing the bottom and sides and skimming the top water, greatly reducing the time I need to keep the pool sparkling clean.
The Beatbot Aquasense Pro is unique in that it can clean a pool's floor, walls and the top water all on its own.