Few things can be as grating as trying to find that pen that rolled over the desk or the pencil that you put away in a drawer without remembering which drawer it was. The practical solution? Why, yes, a pen or pencil holder.
We may all at one point or another have used a cup, but why settle for something normal? If you have a 3D printer and a messy desk, any (or many!) of these models can be perfect for the organization and beautification of your office space.
Not to mention, printing pencil holders is a lot of fun! Most models can be printed with low infill, course quality, and no supports, and they still come out great! And if you don’t have the filament of your dreams or your 3D printer’s on holidays, check out Craftcloud. Your designs of choice will be delivered to your doorstep; all you have to do is deliver them to your desk!
Visually Misdirecting
These charming designs are… kinda misleading – they look complex but are in fact straightforward prints. Nevertheless, they certainly fulfill the role of being pen holders, and some can hold more than that!
Extrusiolicious
If you’re a 3D printing enthusiast, which most of us are, then you’ll find this next entry very familiar. Modeled after the aluminum extrusions that many of our favorite 3D printers use as frames, this pen holder will provide a very on-brand aesthetic to your print space.
The designer notes that, at a 0.3-mm layer height, this model will take approximately 24 hours to print and consume about 250 grams of filament, though you can most likely save time and filament with some optimization.
- Who designed it? dodasch
- How printable/popular is it? This model has been downloaded around 260 times, and you’ll find 3 makes have been shared as well.
- Where to find it? Printables
Artichoke
Who doesn’t love their vegetables? And with this unique 3D print, we have another reason to. The Artichoke can hold 144 pens and pencils – talk about efficiency.
The hollow center section gives you some flexibility, ensuring that this pencil holder is more than just that. You can also use it to hold your scissors, glue sticks, and other assorted items.
- Who designed it? Gizmoticist
- How printable/popular is it? Over 20 makers on Thingiverse have included this great design on their desks.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Buckyball
This pencil holder isn’t a typical desk organizer. It’s based on a single 180-atom buckyball and is sure to prove itself to be both impressive and helpful. Simply print and organize.
At 100% scale, this model only uses about 22 g of filament. Due to its design, stringing may be an issue, but with some slicer tweaking, this will be ready to go right off the build plate.
- Who designed it? pmoews
- How printable/popular is it? With over 42,000 downloads and 37 makes posted, this design is definitely popular!
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Hyperbolic
Pencils holding pencils? Sounds like circular reasoning, but it works! This model is a simple ring that you can clip pencils into to form an aesthetically pleasing, hyperbolic twirl. Simply print the ring, click the pencils, and you’ll have yourself an awesome pencil holder.
This model uses less than 20 g of material, so you don’t have to worry about outlandish print times or filament loss.
- Who designed it? MakeALot
- How printable/popular is it? Nearly 20 Thingiverse users have printed this pencil holder with various colors.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Beehive
This model puts a cool twist on a 3D printed pencil holder. The designers obviously drew inspiration from a beehive, and the result is simply stunning. There isn’t much more to say about this model; it looks great and will definitely help you organize your desk area.
- Who designed it? BeeVeryCreative
- How printable/popular is it? 31 Cults users have posted makes of this pencil holder with various materials and colors.
- Where to find it? Cults
Puzzle
This puzzle pen holder will have you guessing which pocket your pen is in every time you go to pick one up. The twisting design creates a very appealing and sometimes disorienting look that adds a bit of fun to your day-to-day.
The designer recommends using vase mode to print this model for the best results. This will avoid unnecessary stringing across the thin walls. Dual-color filament will add to the mesmerizing nature of this print and create a truly remarkable pencil holder.
- Who designed it? Nalrod
- How printable/popular is it? There’s a nice-looking make posted and around 70 others have downloaded the model.
- Where to find it? Printables
Curvy
Designed with an organic touch, this organizer is sure to be a great addition to your desk supplies and 3D print collection.
Be warned though, this project will take 12+ hours of print time. And because of the complex overhangs inside the model, support structures will be impossible to remove, so don’t enable them in your slicer.
- Who designed it? damm301
- How printable/popular is it? Over 185 users have posted makes of this featured model, and some have added some flair by using rainbow filament.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Functional
These options perhaps fall on the more serious side of the spectrum. But with a fun filament choice, you’re doubling down on the fun-ctionality.
Tilted Holder
If you want efficient storage of your pens, this is the print for you. Designed for use with Artline markers, this model can house 10 pens in 2 rows of 5. Any pen with a diameter of 11.5 mm or smaller will comfortably fit in this holder.
The community has had no complaints with this model, praising it for its sturdiness even when holding heavy markers and tools. The angled design makes it easy to see the top label of your pens and grab the one you need.
- Who designed it? JannesV
- How printable/popular is it? Many have been enjoying this pen holder, with around 200 having downloaded it and 4 sharing their makes.
- Where to find it? Printables
Tray Organizer
This model is a pencil holder on steroids. It can hold pencils, tools, USB sticks, SD cards, and almost anything else you need to store! The designer has provided both 225-mm and 195-mm versions, so anyone with a standard 200 x 200 mm printer should be able to make it. The 16-hour print time is a small price to pay for such an awesome design!
- Who designed it? MrHradaa22
- How printable/popular is it? 27 Thingiverse users have printed this pencil holder. Their desks are probably looking pristine!
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Flat Organizer
Now we can hold our pens and our digital pens side by side! This print has four dedicated pen slots, one phone slot, a paper pad, and a container that can be used to hold even more things, such as paper clips or glue sticks.
The fact that the print comes in one piece adds to the convenience. In addition, if that wasn’t good enough, makers have mentioned it can even hold “massive” iPhone XR’s.
- Who designed it? Proto3000
- How printable/popular is it? This model has 21 makes and 6 remixes, and has been downloaded over 55,000 times.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Little Box
This model holds pens for initial designing and SD cards to move sliced files around. What else could a 3D printing enthusiast need?
Depending on your digital needs, there are three different versions available: one for just USB sticks, one for USB sticks and regular SD cards, and one for UBS sticks, regular, and MicroSD cards. The designer also included a video showing how the model was made!
- Who designed it? Monkey3D
- How printable/popular is it? Over 80 people have shared their own makes of this print, with a few popular remixes shared as well.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Please Sign In
If you’ve ever gotten tired of asking people to sign in, then this is the print for you: it tells people your message and holds the means to do so – talk about multitasking!
Besides pens, the maker of this print has also suggested it can be used to brighten up the office with some flowers. In addition, some people have even remixed it with their own custom text!
- Who designed it? shroppy
- How printable/popular is it? The six makes indicate that some people are sharing the message without saying a word.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Cubistand
Modern and efficient, the Cubistand is a pen/brush/pencil/essentially any long object holder. This minimalist print comes in four parts and allows you to hold pretty much anything. While some assembly and gluing are required, we believe that it will go a long way in organizing your pens and would fit really well in a spare office setting.
- Who designed it? sdmc
- How printable/popular is it? Almost 200 makes have been shared on Thingiverse.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Themed
Now for a little pizzazz. While some may be as efficient as others in the preceding category, these were chosen for their splash. What they might lack in practicality, they more than make up for in flair.
Chameleon
Originally designed as a chameleon statue by bs3, maker PRIma remixed the model to create this perfect pen holder. The chameleon will keep a single pen safe and within easy reach. The model was made to fit any 10-mm diameter pen or smaller, though you can always scale up your print to accommodate a larger pen or two.
The model prints fine without any support. It was intended for use with lightweight pencils and pens. Heavier objects will cause the chameleon to fall over. If you are running into this issue, there is a remix of this model from Paulster93 with a wider base to keep it from tipping over.
- Who designed it? PRIma
- How printable/popular is it? 32,000 people have downloaded this model, with 68 makers sharing their makes.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Pencil Pot
The pencil pot is a wonderful pencil holder that looks… like a pencil! It doesn’t get more meta than this.
This model is very big, with even the designer suggesting scaling it down to 80%. In any case, the final print will look great on your desk. The top portion looks best in brown, but the bottom can be any color. Have fun printing and using this great design!
- Who designed it? dooit
- How printable/popular is it? Eight colorful makes have been shared on Thingiverse.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Chubby T-Rex
This adorable chubby dino pencil holder is one of a few neat models that designer IK3D has created. These models print completely hollow to reduce filament usage while still providing a very durable print that can hold all kinds of pens, markers, and pencils.
Many makers have enjoyed scaling this model up to hold larger quantities of pencils and utensils around the house. Many more have posted their makes with painted prints, showcasing how a simple paint job can make this model shine. There’s also a chubby Pterodactyl pencil holder model that’s been well-received.
- Who designed it? IK3D
- How printable/popular is it? This cute model has been downloaded over 22,000 times already. You will find many, many makes being shared on Printables, with over 555 currently posted.
- Where to find it? Printables
Julius Caesar
Considering Gaius Julius Caesar’s tragic death, the locations of the pencils in this holder are appropriate. You can almost hear this pencil holder cry out, “Et tu, Maker?”
The majestic tragedy captured by this model is well worth the nearly 20-hour print time. It’s best to print the file that includes custom-made supports only where needed. Upload it to your slicer, disable supports, and get printing!
When it comes to printing, while resin may yield more detailed results, using marble PLA can also give a pretty cool effect.
- Who designed it? derailed
- How printable/popular is it? Over 200 Thingiverse users have printed this pencil holder and have backstabbed the General!
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Monster
A cute print that can hold a lot. This is one monster we wouldn’t mind getting chased by; after all, who would complain about always having a pen on hand?
The print time might be a little on the longer side, as commenters refer to 9-10 hours. However, the fact that it is only one piece keeps it easy to print. While some makers have printed it in colors, others have opted to paint the cute lil’ monster.
- Who designed it? animaag
- How printable/popular is it? Over 140 people have shared their makes, with some even opting for glow-in-the-dark filament.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Japanese Samurai
The pen is mightier than the sword, so let’s give our pens the same amount of respect with a worthy holder. As the title says, this pen holder is styled after the sword stands used by samurai warriors.
The designer provides three versions: one with a logo, one with a logo and a lower extension, and one without a logo. The functionality, of course, is the same. One commenter suggests scaling it up to 120% in order to fit larger pens.
- Who designed it? Tomonori
- How printable/popular is it? Nearly 40 users on have printed it in different colors and materials.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Tree Stump
This pencil holder takes almost 20 hours to print and around 250 grams of filament, but the result is stunning. This tree stump is sure to both organize your pencils and impress passers-by in the process.
While the designer doesn’t include any printing settings, a few comments suggest scaling the design down to around 85%. Needless to say, with some wood filament, you’ll feel like you’ve got a bit of nature on your desk.
- Who designed it? DanielStein
- How printable/popular is it? While 68 makes of this design have been shared, a remix featuring Groot (of course) has a whopping 143 makes.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Darth Vader
Join the dark side – no, better yet, rule it. Have the Dark Lord of the Sith hold your mighty, er, pen for as long as you want. This print comes in three pieces and multiple makers have shared that they had difficulty with slicing and printing. Who knew the Sith could be so tricky?
The downside of this great design is that, despite all of Darth Vader’s power, he appears to only be able to hold a single pen. Nevertheless, this print would be a perfect gift for that special Star Wars fan in your life.
- Who designed it? jhwblender
- How printable/popular is it? Over 80 makes of this model have been shared, and while different materials and colors have been used, black appears to be the truest to form.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Pencil Pencil Case
No, that’s not a typo. This model is a pencil case shaped like a pencil! Okay, so it’s not strictly a pencil holder for desk organization, but you’ll still love printing and using it.
The model is designed to be printed in five colors. You can either print the tip in one piece and change colors to end up with the wood and graphite look, or you can print the tip in two pieces. Also, since it’s basically hollow, it doesn’t require much filament or print time. Best of all – drumroll please – no supports are needed!
- Who designed it? francfalco
- How printable/popular is it? Over 2,100 MyMiniFactory users have downloaded this pencil pencil case, while 2 have shared their makes.
- Where to find it? MyMiniFactory
Hedgehog
Watch your step with this cute print. As the maker posted, “He’s cute, useful, and will not make fun of your ideas.” That last part is especially good for creative thinking.
This print comes in four different STL files, so you can print each in a different color. How useful is that?
- Who designed it? MosaicManufacturing
- How printable/popular is it? This cute design has been downloaded over 600 times, with one make shared.
- Where to find it? Cults
T4 Bacteriophage
Perfect for any future virologists, this biology-themed holder also comes with a planter version, which makes it a great fit for people with a green thumb, as well.
While the designer has said that supports aren’t needed, they’ve also suggested the use of a brim.
- Who designed it? MolecularLevel
- How printable/popular is it? While only 15 makes have been shared so far, the pen holder STL has been downloaded over 7,000 times!
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Wireframe Skull
Who knew that a pencil holder could be so creepy? A Remix of Isabelle the Skull Vase, this 3D printed pencil holder is a great way to spice up your desk organization. The complex look added by the wireframe modeling is intriguing!
Thankfully, that “complexity” doesn’t translate into difficult printing. In about 90 minutes, you can print this model without any support or infill. Note that the designer suggests using a think shell of at least 0.8 mm.
- Who designed it? philnelson
- How printable/popular is it? This is, by far, the most popular pencil holder in this list, with over 940 makes of this model.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
License: The text of "3D Printed Pen Holder: 25 Best Models to 3D Print" by All3DP is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.