Making niche solutions is the point
by evakhoury on 1/26/2026, 9:56:05 PM
https://ntietz.com/blog/making-niche-solutions-is-the-point/
Comments
by: jackfranklyn
Same pattern in software. The best tools for specific professions usually come from someone who worked in that profession first, got frustrated with generic solutions, then built exactly what they needed.<p>General-purpose tools try to serve everyone and end up with features that kinda work for most cases. Someone deep in a niche builds for the edge cases they actually encounter, and it turns out those edge cases are universal within that niche - they just weren't visible to outsiders.
1/29/2026, 7:55:12 PM
by: jmathai
3d printers are great.<p>I attempted to productize a super niche idea I had for myself that I have ended up using multiple times. It's a simpler method of running wires without having to cut/patch drywall and drill through studs.<p>It started with trying to create a router-like device equipped with a motor (which was version 1 [1]).<p>But then iterated it to be a plate which can be attached to existing routers. That resulted in a drastically improved user experience which went from doing it all inside and making a mess to doing it in your garage with more precision. I've used the final design on 4+ projects at home and it has saved me so much time [2].<p>[1] <a href="https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/i5p330nqo0cfrfx3gxf05/Wireshark-Quick-Overview.mp4?rlkey=hr06iovxyzbw545k1b50qbtk2&st=dqtpprdv&dl=0" rel="nofollow">https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/i5p330nqo0cfrfx3gxf05/Wiresha...</a><p>[2] <a href="https://trywireshark.com" rel="nofollow">https://trywireshark.com</a> (includes diagrams and videos of what I 3d printed)
1/29/2026, 7:11:47 PM
by: arjie
My wife and I bought a Bambu P1S and I think the machine has had a duty cycle of 30% (excluding when we weren’t in town). It’s great fun. The majority of the models are ones we get from the Internet, it’s true.<p>But my wife used some base open source components to design a block that goes into the bits of a playpen that we used to have and transform it into something that docks with the wall instead of only with itself[0].<p>And I have designed with Claude a few small things like card holders for the board game power grid[1].<p>I wish there were better AI tools for interacting with modeling software. As it stands I use OpenSCAD with Claude and that seems as good as it can be. There are Solidworks AI startups but they’re like for professionals.<p>The Bambu P1S I have is quite low friction to set up. And I have an AMS2 Pro on top of it that feeds different kinds of filament (material and color) into the printer. I have just the one but now I wish I had more AMS hooked up.<p>0: <a href="https://wiki.roshangeorge.dev/w/Blog/2026-01-15/Modeling_Without_Claude" rel="nofollow">https://wiki.roshangeorge.dev/w/Blog/2026-01-15/Modeling_Wit...</a><p>1: <a href="https://wiki.roshangeorge.dev/w/Blog/2026-01-11/Modeling_With_Claude" rel="nofollow">https://wiki.roshangeorge.dev/w/Blog/2026-01-11/Modeling_Wit...</a>
1/29/2026, 5:53:00 PM
by: ramboldio
I think that is a fantastic insight that 'Making niche solutions is the point' with 3D printing.<p>Unfortunately, it is still very hard to _design_ niche solutions. The usability of CAD tools did not really improve at all in the last 20 years..
1/29/2026, 4:20:43 PM
by: barumrho
AI coding tools are providing non-programmers giving similar ability. Not production quality, but still useful to them everyday and they can tweak as they go.
1/29/2026, 4:26:53 PM
by: direwolf20
I should get a 3D printer
1/29/2026, 3:48:36 PM
by: uoaei
Once upon a time, the Unix philosophy was lauded in these venerated halls. "Do one thing and do it well."<p>Now the hype has seemed to shift to "do absolutely anything just barely well enough to get people to pay for it".
1/29/2026, 5:17:47 PM