Decorative Shelf Bracket w/Hidden Mickey

So, I had purchased some of those decorative “floating” shelves from the local bigbox hardware store. Then when I went to install the shelf, I realized how cheap this stuff is and how bad the design of the hidden bracket is. I felt as though the shelf was flimsy and would not hold much weight.

Then, inspiration struck . . . why not make my own shelf bracket, print it and save this shelf!

At first I was going to make a very utilitarian bracket, but this one is going to be installed in the kitchen/dinning area on full display. I first looked on F3D for a shelf bracket I might want to print, but I was not very excited about the shelf brackets I saw online.

I decided to design my own shelf bracket. I should also mention I am an Architect and design is in my blood. Stay tuned for other inspirations!

Enough about me. My first iteration was a little ornate, but did not include a hidden mickey head. However, my wife saw the first design and had a spark of inspiration herself. She is a big fan of Disney knows all too well about all the home decor with hidden mickeys. She offered the suggestiont to include a hidden mickey and I went with it!

So, there you have it. A brand new, original design for a shelf bracket.

The bracket is about 6"x3.25"x1.25". There are 2 holes for wall mounting and 1 hole to attach to bottom of your shelf. The shelf in the photo is a 36x8x1.5in shelf. I do not recommend using on shelf larger than 8-9 inches deep. Longer shelves might need center support, and then I would print 3 brackets.

UPDATE: I should have mentioned you will need a long screwdriver (6" shaft) in order to reach the inside screw. I used #8 philips head screws and anchored to wood studs. Drywall anchors may work if you use heavy duty anchors, but use your own judgement.

This should be printed with 3 walls and 4 or 5 top/bottom layers depending on layer thickness. You will want it to be strong. I printed this on Bambulab X1 with Bambu Labs metallic PLA and it is very strong!!

You can print without supports. The holes are small enough that proper cooling and dialed in print settings will handle the holes without issue.

CAUTION!! I have not tested these brackets!! I have it screwed into the wall stud and if feels like it would hold more than 10 lbs (4.5kg) but I'm intending to do any heaving loading of this shelf. It is a decorative shelf!

That said, I am not going to make any claims on how much these brackets will hold in terms of weight. Depending on how you print will determine the strength of your bracket and how much weight it will hold. Also, whether you anchor it into studs or use drywall plastic anchors will affect the load capacity of the bracket.

I look forward to seeing all of your makes and any comments you may have. I love this stuff and being part of the maker community!

Regards, James