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I Found My 3D Print Being Sold on Amazon

The Idea Garage

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I designed a simple 3D-printed kerfmaker for my workshop and shared the files for FREE on MakerWorld. A few months later, while searching Amazon for a completely different video idea, I stumbled across something I definitely wasn't expecting: my design being sold as a 3D-printed product.

In this video, I'll show you what I found, why I believe it's my model, the evidence that made the discovery even more surprising, what the license on my original file actually allows, and what happened when I reported it to Amazon.

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The Idea Garage focuses on woodworking, garage workshop setup, tool upgrades, DIY storage builds, 3D-printed shop solutions, practical home improvements, and problem-solving projects for a more functional workspace.

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20 Comments

@TheIdeaGarage1 Creator 4 hours ago Pinned

Quick clarification: I did not invent the kerfmaker, and I explicitly say that in the video. This tool has existed in many forms for decades.
What I created was this specific 3D model and the original photos. I shared the files for free under a license that prohibits commercial sales. My concern is that the Amazon listing appears to reproduce my specific model and use my original photograph. Making another version of the same type of tool is not what I’m objecting to.
Please watch the full video before commenting, particularly the explanation at 2:03 and the photo comparison at 4:52. Criticism is welcome. I just ask that it address what I’m actually claiming.

@JustInvertedFpv 5 hours ago

I've found RC car parts I've designed being sold on etsy and the models were all originally uploaded by me to either thingiverse or Printables as free to print but no commercial use allowed. People just don't care and are always looking for some cheap way to make money that subtracts them having to put in any effort. It sucks. I love the idea of sharing what I design so others can print it for personal use but I've kind of stopped uploading things now because I don't appreciate things being stolen for someone else to profit off of. I hope Amazon does the right thing.

@chiparooo 9 hours ago

I’m sure people are skimming these model sites for free product ideas. Will only get worse with AI. I think you took the right path. Thanks for sharing!

@skibamr 6 hours ago (edited)

As a followup comment, I submitted two infringment copyright claims: one for the product photos and separately for the model reporduction without license. We will see what happens.

@scgoddard81 7 hours ago

I model and sell parts for old outdated equipment that no longer has support for these parts. This equipment was sold in the United States and maybe some in Canada between 1956 and 1964. Only a limited parts supply chain exists today but these are used in the thousands. I sell ONLY the physical part that I make and I DO NOT sell, transfer or issue a license for anyone to have or use my designs. As of right now I have had three Chinese nationals attempt to purchase my parts via a mail forwarding service, just this year alone. I have canceled all of these suspicious orders. So yes I have seen this exact issue however it didn't go as far as yours did. It's for this reason I do not share my design files in any way.

@CMBOfficialMusic 7 hours ago

This is exactly why I do not share my files, I don't sell my files. I did all the design and prototyping, you can buy my product or you can take the time and do what I did to make it. Without patents, all you can really do is be first to market and make what you can while you can, because you WILL be copied...just ask Kevin from Shark Tank. Hell, even with a patent, you will need thousands of dollars for legal fees to pursue any action. It sucks, but that is the world we live in.

@jbwhite11 6 hours ago

My best guess based on the sellers name on Amazon is that they are also selling these on Temu and/or Ali Express. I have seen a lot of this in the craft market where designs are stolen and sold in overseas markets. I am sorry this has happened to you, my husband loved your tool and has asked me to print him one so thank you for taking the time to design a useful product and make it available on Maker World for all us to print.

@FrugalShave 7 hours ago

They have done the same to some of my designs. Of course Amazon wants you to jump through a ton of hoops to prove you are you and that you created it.

@skibamr 7 hours ago (edited)

OMG! What you did prompted me to look for one of my designs. Sure enough, one of my files is for sale on amazon too. One of the images is clearly mine: I posted an image of one where the filament color switched part way thru the print. Sure enough, It's got the same switch from white to black. While they did change the background and used bad image editing to fuzz up parts of the image, it is clear it is the same image from my posting. Yes, I too posted that one with the standard license.

I am very interested in details of what you submitted and to what link/email.

Thanks for sharing your story!

@Scabackel01 4 hours ago

When you upload the files, they do whatever they want with them, and you can spend all day trying to do something about it. But it doesn't achieve anything—unless you're a multi-million dollar company with its own legal department that needs work! That's the reason why I don't upload files anywhere anymore, unless they are allowed remixes from other makers.

@shrimpinpat 4 hours ago

What’s worse than stealing someone’s product is stealing one that someone had made for everyone for free.

@Waltkat 4 hours ago

Hate to say this, but I bought something that looks almost identical to this from Aliexpress about a year ago, except instead of plastic, it's machined and anodized aluminum and came in a fitted box. It was also significantly less expensive than that plastic one on Amazon.

@SzilamérBódi 9 hours ago

do also ip report on makerworld too

@sambrown1969 4 hours ago

Wow that seller is full of makerworld prints. Maybe we add in the comments of the stuff they are selling the url where people can download the STLs since Amazon won’t take the listing down. Would like to do that for Facebook marketplace too.

At least you can get some credit

Thank you for sharing your prints with the community.

@stonesthrowgathering 9 hours ago (edited)

This is why I stopped uploading my designs. I gave a file to someone, and it was up for sale online within a month. I did this as a favor to a stranger who stole my design. Because I couldn't prove I was the designer, the file is still up for sale. Now I only sell printed parts. I suppose they could buy one and reverse engineer them, but that takes actual work. Have you ever noticed that whenever you show off something on a video the first question so many people ask is if they can have the file? Now my answer is NO!

@pdean5616 3 hours ago

I designed a camera mount and listed it on Etsy. Someone in the U.S. bought one on Etsy, copied it exactly, printed it in another color and listed the copy on Etsy for $4 less than mine. I lowered my price to near my cost to remove the lowlifes sales. Some people have no character or ethics.

@drkline69 9 hours ago

I've been 3D printing for about 9 years and have been designing objects for almost as long. I used to upload a lot of the things that I designed but I just don't do it any longer because situations like this. It hasn't happened to me but there's just too many people out there without any scruples.

@The-April-Lee_Edit 10 hours ago

This was a great video...Thanks for sharing it.

@brucejohnson1264 6 hours ago (edited)

Welcome to the club. Notice the string of random characters as the brand name..... China. I had a simple 3d-printed product on Amazon. Within six months I had multiple copycats from China. When you post something, people are going to steal it. In my case they just bought it and copied it.