Headed to Hollywood in November
Hi, I'm Zac. I 3D print wheelchairs for kids who need them.
I build small, colorful wheelchairs for toddlers who can't get around on their own. My first one went to a 2-year-old girl in Utah with cerebral palsy. In November, I'll deliver my second to a 21-month-old girl in Southern California.
Utah
- hours on my first chair
- 300
- wheelchair delivered
- 1
- cost to the family
- $0
About me
I got into 3D printing by watching YouTube videos about it. My favorite part is putting all the pieces together.
One of those videos, How 3D Printing is Changing Mobility from the 3D Printing Nerd channel, showed me that you could 3D print a wheelchair. I wanted to use my printer to help someone, and that's how I found MakeGood.
How it works
MakeGood is a nonprofit that designed this chair and shares the design for free. Families post a request on MakeGood's 3D Mobility site, and volunteer makers browse the requests and choose one to build. So far, more than 3,000 chairs have been delivered across six continents.
For my first chair, I chose a request from a girl here in Utah who was born with cerebral palsy. I printed every part, customized it for her, and put it together, which took about 300 hours.
Small wheelchairs cost a lot and can be hard to get covered by insurance, so these chairs fill a real gap. The family never pays for any of it. Donations cover the printer, filament, and parts.
What's next
I want to keep getting better at 3D printing, and one day be as good as the MakeGood engineers who designed this chair. When I grow up, I want to work at a company like Apple or Tesla and invent new products.
“It combines my two favorite things in life: 3D printing and helping people in need. It just makes sense!”
The last build
My first wheelchair
Built for a 2-year-old girl with cerebral palsy, and made to grow with her.
- Pink accents, because pink is her favorite color
- A removable cupholder and tray table
- Room on the back for heavier medical equipment
- Straps printed in a soft, flexible material
- A footrest and headrest that adjust as she grows
Build videos
Follow along
I post videos on YouTube as I print and put together each chair.
Headed to Hollywood
The Last Inventor
In November, my family and I will be special guests at the Hollywood premiere of The Last Inventor: Chuck Hull & The Hope of 3D Printing, a documentary about the man who invented 3D printing.
- Chuck Hull printed the world's first 3D object in 1983
- The film tells 21 stories of how 3D printing is changing lives
- While we're there, I'll deliver my second wheelchair to a 21-month-old girl in Southern California
In the news
The story so far
- ABC4 Utah'It just makes sense!': 13-year-old builds 3D printed wheelchair for 21-month-old girl
- The Times of IndiaMeet Zac Waters, the 13-year-old Utah boy who spent 300 hours 3D-printing a wheelchair for a 21-month-old girl
- People13-Year-Old Boy Hailed as ‘True Hero’ After Spending Summer Break Creating 3D-Printed Wheelchair for Toddler
How to help
Three ways to help
Donate
Donations pay for the printer, filament, and parts for the next chair.
Share
Send this page to someone who might want to help.
Become a maker
Have a 3D printer? MakeGood is looking for more volunteer makers.
Know a child who needs a chair? Families can request one from MakeGood, free.
Request a chair