Custom Kitchen Range Hood

Not too long ago, my family underwent a kitchen renovation. My mother collaborated with a designer to devise a layout, select appliances, and engaged a contractor to handle all electrical, plumbing, and installation tasks. The cabinets were installed, and most of our chosen appliances arrived from the appliance store. However, there was a setback: the uniquely shaped range hood we had ordered, around which the cabinets were designed, was discontinued due to supply chain issues three months after we had already placed our order. Since the cabinets were already tailored to fit this specific range hood, we had to find a replacement of similar dimensions. Unfortunately, nothing off-the-shelf matched, so we opted for a custom solution. It presented a prime opportunity for me to engage directly with the design process, from conceptualization to material selection, even down to small details like decorative rivets. For reference, here is the original range hood we had initially ordered:

Using Fusion 360, I drafted the following design:

Some notable deviations from the original included the addition of four decorative straps instead of three, extra rivets, and a change in surface finish to horizontally brushed stainless steel. Additionally, the front lower bar was slimmed down and polished.

I discovered a newly established company specializing in range hoods, and they agreed to manufacture the hood based on my drawings and model. After a few weeks and shipping from Taiwan, where the hood was produced, the completed range hood arrived. While this part of the hood was purely decorative, it required an insert containing the baffles (residue filters) and a blower motor. I had designed the hood around a specific insert and managed to find the exact model available on eBay, open box, for a fraction of the price. The insert arrived, and all seemed well initially. However, upon closer inspection, I noticed that the shaft connecting to the knob controlling the light was cracked.

Fortunately, a few minutes in Fusion 360 enabled me to design an exact replacement. I 3D printed it, and the insert was good as new! The fixed shaft:

This project was immensely enjoyable, and seeing it prominently displayed in my family's kitchen gives me a sense of satisfaction every time I look at it. The completed hood: