Driveway Marker Holder compatible with John Deere 44" snowblower attachment

Backstory

If you've seen my previous model, you'll know I picked up a snowblower for my lawn tractor to help with snow removal. Having only ever used my tractor for mowing, this would be the first time using it to clear the driveway. I also clear snow from three other neighbors' driveways, so I thought the blower would help expedite the process and minimize the time out in the blustery cold. Well, on the maiden voyage, I had cleared our driveway and two of the three neighbors' driveways with great success. On the third driveway, though, snow had obscured part of my enclosure window and my overenthusiasm for not being out in the wind got the better of me, and with one misjudgment of distance out front of the blower I scraped the garage door frame trim piece with the edge of my blower. After promptly telling my neighbor of the accident, I vowed to not let that happen again. As I drove down the sidewalk back home, I exclaimed with an “Ah ha!” steering my mean green snow-clearing machine past the orange markers lining the edges of my driveway.

Snapping in a Solution

Looking at the John Deere 44" snow blower attachment for select series tractors, there are two holes on either side for drift cutters to be bolted onto it. Taking a few measurements, I then sketched those into FreeCAD and developed a snap-in holder for common driveway markers that you can find at big box stores (I used these from Menard's) or elsewhere online. My first test fits were with PLA, and while they fit without too much issue, I feared they would not retain their shape jostling around while in the snow and cold. I settled on PETG, as I don't yet print anything much more adventurous. I imagine there are better suited materials out there, but for now I'm sticking with PETG for the next time we have measurable snowfall.

The attachment nubs are split to make them easy to insert with steady pressure, and the bulbed ends help to secure the holders without obstructing any more than a nut and bolt would with drift cutters. Time will tell how long these will hold, but I figured for a 90-minute print, I'm okay printing another if they do wiggle loose or fall off due to the cold. The included gif shows the easy 15-second install of the holder and marker.

Files and Print Suggestions

Included as always with my FreeCAD adventure is the FreeCAD file. Within that file is a sketch labeled for you to edit to fit the diameter of your own driveway markers. Depending on your blower's model year, the spacing of the attachment nubs can also be edited to fit your needs in a different sketch.

Before printing the full model, I recommend printing the two test prints included for nub spacing and driveway marker diameter. This will give you an idea of how well your nubs will fit the blower and the driveway marker will fit in the holder.

Additional files are the STL and 3MF to set to your own printer's settings. I printed mine on a MK4 with an MMU3, though with a brim I printed mine at an angle laying on a flat side with support material under the nubs. Post processing for me consisted of a few seconds to remove the support material and brim, then a quick onceover with a deburring tool where the brim was connected to smooth down the sharp remnants of the brim. Your post processing may vary depending on your print settings and print orientation.

Feedback and Comments

If you print the holder, remix it, or have any feedback about it, please post those on the comment section. I'd love to see photos of it installed on your machine, too! Thank you for checking out my model. If you like what you see, please feel free to check out my other models here on Printables.

Update Log

2026-01-20: Updated title to Driveway Marker Holder compatible with John Deere 44" snowblower attachment

2025-12-01: Original date of publish