Tool organization with Gridfinity

[jcdammeyer]

I'm going to have to come over for another shop tour to see all those drawers under the lathe filled with specialty cases

 

[Mcgyver]

I didn't know about this gridfinity, interesting. I just did a drawer of almost all boxes, stuff like exacto knives, rules, pin vises. imo it creates space because these sorts of items can be piled up and the box keeps things together. Gridfinity may been useful there, but for machinist tools, I think you get real space saving by nesting stuff.

 

[DavidR8]

Those look great! But I don't quite get why you left the adjuster ends & wrench extending external like that (as opposed to encompassing them like a regular box). Is it a camera angle thing or maybe I'm misunderstanding the pic. Another nice touch on some cases is the finger indentation to grab the instrument in preferential spots. Slots for related accessories or calibration standards. Or a relief on back side for instructions...

Coincidentally I bought a used Mitutoyo indicating mic. great mic, but they all seem to suffer the same fate of 20 year old foam degrading into a crumbly mess which can even migrate into instrument nook & cranny surfaces especially if they have a bit of oil film. As a possibility I have seen these little stick-on foam biscuits which you could integrate into your 3DP design to cushion the instrument strategically here & there. But many cases are just plain hard plastic which cleans nicely or varnished wood for that matter, so plain 3DP should be perfectly fine too.

(not mine just a generic case pic)
View attachment 48882

Hey Peter, the indicator holders are taller than the DTI holder so my intent (and we'll see if it works) if for the indicator holders to overhang something lower. Since the Gridfinity systems works on a set grid I I was trying to keep them inside a few grid spaces as possible. If I made the box 1 x 4 to accommodate the end of the barrel there would have been wasted space.
A side view is likely helpful.

The wrench placement was a design mistake I should have shifted it further along the length of the box.

 

[Dan Dubeau]

Here are some of the printed holders I've done. More are done now, its the sort of thing where the mood hits or it doesn't

3D Printed, Fit Tool Drawer Trays - Metallum

This is probably just some sort of psychological indulgence, but its fun, and I have concocted a rationalization. It takes up less space than leaving tools in their boxes, and makes everything quicker and easier to find. Trying to get away junk drawers and have good visibility on my tools. That...

www.metallum.shop

Those look awesome. I presume you're keeping the boxes? I like the Mic storage drawer.

I just finished consolidating the last of my work tools in with my home tools yesterday, and realized I need a better way to store and find things. If only I had a Bambu lol

 

[StevSmar]

It’s a great idea, though I’d be nervous about what happens when the flock of tools expands…

A modular design seems like it would make this certainty less painful though.

I think I want a welder before a 3D printer…

 

[DavidR8]

It’s a great idea, though I’d be nervous about what happens when the flock of tools expands…

A modular design seems like it would make this certainty less painful though.

I think I want a welder before a 3D printer…

I honestly hesitated for a long time, probably had a 4x4 grid sitting on my desk for six months.
The catalyst was building the drawer cabinets under my lathe and mill. Even though I have sixteen drawers they still need to be space efficient.
My Sovol SV06 was pretty cheap and it prints flawlessly at a good speed. The mic boxes take about 2 hrs to print. The DTI boxes are shorter so take about an hour.