Gridfinity is an open-source modular storage system started by Zach Freedman that’s completely 3D printable. With this system, you can take your workstation’s tidiness and efficiency to the next level. The goal of Gridfinity is to increase the accessibility of all of your tools and knickknacks, optimizing your workflow.
With Gridfinity, you can easily customize how you arrange your components to fit your needs and create a personalized workshop. It starts with one of the options for grid-like baseplates. These can hold all different kinds of compartments like boxes, holders, or bins that can occupy single or multiple grid cells. All the available components and baseplates have standardized dimensions, allowing you to move the containers around depending on the workspace or task at hand.
There are many basic storage options, but loads of specialty or project-orientated storage components are available as well. Once you start building your Gridfinity system, it’ll be difficult to stop at just one type of storage unit. Read on to find the best storage unit you can 3D print today and start or add to your collection!
Basics
These first models are just what you need to start building your Gridifinity universe.
Superlight Baseplates
The hidden key to the Gridfinity system is the baseplate. Unfortunately, they can be quite big, using up lots of filament and time to print. If you want to save hours and kilos of materials, you should try this model. As the name suggests, these baseplates are designed to be superlight, reducing print time and needed material. To achieve that, the designer has reduced the height of the base, created smaller radii, and deleted the flares on the bottom.
These plates were designed to be printed with PLA, but you can use whatever material you like. As the creator highlights, make sure to use a brim if you decide to print them with ABS or ASA, since they’re both prone to warping.
You can choose between a large variety of grids, ranging from 1×2 up to 6×6. The bases from 1×2 to 4×4 fit printers with a build plate as small as 180 x 180 mm!
- Who designed it? KYZDesign
- How printable/popular is it? Over 500 users have downloaded this model, and lots of makers have already rated this design with 4.8 stars! Several makes have been shared in the comments, and the designer has also uploaded a remix.
- Where to find it? MakerWorld
Divider Bins
Divider bins are basic Gridfinity storage units that come in various lengths and sizes. A bin can be a single container holding nuts and bolts or a multi-compartment container holding similar items.
You can also label these containers, making it easier to find the item you need. Another great thing about these bins is that they can be stacked on top of one another, allowing you to store items at different levels. If you run out of space on the table, simply start building upwards.
Once you print these bins, you can place them on the baseplate and start using them right away. However, if you’re concerned about accidentally lifting the bin and spilling the contents, use a weighted baseplate that lets you anchor these bins with screws or magnets.
- Who designed it? ZackFreedman
- How printable/popular is it? With over 33,000 downloads, 2,900 likes, and 13 makes on Thangs, this organizer is quite popular.
- Where to find it? Thangs
Customizable Tray
As makers, we have all kinds of parts lying around. When building and creating things is a hobby, you use lots of screws and bolts. Usually, many additional hardware parts end up all together in a big bag. If you’re looking for a better solution, you can’t miss this cool model!
This design consists of an OpenSCAD file that you can customize to fit your needs. The creator, inspired by the Gridfinity arrays out there, created this model to help you design the perfect solution for your space. By using the concept of HTML colspan and rowspan, you can add as many columns and rows as you need. You can add labels where you want or even leave a cell blank.
The possibilities are endless with this type of file! The designer has been so kind to create a GitHub page where they have published the source code and a detailed user guide.
- Who designed it? anne45
- How printable/popular is it? Over 200 people have downloaded this model and 25 have given it a like.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Wall Rack
Arrange your Gridfinity storage boxes on this extremely useful wall rack to free up valuable workspace. This wall rack is also simple to install, all you need are a few screws.
You can stack these racks horizontally and vertically. To do so, the designer has included a few tabs on the rack that help align them for a clean arrangement.
This rack pairs well with some unique window divider bins designed by Freedman himself. These bins have an open front that can fit either glass or acrylic, allowing you to see everything inside with a single glance.
- Who designed it? ashleyi100
- How printable/popular is it? At the moment, this organizer has over 3,300 downloads and more than 950 likes.
- Where to find it? Thangs
Vase Mode Bins
If you want to print plenty of storage bins for your Gridfinity system in less than no time, you can print these vase mode bins. The vase mode model can print within an hour, whereas the standard storage bin would take close to two hours to print (keeping most of the other print settings the same). Apart from printing in less time, vase mode uses less filament as it only has to build a single shell.
However, the disadvantage of having only one wall in vase mode is that it makes the box less sturdy. To compensate, the designer has added slanted ribs to the walls, resulting in a more durable box.
- Who designed it? bradeneliason
- How printable/popular is it? Printables reports that this stand has 121 makes.
- Where to find it? Printables
Rotating Organizer
This rotating tool organizer is an essential addition to any workspace. You can quickly find the tool without shuffling through a pile of clutter. Just spin the organizer and grab exactly the tool you need!
The designer has provided a few options for the top, which lets you store different tools such as screwdrivers, tweezers, and cutters. One thing to note is that you’ll need a 608 bearing to make the organizer spin.
Stationary Holder
Gridfinity’s stationary holder is an excellent organizational tool for anyone who wants to keep their desk or workspace tidy and efficient. The creator of this holder has designed it specifically to hold pens, rulers, and a few pocket-sized notebooks, making it ideal for students, professionals, or anyone who needs to keep their writing materials within reach.
A maker on Printables repurposed this holder to store their essential beading tools. This demonstrates how simple it is to use Gridfinity’s storage units for any desired purpose.
- Who designed it? Tecknishen
- How printable/popular is it? This design has been downloaded over 670 times and has 14 posted makes.
- Where to find it? Printables
Breadboard Tray
Breadboards are a life-saver when it comes to circuits because they allow one to connect components without soldering. This makes them perfect for learning and prototyping. Makers love to fiddle their fingers with electronics, and 3D printing is here to help. With this design, you’ll be able to both organize your breadboards and have a stand to keep everything organized as you work.
Components of this model include a tray for two small breadboards and one for two big breadboards. The smaller one stacks on top of the larger one for neat storage, but both can be fit on a gridfinity base. You should print them on the side to avoid using supports.
Specialized
This is where the Gridfinity magic comes to life! No matter the tool or occasion, there’s an organizational bin for your needs.
Solder Stand
Talking about electronics, one of the most popular and useful tools in a maker’s workshop is without a doubt the soldering iron. You need solder to use it, but how inconvenient is it when you have to manually fiddle with the spool as you work? Here is the perfect model for you: This Gridfinity-compatible model will ensure a neat feed of solder as you work and fit right back into its spot when you finish.
This model is really easy to print, and it doesn’t need any supports. It’s made up of three simple pieces: the base and the two rollers (one for each side) where the solder spool will rotate. It takes up only two spaces of your Gridifnity base and can be easily moved around to have it near you when needed.
- Who designed it? col4444
- How printable/popular is it? This model has been quite appreciated by the makers who have printed it because it has a 4.3-star rating!
- Where to find it? MakerWorld
Modular Hex Bits Rack
Finding the bit that you need in a given moment of repair can be difficult, as you’ll have to scan through all of them to find the right one. However, with this modular hex bit storage, you can arrange and sort your bits per your preference.
This storage box can hold up to 20 bits, and the best part is that the holders can be removed and rearranged. You’ll find hexagonal and circular slots in different sizes for storing the bits and other tools. With this print, prep the box to streamline your tasks and make it easy to quickly grab any hex bit you may need.
The designer has also provided some partitions that you can slap some labels on to indicate which bits are stored in which box.
- Who designed it? Martin_au
- How printable/popular is it? On Printables, this storage system has more than 660 downloads and a total of 19 makes.
- Where to find it? Printables
Battery Dispenser
This is a simple battery dispenser that can store both AA and AAA batteries. According to the maker’s design, the dispenser can hold up to 10 AA and 13 AAA batteries, so you know you’ll be good for a while if you fill up.
If you use both types of batteries (AA and AAA), you can label the dispensers to help identify them quickly. In addition, the maker has designed slots for you to add magnets to the top and bottom of the box so that you can stack them securely. If you’re crazy about batteries, you can even build a tower out of these!
- Who designed it? FruitieX
- How printable/popular is it? More than 2,900 users have downloaded this file so far, and 44 have shared their successful prints.
- Where to find it? Printables
SD Card Holder
If you use multiple SD cards for all your devices, this Gridfinity storage unit is perfect. This box can hold a total of 14 MicroSD cards as well as a regular SD card (or a MicroSD card adapter).
This storage box sits on any baseplate but works exceptionally well with weighted magnetic ones. While placing individual magnets on all of the baseplate and box slots can be a bit tedious, this maker has also created a magnet jig to speed up the process. The tool helps to align and glue the magnets.
Additionally, all of these cards are kept secure by using a magnetic lid. So, you can grab the box and throw it in your bag without worrying about them flying all over the place.
- Who designed it? JavBR
- How printable/popular is it? It’s a verified easy print that has over 285 downloads and 3 successful makes.
- Where to find it? Printables
Hand Tools Rack
This Gridfinity storage rack can hold a variety of hand tools. Even though the designer has specified the two parametric files are for a nipper holder and a stripper holder, you’ll have no trouble storing various pliers, scissors, and cutters.
The rack arranges all of the tools in such a way that the tips are visible, making it easy to identify and grab what you need. The designer strongly advises using a brim when printing this tool rack to improve adhesion and avoid warping.
Aside from that, you can successfully print your rack using this maker’s print settings, inlcuding a 0.2-mm layer height and 20% infill.
- Who designed it? CmdrMoto (remixed from Zack Freedman’s model)
- How printable/popular is it? Currently, this tool rack has over 1,240 downloads and 45 makes.
- Where to find it? Printables
Wrench Set
If you own a 3D printer, you use wrenches quite often. From assembling things to changing nozzles, these tools are essential a workshop. More often than not, you’ll actually find way more wrenches than you need when you go to look for one because there are so many dimensions out there. Here comes this Gridfinity accessory that can once again make organizing your tools a breeze.
Designed for Würth wrenches, the dimensions should be quite standard. The wrenches are tilted up so they’re easily accessible when you need them, but this also means that you can’t stack other bins on top. Note that this model has a Gridfinity size of 2x5x6, which is quite large, but it can accommodate eight wrenches. So, it’s quite worth it.
- Who designed it? Frinon
- How printable/popular is it? Over 315 people have downloaded this model, and almost 70 makers have given it a like.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Caliper Holder
Storing your digital calipers horizontally can take up a lot of space at your workstation. To use your space more efficiently and make it easier to access them, you should consider using this caliper holder. It keeps your tool vertical and features additional slots for two button cells.
This design is a remix of the original made by ZackFreedman; the designer has modified it to store a Mitutoyo caliper, but it should work for generic calipers too. If you find the storage slot to be a little tight, you can use a heat gun to slightly expand the opening for that perfect fit.
- Who designed it? Bear
- How printable/popular is it? There are 34 shared makes of this holder, and the design has been downloaded over 780 times.
- Where to find it? Printables
License: The text of "Gridfinity: Must-Have Modular Storage Units to 3D Print" by All3DP is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.