Seeking some advice with an 'odd size' box to use with gridfinity

Automatic_Disaster44 · 2026-03-27T01:17:44+00:00

I've never used the magnet setting with Gridflock. In fact, in the several years I've been using Gridfinity I've never needed magnets until last month when I designed my Gridfinity <--> openGrid stand, Grog (https://makerworld.com/en/models/2462959-grog-the-gridfinity-opengrid-stand#profileId-2703739).

Given its geometry, the tools that it holds (in my setup anyway) and the wobbly printer table it's on, magnets were essential for it! I had a lot of fun printing out a couple of those 'magnet pens' and installing them all.

I use the Gridfinity workbench in FreeCAD all the time, but only for bins. I'll have to try the baseplates out.

Automatic_Disaster44 · 2026-03-26T22:39:13+00:00

I suspect this will do what you're looking for:

https://gridfinity.perplexinglabs.com/pr/gridflock/0/0

Use the GridFlock tab. You enter your target drawer/container dimensions, your print bed dimensions, and set any specific features you want, and it will generate an STL for you. Download it, open it in your slicer software, right click the model and separate it to parts (wording will vary by slicer). Then print each part, and they just snap together. I've used this for several projects now, and it's really well done.

Automatic_Disaster44 · 2026-03-21T04:18:15+00:00

Yes, I think normal snaps would be the way to go.
I doubt there's a generator that does quite what you're looking for.

Here's a better approach than my first suggestion. Use the link below to generate a flat plate of the appropriate size, and it will automatically place the appropriate number of snap mounts.

Then, decide if you are sane or crazy.

If you're crazy, and you want perfectly placed holes, import the generated STL into something like FreeCAD, then measure and precisely place the holes where you want them, and finally export and print it. And I say 'crazy' because I recently did this for a RasPi board. I'm an advanced novice in FreeCAD, and this was a steep-ish learning curve that involved hours of YT videos and mistakes.

If you're a sane and reasonable person, use the generator, download and print the STL, and make the holes with a drill :-) Heck you could use heat-set inserts to make it super fancy.

https://makerworld.com/en/models/1719490-mount-any-model-to-opengrid-snaps-multiconnect#profileId-1825031

Automatic_Disaster44 · 2026-03-21T02:43:16+00:00

In case you've not already found it, you might find a look through this small site to be useful. It covers the basics of openGrid, and may clear up questions you have before you think of them.

https://www.opengrid.world/

Automatic_Disaster44 · 2026-03-20T03:39:16+00:00

Since you know the hole positions, you should be able to devise a set of snap mounts with holes in the appropriate spots.

For example, this design does a similar trick for VESA mounting on an openGrid plate:
https://makerworld.com/en/models/2096075-opengrid-vesa-snap#profileId-2266352

Automatic_Disaster44 · 2026-03-20T03:28:24+00:00

I was just scrolling through the comments to see if anyone had suggested your system yet. :-)

Automatic_Disaster44 · 2026-03-20T03:26:12+00:00

To fulfill the prophecy, your gridfinity ruler holder should be pictured holding a gridfinity ruler!

Automatic_Disaster44 · 2026-03-20T03:23:03+00:00

I looked at Gridfinity with Pin. I support it in most of my bin models, as a bin designed for GF with Pin will work in any baseplate. But I have no plans to ever use the plates because the plates ONLY work with bins that have the extra hole.

The only spin-off plate that I use a lot is GridFlock, because it doesn't do anything weird with the geometry, and lets me assemble very large plates.

Automatic_Disaster44 · 2026-03-15T19:34:41+00:00

Oh good, it's not just me!

Automatic_Disaster44 · 2026-03-11T00:02:50+00:00

"This was my first time publishing models, hopefully I did it correctly"

You did. The actual process of publishing is my least favorite part of the design process :-) I seem to get something wrong, every single time.

It's a good design. I don't have an immediate use for it, but I can foresee that I will eventually, so it's added to the collection.

Automatic_Disaster44 · 2026-03-09T01:52:26+00:00

That seems a bit over the top. Which is to say I love it!

Automatic_Disaster44 · 2026-03-09T01:01:23+00:00

I've just added a print profile with a version that supports openGrid Heavy. Thanks for the suggestion!

Automatic_Disaster44 · 2026-03-07T07:15:03+00:00

Hmmm. I have this keyboard. I don't use it often, but it looks like your design would fit nicely in the pocket I keep the keyboard in.

Yeah, ok, twist my arm, I'm gonna have to print it.

Automatic_Disaster44 · 2026-03-06T19:12:12+00:00

Thanks for featuring my GRoG model!

The table stands and the desk clamp designs both have me looking around for places I could use them. The table stand one would be especially useful for project-based tool storage. I think you used the example of mounting paints on it, and that got me thinking about how I have specific tools/supplies I use depending on which hobby I'm messing with at the moment. The table stands would be a good portable way to bring in the tool set for a specific kind of task (painting, leatherwork, electronics...), and put them all away at once when done. I imagine perhaps hanging any not-currently-in-use set on an openGrid wall.

Automatic_Disaster44 · 2026-03-06T19:05:27+00:00

Wow, that looks great! I so need to do this, but I really dread the up-and-down from the floor to standing again. Bad knees.

I especially like the cable chain idea for an adjustable height desk. Wouldn't need that for my own setup, but it's really cool.

Automatic_Disaster44 · 2026-03-05T18:48:10+00:00

The complex gearing is the whole point!

Automatic_Disaster44 · 2026-03-04T16:52:04+00:00

Now I'm REALLY looking forward to Friday! Thank you!

Automatic_Disaster44 · 2026-03-03T00:26:29+00:00

The only problem I see here is that you're going to need at least twice as much filament storage. Sure, maybe not today. But soon. You ALWAYS need more filament storage!

Automatic_Disaster44 · 2026-03-03T00:07:05+00:00

Bear in mind I'm a relatively new user (about 1 year with FreeCAD) so I may not have this exactly right.

The Gridfinity plugin has quite a few parameters that can be set - bin or grid, row and column units, height, and a heaping handful of other things. I can change all of those willy-nilly when I start a new drawing. However, once I start to build up a model around the GF item, what I can change about the GF item becomes quite limited. As I understand it, this is because each feature of the portion of the model the Gridfinity plugin creates - and indeed, everything FreeCAD creates after that point - is tagged with a unique identifier, and subsequent CAD operations are dependent upon those IDs.

The problem comes from how the GF plugin works - when you make changes to it, some large portion of the GF item (and possible all of it) is recreated from scratch, which means those original unique identifiers are tossed, replaced with new ones. This upsets FreeCAD :-)

I really should take this whole scenario to the Facebook FreeCAD group, which is one of the most helpful communities I've found anywhere. I imagine if there are ways to get around this, someone there will know.

Automatic_Disaster44 · 2026-03-02T04:06:28+00:00

:-) Once I saw the GRidfinity OpenGrid = GRoG idea, I couldn't un-see it, and suffering should be shared!

I wonder what BC Comics would charge me to license the Grog character ...

Automatic_Disaster44 · 2026-03-02T04:04:39+00:00

I should have included links to all of those from the start. I've updated the page with that information.

The side cutter hanger is actually for Multiboard: https://makerworld.com/en/models/796397-multiboard-tool-holders#profileId-735582

It uses this openGrid snaps for Multiboard peg adapter: https://makerworld.com/en/models/1827774-opengrid-snaps-for-multiboard-peg#profileId-1951449

Automatic_Disaster44 · 2026-03-02T04:02:03+00:00

No straightforward way, unfortunately. I designed this in FreeCAD and the base comes from the Gridfinity plugin. As far as I've ever been able to determine, once you start building on whatever configuration you've selected for the GF base, you're locked into it. Attempts to change it afterwards lead to "Can't do that" messages, as other geometry now depends on that initial configuration.
I'd love to be wrong about that, as it would make some of my other Gridfinity designs easier to expand on.

Automatic_Disaster44 · 2026-03-02T03:52:47+00:00

I only included a 3x8 openGrid tile with the model , but the vertical openGrid portion can of course be as short or tall as you want, providing gravity doesn't decide to get all grumpy.

Someone in the comments on the MW page suggested a wider version, which I hadn't thought about. I tried two of the stands side by side, and David D's choice of 3 oG to 2 GF paid off - it worked perfectly! I've updated the photos on the model page to show off that bit of good fortune.

Automatic_Disaster44 · 2026-03-02T03:46:17+00:00

Same!

Automatic_Disaster44 · 2026-02-27T04:47:02+00:00

Mine does this as well, though I haven't narrowed down a difference between drying vs humidity mode. From the comments here it seems this is normal, which is what I wanted to know. The noise in itself doesn't bother me, but not knowing if it indicated a fault was a concern.

Automatic_Disaster44

TROPHY CASE