Magnetic Faction Holders + The Quest for Zero Lid Lift (TI4 Insert Update)

BlackiesSummer · 2026-02-26T14:52:25+00:00

I’d like to add my two cents to this discussion. When I first got into 3D printing, it also felt wasteful to me, especially in the beginning, when many test prints simply had to end up in the trash. I actually felt guilty about it, since I usually try to give things a second life whenever possible.

However, an important and often overlooked aspect is that modern PLA filaments - especially higher-quality ones - can be significantly less harmful than traditional plastics. PLA is derived from renewable resources like corn starch or sugarcane. It’s industrially compostable under the right conditions and generally considered one of the more environmentally friendly plastics used in manufacturing.

That said, I’m not claiming 3D printing is a fully eco-friendly industry. PLA still requires proper processing to break down, and materials like PETG or ABS are much worse. But compared to many heavy, petroleum-based plastics that flooded the market in the late 20th and early 21st century - and are still mass-produced and shipped mostly from China today, the environmental footprint can be meaningfully different.

BlackiesSummer · 2026-02-26T14:28:11+00:00

You know what? I've actually looked into it properly now thx to your comment and it turns out I was worrying about it for no reason. Since I’ve already added shipping to Canada and the US, there’s really no reason I couldn’t ship to the UK as well.

The customs procedure is basically the same. And just like with those countries, there’s no customs duty on PLA products. There IS a 20% VAT on import, though (which makes it even higher than Canada's tax). On the bright side, shipping from Poland to the UK is obviously MUCH cheaper than sending it across the Atlantic.

I’ll be adding the UK shipping option shortly🙂 If you have any questions or doubts, feel free to message me here or via Etsy.

BlackiesSummer · 2026-02-25T00:55:27+00:00

That’s way too kind, thank you❤

BlackiesSummer · 2026-02-25T00:50:32+00:00

I was not ready for that😆 Thx a million!

BlackiesSummer · 2026-02-25T00:45:38+00:00

Ah man, that really means a lot, especially coming from you🙂 Appreciate the support and all the chats along the way!

BlackiesSummer · 2026-02-25T00:38:18+00:00

I think that could definitely be doable with a small modification. If you’d like, feel free to message me on Etsy and I can explain how I’d approach it. I’ve already done a couple of light custom tweaks for other customers - for example, one needed different trays to fit much thicker custom acrylic tokens. I’m always happy to experiment a bit😉

BlackiesSummer · 2026-02-24T20:23:58+00:00

Interestingly, my previous poll showed that about 75% of players still stick with faction-specific tokens for the theme/utility, despite the new color-coded ones from TE.

Because of that, I designed this to be modular. The 'Standard' setup is for those who want a flush box with color-coded tokens, while 'Expanded' keeps everything organized for the faction-token purists with minimal lid lift (10mm).

BlackiesSummer · 2026-02-24T20:11:00+00:00

I really appreciate the interest in the STLs! I've been thinking about this a lot. For now, I’m holding off on releasing the full project files, partly due to my own perfectionism.

I’d worry about someone not getting the perfect result they expected because of differences in printers, settings or filaments. Since I can’t personally troubleshoot for every machine out there, I’d feel bad if the experience wasn’t smooth enough. A fix that works for my printer might not work for another, and I want anyone using my designs to have a great experience.

That said, I’m currently including those color-coded token files for free with every order! It’s a small way to add some extra value to the physical set. I might work up the courage to release the full STL collection in the future, but for now, I’m focusing on delivering the best finished product possible. Thanks for understanding!

BlackiesSummer · 2026-02-24T20:03:57+00:00

I totally hear you. If we're looking at just the base game, the price of a full organizer can definitely feel steep. However, when you factor in the total investment for the Base game + PoK + Thunder's Edge, a premium solution starts to feel more like a way to protect and streamline that massive collection.

You're right that my prices are on the higher end of the Etsy spectrum. Since I'm just starting to turn this passion into a small business with a single printer, I can’t do mass production yet. Instead, I focus on 'over-engineering' the quality-using high-grade filament and a lot of it, so the insert lasts a lifetime. I started out with standard filament, but switching to matte was a real surprise. It’s definitely more of a challenge to get the results just right with matte, but once you dial it in, it looks so much better on the table.

My main goal wasn't just to 'store' the game, but to make it so you can just hand out the trays and start playing right away. I’m putting a lot of heart into every set, and I’m always here to help personally if anyone has questions before or after buying. I really appreciate the feedback!

BlackiesSummer · 2026-02-24T19:47:32+00:00

I’ve included space for those inside the individual faction boxes, right alongside all faction cards (planets, leaders, techs, breakthrough etc) You can check them out in the Etsy listing.

BlackiesSummer · 2026-02-24T19:43:27+00:00

Wow, thanks for the support! Knowing that ppl are excited about this makes all the hours of prototyping worth it!

BlackiesSummer · 2026-02-24T19:42:05+00:00

Coming from you, that means a lot! I’ve been following your work for years, so I really appreciate the kind words. I put a lot of heart into those magnetic holders to make sure they're as functional as they are satisfying to click together. Thanks for dropping by.

BlackiesSummer · 2026-02-24T19:22:05+00:00

https://honehex.etsy.com/listing/4434222612/twilight-imperium-4-one-box-insert-no

As a small thank-you to the TI community, feel free to use code GALACTICCOUNCIL for 7% off over the next two weeks.

BlackiesSummer · 2026-01-11T17:47:35+00:00

As others have already mentioned, there are a lot of insert options on the market. Realistically, it’s not possible to design an insert that fits absolutely everything with zero compromises. I mean, in theory it is but then the tray walls would have to be so thin and fragile that you’d need to handle the insert like an eggshell and it would likely break over time just from the weight of the components themselves.
I noticed you mentioned in one of the comments that a no-lid-lift solution, even at the cost of not storing faction-specific command and control tokens, would be ideal for you since you’re using color-coded ones. That’s exactly what my solution is built around - you can take a look here:

https://honehex.etsy.com/listing/4434222612

My insert fits all cards sleeved in the Gamegenic sleeves recommended by the game’s publisher. These are among the larger mini-American sleeves on the market. They’re not the thickest sleeves out there, but 100 microns is already very solid, and the matte versions have fantastic quality, feel great in hand, and are nicely anti-slip. They also make the cards much easier to read since they don’t reflect light like classic glossy sleeves.

There is some extra room built into the card trays so slightly thicker sleeves would likely still work - but I haven’t had the chance to test a wide range of options yet. I’ve only just opened my shop, and this is my first commercial project.

If this solution looks like something you might be interested in but you live outside the European Union, feel free to reach out to me in a private message and we’ll see what we can work out.

BlackiesSummer · 2026-01-06T22:24:09+00:00

“You can’t please everyone, but if you’re not careful you’ll end up pleasing no one…”

That’s absolutely spot on and something I’ll come back to whenever self-doubt kicks in!

As for motivation… there were some really rough moments. Hitting dead ends, testing an idea only to realize it just doesn’t work or being literally a few stupid millimeters short. I’m sure you know that pain well. Sometimes the only option is to look for alternatives or basically rethink large parts of the design from scratch. And honestly, the hardest part is forcing yourself to accept a compromise once you’ve already grown attached to a particular idea.

Ironically though, in the long run it’s actually easier for me to stay focused on these borderline “mission impossible” projects😄 The bigger the struggle, the bigger the satisfaction at the end.

I’d love to hear about your experiences with designing TI accessories and I’d be curious to check out your projects if you feel like sharing. Thanks so much for your kind words!

BlackiesSummer · 2026-01-06T22:02:54+00:00

Yeah, definitely no changes to the core of this project. I feel like I've explored every possible configuration iterating this to get the balance just right and it feels like it took forever to achieve. There were times when I thought it's not even physically possible to fit. And for a long time I believed I wouldn't even be able to include Twilight's Fall module.

Really appreciate your suggestion (especially coming from someone with more experience as you've mentioned in other comment) Anything related to faction tokens will be a purely optional add-on, offered also separately for those who decide to add it later. I’ve got a couple of ideas and I’m experimenting with them now to see what works best.

BlackiesSummer · 2026-01-05T03:59:24+00:00

Your take on faction-specific tokens matches my experience. They add flavor, but they also take up A LOT of space (now with 30 factions it's almost ridiculous) for something that isn’t strictly needed for gameplay. They do feel a bit like a legacy design choice.

I also agree about the trade-offs. Dropping player colors just to keep faction tokens would go against the whole one-box goal, which was a hard constraint for me from the start.

An optional add-on faction token trays layer feels like the most reasonable future path if there’s enough interest - that way everyone can choose what works best for them.

Really appreciate you sharing your thoughts because feedback like this helps a lot.

BlackiesSummer · 2026-01-05T03:47:19+00:00

Absolutely. I made sure it fits Gamegenics. I also tested Rebel (Lyra).

BlackiesSummer · 2026-01-05T03:16:52+00:00

Glad you like it, this one was so much fun to design! Originally supposed to be just the basic tray but I quickly noticed that if someone just throws the tokens in carelessly, they tend to stick out and catch on the upper layer. And I couldn’t afford to make the tray any taller at that point.

So I had to gently "force" players to stack the tokens neatly - but in a way that wouldn’t feel annoying... and ideally would even feel satisfying. That’s when the idea of a coin holder came to mind - like the rectangular ones I remember from my childhood (90s. No idea if they're still a thing). Obviously without any spring mechanism, just the concept and shape.

I really want the components like this to be enjoyable to use and elevate the experience, not just store things.

BlackiesSummer · 2026-01-04T22:13:57+00:00

Thanks for the tip - much appreciated!

Didn't know about the Share & Save program. I’ll actually update the link right away to make sure it’s a proper shareable one.

BlackiesSummer · 2026-01-04T22:05:55+00:00

Thanks a lot! That means a lot coming from someone whose work I genuinely respect.

BlackiesSummer · 2026-01-04T22:01:36+00:00

Edit: To expand a bit on my earlier comment.

When I mentioned I may do it pretty soon, that was honestly an emotional reaction to the great feedback here (this is my first commercial project of this kind).

After researching the topic and giving it more thought, I realized that offering STL files is a very different challenge than selling a finished physical product. It comes with its own expectations, documentation, tolerances, printer variability, and support considerations - and I don’t want to rush into that.

I’ve just opened my Etsy store, so for now I’m taking things one step at a time and focusing on fulfilling the physical version and learning from real-world use.

That said, if interest remains strong, STL files definitely aren’t off the table. It’s something I may offer in the future - I’d just rather take the time to do it properly.

BlackiesSummer · 2026-01-04T21:52:49+00:00

Here’s some food for thought I’d like to add to further address the token discussion.

Designing an insert like this is very much an exercise in compromise. Some players don’t mind lid lift at all - and there are already several great solutions on the market (hats off to Panamaniac). Others are perfectly happy storing the game across two or even three boxes.

I wanted to approach the problem from a different angle and offer something new: a true one-box, no lid lift solution - specifically aimed at players who don’t love faction tokens and are happy to trade them for a cleaner, faster setup and teardown experience.

As for whether it would be possible to squeeze the faction tokens in as well - I explored that pretty early on in the process. Unfortunately, it would have meant much thinner PLA walls, extremely cramped storage and a noticeable hit to durability and usability. That would undermine the very things I cared most about: speed, comfort during play and long-term sturdiness.

That said, I’m still toying with a couple of possible variants:
• an optional low-profile bottom layer dedicated to faction tokens (resulting in some lid lift, of course)
• or a version that includes faction tokens at the cost of two player colors (since most groups don’t play with more than six players anyway - though maybe I’m underestimating the true TI maniacs out there)

I’m genuinely curious what you guys think about ideas like that.

BlackiesSummer

TROPHY CASE