Check Out Zack Freedman’s 3D-Printable Gridfinity Organization System

If we’re honest with ourselves, most of us would have to admit that our 3D printers aren’t very practical. Aside from a few project enclosures every now and then, hobbyists seem to mostly print novelty tchotchkes to clutter desks before inevitably finding their way into the trash bin. So if you finally want something useful to make with your 3D printer in order to prove to your significant other that its purchase wasn’t a mistake, then check out Zack Freedman’s 3D-printable Grifinity organization system.

Freedman has been hard at work on the Gridfinity system for a long time now and has demonstrated it before, but the newest update adds a lot to the concept. Gridfinity is all about workbench organization—something that many of us desperately need. The design contains two broad categories: base plates and containers. Both are 3D-printable. As the name suggests, the base plates form a handy grid in any size or shape you can imagine. There are a variety of sizes to fit different printers and you can connect multiple base plates together to make larger bases. If you want, you can cover your entire desk in Gridfinity base plates.

The Gridfinity base plates have standardized square pockets so you can place the containers in any location or arrangement. Freedman and community contributors designed dozens and dozens of containers, so you can probably find the one you need. Some are as simple as open-top bins that you can fill with fasteners, while others work with specific tools and components. For example, there is a 3D printer nozzle container for those of you who like to swap nozzles on the reg. There are also more exotic containers if you’re feeling adventurous.

The community is already getting very involved in the project and soon there won’t be a product on the market that doesn’t have a corresponding Gridfinity container. To get in on the fun, head over to Freedman’s page on Thangs to find his designs, then search for “Gridfinity” on the same website to find fan designs.