Print of the Week #1: Gridfinity, the gateway drug
Start here. Gridfinity turns a messy desk drawer into a smug, modular grid — and it's the perfect first 'useful' print to dial in your printer.
- Material
- PLA
- Print time
- ~45 min per bin
- Designer
- Zack Freedman (system)
- License
- CC BY (varies by remix)
If you’ve just gotten a printer working and you’re staring at it wondering what’s actually worth printing — this. Gridfinity is a modular grid system of baseplates and bins, all snapping to a 42mm unit. Print a baseplate, print some bins, and a chaotic drawer becomes a satisfying grid in an afternoon.
Why it’s the perfect Week 1 print
- Forgiving. Boxes and grids hide a lot of calibration sins.
- Immediately useful. You’ll want more the moment the first bin clicks in.
- Scales with you. Start with a 2×2, end up Gridfinity-ing your entire bench.
What to print first
- A single baseplate (start with a small one to check fit).
- A few 1×1 and 2×1 bins, some with label tabs.
- Once you’re hooked, a 2×2 baseplate to anchor the drawer.
Settings that worked
- 0.2mm layers, 3 walls. Bins don’t need to be strong, they need to be square.
- Skip the brim — flat-bottomed boxes adhere fine and a brim ruins the snap fit.
- Print baseplates without “spiral/vase”; you want the magnet holes if you go magnetic later.
Gotchas
The snap fit is intentionally tight. If bins won’t seat, your printer is very slightly over-extruding — drop flow 2–3% rather than scaling the model. Don’t go down the magnet-and-screw rabbit hole on day one; plain bins are 90% of the value.
Next week: something that moves.