Parametric Pot Liner Insert for Modular Potted Plant Setups

Introduction

To keep my plant collection looking lovely, I prefer to keep my plants in glazed ceramic pots. However, planting directly into ceramic pots has big drawbacks. Often drainage is very poor or non-existent, leading to waterlogged and compacted soil. The way I get around this is to find a plastic pot that fits inside the ceramic one, so that I have a well-draining, removable pot, keeping the plants healthier and easier to maintain. Sometimes however I have an unusual vessel, like a repurposed food dish that I want to use as pot. It can be near impossible to find a suitable premade pot for this, so I created a parametric solution for making fully custom pot liners! This file has been freshly remade using only freely-available Fusion360 functions, opening up customisation to all! If you pay for Fusion360. you can make use of Configurations to help streamline the customisation process!

Files

f3z Files

These are the only files you need to get started. If you are using the free version of Fusion, use “F360 Parametric Pot Liner.f3z” You can adjust the pot to your desired dimensions just fine using this file. If you have the paid version and have access to the Configurations feature, you can make use of my raw file: “F360 [Configurable] Pot Liner” This has some bonus features, like conversion to a vase-mode compatible version. Don't worry too much about missing out if you can't make use of the configurable file. <3

STEP Files

If you don't want to use Fusion 360, I've also included STEP files for your customisation needs! A standard and orchid version are available for you to hit the ground running.

3MF Files

These files are demonstration examples only. The dimensions for the pot you need to line probably won't match the ones in these files, so don't print them!

config.ini File

In case you need it, I've included my slicer config.

Gcode Files

These files are included for demonstration and time estimation purposes only! The dimensions for these pots is generic. It is pure coincidence if the dimensions happen to match your pot.  

Design and Printing Tips

I have a few tips for producing the best possible practical and aesthetic result:

• Measure carefully! It may be worth making circular gauges to more easily measure the key diameters of your pot. 
• If you want finger scoops, select an even number of them. I recommend 2 for very small pots, 4 for medium pots and 6 for large pots. Using an even number is important when the pot is filled with soil, as it allows you to have a balanced grip on the scoops. Otherwise the pot can flex unevenly, making it difficult to handle.
• Check the print preview for any unsightly banding on the outside surface. This model was designed to be printed with a 0.6mm nozzle to minimise print time. 0.4mm is fine, but will take much longer to print, as at least two walls will be required. If you observe banding, the extrusion width and wall thickness may be too similar, causing issues with the slicing. You can fix this by making the wall thickness slightly thinner in Fusion, or by making the extrusion width for the external perimeters slightly thicker. Check the images below for examples of what I mean:

Before:

Unsightly banding appears, focussed mainly around the Z-height of the drainage holes. I fix this by reducing the wall thickness from 1.2mm to 1.1mm in Fusion 360.

After:

Banding is no longer present. The final printed item will look much cleaner.

Having Issues?

Comment or reach out! I'm always more than happy to help you out.