Slot Box/Tray Maker (OpenSCAD)

Use this generator to make a tray or box with slots that may be rectangular, round, or hex shaped.

This is a partial list of holders possible:

• Game cartridges
• Ammunition
• SD cards
• Test tubes
• Hex bits
• Batteries
• Model paint bottles
• Glue sticks

How to use this Generator

In the Customizer, there are sections of parameters that you may change. This is a discussion of the settings and how to use them.

Item Dimensions

• Width
  • The actual size of the item left to right on the X axis. The total slot width will be this plus Item Clearance added on each side.
• Thickness
  • The actual size front to back on the Y axis. The total slot thickness will be this plus Item Clearance added to both front and back sides.
• Height
  • The actual size vertically on the Z axis. If you are using a lid, Item Clearance is added for lid to fit.
• Slots
  • The number of items front to back on the Y axis. If you don't want any items in a group, set the value to zero.
• Rows
  • The number of rows of items across on the X axis. All slots in the first row are copied for this number of rows.
• Clearance
  • The amount of space to add around the item to allow it to slide in and out. The amount is added to all sides.
• Shape
  • You may choose from 3 shapes: rectangle, circle, or hex.
    • Rectangle uses your Width and Thickness.
    • Circle uses your Width as the diameter and ignores Thickness.
    • Hex uses your Width as the distance from flat to opposite flat, and calculates the diameter needed from point to opposite point. Thickness is ignored.
• Notes:
  • All of the above applies to each of the 3 groups.
  • The final width of the row of slots will be the width of the widest one.
  • All of the slots are centered in the final width.
  • The separation space between each slot in a row is the Inner Wall Thickness.
  • If a group has a slot count of zero it is ignored (along with all of its settings).
  • The final total width (X) of the box will be the widest slot times the highest number of rows.
  • The final total length (Y) of the box will be the sum of all active slots of each group and their separation spaces.
  • The final height (Z) of the box will be the height of the highest item.

Box Options

• Outer Wall Thickness
  • The thickness of all outer walls of both base and lid.
• Inner Wall Thickness
  • This thickness is added around each slot. It also becomes the separation between each slot in a column and between rows.
• Lip Height
  • The lip is added to the base for the lid to attach. It is optional and may be set to zero if you want a tray without a lid.
• Lid Position
  • This is the place where you want the split between base and lid. It is a percentage of the total combined height of base and lid. For example, 50% would put the split halfway up. Smaller amounts make the base shorter than the lid, and vice versa.
• Lid Clearance
  • This amount is removed from the inside of all four walls of the lid to allow the fit onto the base to be somewhat snug.
• Notch Position
  • This will cut an amount out of two wall of the lid. It is to allow a grip to remove the lid. You may set it to None for no notch; or Front for the cutout to be on the closest and farthest walls; or Side to have it on the left and right walls.
• Notch Width
  • This is a percentage value of the total length of the wall to be used. A zero value will have the same affect as a None position; and a high value will remove most of the wall.
• Latch
  • This will add a small bump to the lid and recess to the lip of the base. It may be used for a more positive means to secure the lid.
    • Note: the Latch is created on the opposing sides that do not have finger notches.
    • Note: there will be no latch if there are no finger notches.
    • Note: the Latch is only created if there is a lip on the base and it is taller then the latch.
• Latch Size
  • This is the size of the bump on the lid and the matching cutout on the lip of the base.
    • Note: No additional clearance is added for this; only the Lid Clearance is used.
    • If you add the latch, I recommend the size is at least twice the layer height you will use for printing – otherwise it may be too small to print.
    • Note: If the Lid Clearance is small (i.e. for a snug fit) and the Latch Size is too large, you may have trouble sliding the lid on and off. In that case, you could file/sand the lid bump down instead of reprinting the lid.

Display Options

• Show Base
  • This option allows the base to be seen, which is required to create its STL.
  • To create the Base STL you must uncheck Show Lid and Show Cutaway.
• Show Lid
  • This option allows the lid to be seen, which is required to create its STL.
  • To create the Lid STL you must uncheck Show Base and Show Cutaway.
• Show Color
  • This option shows the various parts in different colors so you can visualize your changes. It is purely cosmetic and does not affect the color of your printed parts.
• Show Items
  • This option allows the actual items to be shown for visualization. It is purely cosmetic and does not affect your parts.
• Show Cutaway
  • This option removes approximately ¼ of the base and lid for you to visualize how the pieces are fitting and their clearances.
  • You must uncheck this before creating your STL files.
• Show Test
  • This option will create a small version of your design for a quick print to test fitting clearances. It uses all of your design settings, except temporarily changes these:
    • The slot count is reduced to one of each group.
    • The row count is reduced to one.
    • The height is reduced to an arbitrary 10mm. (This may appear to allow your items to be taller than the box, but that is not a problem as this option is only for testing slot clearance around items and lid to base fit. The height is set low for printing speed.)
    • The height of the optional finger notch is set to 4mm maximum.
• Show Dimensions
  • This option is purely informational. Because the total print sizes are driven by your settings and are not known until you have created your design, this is a way to see if your design is too big for your printer. (Note: It is only for the full size design; the numbers are not valid for the quick test.) 

Using OpenSCAD and the Customizer

 If you are new to using OpenSCAD and changing parameters, I’ve included my tutorial that may help.

Please note that you do not need to know anything about programming. All you need to do is move some sliders on the screen.

 Note: Use OpenSCAD version 2021.01 for full Customizer compatibility.