Refrigerator Beer / Pop Can Holder / Dispenser

Easy to print, (prints flat no supports) and assemble. Holds 10 drinks cans (you can scale to size).
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updated August 4, 2024

Description

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Refrigerator Can Holder holds 10x330ml drinks cans (see Print Instructions, below, if your cans are a different size). You put the cans in the front at the top, they roll to the back, drop to the bottom then roll to the front so you can always take the coldest can. When you replenish your supply, just roll them in from the top -- no need to resort the cans on the shelf to swap the warm ones to the back.

This optimal design doesn't waste a millimetre of space so it is suitable for a small bar fridge where space is at a premium. It hooks onto the ridge at the back of the shelf and uses the back wall of the fridge as part of the holder. Placed in the middle of the shelf, it also acts as a useful "book-end" that makes stacking bottles on the shelf beside it easier.

Update This was originally designed for a small bar fridge. If you have a larger (deeper) fridge, there's now an alternate rear side wall with a slot for inserting a back wall. Print "Can Holder Walls rearwith backwall x2.stl" instead and print one extra top shelf to use as a back wall.

Note that this Can Holder is intended to be assembled from the 14 individual pieces. The STL files Can_Holder_Built.stl and Can_Holder_Built_with_cans.stl are just for illustrative purposes, they're not designed to be printed.

Print instructions

The project is cut into pieces so it is suitable for printing on a 200x200mm bed.
Update: I've added another set of side walls that are divided into 3 parts so you can
print on a 150x200mm bed.

You need to make two front walls and two rear walls (and two middle walls if using the 3 part walls) but one of each must be mirrored (so you have a left and a right of each).
You'll also need three top supports. As noted above, for deep fridges use the "with backwall" version of the "Walls rear" and print an extra top support (x4 rather than x3)

I used PETG but I see no reason why ABS or PC shouldn't work just as well.  Depending on the accuracy of your printer, you may need to sand the cross pieces to fit the slots.  In which case PLA may be too hard a material.

CHECK THE SIZE OF YOUR CANS! The shelves and supports are designed for 330ml
cans (used in the UK) that are 115mm tall (and 66mm in diameter). If you're using taller
cans, increase the 'X' scale on all cross pieces by the factor your cans are taller than 115mm.
For example, Australian cans are 375ml (130mm tall) so increase the length of all shelves,
supports and stops by printing at about 114% (130/115) on the X (or Y scale depending on how you've oriented your prints).

Levy4u comments that he successfully made a version for 16oz cans of "Monster Energy"
by scaling the width pieces to 138.25% (see photos in "Makes & Comments" section").

Parts Required
Depending on which version you are making you will need different parts:
All versions need the cross pieces (scaled in the width dimension depending on can size):
1x Can_Holder_Shelf_lower_front.stl
1x Can_Holder_Shelf_lower_rear.stl
1x Can_Holder_Shelf_middle_front.stl
1x Can_Holder_Shelf_middle_rear.stl
3x Can_Holder_Supports_top_x3.stl
1x Can_Holder_front_support
1x Can_Holder_front_stop.stl
1x Can_Holder_Support_rear.stl

Plus one group of:

For a shallow fridge (utilising the fridge's back wall):
2x Can_Holder_Walls_rear_x2.stl (one must be mirrored)
2x Can_Holder_Walls_front_x2.stl (one must be mirrored)

For a deep fridge (freestanding can holder):
2x Can_Holder_Walls_rear_with_backstop_x2.stl (one must be mirrored)
2x Can_Holder_Walls_front_x2.stl (one must be mirrored)
1x Can_Holder_Supports_top_x3.stl

For printing on a small printer (shallow fridge):
2x Can_Holder_3_part_walls_front_x2.stl (one must be mirrored)
2x Can_Holder_3_part_walls_middle_x2.stl (one must be mirrored)
2x Can_Holder_3_part_walls_rear_x2.stl (one must be mirrored)

Post-Printing

Assembly required

The shelves are designed to fit across the joint between the front and rear wall halves to add strength to the wall joins. Note that one of the bottom shelves is a wedge that must go at the front. I used epoxy to glue mine together but I would imagine that CA glue would work too.

Note: The shelves, etc. are designed to be a tight fit. I perhaps designed them a bit too tight for the accuracy of some printers. You may have to do a bit of sanding to get them to fit. You might also want to lightly sand the the top (printed) of the side walls (inside of the assembled unit) so the cans slide smoothly against them (or use Ironing when printing but that would add a lot of time to the print).

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Model origin

The author marked this model as their own original creation. Imported from Thingiverse.

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