How to make a tool cutout insert
- Lay the tools on a sheet of A4 paper on a darker table, the way you want them in the drawer, with a finger's width between them and from the paper edges.
- Take one photo from straight above, as high as you can, with all four paper corners in view.
- Add the photo and check the corners. The dots snap to the paper; drag any that are off. The top-down view shows the outlines that were found.
- Set the tool thickness and cutout depth, pick a Gridfinity bin or a plain tray, and download the STL.
Recommended print settings
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Material | PLA or PETG |
| Layer height | 0.2 mm |
| Walls | 3 |
| Infill | 10–15% (the insert is mostly solid) |
| Supports | None |
Laser-cut or CNC shadow boards
Pick Laser / CNC to download the same layout as a flat SVG or DXF instead of a 3D model: red cutouts for the tools and finger scoops, a blue board outline, and optionally a plain base board for two-layer shadow foam. Files open at real size in LightBurn, RDWorks, LaserGRBL, Inkscape, Fusion and most CNC software. Cut EVA foam, plywood or acrylic; avoid PVC.
Frequently asked questions
How accurate is it?
The paper is the ruler: its known size (210 × 297 mm) lets the generator undo the camera angle and measure in real millimetres. With a sharp photo and the corners placed carefully, outlines are usually within about 0.5–1 mm. The default 1 mm clearance covers that, so tools drop in without forcing.
How should I take the photo?
Lay the paper on a darker table, put the tools on it with a little space between them and the paper edges, and shoot from as high as you can with the phone roughly level (2× zoom from higher up is better than 1× close in). Soft daylight with no hard shadows works best. All four paper corners must be in the photo.
Why does it ask for the tool thickness?
The top of a thick tool is closer to the camera, so it looks slightly bigger than it is. The generator works out where the camera was from the shape of the paper and shrinks the outline back. It corrects for half the thickness, so rounded tools never end up with a cutout that is too tight.
Will the bins fit my Gridfinity baseplates?
Yes. The bins use the same Gridfinity base as our Gridfinity bin generator: 42 mm grid, the standard stacking lip and optional magnet and M3 screw holes. The bin size is picked automatically to fit your tools.
Can I put several tools in one bin?
Yes. Lay them on the paper the way you want them in the drawer; each one gets its own cutout and finger scoop, and the layout is kept. The whole layout is turned to need the smallest bin.
Is my photo uploaded?
No. The photo is measured and the model is built entirely in your browser, on your own device.