Boxtopia - Modular storage system, with easy transport containers

Boxtopia

The Boxtopia system was designed to be fully modular and flexible. You create the box at the size you want. So, it fits comfortably in the spaces you have. Then create containers, that fit within the box and hold all the items you need storing..

Secret Sauce

The secret sauce to Boxtopia, is that you store all the items together, but only bring the container/containers you need to the bench. So, rather than having a big box, you only have the three much smaller containers. They then slide back into the Boxtopia box when finished.

Usage

There are models for many different container sizes, from a 1x1 all the way through an 8x6. The files list shows the currently available range.

There are models for many different box and lid sizes. Boxes and lids are designed to be close fitting, so that while moving the boxes around, parts do not move from one container to another. There is room at the top for a sheet of paper which holds your contents map.

I create a series of boxes with all the same colour, so they act as a set. Then use different coloured lids to indicate the contents of each Boxtopia. This way, you can have a nice clean stack, which is easy to index.

The 13x8 will fit perfectly into an Ikea cupboard.

Use sizes that fill in spaces and gaps in your storage. For example, a set of 5x8 Boxtopias might fill in down the side of existing items, giving you plenty of new storage.

Size Selection

I recommend that you choose a suitable size box and lid. Dedicate it to a single task and then use coloured containers within to keep things organised. For example, Create one Boxtopia for fasteners and heat set inserts. Make M3 blue, M4 red, M5 yellow. I hope you see how this works. Now all the fasteners are together and they are easy to find and access.

A well calibrated machine will be helpful.

Location

You will find all the Boxes in the Boxes folder, Lids in the Lids folder and Containers in the Containers folder.

The source files are in the Design Source folder.

Print Settings

• Material - PLA, but anything rigid should be fine.

• Perimeters/walls - 2

• Top/bottom layers - 4

• Seem - Rear

• Scarf joint - Everywhere

• External perimeter first - tick - yes

• Infil - 15% cubic

The containers are solid, there is no infill. The box and lid both contain infill. These settings are enough to produce strong and reliable parts. I have made many in both medium (8x8) and large (13x8).

When choosing materials, consider what they will be used for and what temperature environment they will be in. I typically use them in a cool place, office, house like temperatures, so PLA is fine. But if they will be used somewhere hot, use a higher temperature filament. They will probably contain weight when full.

Customisation

The Fusion 360 customisation is straightforward. The base dimensions and scaling are all included in the sketches, so you only need to modify the scalers, that is the numbers that give you the final size. The rest happens automatically. 

To create custom boxes and lids, you simply change the:

1. GridSizeX

2. GridSizeY

Parameters to give you your box and lid size, an 8x10 would set GridSizeX to 8 and GridSizeY to 10. This will create the correct sized Lid and Box. You would then expert, slice and print.

There are also the original Fusion 360 files.

The grid is based on a 25mm grid, with each container's outer dimensions fitting into that space, with a small clearance to allow containers to slide in and out.

Customisation For You

If you want anything of a different size, please ask, and I will create and upload.