GridDock — Modular Fixture Table, Clamps & Assembly Tools

Build your own small fixture station

GridDock is a modular, fully printed table for holding, locating and supporting small parts during cold assembly. Start with one plate and a few stops, then add the fixtures you actually need. The hardware is printed too: quarter-turn caps, dogs, cross-keys, axles and retaining clips.

Included: 120 / 180 / 240 mm tables, expandable puzzle tiles, TIGHT and LOOSE fits, a parametric plate source, clamps, fences, squares, supports, small-parts accessories and dedicated assembly tools. Native Fusion F3D, STEP, print-oriented STL and complete illustrated manuals in English and Polish are supplied.

New: easier caps and centred cross-key assembly

A58 tool-ready cap + A55 short socket key: A58 is a drop-in alternative to the original A13 bayonet cap. Six external flats give the short key a positive grip. Hold the pin and turn only 90 degrees from below. A55 requires A58; it does not fit round A13. The original A13 remains available.

A56 cradle + A57 pusher: align the pin slot with the feed channel, place A31 flat in the channel, and press until the finger pad meets the end stop. The fixture supports the pin end and centres the cross-key. Use gentle hand pressure, then inspect both projecting ears. No hammering or glue is required for the first dry-fit check.

Choose your table

The compatible grid pitch is 20 mm. Shallow reference lines cross through the hole centres. Part identifiers are discreetly placed underneath the plates. Print the working face down using the supplied STL orientation.

Puzzle expansion: connect B04 tiles with B05 bow-tie keys; add A29 seam straps where reinforcement is needed. Support the joined table on a flat surface. The manual shows a 360 x 240 mm example; editable plate sources are included.

Post lever clamp

A vertical post mounts in one table hole. The arm slides between eight indexed positions and locks with a removable printed pin; the M16 x 2 spindle provides fine height adjustment. The upright lever gives about 2.1 mm quick release. Nominal work height: 1-81 mm. One clamp uses 21 printed pieces and no purchased fasteners. Remove the height pin only with the clamp unloaded and the arm supported.

The clamp uses A49L/R post halves, A50L/R arm halves, A51 lever, one A52 follower (TIGHT or LOOSE), A53 spindle, A48/A54 axles and shared A12/A31/A13 hardware. Print T96_TIGHT, T96_LOOSE and T97 first to choose the thread fit. See the post-clamp chapter in the assembly manual for quantities and assembly order.

Rotary fence and work supports

A35 provides a 0-90 degree angle setup. Release both mounting caps before rotating the fence, then hold the dogs and relock them. Its engraved scale is a setup aid. A36/A38 risers support work 20/40 mm above the table; A42 offers 5/10/15/20 mm steps. A40 prisms support round stock in pairs.

Complete accessory catalogue

The following cards show every accessory part in this release. Print matching quantities from the assembly manual rather than one of everything. Alternative thread fits are choices, not extra parts to install together.

Accessory card 1

• A14 — Low straight stop.

• A15 — Tall straight stop.

• A16 — Inside corner stop.

• A17 — V cradle.

• A18 — Flat work support.

• A19 — Sliding fence.

Accessory card 2

• A21 — PCB edge cradle.

• A22 — Cable comb.

• A23 — Parts tray.

• A24 — Long square fence.

• A25 — Round stop.

• A26 — Thin work stop.

Accessory card 3

• A27 — Point support.

• A28 — 45 degree support.

• A29 — Seam reinforcement strap.

• A30 — Round component cup.

• A32 — Long slotted stop.

• A33 — 70 mm fixture square.

Accessory card 4

• A34 — 45 degree corner fence.

• A35 — 0-90 degree rotary fence.

• A36 — 20 mm raised support.

• A38 — 40 mm raised support.

• A40 — Wide pipe prism.

• A41 — 120 mm slotted fence.

Accessory card 5

• A42 — 5-20 mm stepped support.

• A10 — Cam pivot dog.

• A11 — Eccentric cam lever.

• A12 — Pivot retaining clip.

• A13 — Quarter-turn lock cap.

• A20 — Fence clamping dog.

Accessory card 6

• A31 — Solid transverse key.

• A37 — 20 mm riser lock dog.

• A39 — 40 mm riser lock dog.

• A43 — Split-key mounting dog.

• A48 — Long assembly / height axle.

• A54 — Short post axle.

Accessory card 7

• A49L — Left post half.

• A49R — Right post half.

• A50L — Left sliding arm half.

• A50R — Right sliding arm half.

• A51 — Upright release lever.

• A53 — Pressure spindle.

Accessory card 8

• A52_TIGHT — Threaded follower - TIGHT.

• A52_LOOSE — Threaded follower - LOOSE.

• A55 — Short cap socket key.

• A56 — Cross-key centering cradle.

• A57 — Positive-stop key pusher.

• A58 — Tool-ready bayonet cap.

Start with the fit tests

T94: compare the clearly marked TIGHT 9.8 mm and LOOSE 10.0 mm holes with the same 9.6 mm pin. Choose the fit that suits your printer and material. T91 checks the puzzle connection; T92 checks bayonet operation. The post-clamp thread samples T96/T97 are a separate fit choice. Clean first-layer burrs before judging fit.

Printing and assembly

PETG is the recommended first material. Most fixtures use a 0.4 mm nozzle and 0.20 mm layers; caps and threads benefit from 0.16 mm layers. Follow the per-part tables for walls, infill and orientation. Small keys, axles and tool parts use higher infill than broad table plates. Unknown strength minima are explicitly identified in the manual tables. Inspect the slicer preview for short bridges and thread overhangs before printing without supports.

1. Print the fit samples.

2. Choose one plate size or puzzle layout and a TIGHT/LOOSE family.

3. Print a starter set of stops, cams and mounting hardware.

4. Add only the fixtures your task needs.

5. Check all clips, keys, caps and free movement before use.

What is in the download?

• STL: 57 printable part and plate-variant files, grouped into core parts, accessories, plates, post clamp and tools. Choose the parts you need; do not print both fits.

• Fit_Tests: six test files for the plate holes, bayonet, puzzle joint and clamp thread.

• Instructions_EN / GridDock_Assembly_EN.pdf: complete 77-page illustrated manual, with chapter bookmarks, part quantities, print settings and assembly steps.

• Instructions_PL / GridDock_Instrukcja_PL.pdf: pełna, ilustrowana instrukcja po polsku: montaż stołu i akcesoriów, docisk, narzędzia, ilości części oraz ustawienia druku.

• CAD: GridDock_System_V9.f3d, its STEP export, and the separate TIGHT/LOOSE parametric plate sources. Three optional utility scripts in CAD/Motion coordinate the cam, rotary fence and post-clamp movement in Fusion.

The current complete Fusion assembly is GridDock_System_V9.f3d. Change plate patterns and grid parameters in the separate parametric sources. Earlier base-guide drawings may show former plate lettering; the supplied STL/CAD and reference-grid chapter define the current appearance.

Use and validation

Designed for light positioning and cold assembly, not welding heat or machine-tool loads. The new tools were checked in CAD through seven press positions, 19 socket-key angles and 95 cap/pin angle combinations. The post clamp was checked at 126 height/angle combinations. Exported meshes were checked for closed, consistent geometry. These are digital checks; physical fit, holding force and service life must be verified on your prints. The grey blocks and tubes in the graphics represent workpieces and are not printable kit parts. Animations show CAD motion.

Licence: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0).