Fast-Print Paint Bottle Rack (6 Sizes)

This (very) fast-printing storage rack system for model paint bottles and similar items has been specifically designed to print in ‘vase mode’ to allow for very fast printing and low filament usage.

With this design, you can quickly and economically print a customised storage solution for model paints and similar supplies. It is suitable for most brands of model paint and is also ideal for storing other similar shaped products such as nail polish.

There are six different rack size options available, with a capacity ranging from eight to thirty bottles, so it's easy to print a combination of racks sizes to suit any number of bottles, and to quickly print more racks as your collection grows.

Highlights:

• 6 different size options, with capacities from 8 to 30 paint bottles.
• Very fast to print. An 8 bottle rack can easily be printed in around 70 minutes, and a 16 bottle rack in under 2.5 hours. (Based on using an Ender 3 v2 and Cura).
• Low filament usage. A 16 bottle rack only uses between 53g to 70g of filament depending on print settings (based on Cura estimates).
• Easy to scale. The default model size accommodates items up to around 25mm diameter, which is perfect for many popular model paint brands such as Vallejo 17ml dropper bottles. The racks can be easily scaled in the slicer to accommodate bottles with a larger diameter.
• For additional convenience, the back row has been designed to hold either paint bottles or brushes (or nail files/emery boards).

Rack size options:

• 8 bottles (2 wide x 4 high)
• 10 bottles (2 wide x 5 high)
• 16 bottles (4 wide x 4 high)
• 20 bottles (4 wide x 5 high)
• 24 bottles (6 wide x 4 high)
• 30 bottles (6 wide x 5 high)

Optional stabilising rear feet and single-bottle size test models are also available for download.

PLEASE NOTE:

All models have been designed to print using Vase/Spiralise mode. Please check that your 3D printer/slicer supports this before purchasing the files. Using default settings will result in the models printing solid. All of the parts shown in the photos were printed using a Creality Ender 3 V2 3D printer and sliced using Cura.

These files are provided for PERSONAL USE ONLY. It is prohibited to share or redistribute these files or any derivatives, or to use them for commercial purposes, including selling the printed models.

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P.S. If anyone wants to post a photo of their prints, I would love to see them. :-)

Also, please keep checking back or follow me, as I have more designs on the way.

UPDATE 18/8/22: There appears to currently be a 'vase mode' issue in Cura v5.1, in which the pattern printed for the bottom layers is the incorrect type. This results in all bottom layers printing in a concentric pattern regardless of the setting selected in the slicer, and this significantly compromises strength. Update: This appears to have been resolved in Cura v5.2.1

My print settings:

All components have been designed to print using ‘vase mode’ ('spiralize outer contour’ in Cura).

Using a line width 0.6-0.8mm provides significantly increased strength (0.8mm preferred).

I use a 0.32mm layer height, 25-30mm wall speed, and usually 3 bottom layers for these models, as I found this gives a good balance between accuracy, strength, and speed (using an Ender 3 v2).

All of the test models have been printed with a 0.4mm nozzle, however, it should be possible to use a larger nozzle size to achieve even faster print times.

As every component has been designed to print using ‘vase mode', no supports or infill are required.

If increasing the scale of the racks to accommodate larger bottles, a test file is available with a capacity of 1 bottle to help identify the correct scale to use before printing an entire rack.

The racks print at a 45-dgree angle, as oriented in the STL files.

When testing, I noticed that occasionally when the scale of the models is increased, some slicers will put a few stray lines in strange places at the top layer (mostly at 110% scale). I am not sure why this happens but adjusting the scale percentage very slightly seems to resolve this. For example, using 110.1% instead of 110%.

Please make sure your 3D printer is designed to work safely using whichever settings you decide to use.

Additional info:
Due to the shape needed for printing at a 45-degree angle to allow for vase mode printing, the racks can fall backwards if only the back row or two are loaded with bottles. This should not be an issue if the racks are evenly loaded, but optional stabilising feet are available for download which can be inserted into the rear of the racks if needed for extra stability.