A customer who owns our Paint Rack Gallery Ladder and our Rotary Tool Station asked for one base that would sit under both: drawers under everything, a bin for the bigger bottles, a display shelf for finished miniatures and somewhere for the brushes. This is the modular system we designed in reply, updated after their feedback (brushes moved to the front, bottles standing upright, plain drawers). It is shown here as a design concept, with renders rather than photos, because it has not been printed yet; the final details may change. We can design one like it around your own organisers and desk.
We can design one around your setup →
What the system is
A run of base sections that lock side by side, all 108 mm high and 205 mm deep, so the drawer fronts line up as one band and the organisers on top stand on one plane. Each section is a drawer chassis with a shaped pocket on top for one organiser, and a solid rear spine. Nothing is glued or screwed: the sections align on a printed front pin hidden inside the joint and lock with a printed bowtie key that drops in from the top.
- One deep drawer per section, about 8.5 cm deep inside, for paints, tools, sprue cutters and files. The drawers are plain, like the drawers on our paint racks: they slide on the base and stop against the back wall.
- Shaped pockets that locate the Gallery Ladder and the Rotary Tool Station: the organiser drops in and cannot slide, and its front sits just behind the drawer fronts.
- Bin module with the same stepped silhouette as the tool station, seated in the same pocket. At the front: a row of brushes leaning slightly towards you, and beside it a low open tray. Behind: three bays where glue, varnish and other bottles stand upright (up to about 50 mm across) so nothing leaks, then four upright tool slots and two deep bins.
- Display frame: a solid one-piece frame with a 6 cm deep display shelf and a front lip for finished miniatures, behind the bin module. Nothing stands behind the rotary tool, so tools lift straight out and you never reach past them. The ladder stands as its own tower.
Variations
The same parts make different setups. These are design renders of the current version.
How big it gets
Three sections (tool station, ladder and bin module) make a run about 63 cm wide. Four sections with a second Gallery Ladder come to about 91 cm. Because the joints are the same at every section, you can start with one or two sections and key on more later.
Status: a design concept, not a catalogue product
What you see on this page is the design, fit-checked against the organisers it was drawn for, shown as renders. It has not been printed yet, there is no stock, and details may still change before the first one is made. It is here because it shows the kind of made-to-order design work we do: if you have a bench full of organisers that do not sit together, we can draw a base that makes them one piece.
What to tell us
To design one around your setup, send a quote request with:
- What organisers you have: which of our racks or stations (and the colour), and anything from another maker, with a photo and the footprint measurements.
- The desk width you can give the run, and the depth available in front of a wall or monitor.
- What needs storing: bottle sizes, tools, brushes, and whether you want a display frame or a bin module.
Ask for a custom design quote → Gallery Ladder · Rotary Tool Station
Price is quoted for your setup. Images on this page are design renders of the concept, not photographs of a printed product.
Frequently asked questions
Can I start with one section and add more later?
Yes. Every section is the same height and depth and locks to its neighbour with the same two printed parts (a front pin and a bowtie key), so a single section is a complete base on its own and another section can be keyed on later. A display frame is an option on a tool-station-size section.
Does it need glue or screws?
No. The sections align on a printed front pin and lock with a printed bowtie key that drops in from the top at every joint; the display frame and the organiser pockets are part of the same printed system. Every part is 3D printed and nothing is glued or screwed.
Will it fit my paint rack or tool station?
The concept was designed around our Paint Rack Gallery Ladder and our Rotary Tool Station: each section has a pocket shaped to that organiser so it drops in and cannot slide. If you own a different organiser, including one that is not ours, send us its measurements or a photo and we design the pocket to it.
What colours can it be printed in?
The same PLA colours as the Gallery Ladder and Rotary Tool Station listings: Basic Bambu Green, Basic Beige, Basic Gray, Basic Jade White, Basic Yellow, Matte Ash Gray, Matte Black (Charcoal), Matte Desert Tan, Matte Ivory White, Matte Latte Brown, Matte Mandarin Orange, Matte Marine Blue, Matte Scarlet Red, Matte Terracotta. Matching your existing organisers is the usual choice.
How much does a custom workstation base cost?
It is quoted for your setup, because the price depends on how many sections you need, which pockets they carry and which accessories you add (display frame, bin module). Use the quote form and tell us what you have; there is no fixed catalogue price for this design.
More: Paint Rack Gallery Ladder · Rotary Tool Station · All paint racks · All guides
Formada3D designs and 3D prints to order in Melbourne and ships Australia-wide. Custom design work starts with a quote request.