Any Size HexGrid Pen Holder - SIMPLE CUSTOMIZATION

A modular, space-efficient organizer for alcohol markers — fully customizable!

Note - this is a simplified version of my Any Size Honeycomb Marker Pen Holder (Ohuhu/Copic) model, with only the most important subset of the customization options to make it more intuitive to use. If you want more customization options, feel free to visit it!

 

A hexagonal (honeycomb) pen holder optimized for alcohol markers like Ohuhu, Copic, and similar dual-tip markers. The angled, elongated hexagonal cells make insertion and removal effortless while maximizing space efficiency. The size is customizable — make as large a grid as you need!

 

Boost MePlease share comments and photos of your prints! And, if you like the model and can spare a boost, that'd be much appreciated!

The included print profile has a 8x11 version with base and a 4x11 version without - you can glue both together to make a large, 132-holder version. And you're not limited to that - you can create your own thanks to the Customizer!

 

KEY FEATURES

• Angled design for easy access — the 25º default tilt (adjustable) combined with extra cell height makes inserting and removing markers smooth and intuitive. The taller cells provide a larger "target area" so you can easily grab the marker you want, and neighboring markers can shift aside naturally when you reach in.
• Can be used vertically or horizontally, with two variants provided for different needs:
  • Vertical base (default) — with extended length to keep the holder stable even when full 
  • No base — for use in the horizontal direction for lightweight pens, or for stacking vertically on top of another holder
• Space-efficient hexagonal grid — the honeycomb pattern uses space as efficiently as a square grid while being much more ergonomic thanks to staggered rows. The design is also structurally strong and lightweight. Models with the same parameters fit together well horizontally.
• Parametric — change grid dimensions (rows × columns) and angle in the included .scad file or directly in the Customizer.
• NOTE: The full model has more parameters - for example, you can change the cell size to hold other types of pen, tools, etc.

WHAT'S INCLUDED

• 8x11 model with vertical base + 4x11 freestanding model in two plates — print just the first plate for a large 8x11 standalone, or print and glue both together for a huge, 12x11, 132 marker holder
• OpenSCAD source file (.scad) — customize any parameter to create grids from 1×1 to 10×10+ (or asymmetric sizes), change the angle, select base type, etc.

Note regarding .scad file availability: Unfortunately, due to plagiarism from other users, I have hidden the SCAD source code for the time being. You can use the Customizer, or just contact me - I'll be happy to provide it for any legitimate use you might have (including just wanting to look at it).

DIMENSIONS FOR THE PROVIDED MODELS

	8x11	12x11 (two pieces)
Markers held	88	132
Approximate footprint (WxDxH, cm)	20.5 × 12.2 × 22	20.5 × 12.2 × 26
Tilt angle (alpha)	25º

 

CUSTOMIZATION GUIDE

Open the attached .scad file in OpenSCAD or in the MakerWorld customizer and adjust the parameters as follows. 

• wx — number of cells horizontally (default 11)
• wy — number of cells vertically (default 11 for regular / 4 for freestanding)
• alpha — inclination angle in degrees (default 25º; decrease for easier access, increase for more compact footprint). 
• withBase — choose whether to add a base or not. You can make larger holders by gluing together models with and without base.

The model is particularly well suited to narrow spaces, for which holders are hard to come by.

 

A note on vertical stacking

Print a model with withBase = false and glue or snap it on top of a standard one with a vertical base to extend your storage vertically without reprinting the base. Great for expanding a collection incrementally. IMPORTANT NOTE: if you intend to extend the model vertically by gluing together several pieces, it's best if the number of rows is even.

Horizontal use

You can also use the model horizontally, so that it lies down on the table instead of vertically. Great for brushes or if your vertical space is restricted. You might want to set withBase = false as the base won't be needed, and use a shallow alpha (0º to 15º) to increase stability.

Side-by-side pairing

Models fit pretty well together horizontally - they will not be flush because of the honeycomb geometry, but the separation between the vertical walls is small. You can glue the slanted walls of the honeycomb together:

 

 

You can do cool things by gluing together narrow holders:

 

 

PRINTING RECOMMENDATIONS

• Material: PLA or PETG
• Supports: None needed.
• The standard values (15% grid, 2 walls) work fine for most cases.
• The default wall size (0.8mm) works well for a standard 0.4mm nozzle. If you want thicker or thinner walls, you can customize the width in the full model.

WHY HEXAGONS?

Square grids waste space in the gaps between round pens. Hexagonal packing is mathematically optimal — you get similar spacing between pen centers but with better accessibility because of the staggered rows. The honeycomb structure is also incredibly strong for its weight. Plus, it looks cool.

TESTED COMPATIBILITY

This holder is designed for dual-tip alcohol markers with bodies around 16-16.5mm in diameter, including:

• Ohuhu markers
• Copic Sketch/Ciao
• Touchnew
• Shuttle Art
• Spectrum Noir
• Most other alcohol-based dual-tip markers

For other pen types (or objects), you can use the customizer in the full model to change the grid size accordingly.