Silverware Holder for Dish Drying Rack

Silverware Holder for Dish Drying Rack

This model was fun to design and print, so let's take a look!

I needed to print a replacement silverware holder for a dish drying rack because the original was literally crumbling. The replacement had to have a flat mesh bottom and also have hooks at the top to hang on the side. I HATE using support material and avoid it in my designs whenever possible, so that presented a design challenge.

The resultant model is designed in two pieces. The mesh bottom, and the top holder.

First you print the bottom grid. Use 5 walls and no top or bottom layers along with around a 30% infill of your choice (as long as it leaves holes for drainage). I chose to increase my infill extrusion thickness to .8mm to ensure the grid was nice and strong, although you could also up the percentage and stick with your default .4ish mm infill.

Once the bottom is printed, we set up the print for the top. Orient the part with the top opening on the print bed (upside down). Keep supports turned OFF. Slice the part. Scroll through the layers until you get to the lip that sandwiches the bottom grid in. Add a pause right before this layer. Make sure you add the pause right before the layer that would be on TOP of the grid as printed, not under it.

Start the print of the top section. When the print pauses, insert the grid section that you printed earlier. It should have just a little bit of wiggle room, so center it up as best you can and resume the print. The printer will then print the remaining few layers of the part on top of the grid, perfectly sandwiching it in place.

And BEHOLD! You have a fully functional silverware holder for your drying rack printed with NO supports!

Happy printing, and please post a make to let me know how it went!