Gridfinity 3x2 Watch Case (12U)

Update - 2/20/2026:    If you care about the future of 3D printing…

Please inform yourself about the legislation which is currently being considered in Washington, California, New York and Colorado, and will restrict and regulate 3D printers, and 3D printing software.  These bills may seem well intentioned, but they will lead to a government veto on what we can print, which software we can use, and how we can sell or transfer our 3D printers.  Criminalizing possible uses of 3D printers, and treating 3D printing hobbyists as though we need to be closely monitored, is contrary to the opensource and creative ethos which has lead to rapid innovation, and new small business or educational opportunities in this space.  These bills are very misinformed about the risks and rewards of 3D printing, and about the 3D printing community itself.  If they become law, they will have an outsized effect on 3D printing, create barriers to how we use and transfer our printers, and will hamper the hobby we love, as other states will very likely take up similar laws.  

You can find out more about the at the link below (I am not affiliated with the site, but I support keeping the government out of our 3D printers):
https://www.dont-ban-3dprinters.com/

There is also a petition on Change.org for the Washington State legislation, which you can sign if you wish:
https://www.change.org/p/protecting-printing-the-fight-against-washington-hb2320

Now back to the model info:

This is a case designed to hold three watches using the Gridfinity system.  

I recommend using three of my remixed 1x2 Gridfinity Watch Holders, linked below.  

https://www.printables.com/model/967889-gridfinity-watch-stand-v30-for-larger-watches-thir

There is also a single watch case (pictured below), which is similar to this one.  You can find the single watch case at the link below:

https://www.printables.com/model/885705-gridfinity-1x2-watch-case-version-20-12u

I recommend using one of my remixed 1x2 Gridfinity Watch Holders with this case.  There are several versions of the watch holders for large watches linked below.  

https://makerworld.com/en/models/1613938-gridfinity-watch-stand-with-desiccant-holder - newest design with a compartment for desiccant.  It is available for small, medium and large watches - but not the for very large watches with extra thick bands (see further down )

And for large watches with very thick bracelets, this stand may work better (but no desiccant holder for this design):

https://makerworld.com/en/models/625387-gridfinity-watch-stand-v3-0-for-larger-watches

Although this is designed as a 12U case, it will not fit bins, due to the way the lid is designed.  It is specifically designed as a watch case.  Although there is only a gasket version, it will also work without a gasket.  The gasket will not make it water tight, since there are too many factors that go into a water tight print and gasket.  Please only make or use this case at your own risk.  If you have any suggestions on how to make a more water resistant gasket, please let me know.  

The width of each watch slot is 45.9mm for the center, and 46.8mm for the outside slots, at the approximate location where the crown would sit (if the watch is placed in the case facing front).  There is a bit more room if the watch is faced backwards.

Additionally, this watch case may look rugged, but please do not put your watch in it, and expect that it will keep it safe if it's rolled around.  The TPU liner in the lid helps to stabilize the watch holders, and may help protect the watches, but without the liner, expect that the watches will be able to move side to side.  In any case, use your best judgement to decide if this case is right for your watches.  

Since printing the prototype in the pics, I made only one change to the design, which was to raise the “curbs” for each of the watch holders.  They are now a bit taller to better support the sides of the bins, which should make them more stable from rocking.

Assembly and Materials:

There is a build guide on my blog with some tips on assembly.  The instructions are for a case with more features, but it shows how to assemble the latches and hinges. 

This case requires the following hardware:

(2) M3 x 12mm SHCS  (these hold the latch “cleats” to the top of the case)
(2) M3 x 20mm SHCS (for the latches)
(2) M3 x 30-35mm SHCS (for the hinges)
(2) M3 x 30mm SHCS (for the latches)
(24) 6x2mm Cylinder Magnets (optional - see notes)
(SHCS = Socket Head Cap Screws)

Printing:

I have included a 3MF with the files set up on plates, which should help with printing.  

PLA can be used for the boxes, but PETG is recommended for the latches.  The gasket and lid inset should be run in TPU (though it will still close without a gasket as well).  A 3MF 6 plate profile is included.  It uses the following settings:

• PLA for most parts, but PETG for the latches and TPU for the gasket and lid insert

• 0.4mm X1 Carbon profile

• 3 Walls

• Arachne wall generator

•  inner/outer/inner for the wall ordering

• 15% Rectilinear infill, with infill combination enabled

• Tree Supports (optional, but enabled since some folks will need them)

• Textured PEI build plate

AMS is not required, but here is how it is set up in the profile:
1 = PETG- Orange
2 = PLA - White
3 = PLA - Polymaker Galaxy Blue Polylite PLA
4 = PLA - Gray
5 = TPU - White (this is the non-AMS spool on the back)

There is a blank label included.  You can add your own text to this label using the text tool in the slicer.  There is also a label designed to be used with 12mm Brother P-Touch (or similar) labels. 

Note that TPU is required for the gasket and the lid insert (with the hexagons). 

Tips and Other Stuff:

TPU can stick very well to bare textured PEI, and become difficult to remove.  Therefore I recommend that you test that your printer can run TPU without issues first.  Although the 3MF is set up for a textured PEI plate, please use a smooth or the Bambu Engineering plate if possible for the TPU gasket, and apply glue as a release agent. 

To install the gasket, I used the cap of a sharpie to press the TPU gasket into place.  The gasket has grooves on top, so make sure to verify the position before installing it  Start by pressing in the middle of the gasket along all 4 sides, then once it's set in position, press in the corners. 

It was mentioned in the comments that magnets around watches is not a good idea, so take that into consideration when deciding to use them or not.

If you find that the latch is too tight, and the case will not close without risking breaking something, please try the alternate latch, which is included in the 3MF (or you can use the STL named “Gridfinity_LATCHES_L-R_V2_PLUS_0-5MM.stl”).  This latch is 0.5mm longer and should help.  If you need to use this alternate part, please post in the comments how well it worked.

I included some optional cleats, which slide into the back of the case and could be used to help secure it.  I would not recommend hanging the case from a wall though, but that may be possible.  There is a plain version of the cleat, and one with holes for #8 wood screws.

Other stuff:

If you need some bins for small parts, the following bins with covers are a good option to use with the Box For Stuff 20 bin and 25 bin cases (or other 6U tall cases):

1. 1x1, 1x2 (3 Compartment) and 1x4 (6Compartment) bins with lids (3U, 6U and 9U) - version 2.1

2. 1x2, 1x3 and 1x4 single compartment bins with tabbed lids (3U, 6U and 9U) - version 2.1

3. 1 compartment 2x1 (6U) bin with a magnet pickup tool

4. 1x2, 1x3, 1x4 (6U, 9U and 12U) Lidded Bin for Stuff with Latch Version 2.0

5. 2x2, 2x3, 2x4 (6U, 9U  and 12U) Lidded Bin for Stuff with Latch Version 2.0

6. 3x3, 3x4 (6U, 9U  and 12U) Lidded Bin for Stuff with Latch Version 2.0

7. 4x4, 4x5 (6U, 9U  and 12U) Lidded Bin for Stuff with Latch Version 2.0

If you want to check out my other Gridfinity cases, you can find them at the links below:

1. Gridfinity Box For Stuff 20 bin (6U) (updated to v2.3)

2. Gridfinity Box For Stuff 25 bin (6U) (max size for a Bambu X1C/P1S)

3. Gridfinity Box For Stuff 16 bin (6U) (Ender 3 size)

4. Gridfinity Box For Stuff 16 bin - 12U deep version (Ender 3 size)

5. Gridfinity Box For Stuff 2 bin (6U) mini version (can be used to test)

6. Gridfinity Single Watch Case 

7. Gridfinity Triple Watch Case 

If you want to store some small hardware and need some good labeled bins, Ch3vr0n posted some segmented bins for the Gridfinity system here:

https://www.printables.com/model/732655-gridfinity-boxes-for-gridfinity-box-for-stuff-20-b

There are currently no authorized sellers of prints of this model or prints of this model. 

Thanks and Acknowledgements: 

The models here could not have been made without the work of Zach Freedman, who introduced the world to Gridfinity, and then set it free for everyone to use.  These models are not based on direct remixing of Zach' original models, but they are fully compatible, and use the same, or a similar specification for the bin bases, bin lips and base grids, which Zach Freedman developed.   Zach Freedman's work is available on Thangs, and you can find examples of his Gridfinity designs here and here, which are available under his MIT license.  If you like this model, or want to learn more about Gridfinity, you can check out Zach Freedman's YouTube, or you can support Zach Freedman's work on Patreon (patreon.com/zackfreedman).

And Finally,

If you find these models useful, please post a like or a comment with some pics of your prints. 

You can find the other things I'm working on at my blog here.  You can also follow me here on Printables or over at MakerWorld, to see what new stuff I post.  If you would like to support my work, you can Buy Me A Coffee using this link:

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/mystoopidstuff

Thanks for looking!

Changelog:

10/24/2024:  Added an alternate latch, which is 0.5mm longer and may help if it is very difficult to latch the case closed.  This part is named “Gridfinity_LATCHES_L-R_V2_PLUS_0-5MM.stl”, and is also included in the 3mf.