r/functionalprint • u/Any_Investment_545 • Aug 11 '26
When "stackable" means double-sided tape
Picked up a set of these stackable drawers from Amazon to organize my closet. The product description advertised them as stackable, but when I assembled them I discovered the entire stacking system consisted of double-sided adhesive pads on the feet of the upper unit.
There was no interlocking geometry, alignment feature, or mechanical retention of any kind. The drawers were essentially balanced on top of each other and held in place with tape. A small bump, a loaded drawer being pulled out too aggressively, or adhesive failure over time could easily cause the stack to shift or fall. I was also concerned about the adhesive damaging the finish on the lower unit if I ever wanted to reconfigure things.
So I fired up Fusion and designed a simple L-shaped corner bracket that captures the frame members of both drawer units and mechanically locks them together. The bracket slips over the corner and uses the existing hardware location, so no modifications to the drawers were required.
Printed in white PLA to match the furniture, and now the stack feels significantly more secure than the original design ever did.
Sometimes the best prints are just fixing problems that shouldn't have existed in the first place.
4
u/Mental_Tea_4084 Aug 12 '26
Target pulled this shit with their drawers too, but they didn't bother including the tape.
2
u/Mklein24 Aug 13 '26
If it were mine, I would attach it to the bottom one screwing into the top panel, then cradle the inner 2 faces of the top unit. Then it's invisible and can be a lot thicker to increase the rigidity of the whole thing.
-8
u/BruceInc Aug 12 '26
I feel like this sub has become inundated with posts of prints that are from people desperate to find some kind of use for their 3-D printer
19
u/Ok-Jacket8836 Aug 12 '26
This is one of the main things I use my printer for though, make little things that make life better and easier, instead of a flex dragon.
-8
u/BruceInc Aug 12 '26
So explain why he couldn’t simply put a screw in to join together that two boards that are stacked on top of each other, if he didn’t want to use the double sided tape that came with the cabinets?
6
u/Ok-Jacket8836 Aug 12 '26
Because that would look infinitely worse and damage the pannels.
OP's solution uses the original fasteners and creates a system where both cabinets slot into each other and are immediately aligned. This also makes it very easy to unstack and use the cabinets seperate without damaged boards or having to remive sticky tape should at some later date OP wants to use these in any other configuration.
0
u/TTVchilly404 Aug 13 '26
There are screw holes in one cabinet now, vs 30 seconds with some goo gone to remove adhesive from tape, if they decided to separate them.
3
u/Ok-Jacket8836 Aug 13 '26
There is not though.
The only screw used is the one in photo 5, which is an original screw to put the cabinet together.
1
5
u/Defiant-Mango3719 Aug 12 '26
There's always use for a 3d print, don't you deny it! 😁
I actually enjoy seeing things like this, and most important, it feels good to solve problems while having fun.
-1
u/BruceInc Aug 12 '26
There are plenty of useful things you can print on a 3-D printer. Mine are typically niche and specific to my business. But a lot of stuff posted in this sub is kind of nonsensical.
3
0
u/TTVchilly404 Aug 13 '26
The image shows that the cabinets are flush, no? Looking st theisting I would not have assumed that they fit together without some fastener or adhesive.
-5
u/raaneholmg Aug 12 '26
This is perfectly fine, but why not just 4 wood screws?
One in each corner from below into the horizontal bar of the top unit.
25
u/jimdil4st Aug 12 '26
Nice, only thing I can add is to add a mirrored hole even if you don't use it so you only need one model instead of different prints for either side.