Gridfinity Carousel

Assembly Instructions

This guide is for assembling the Gridfinity Carousel by Nich Fugal. 3D models are available on
Printables here.

Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Components
3D Printed
Purchased
Assembly
1. Carriage Bearings
2. Wheel Brace Assembly
3. Wheel Assembly
4. Carriage Assembly
5. Cleat Bearings
6. Leaf Spring Assembly
7. Dowel Assembly (Optional)
8. Final Assembly

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Components

3D Printed
1. Wheel - qty 2

2. Wheel brace - qty 3

3. Carriage - qty 10

4. Cleat, regular and mirrored - qty 1 each

5. Leaf spring - qty 2

6. 1.75mm filament for hinges

7. Gridfinity bins to populate the carriages. Note: bins should not exceed 30 mm height to
avoid collisions with adjacent carriages. If taller bins are needed, omit adjacent carriage
to make room.

Purchased
1. 608ZZ bearings - qty 2
2. 683ZZ bearings - qty 20
3. M8-20 - qty 2
4. M3-8 - qty 30
5. 1/2” x 288mm wooden dowel - qty 2 (optional)

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Assembly

1. Carriage Bearings
Press ten 683ZZ bearings into each wheel as shown. Bearings should be inserted into the
pockets from the non-flat side of the wheel and pressed until they bottom out on the small flange
inside the bearing pocket. Use a M3 screw and allen wrench or other tool as needed to press
against the bearing. If the bearings don’t go in under hand force, check that the bearing is going
in flat and that your printer is creating parts true to size.

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 2. Wheel Brace Assembly
Take two wheel brace pieces and align them together so the hinge features overlap. Ensure that
each piece is facing the same direction, for example with the printer bet surface facing down.
Insert 1.75mm filament through the holes to join the two pieces together.

Repeat the process to join the third brace to the assembly.

Bend the assembly to join the two open ends together and insert a third filament strand to
complete the wheel brace assembly. Note: the hinges will bend easily only in one direction.
Don’t try to force them to bend the wrong direction.

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 3. Wheel Assembly
Install one wheel onto the wheel brace assembly using 3x M3-8 screws.

Install the second wheel onto the other end of the wheel brace in the same manner. Note:
ensure the orientation of the second wheel matches the first wheel or the leaf springs
won’t line up to the detents in each wheel properly.

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 4. Carriage Assembly

For each of ten carriages, insert carriage between two wheel lining up the screw holes on the
carriage with the bearings on the wheels. Flex the wheel slightly to get the carriage into position.

Install M3-8 screw through bearing into carriage on both ends of the carriage. Tighten until snug,
but don’t over tighten to avoid stripping the plastic or deforming the carriage boss to interfere
with bearing motion.

Repeat the process for all remaining carriages ensuring each carriage is facing the same
direction.

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 5. Cleat Bearings
Press one 608ZZ bearing into each cleat as shown. Bearings should be inserted into the
pockets from the non-flat side of the cleat and pressed until they bottom out on the small flange
inside the bearing pocket. Use a M8 screw and allen wrench or other tool as needed to press
against the bearing. If the bearings don’t go in under hand force, check that the bearing is going
in flat and that your printer is creating parts true to size.

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 6. Leaf Spring Assembly
Install one leaf spring onto one cleat using two M3-8 screws.

The screws should be tightened until just snug, then backed off approx. 1/2 turn to allow the leaf
spring to pivot and slide within the cleat.

Repeat the process for the second cleat and leaf spring.

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 7. Dowel Assembly (Optional)
This step is optional if the Carousel will be hung from a French Cleat and not moved around a
lot. If the Carousel will be used on a bench, or if it will be moved frequently, installing the dowels
will provide extra stability to the structure.

Cut two 1/2” wooden dowels to 288 mm length. Press the two dowels into the holes on the
cleats until they bottom out.

8. Final Assembly
Align wheel assembly with cleat. If using wooden dowels, the cleats will need to be flexed
slightly to get the wheel assembly into position. Insert M8-20 screw through cleat bearing and
thread into wheel assembly.

Tighten screw until snug, ensuring the leaf spring is in position and doesn’t bind against the side
of the wheel.

Repeat the process for the remaining cleat.

Gridfinity Carousel by Nich Fugal

Based on the Gridfinity system by Zack Freedman
Released under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike license