My Zip Tie Holder Evolutions
Introduction: A Love for Zip Ties 🚀
For me, zip ties are indispensable tools, right up there with gaffa tape, WD40, and my Leatherman. The motivation behind building my own zip tie holders was simple: I wanted to quickly grab a zip tie without rummaging through a jumbled mess.
The First Attempt: Version 0.5 🖨️
My journey began in 2020 with Version 0.5. This initial design featured spiral printed holders in vase mode for black and white zip ties, specifically tailored for our MDF tool wall.
The base, however, was a bit wobbly and weak - a starting point ripe for improvement.
From Weak to Beefy: Version 1.0 Upgrade 🔩
I retained the original vase mode printed holders due to their functionality but revamped the base to be more robust. Version 1.0, with its beefed-up base, was a significant step up (but a bad design by my standards today), providing stability and ease of access for a couple of years.
A New Home: The Prototype for 2.0 🏠
When I moved, the absence of an MDF tool wall led me to having to design for a pegboard setup. Eager to explore laser cutting but pressed for patience, I quickly designed a 3D printed prototype for something that in the future could become a laser cut design. This “temporary” solution, incorporating the original vase mode holders with a new base, was surprisingly effective.
The Leap to Laser Cutting: Designing Version 3.0 (or 2.0?) 🌟
As the PLA printed parts of the prototype start to sag, I’m now revisiting my initial idea of a laser-cut design. This project has been a great opportunity to sharpen my skills in Fusion360, especially in designing components and understanding constraints.
I finally took the time to cut the things at Omega Verksted. I also got to test Deepnest to optimize the cut pattern.
Here the new version is compared to the protoype.
And finally up on the wall!
(and yes, I assembled it wrong so the middle parts on the upper side and not on the lower side as in the original design, buuuut luckily it works great hehe)