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Finally got back to that #3DPrint design I was working on a week ago, or was it two weeks? Anyway, took the last couple of parts out of the printer where they've been sitting and did a bit of filing to get the fit smooth and there we have it! A 23 cell flat-pack seed tray. If I had a big enough printer I'd probably also do a base plate of some kind, but it should just work on any flat tray.

I need to dive back into #FreeCAD and make a couple of adjustments and improvements, but this is definitely a "working" prototype and I'm wondering what seeds I'll pop into it. Time for some multisown beetroot think.

Edit: I'm not claiming to have invented this 😅 I totally ripped if off some product I saw someone using on YouTube... I checked online for 3D printable versions but wasn't a fan of what I found.

Edit 2: Oh, and that's a little tamper on top, that was my idea. (Hardly rocket science tho.) I have a idea for making it adjustable with a handle that can protrude to make a seed hole.
A stack of strips of 3D printed plastic that form half-hexagons in a sort of zig-xag way, with three half hexagons down and two up, with taps either end. There are 10 of these stacked and then two flat pieces in front with five slots in it. On top is a small hexagonal tamper.
A hexagonal grid made up of slotted together 3D printed strips.
#3DPrint #freecad
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Yvan
A couple of refinements.

Moved the edge slit on the hex strips inwards a bit to make that narrow end piece stronger, as per the top one in the photo. It's definitely the weakest point in the design. I'd make the strips longer but I'm pretty much at the limits printing diagonally across my print bed. I could squeeze the gap closer inwards but that also looked a bit rubbish. 😅

And I've designed a little clip than can be used for extra security between the strips, so they don't bulge out when you pack them with compost. Though I think it probably isn't a real problem. (I shall find out soon!) I think a better solution for this would be a tray that they fit into snugly at the edges. Designed with a drainage mesh bottom I reckon. But my printer isn't big enough do to that. I'm pondering doing the 3D design for it anyway. Also could easily build something out of some scrap timber.

(The tab idea could be extended to support some sort of row labelling. Popsicle stick holder?)

#3Dprinting
Grey plastic parts, slotted together, one stacked on another, the top one has the slot for slotting together slightly deeper into the plastic meaning the outer tap is a little wider.
A small slid-on clip held above a hexagonal grid to show how the grooves inside the clip match ridges on the grid.
A small clip with grippy upward extension, the clip is slid down onto a plastic hexagonal grid holding to edges of plastic together.

JimmyB (he/him) hat dies geteilt

JimmyB (he/him)
Looks excellent. I love that it is basically adaptable to the space you've got and is really efficient with space too.

Any plans to add airholes below?
Yvan
I was thinking of some sort of grid or mesh base for it. As someone else pointed out this could potentially be modular rather than a whole sheet, so it could fit in my printer. Or I could just build it out of other materials. Mainly to assist drainage from the more central cells, but it'd be nice if it could also be robust enough to enable picking the module tray up. I considered trying to taper them as that would both improve soil-holding and give inter-cell space for drainage... but it would make the design much bulkier and no longer flat-pack.

I think they'll work well enough as-is, but will need to be mindful the outer cells will drain better than the inner ones. I shall be planting some beetroot seeds in this first tray and shall find out!

A feature of the design is the dimensions are set up such that you can very simply merge both parts of it in the 3d printer slicer to make the cell trays wider or longer.

JimmyB (he/him) hat dies geteilt

JimmyB (he/him)
Nice. I'll follow with interest.
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