Leatherman Multi-Tool Bit Set Case / Enclosure

thingiverse

Now I won't lose any more Leatherman bits! NOTE: to print this at the perfect size, use the following scale: x 0.96, y 0.7 (to make it slightly shorter and a bit narrower). The z scale is perfect, however going up to z 1.1 should still work fine. I have a Leatherman Skeletool and a 36-bit set of Leatherman slim hex bits. The bit set is useful but some bits only fit loosely and are prone to being knocked out of the caddies. Because I don't carry a belt pouch, I decided to create this hard case for the two caddies full of bits. The caddies are offset so one or both can be lifted to get bits out. I used hot nails to hold the caddies in so they lift up when I need them, but when I don't need them the plastic enclosure prevents them from falling out. This is version 5 of my design. I printed three of the five versions during development (in black you can see version 3, which had walls so thin they separated from the floor; version 5 [in white] is very rugged). I am considering adding a space for a simple locking mechanism so the caddies won't flip up without permission. I don't need it, but you might. An easy way would be to put a third hot nail in, just in front of the front bit on the top caddy. v1 was the wrong size v2 was wonderful but the walls liked to separate no matter how it was printed v3 had a design error in a new feature I was adding v4 had upgraded walls v5 had two rectangular primitives added to retain the hot nails more reliably Instructions Tools: 3D printer, stats or needlenose pliers, fire or torch, diagonal cutters Consumable Materials: plastic of your choice, nails. The nails are what will be used to keep the bit caddies from escaping (see my photos). 1) Print at scale (x, 0.96), (y, 0.7), (z, 1.0 to 1.1) 2) Acquire two nails long enough to go through it 3) use stats or similar to hold the nail while you heat it. 4) when hot enough, pass it firmly but slowly through the plastic at just the right spot to go through the bit caddy. 5) pull it out and cut it to length with diagonal cutters 6) heat it again and push it all the way through into the other side Background info: When I noticed the Leatherman 40-bit set came in these two weird caddies, I realized they were made to be slid into a soft belt case like the larger multi-tools. My multi-tool is one of the smaller ones, and I clip it on my pants. So I needed a way to store these bits that wasn't just on loose caddies. I measured the outer dimensions of the bit sets and began designing a generally accurate shaped enclosure for it. As I looked at it from different angles I kept making changes to follow the lines of the two bit caddies. The handles of the bit caddies are made by a technique that also makes a hole through the handles. I decided my bit set case would have them held in by pins so I could lift the first layer out of the way to get to the second layer. The walls are designed to prevent the bits from falling out, and this feature works perfectly!