DIY molle panel

DIY Rigid Molle Panel

This is for my kitchen box (nanuk 960) that I am still working on. This panel is designed for the lid of the case, but the method can be used for any 'rigid' molle panel of about any size you would want.

Final result

I will start out by saying, this took a lot more effort and time than I thought it would, and I would probably have saved money if I had just bought one of these from someone who makes them already. With that being said, I needed to figure out what the best dimensions are for a rigid molle panel. The dimensions for molle panels are pretty well documented, but I didn't find much on the rigid versions. I did find a model online, and tried to print it up, and took measurements from that.

After some trial and error, I ended up creating a model that works for me. I modeled it in OpenSCAD, and put all the parameters at the beginning of the script. I then printed up my model, and used that to create a template I would then use to create my real panel.

3D model

A few notes on the code below. Many of the variables are at the top of the code, so you don't need to get into the script itself to get what you want. For me, my print bed maxes at at 200x200, and I tend to keep my prints less than what is the max that I could print. So I limit myself to a 4x3 panel to make a template.

(Edit: code change. The pic above has a greater edge than what was originally in the code below. I am guessing what the value was in the pic, but it is probably pretty close)

Code:

$fn=100;

// dimentions of molle holes
molleHoleY = 27;
molleHoleX = 32;
molleHoleSideOffset = 6;
molleHoleTopOffset = 23.7;

// edge around the whole frame
holeOffsetFromTop = 29.5;
holeOffsetFromSide = 10;

cornerRadius = 6;

boltDiameter = 3.2;

nutHeight = 2.7;
nutDiameter = 6.4;

plateThickness = 3;

numberOfHolesSideToSide = 4;
numberOfHolesTopToBottom = 3;

sideOffset = 10;
bottomOffset = 0;

bracketX = (molleHoleX+holeOffsetFromSide)*numberOfHolesSideToSide+holeOffsetFromSide+sideOffset*2;
bracketY = holeOffsetFromTop+molleHoleY+((molleHoleY+molleHoleTopOffset)*numberOfHolesTopToBottom)-molleHoleY+bottomOffset;

module nut(){
    $fn=6;
    cylinder(nutHeight+.1,nutDiameter/2,nutDiameter/2);
}

module molleHole(){
    cube([molleHoleX,molleHoleY,plateThickness+2]);
}

module cornerCutout(){
    difference(){
        cube(size = [cornerRadius/2,cornerRadius/2,plateThickness+2]);
        cylinder(plateThickness+3,cornerRadius/2,cornerRadius/2);
    }
}

module drawHoles(numberSideToSide,numberTopToBottom){
    for (i=[0:numberTopToBottom]){
        translate([0,molleHoleTopOffset*i+molleHoleY*i,0]){
            drawHolesSideToSide(numberSideToSide);
        }
    }
}



module drawHolesSideToSide (numberSideToSidePassed){
    for (i=[0:numberSideToSidePassed]){
        translate([holeOffsetFromSide+(molleHoleX+molleHoleSideOffset)*i,holeOffsetFromTop,-1]){
            molleHole();
        }
        //translate([(holeOffsetFromSide+(molleHoleX+molleHoleSideOffset)*i)+(molleHoleX/2),holeOffsetFromTop+molleHoleY+(molleHoleTopOffset/2),0]){
        translate([(holeOffsetFromSide+(molleHoleX+molleHoleSideOffset)*i)+(molleHoleX/2),(holeOffsetFromTop-molleHoleTopOffset)+(molleHoleTopOffset/2),0]){
            cylinder(plateThickness+2,boltDiameter/2,boltDiameter/2);
            nut();
        }
        translate([(holeOffsetFromSide+(molleHoleX+molleHoleSideOffset)*i)+(molleHoleX/2),holeOffsetFromTop+molleHoleY+(molleHoleTopOffset/2),0]){
        //translate([(holeOffsetFromSide+(molleHoleX+molleHoleSideOffset)*i)+(molleHoleX/2),(holeOffsetFromTop-molleHoleTopOffset)+(molleHoleTopOffset/2),0]){
            cylinder(plateThickness+2,boltDiameter/2,boltDiameter/2);
            nut();
        }
    }
}

difference(){
    cube([bracketX,bracketY,plateThickness]);

    // drawHoles(numberSideToSide,numberTopToBottom) always -1
    translate([sideOffset,0,0]){
        drawHoles(numberOfHolesSideToSide-1,numberOfHolesTopToBottom-1);
    }
    //corner cutouts
    translate([bracketX-cornerRadius/2+.01,cornerRadius/2-.01,-1]){
        rotate([0,0,270]){cornerCutout();}
    }
    translate([cornerRadius/2-.01,cornerRadius/2-.01,-1]){
        rotate([0,0,180]){cornerCutout();}
    }
    translate([cornerRadius/2-.01,bracketY-cornerRadius/2+.01,-1]){
        rotate([0,0,90]){cornerCutout();}
    }
    translate([bracketX-cornerRadius/2+.01,bracketY-cornerRadius/2+.01,-1]){
        rotate([0,0,0]){cornerCutout();}
    }
}

Template fabricating (you will notice where the router did cut into the template on the edges, oops):

Once I was done with the template (made with some plastic sheet I had laying around), I then picked up an ABS 3mm plastic sheet. I tried acrylic earlier (had some laying around), and it did not go well. I am sure I could get acrylic to work, but it isn't worth it. Other plastics may be better than ABS, but I didn't try.

Template mounted to ABS

Final ABS rigid molle panel

I then began mounting the molle pouces to the pane. If I use every strap, it bunches inside the pouch, so on the bigger pouches I tend to only thread the outside straps, and just clip in the center straps. It is a compromise I am willing to make.



One thing, the term rigid is relative. There is a LOT of flex in this panel, and it is intended to hang on top of a not-pelican case (nanuk 960).

Flex:


So, I determined where I could add additional bracing on the back of the panel where I was not mounting any pouches. I then 3D printed up some brackets that were 6mm thick (distance I had between where the panel would sit, and the actual lid of the case).

After they were mounted, the flex is still there, but not near as bad

A lot of work, but I now have a method for creating more of these. I also finally tuned my 3d printer where I am happy with the results. There was some serious frustration with the 3d printer on completing small circles, but I have that resolved now.

In theory, if you can find someone that can fabricate a model you send them, you could design up the molle panel from the script above and send them the results. I would always recomend printing up a sample first and make sure it meets your needs before doing a larger item. My printer dimentions limited me to a 4x3 molle panel (used as a template).

 

Looks good!! How are you mounting the panel to the inside of the lid?

 

Short answer: Four #6-20 bolts. 2 on the top, and 2 on the bottom (bolts highest and lowest on the final picture).

Long answer: The lid appears to take M3 bolts, but I was having trouble finding those easily, and the ones I did have didn't have an aggressive enough thread. So I am using #6-20 x 3/8" bolts. These seem a little short, and I could probably got a couple millimetres longer. I am also using a basic washer in hopes that nothing will pull through.

I wanted to make sure that the bolts I use have rather aggressive threads, and I also wanted to make sure that the bolts did not have any pointy bits that could poke through the lid itself. I thought I had the length measured correctly when I bought them. Perhaps the bolts themselves are actually 3/8" not just the threaded length, which might be where I was off.

Small Parts 0606BPPBZ Steel Sheet Metal Screw, Black Zinc Plated Finish, Pan Head, Phillips Drive, Type B, #6-20 Thread Size, 3/8" Length (Pack of 100)

Amazon #6-20 x 3/8" bolts

$7 Bolt Dropper 6" Flat Finish Washer, 3/8" Outside Diameter (100 Pack)- Choose Size, 18-8 (304) Stainless Steel Corrosion Resistant Commercial Grade

Amazon #6 x 3/8" Stainless Flat Washer

 

I've never seen one of those cases, so I didn't know they had bosses for fasteners. I was hoping you didn't put a bolt through the lid.

 

I have never seen the Nanuk case before either. I have a habit of trying to buy cheap pelican cases whenever I can. I scored a Pelican 1650 for $50 once, and I have been looking for something of similar size for awhile now. There is an auction site that sells returned items. I refer to it as the garbage auction site. The wife hates that I buy stuff from there, but I have scored some insane deals, but I have also been burned by picking up complete garbage. You end up buying things sight unseen, with no returns. So, it is a risk you have to be willing to take. The sellers will post a couple of pictures, and you have to figure out how much you are willing to gamble on the item.

The Nanuk 960 was picked up for $70. The plastic is a tad thinner than a Pelican, but it has some other things going for it that Pelican could learn from. The handles are much nicer, the latches lock into place (more moving parts, so we will see if durability is the same, but I don't beat the hell out of my boxes right now).

I am still working on dividers for the main part of the case. I am 3D printing corner brackets and T brackets for the dividers, and then I am going to use some acrylic sheets (also picked up from the garbage auction site for very little).

Inside of case (with incomplete dividers):

Nanuk 960 on top of Pelican 1650, with Pelican 1400 to the side (and an Apache 5800 in the background with creepy wooden boy my mother gave me a long time ago). The Nanuk 960 is taller than the Pelican 1650, but the 1650 is longer.

 

C0d3M0nk3y, Do you have any stl files that I could start with?

 

Attached is the file, but the extension is all wrong. They won't let me upload an stl, but I can update a txt. Download the file and just re-name the extension. The right and left sides are not exactly equal, but it does work as a template (which is what I used it for). The code for this is above. If you want to tinker with any of the settings, I tried to make it pretty easy to do.

The file is called molleTemplate_3x4.txt. Change it to molleTemplate_3x4.stl

Hope it helps.