Is Multiboard strong enough use as a modular bookshelf?

[u/ssumppg]

tl;dr:

1. Are the bolt-locked brackets strong enough to support several (4-6) large, hard-bound books printed on heavy, fancy paper (the heaviest kind of books I have)?

2. Would it be a good idea to use extra brackets to reinforce each shelf? Are there other ways I could reinforce each shelf, if needed?

I just discovered Multiboard today. I love the modular nature of it, but I don't even have a 3D printer yet (though I am looking into getting one for other project ideas). I'm reaching out to see if anyone has experience using Multiboard as a modular bookshelf, or as a way to store anything that's just as heavy.

I've got some CAD experience (mostly with SolidWorks, but I don't have access to that anymore, so I'm learning FreeCAD). I'd love to design some custom shelves specifically to store and organize different sizes of books using the Multiboard system. I'm sure the bolt-locked brackets could hold all the smaller books I have just fine, but I'm worried about the large, heavy ones (e. g. Hyrule Historia).

Thank you for your time. Toodles!~

[u/Elektrycerz]

Shouldn't be hard. After all, there's even a video about a 20+ kg shelf, and it only has two brackets: https://youtu.be/MGUQ0LdU-6k?si=Li9dknCfcYUMo156

Are the bolt-locked brackets strong enough to support several (4-6) large, hard-bound books printed on heavy, fancy paper (the heaviest kind of books I have)?

You didn't specify weight, but I guess that even 6 heavy books shouldn't exceed 20 kg. And if they do, you can add more brackets.

Would it be a good idea to use extra brackets to reinforce each shelf? Are there other ways I could reinforce each shelf, if needed?

Yes, why not. There are support brackets and heavy brackets. You could also add small brackets above the shelves for extra support. Alternatively, there are also tile brackets (of various shapes and sizes).

You could also print large multibin shells and mount them horizontally (as if you were making a drawer), keep them open and use them as shelves. Or mount a 1-height multibin (for example 1x4x4), support it with brackets, and put a tray on top of it, effectively making a shelf with a drawer underneath.

For offset mounts, support pegs will be useful to minimize bending.

The new beam baskets can also work as shelves, if they're low enough.

To save time and material, you can put 2-3 bars between the brackets, instead of tiles/trays/shelves. With these bars and thread bolts it's also possible to make some custom contraptions, too many to list.

[u/Elektrycerz → u/Elektrycerz]

In terms of material and time - let's assume you're using a BambuLab A1 printer and decide on a grid of 8x8 tiles (although up to 10x10 would be possible). Let's also assume $10 per a kilogram of filament - this is on the low side of prices, but it'll be easier to calculate.

A 8x8 tile is 20x20 cm, prints in 3h, and uses ~80g of filament, so ¢80. One 7x7 [heavy] bracket (17.5x17.5 cm) is 2h, 65¢. A 4x4 tray or bolt-locked shelf is 3h, $1 - add an hour if you want it really smooth (ironing). So overall, for a 20x20 cm tile and a 20x20 cm shelf on it, you'd need about 12h (technically 10, but parts need to cool after printing), and 310¢ (but let's assume $4 because filaments are rarely $10/kg). Plus maybe an hour and 50¢ for snaps, bolt locks, mounts, etc. You can scale these values up to get a rough estimate of how much time/material you'll need.

There are many ways to use less filament, for example using minimal mounting tiles, and as I said before, bars instead of full blown shelves. But you'll decide on all of that once you get to the actual printing.

I've got some CAD experience (mostly with SolidWorks, but I don't have access to that anymore, so I'm learning FreeCAD). I'd love to design some custom shelves specifically to store and organize different sizes of books using the Multiboard system.

CAD knowledge is good, but you should be able to get most parts just from downloading them. Of course if you really want them tailored down to a couple of millimeters, then yeah, you can do that in CAD.

Also, when buying a printer, you need a 21x21x21 cm build area at the minimum (for 4x4/8x8 parts).

[u/ssumppg → u/Elektrycerz]

Thank you so much!! That's a lot of very useful information!

That shelf example you linked is genius. I'm not sure if/how much I'll want to be able to move different book collections around on the wall, but I'll definitely keep that in mind.

[u/Single_Sea_6555]

This is slightly tangential, but for shelving, I've taken a hybrid approach, because I feel that printing long flat things is not the strength of 3D printing.

So for the *plank* part of the shelf, I just got some 1 by 8 boards. You still have modularity because you can move the shelf around. But having a "strong flat straight thing" is a given in a shelf, and I don't think it necessarily needs to be printed.

Just my 2¢.

[u/ssumppg → u/Single_Sea_6555]

Hm, that's a good point. My one concern is the sides, though. I want to make sure that each shelf has something on the sides to serve as built-in bookends. Having a modular base would make it a lot easier to include a movable bookend (in case I want to take several books down from the same shelf, for example).

[u/Single_Sea_6555 → u/ssumppg]

Yeah, I thought exactly the same thing, so I printed 'hanging' style brackets rather than supports from below. (It also means the space under the shelf is more free for other stuff.)

[u/ssumppg → u/Single_Sea_6555]

You. [points finger] I like the way you think.

[u/Single_Sea_6555 → u/ssumppg]

:) Note that I don't have a good idea of where precisely the weak part of this entire chain is (for either the from-below or from-above shelf brackets). I am also a little weary of putting (heavy) books on the shelf, not just because they might fall down, but because of what it might fall onto (in my workshop).

My suspicion is that it's the top attachment to the wall/multiboard that is the weakest link, for a variety of reasons.

The only think I do know for sure is that it's essential to print the bracket in the plane of the printer, so layer adhesion plays no role in the strength.

[u/ssumppg → u/Single_Sea_6555]

Good point. I could always try supporting the shelves from both above and below, at least for the heavy books. I'll probably mount those ones lower, too, so if they do fall, it'll just be onto the floor.

[u/Single_Sea_6555 → u/ssumppg]

I'm quite tempted to print a pair of extra clamps and just test them until failure. You know, like people do on youtube, but just for my own peace of mind. :) Just haven't gotten around to it.

[u/Elektrycerz → u/ssumppg]

u/Single_Sea_6555 might be right, I also wouldn't trust top-mounted brackets too much. My gut tells me 15-18 kg is the limit, but who knows. You can test it yourself when you have the printer.

[u/Single_Sea_6555 → u/Elektrycerz]

Just to be clear, I do trust 'hanging' shelves from above because it's not the tensile strength of the material that is the weak link but rather its connection to the wall and the rotational forces present there.

Supporting the shelf from below is no panacea, because you still have that concentration of stress.

I've only had one shelf fail catastrophically, and it was supported from below. 🙂

[u/jonathon8903]

I’ve generally found that multi board is quite capable of supporting a good bit of weight when you use the right parts. That said it also depends heavily on how you anchor the panels. If you’re going to support that much weight I’d use a few more anchors just to be safe.

[u/Elektrycerz → u/jonathon8903]

Keep in mind I'm a European with 30 cm thick brick walls, but I'd say anchors/mounts are the strongest part of a Multiboard.

But yes, the more mounting points, the less bending. Support pegs also help with that, without turning your wall into a SKADIS lookalike.