Tooltrace
Photograph tools on paper and get a custom Gridfinity insert or foam shadowbox
Opens tooltrace.ai
About Tooltrace
Tooltrace turns a phone photo into a fitted tool holder. You lay your tools on a sheet of letter or A4 paper, take a picture from above and upload it. The paper gives the software a known scale, so it can detect each outline and turn it into a pocket of the right size.
From those outlines you can build a Gridfinity-compatible bin with cut-in pockets for 3D printing, or a shadowbox layout for cutting foam. Downloads include STL for printing plus SVG and DXF for cutters, and the team can also make the insert for you. A community library holds designs other users have shared.
You need an account. The free plan lets you keep three active traces and includes Gridfinity and foam exports, while Pro at $8 per month removes the limit and adds finer detection and shape editing. It works best for workshop drawers and toolboxes where every tool should have its own marked place.
What you can make
- Gridfinity tool inserts
- Foam shadowbox layouts
- Traced tool outlines
How to use it
- Place tools on a sheet of letter or A4 paper
- Photograph from directly above and upload
- Check the detected outlines and pick Gridfinity or foam
- Download the STL and print
Good
- No measuring: a photo on paper sets the scale
- Outputs both Gridfinity bins and foam layouts
- Library of designs shared by other users
Not so good
- Account required
- Free plan limited to three active traces
What you'll need to print it
Materials and parts that give the best results with Tooltrace.
Matte PLA for signs and Gridfinity
Matte filament hides layer lines and cuts glare, so raised lettering on signs and nameplates stays readable from any angle and a drawer full of bins looks uniform.
- Bambu Lab PLA MatteWide colour range with AMS-ready RFID, ideal for multi-colour signs.
- Polymaker Panchroma Matte PLA (formerly PolyTerra)The former PolyTerra line under a new name: soft matte look and good value for printing Gridfinity in bulk.
- SUNLU Matte PLALow-cost matte option for large batches of bins and baseplates.
PETG for functional and outdoor prints
PETG handles heat, sunlight and repeated flexing better than PLA, so Gridfinity bins in a hot garage or signs mounted outdoors keep their shape.
- Bambu Lab PETG BasicUpgraded formula that Bambu says matches PLA Basic for strength while staying impact-tough; low price per spool in multi-roll bundles.
- Polymaker PETGHigh-flow replacement for PolyLite PETG: strong, low-odour and quick to print.
- Overture High Speed PETGGood-value PETG in a large colour range for functional parts in bulk.
6 x 2 mm magnets for Gridfinity
Gridfinity baseplates and bins are designed around 6 x 2 mm disc magnets pressed into the corners; they hold bins in place but still let you lift one out with one hand.
- Bambu Lab Round Magnet D6x2 mm (20 pcs)Exactly the Gridfinity size, sold in 20-packs, rated to 80 C.
- 6 x 2 mm N52 neodymium disc magnets (bulk pack)Buy 100+ for full baseplates; check the listing really says 6 x 2 mm, as 3 mm-thick magnets will not sit flush.
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