If the file is set up as parametric, then adjusting the width would be probably a 30 second edit … IIRC. The propblem I have run into is that sometimes the “fingers” no longer line up when sent to the 
… then it is back to editing! I am going to start creating PDF files for my prints, as nothing seems to be lost in translation when uploaded to … time will tell 
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I do not have the dimensions set via parameters, it’s all manual in CAD. Adjusting the width of the design shouldn’t be much effort and I’ll likely do that once the overall design is pretty much set & sound.
If I can finish up my work early enough today, I’m going to try to add in the guides to the feed ramp and a hinged door to the feed-in port.
Have some more minor adjustments to make, but working pretty well overall. Max can height is 115mm with this version, might adjust it to handle 130mm cans.
And someone robbed my painter’s tape…
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Nice, looks great!!
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Thank you so much for posting this! I literally sat down at my computer to design one of these. I am so happy I don’t have to spend so much time on it now! Thank you! I downloaded your second version and the whole image did not show up. Any idea what I’m doing wrong? I would love to be able to make one of these today, so any help would be appreciated.
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Hi @shanni03 -
Here’s a download link to my current working version that I’m gluing together right now. https://drive.google.com/open?id=1tvXe_YTH0WpEeUPLkVj61LA2oL0nPeEe
I’m not real happy with the door to it right now, but it’s definitely functional as is. I’m going to try to finalize the design tomorrow.
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@d_west ,
Just had an idea … just like you have made the ramp ribs not only on the sides but also in the middle, if you put a slot in the middle of the upper and lower ramps you can turn the FIFO from a single large can dispenser to a double small can dispenser!! Thoughts??
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Great idea, @f.bigelow! I’ll start sketching that out!
I feel like I need to rework quite a bit in this thing, mainly the angle of the feed ramp and the hinged door that I added to the current version.
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It worked great!
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Is there an easy way to adjust the file so i can use .20 material from Home Depot?
You should be able to print it and put it together, you will find that the “fingers” are not flush with the edge of the FIFO but more than adequate to glue … the other option is to go in and edit the file, changing the fingers to a 0.20" length… I am pretty sure Home Depot sells 1/8th inch MDF. It is more than adequate once the FIFO is fully assembled. We have had no problems with our MDF one yet and don’t expect to
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Thanks for the info!
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Is there a program that could change those fingers in one swoop? I printed one over the weekend (measuring my PG Draftboard to make sure it is 1/8th) … but I have some draftboard that is thicker than 1/8th (supposed to be 1/8th) and also have some Luann that I would like to use that I believe is the .20" thickness.
Door is a little tight. I think I would rather just have a spot I can engrave what is inside…this is going inside a pantry, no biggie if there is a door on it. I used 15 ounce tomato sauce cans and the adjustment was to the widest…some of the cans still fell a bit crooked when dropping down.
Our shelf is a metal shelf 12" deep and DH thinks we will need to drill holes so we can fasten it down with zip ties so they won’t get off balance and maybe fall off shelf when almost empty. Just thoughts … but appreciate the file to try it out! I’ve been wanting to do this since I got my GF and just haven’t had time to try to figure out all the stuff inside to make it work. Appreciate it!
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I’m not happy with the door overall, and I’m not aware of a way to take a design like this and change based on material thickness. I’ve been using Autocad to plan it out and I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s a way to do that in Autocad, but the version I’m using is Carlson survey and all of my familiarity with CAD revolves around land surveying. Not sure where that utility is if it’s in there.
I have a running list of stuff that I want to change on this thing, and it’s gotten so long that i’ll probably end up redesigning the whole thing. I really like your idea of adding dividers and slots so that you could do more than one row of cans side by side if you wanted and plan on adding that in…but I feel like I need to figure out a solution to cans catching on the side first. The adjustable bumpers were a good idea, but I think there’s no getting around the fact that it needs more slope/momentum.
I have version 1.0 and 1.3 in my pantry right now and they’re still better than what we were doing (just stacking cans), but I’d like it to work a little smoother before filling up the rest of the shelf space. I’d love it if we could dream up some sort of modular idea, similar to model train tracks that snap together. Seeing my niece play with this toy got me thinking along those lines…
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This forum here… is why I love you all!
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I really wish I knew autocad so I could actually help out here! It looks like we are thinking along the same lines…one picture is of the only cans I have in the pantry…on a POP can dispenser made out of metal we used to have in our frig before we got a commercial coke machine (decomm’d I guess you would call it). It works ok but I only have one and it’s not configurable.
The next picture is how I have my cans currently (I hate stacking cans on wire shelves, I always knock them down) which is why they are in rolling carts* sitting in the dining room. I keep hoping for a way to put them away so I can get that small pantry organized once and for all.
The cans roll, the tilt is good, but they seem to go at an angle when they hit below. I definitely like the circular indention in the bottom that makes it super easy to remove the cans…what a great idea!
We’ve got a lot of very artistic, creative, smart people in this group … I have no doubt since you started this thread that we will get more input. I’m excited! This one is going into the pantry and just took a bunch of tomato sauce off of those rolling carts…now instead of 3 carts I have 2…progress!! Thank you and especially for sharing the file!
- Yes these are IKEA carts…super sturdy carts and I use 2 in the kitchen/dining room, 1 in the tech room, and 1 is by the GF.
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