[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"public-site-stats":3,"projects_list":8},{"article_count":4,"download_count":5,"file_count":6,"tag_count":4,"sub_count":7},3,1,27,169,[9,209,889],{"summary":10,"difficulty":5,"build_time_minutes":11,"estimated_cost_cents":11,"youtube_url":11,"homepage_video":12,"uid":13,"slug":14,"title":15,"content":16,"published":201,"created":202,"views":203,"thumbnail":204,"license_id":11,"updated_at":205,"download_count":5,"tag_relations":206,"alicense":11,"has_draft":12,"draft_updated_at":11},"Pegboard holders to organise tools and parts.",null,false,"sRxzc7ilujK","pegboard-organisation","Pegboard Organisation",{"time":17,"blocks":18,"version":200},1788940665265,[19,28,35,41,47,53,59,68,74,151,158,165,172,179,186,193],{"id":20,"type":21,"data":22,"tunes":25},"aeuwGmwqYr","header",{"text":23,"level":24},"My pegboard organisation",2,{"guideVisibility":26},{"mode":27,"manual":12},"quick",{"id":29,"type":30,"data":31,"tunes":33},"G1OXJVGBCD","paragraph",{"text":32},"Most of my desk used to be covered in tools and parts which took up a lot of usable work space. ",{"guideVisibility":34},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":36,"type":30,"data":37,"tunes":39},"b8Jrd2iddB",{"text":38},"While browsing the internet, I came across pegboards which caught my immediate attention. It was a way to sort your tools and parts while still being able to easily view and access them. It seemed like a fantastic idea. I went out and bought a pegboard the next day and began designing my own parts to fit my tools.",{"guideVisibility":40},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":42,"type":30,"data":43,"tunes":45},"In-82IgE2v",{"text":44},"The progress started off very slowly, only adding a few tools to the pegboard over the span of a few months. In doing so, I also had begun to run out of space. So, I went out and bought another pegboard. I then filled that pegboard with tools and thought I'd buy another pegboard to organise my 3D printers mess. I didn't expect this project to take all that long, but it has taken 2 years so far.",{"guideVisibility":46},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":48,"type":21,"data":49,"tunes":51},"x8IM1GfVyp",{"text":50,"level":24},"Design",{"guideVisibility":52},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":54,"type":30,"data":55,"tunes":57},"uqqzM8ZWja",{"text":56},"These parts are designed for a pegboard with hole spacing (centre to centre) of 25mm x 25mm as seen in the image below.\u003Cbr>",{"guideVisibility":58},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":60,"type":61,"data":62,"tunes":66},"Vf8jRUqHV5","image",{"caption":63,"withBorder":12,"withBackground":12,"stretched":12,"file":64},"",{"url":65},"\u002Fuploads\u002FsRxzc7ilujK\u002Fcontent\u002F2412d1ad-f922-4aee-b7a3-d3a76538cfff.png",{"guideVisibility":67},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":69,"type":21,"data":70,"tunes":72},"rQYLqni7iT",{"text":71,"level":24},"Parts Designed",{"guideVisibility":73},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":75,"type":76,"data":77,"tunes":149},"h0sjVF8tH3","list",{"style":78,"meta":79,"items":80},"unordered",{},[81,85,89,93,97,101,105,109,113,117,121,125,129,133,137,141,145],{"content":82,"meta":83,"items":84},"iFixit Mako",{},[],{"content":86,"meta":87,"items":88},"Ruler",{},[],{"content":90,"meta":91,"items":92},"Pinecil",{},[],{"content":94,"meta":95,"items":96},"DJI Mini 3\u002F4\u002F5 drone",{},[],{"content":98,"meta":99,"items":100},"DJI RC Controller",{},[],{"content":102,"meta":103,"items":104},"Breadboards",{},[],{"content":106,"meta":107,"items":108},"Tweezers and picks",{},[],{"content":110,"meta":111,"items":112},"Cable hooks",{},[],{"content":114,"meta":115,"items":116},"Digital Calipers",{},[],{"content":118,"meta":119,"items":120},"Dupont Jumper wires",{},[],{"content":122,"meta":123,"items":124},"Storage containers (with labels)",{},[],{"content":126,"meta":127,"items":128},"Wire spools",{},[],{"content":130,"meta":131,"items":132},"Wire strippers",{},[],{"content":134,"meta":135,"items":136},"Wire cutters",{},[],{"content":138,"meta":139,"items":140},"Grease Container",{},[],{"content":142,"meta":143,"items":144},"Allen keys",{},[],{"content":146,"meta":147,"items":148},"Headphones",{},[],{"guideVisibility":150},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":152,"type":61,"data":153,"tunes":156},"rxPWHCr27D",{"caption":63,"withBorder":12,"withBackground":12,"stretched":12,"file":154},{"url":155},"\u002Fuploads\u002FsRxzc7ilujK\u002Fcontent\u002F02af23aa-f232-4703-94a2-183abd7076f5.jpg",{"guideVisibility":157},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":159,"type":61,"data":160,"tunes":163},"Knrwr6W03w",{"caption":63,"withBorder":12,"withBackground":12,"stretched":12,"file":161},{"url":162},"\u002Fuploads\u002FsRxzc7ilujK\u002Fcontent\u002F39be7476-e863-4c07-bf01-69d810c355c0.jpg",{"guideVisibility":164},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":166,"type":61,"data":167,"tunes":170},"yat9FMXCr0",{"caption":63,"withBorder":12,"withBackground":12,"stretched":12,"file":168},{"url":169},"\u002Fuploads\u002FsRxzc7ilujK\u002Fcontent\u002F6fc6e6f3-97bb-42d9-8a9b-6d545f38f68b.jpg",{"guideVisibility":171},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":173,"type":61,"data":174,"tunes":177},"GcVM6aMjBx",{"caption":63,"withBorder":12,"withBackground":12,"stretched":12,"file":175},{"url":176},"\u002Fuploads\u002FsRxzc7ilujK\u002Fcontent\u002Fe9a843af-0d60-48e5-839c-dcf3d93ed325.jpg",{"guideVisibility":178},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":180,"type":61,"data":181,"tunes":184},"UraDISYl3Z",{"caption":63,"withBorder":12,"withBackground":12,"stretched":12,"file":182},{"url":183},"\u002Fuploads\u002FsRxzc7ilujK\u002Fcontent\u002F1887ff54-467c-4ccb-addf-89db60858a10.jpg",{"guideVisibility":185},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":187,"type":61,"data":188,"tunes":191},"vxAJrvP2P8",{"caption":63,"withBorder":12,"withBackground":12,"stretched":12,"file":189},{"url":190},"\u002Fuploads\u002FsRxzc7ilujK\u002Fcontent\u002Fc2515583-37d8-4a46-8a9c-0940a271f8d3.jpg",{"guideVisibility":192},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":194,"type":61,"data":195,"tunes":198},"bIv8WIulOy",{"caption":63,"withBorder":12,"withBackground":12,"stretched":12,"file":196},{"url":197},"\u002Fuploads\u002FsRxzc7ilujK\u002Fcontent\u002F2ac8ffe5-5b10-4f68-b54a-dbad6134ac7e.jpg",{"guideVisibility":199},{"mode":27,"manual":12},"2.31.5",true,"2026-03-20T11:40:14.572173",56,"\u002Fuploads\u002FsRxzc7ilujK\u002Fthumbnail\u002F75808af0-1937-4b37-a058-fc4b0b4a9a6e.jpg","2026-09-15T21:33:58.710302",[207],{"id":4,"name":208,"slug":208},"organisation",{"summary":210,"difficulty":211,"build_time_minutes":212,"estimated_cost_cents":213,"youtube_url":11,"homepage_video":12,"uid":214,"slug":215,"title":216,"content":217,"published":201,"created":882,"views":883,"thumbnail":884,"license_id":11,"updated_at":885,"download_count":886,"tag_relations":887,"alicense":11,"has_draft":12,"draft_updated_at":11},"I built a drawer to keep my electronics organised and reachable.",8,430,12000,"5591EKZJNGy","under-desk-drawer","Under Desk Drawer",{"time":218,"blocks":219,"version":200},1788961759582,[220,226,232,239,245,251,259,265,271,277,283,289,296,302,308,315,322,328,334,340,346,352,359,365,372,379,385,392,398,405,411,418,424,448,454,493,499,505,511,517,523,529,535,541,547,554,561,567,574,580,586,592,599,605,611,617,624,631,637,643,650,657,663,669,675,681,687,693,699,705,711,717,723,729,735,741,747,753,760,766,773,779,787,793,800,806,813,820,826,832,839,845,850,856,862,868,875],{"id":221,"type":21,"data":222,"tunes":224},"WQukqmNyc6",{"text":223,"level":24},"Introduction",{"guideVisibility":225},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":227,"type":30,"data":228,"tunes":230},"YoYeOJXCD0",{"text":229},"This project started off pretty simple. I have a stand up desk and I wanted a drawer that would fit between the leg and the edge of the desk. Looking online, I couldn't find one that would fit, so decided that I'd make my own. ",{"guideVisibility":231},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":233,"type":30,"data":234,"tunes":236},"Hlv0eRSgfB",{"text":235},"Looking back, I could have simply bought a tool trolley with 5 drawers that can be pushed around. Unfortunately, a tool trolley would get in the way with the little space I have in my room. They're rather tall and wouldn't fit under any of my existing desks. It'd be more of a nuisance even though tool trolleys are a fantastic storage solution.",{"guideVisibility":237},{"mode":238,"manual":201},"dive",{"id":240,"type":21,"data":241,"tunes":243},"hFlBLBG2U4",{"text":242,"level":24},"The Story",{"guideVisibility":244},{"mode":238,"manual":201},{"id":246,"type":30,"data":247,"tunes":249},"vd9L9nc2Wl",{"text":248},"To begin the story of the development, it began with 3D printing. Since I couldn't buy a drawer, I wanted to make my own. The first design was a 3D printed concept. I'd make an outer shell that I attach to my desk and then the drawer that would slide into that. Great idea if you want to use multiple spools of filament and spend hours printing it. After thinking about it, I wasn't a fan of a 3D printed drawer due to how clunky it would be to use. I decided I'd use sheet metal instead.\u003Cbr>",{"guideVisibility":250},{"mode":238,"manual":201},{"id":252,"type":61,"data":253,"tunes":257},"MGB8OrnnBX",{"caption":254,"withBorder":12,"withBackground":12,"stretched":12,"file":255},"Original 3D printed drawer design",{"url":256},"\u002Fuploads\u002F5591EKZJNGy\u002Fcontent\u002Faab57ff0-7e09-412a-8f2c-a6b959168cf7.png",{"guideVisibility":258},{"mode":238,"manual":201},{"id":260,"type":30,"data":261,"tunes":263},"bF9XnZqe9W",{"text":262},"I went to the hardware store and found some flat steel. It was $42 AUD for a 0.9mm thick 600mm x 900mm stainless steel sheet. After working out the size in CAD, I'd need two of these sheets and they were incredibly thin for a drawer. I opted to find it from a local metal fab instead. The metal fab was selling a similarly sized sheet for a third of the price and it was 2mm instead of 0.9mm. ",{"guideVisibility":264},{"mode":238,"manual":201},{"id":266,"type":30,"data":267,"tunes":269},"iqfOmGV0Lm",{"text":268},"With the sheet steel supplier locked in, I was ready to design my new drawer and plan how I was going to construct it. My first idea was to cut each individual surface\u002Fface and then weld each section together. I quickly abandoned this idea due to the complexity and time it would take. ",{"guideVisibility":270},{"mode":238,"manual":201},{"id":272,"type":30,"data":273,"tunes":275},"xijxjuZJS4",{"text":274},"I then thought about bending the steel myself since I have a friend who has access to a press brake. The issue was, I have never used one before and I didn't want to risk ruining an expensive sheet of stainless steel. My next option was to get the metal fab to manufacture my steel parts. ",{"guideVisibility":276},{"mode":238,"manual":201},{"id":278,"type":30,"data":279,"tunes":281},"CHPpzqgCX4",{"text":280},"Before contacting them, I learnt about the sheet metal tools in Fusion360 and redesigned my drawer for sheet metal. This was a whole new world in Fusion360. There were bending radius tolerances, tabs, corner reliefs to prevent the steel from tearing, and whole new tools for making your parts. I spent a couple weeks learning the new tools and redesigning my parts.",{"guideVisibility":282},{"mode":238,"manual":201},{"id":284,"type":30,"data":285,"tunes":287},"d1Tjip2z6w",{"text":286},"I also learnt about dimensioning when it came to the spacing of the holes for the drawer slides. I was using chain dimensioning. This means that if one hole was drilled slightly in the wrong spot, it would impact the placement of the holes further down the line, the inaccuracy adds up.",{"guideVisibility":288},{"mode":238,"manual":201},{"id":290,"type":61,"data":291,"tunes":294},"dEieugkzkM",{"caption":63,"withBorder":12,"withBackground":12,"stretched":12,"file":292},{"url":293},"\u002Fuploads\u002F5591EKZJNGy\u002Fcontent\u002F0a0c7bb9-cec9-4250-9849-ec96bdafbf55.png",{"guideVisibility":295},{"mode":238,"manual":201},{"id":297,"type":30,"data":298,"tunes":300},"rzFkCTttYP",{"text":299},"I immediately switched to datum dimensioning instead which prevents mistakes from adding up with each hole.",{"guideVisibility":301},{"mode":238,"manual":201},{"id":303,"type":30,"data":304,"tunes":306},"p7KEeBIxiK",{"text":305},"This was the final part I submitted to the local metal fab:",{"guideVisibility":307},{"mode":238,"manual":201},{"id":309,"type":61,"data":310,"tunes":313},"PbPxdZotYu",{"caption":63,"withBorder":12,"withBackground":12,"stretched":12,"file":311},{"url":312},"\u002Fuploads\u002F5591EKZJNGy\u002Fcontent\u002Fe971fdba-153a-488a-bfce-583c76bcb4a2.png",{"guideVisibility":314},{"mode":238,"manual":201},{"id":316,"type":61,"data":317,"tunes":320},"S1HcSptMfK",{"caption":63,"withBorder":12,"withBackground":12,"stretched":12,"file":318},{"url":319},"\u002Fuploads\u002F5591EKZJNGy\u002Fcontent\u002Fe56291de-1f62-44dc-9a78-2f7fb47076e7.png",{"guideVisibility":321},{"mode":238,"manual":201},{"id":323,"type":30,"data":324,"tunes":326},"vfnpenKAL6",{"text":325},"Unfortunately, I couldn't just send them my Fusion file, I had to instead create technical drawings for each of the parts. So now I had to learn how to create a technical drawing.\u003Cbr>",{"guideVisibility":327},{"mode":238,"manual":201},{"id":329,"type":30,"data":330,"tunes":332},"w15vTs3TKC",{"text":331},"A technical drawing basically explains the tolerances, where the bends must be, the angle and direction of the bends, dimensions of holes and overall part sizes, angles of cuts, etc... Once I submitted my sketches, I got a quote of $375 AUD. I went crazy. How could it cost that much? ",{"guideVisibility":333},{"mode":238,"manual":201},{"id":335,"type":30,"data":336,"tunes":338},"_870UoqTlv",{"text":337},"Anyways, I knew I had to find a new fabricator\u002Fmanufacturer and that's what I did. I had heard about PCBWay from content creators on YouTube and decided to check out how much it would cost to manufacture my drawer. PCBWay was going to be $157.90 AUD for just the two side panels, not the main body or the horizontal beams. I immediately closed the tab and remembered that one of my friends used JLCPCB for PCB manufacturing. ",{"guideVisibility":339},{"mode":238,"manual":201},{"id":341,"type":30,"data":342,"tunes":344},"YoHBDdyVdA",{"text":343},"I checked to see if they did metal fabrication and very gladly, they did. I submitted the DXF files for my parts with stainless steel 201 selected and it was a total cost of $42 AUD. I was incredibly surprised by the price. Everyone else was charging 4-8 times the price and JLCCNC was able to do it for just $42 AUD.",{"guideVisibility":345},{"mode":238,"manual":201},{"id":347,"type":30,"data":348,"tunes":350},"7EwAglx0jr",{"text":349},"Once I got the parts two weeks later, I expected the tolerances to be junk and for it to be bent wrong. I opened it all up and inspected the parts, nope, the tolerances were dead on within their 0.2mm-0.3mm tolerance. It was all bent and drilled exactly as I had requested with a nicely sanded surface. For $42 AUD (excluding the shipping), this was impressive. Later on, I also discovered JustWay which offered very similar pricing, so those are two options you can go for.\u003Cbr>",{"guideVisibility":351},{"mode":238,"manual":201},{"id":353,"type":61,"data":354,"tunes":357},"-OdQsYtbZS",{"caption":63,"withBorder":12,"withBackground":12,"stretched":12,"file":355},{"url":356},"\u002Fuploads\u002F5591EKZJNGy\u002Fcontent\u002Ff94bfd40-808c-4ba6-a07d-6e67646bb2be.png",{"guideVisibility":358},{"mode":238,"manual":201},{"id":360,"type":30,"data":361,"tunes":363},"JhtxdxzO-0",{"text":362},"The original idea was to cut the long thin bit of steel in that image above into half and weld it to the two sides. This was a great idea, until I found out how stupid it was. When welding, the welds broke three times. And this would happen after spending hours sanding the welds by hand.",{"guideVisibility":364},{"mode":238,"manual":201},{"id":366,"type":61,"data":367,"tunes":370},"WIQN34HSyH",{"caption":63,"withBorder":12,"withBackground":12,"stretched":12,"file":368},{"url":369},"\u002Fuploads\u002F5591EKZJNGy\u002Fcontent\u002Fa604685f-75cd-436d-8815-1d5e50176556.jpg",{"guideVisibility":371},{"mode":238,"manual":201},{"id":373,"type":61,"data":374,"tunes":377},"DUIhACrCXM",{"caption":63,"withBorder":12,"withBackground":12,"stretched":12,"file":375},{"url":376},"\u002Fuploads\u002F5591EKZJNGy\u002Fcontent\u002F950e3601-ad4a-4e69-8e42-8242c147f17a.jpg",{"guideVisibility":378},{"mode":238,"manual":201},{"id":380,"type":30,"data":381,"tunes":383},"zRm-nBMYlC",{"text":382},"I eventually gave up and redesigned the horizontal beams to have side tabs that would allow them to be bolted to the side panels. This was a very good move. You can also see in the image above, that there was a lot of welding slag underneath. This would have been incredibly hard to paint.",{"guideVisibility":384},{"mode":238,"manual":201},{"id":386,"type":61,"data":387,"tunes":390},"aOqC9T380R",{"caption":63,"withBorder":12,"withBackground":12,"stretched":12,"file":388},{"url":389},"\u002Fuploads\u002F5591EKZJNGy\u002Fcontent\u002F8e437e4a-3397-4690-9ebf-4ff3b946c2b8.png",{"guideVisibility":391},{"mode":238,"manual":201},{"id":393,"type":30,"data":394,"tunes":396},"mJT59mrxWZ",{"text":395},"I sent this new part to be manufactured by JLCCNC for $10 for both of them and $10 shipping, so it was a $20 AUD mistake, but far better than trying to weld it all together. The next issue was... how do I bolt them to the side panels that don't have the holes? I spent a couple hours designing it all in CAD, got the measurements, and then took the side panels to the shed for drilling.",{"guideVisibility":397},{"mode":238,"manual":201},{"id":399,"type":61,"data":400,"tunes":403},"1Pq7O2xy-P",{"caption":63,"withBorder":12,"withBackground":12,"stretched":12,"file":401},{"url":402},"\u002Fuploads\u002F5591EKZJNGy\u002Fcontent\u002F92bacede-40a3-49c1-aab1-cfe21c0e853a.png",{"guideVisibility":404},{"mode":238,"manual":201},{"id":406,"type":30,"data":407,"tunes":409},"QB9JWk1-DY",{"text":408},"I didn't know that stainless steel is harder to drill than mild steel. I used multiple 4mm mild steel drill bits, each one becoming destroyed and brittle. I was shocked. I had to search up what was going on and discovered that I needed a cobalt drill bit. So I rushed to the hardware store and got a cobalt drill bit for $15 AUD which was more than I wanted it to be, but it sure drilled through the stainless steel like butter. Make sure to use the right tools when working with different metals, sometimes you have to learn the hard way I guess.\u003Cbr>",{"guideVisibility":410},{"mode":238,"manual":201},{"id":412,"type":61,"data":413,"tunes":416},"s5OltERXNA",{"caption":63,"withBorder":12,"withBackground":12,"stretched":12,"file":414},{"url":415},"\u002Fuploads\u002F5591EKZJNGy\u002Fcontent\u002Fc99bca9a-f6c0-4c6b-bfdd-049decfc415a.jpg",{"guideVisibility":417},{"mode":238,"manual":201},{"id":419,"type":21,"data":420,"tunes":422},"BIkg44-DTn",{"text":421,"level":24},"Tools",{"guideVisibility":423},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":425,"type":76,"data":426,"tunes":446},"WbBMqqSt88",{"style":427,"meta":428,"items":429},"checklist",{},[430,434,438,442],{"content":431,"meta":432,"items":433},"Welder",{"checked":12},[],{"content":435,"meta":436,"items":437},"T20 screwdriver",{"checked":12},[],{"content":439,"meta":440,"items":441},"7mm spanner",{"checked":12},[],{"content":443,"meta":444,"items":445},"A lot of patience",{"checked":12},[],{"guideVisibility":447},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":449,"type":21,"data":450,"tunes":452},"KakL_DfCPw",{"text":451,"level":24},"Materials\u002FParts",{"guideVisibility":453},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":455,"type":76,"data":456,"tunes":491},"9isEvw-d8f",{"style":427,"meta":457,"items":458},{},[459,463,467,471,475,479,483,487],{"content":460,"meta":461,"items":462},"Drawer components (get manufactured using files provided)",{"checked":12},[],{"content":464,"meta":465,"items":466},"Goliath Soft Close Drawer Slide Pair - 400mm (\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bunnings.com.au\u002Fgoliath-soft-close-drawer-slide-pair-400mm_p4020976\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">link\u003C\u002Fa>)",{"checked":12},[],{"content":468,"meta":469,"items":470},"8x M4 T20 12mm pan head timber screws (\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aliexpress.com\u002Fitem\u002F1005011601527081.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">link\u003C\u002Fa>)",{"checked":12},[],{"content":472,"meta":473,"items":474},"18x M4 T20 6mm bolt (\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aliexpress.com\u002Fitem\u002F1005008743236205.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">link\u003C\u002Fa>)",{"checked":12},[],{"content":476,"meta":477,"items":478},"18x M4 thin nuts (\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aliexpress.com\u002Fitem\u002F1005010329406193.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">link\u003C\u002Fa>)",{"checked":12},[],{"content":480,"meta":481,"items":482},"180-220 grit sandpaper",{"checked":12},[],{"content":484,"meta":485,"items":486},"Stainless steel paint",{"checked":12},[],{"content":488,"meta":489,"items":490},"Stainless steel etch primer ",{"checked":12},[],{"guideVisibility":492},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":494,"type":30,"data":495,"tunes":497},"qPrI0lM76x",{"text":496},"The drawer slides are probably only available in Australia, so you may need to adjust the drawer design for different drawer slides such as \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aliexpress.com\u002Fitem\u002F32970806666.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">these ones from AliExpress\u003C\u002Fa>.",{"guideVisibility":498},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":500,"type":21,"data":501,"tunes":503},"ukeKn-WjPJ",{"text":502,"level":24},"Manufacturing",{"guideVisibility":504},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":506,"type":30,"data":507,"tunes":509},"AonLJx9D7O",{"text":508},"To build this desk drawer, you'll need to rely on a manufacturing service if you don't have the machines like me. The machines needed would be a laser cutter or water jet for cutting the stainless steel sheet as well as a press brake for bending it.\u003Cbr>\u003Cbr>There's a few services you can choose from like PCBWay, JLCCNC, and JustWay. You can also try a local company if you can find one that can do it for a reasonable price. For me, I went with JLCCNC as they were able to cut and bend the steel sheet for $42 AUD. This was far cheaper than PCBWay and also many times cheaper than local. A local company near me quoted $375 to cut and bend the steel and that was not going to happen.",{"guideVisibility":510},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":512,"type":30,"data":513,"tunes":515},"rib3U0vl9b",{"text":514},"When getting it manufactured, you can select mild steel, stainless steel 201 or stainless steel 304. I went with stainless steel 201 at 2mm in thickness. Just keep in mind that stainless steel requires stainless steel welding wire and cobalt drill bits (I learnt that the hard way - find out why in deep dive mode). Mild steel is the easiest option for painting, welding and just working with in general.",{"guideVisibility":516},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":518,"type":30,"data":519,"tunes":521},"l3yTKzHaXL",{"text":520},"Unfortunately, you can't get your selected service to paint the parts for you as there is welding involved. In the future, the drawer may be redesigned so welding is not required, but for the time being, that is not the case.",{"guideVisibility":522},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":524,"type":21,"data":525,"tunes":527},"9vv8F_PeKQ",{"text":526,"level":24},"Making it",{"guideVisibility":528},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":530,"type":21,"data":531,"tunes":533},"c3HGPYZqas",{"text":532,"level":4},"Welding",{"guideVisibility":534},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":536,"type":30,"data":537,"tunes":539},"wDkQDWYpfR",{"text":538},"Once you've got the parts manufactured by your selected manufacturer, the next step is welding the front panel to the main drawer body. ",{"guideVisibility":540},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":542,"type":30,"data":543,"tunes":545},"oNWoS4QDAw",{"text":544},"The front panel I designed has two slots cut out that should sit nicely on the main drawer body. To weld these parts together, stand the main drawer body up vertically on its back and then place the front panel on the top. Ensure that you clamp the main body to your working surface to keep it steady. Align the front panel and then tack weld it to the body through the slots, then you can carefully and slowly fill the slots up with weld so that it can be sanded flat.\u003Cbr>",{"guideVisibility":546},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":548,"type":61,"data":549,"tunes":552},"MT0MByd6QJ",{"caption":63,"withBorder":12,"withBackground":12,"stretched":12,"file":550},{"url":551},"\u002Fuploads\u002F5591EKZJNGy\u002Fcontent\u002Fd1d53a50-071d-4776-bfef-433c61ff4f34.png",{"guideVisibility":553},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":555,"type":61,"data":556,"tunes":559},"qkfyP0lbiI",{"caption":63,"withBorder":12,"withBackground":12,"stretched":12,"file":557},{"url":558},"\u002Fuploads\u002F5591EKZJNGy\u002Fcontent\u002Fc38fa98c-4372-4e32-832f-9f1b264673f2.png",{"guideVisibility":560},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":562,"type":30,"data":563,"tunes":565},"t8SFncV6xK",{"text":564},"You can also add a spot weld under the front panel where the overhang is as that will be the handle. Without a spot weld, it'll most definitely bend during normal usage.",{"guideVisibility":566},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":568,"type":61,"data":569,"tunes":572},"ubLjbMnmRN",{"caption":63,"withBorder":12,"withBackground":12,"stretched":12,"file":570},{"url":571},"\u002Fuploads\u002F5591EKZJNGy\u002Fcontent\u002Fe311bef5-2cc1-42bc-86d5-3e2014c15ff9.jpg",{"guideVisibility":573},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":575,"type":21,"data":576,"tunes":578},"jTogi1I4W9",{"text":577,"level":4},"Surface Preparation",{"guideVisibility":579},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":581,"type":30,"data":582,"tunes":584},"NDVYrc7R0X",{"text":583},"After welding, you can either sand it by hand with 120 grit sand paper or use an orbital sander. I opted for an orbital sander and carefully went at it until the welds were not visible. ",{"guideVisibility":585},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":587,"type":30,"data":588,"tunes":590},"9SThhaJa2x",{"text":589},"I did make a huge mistake when it came to welding my stainless steel. I was using mild steel welding wire. The issue with using mild steel welding wire is that it creates a weak weld that breaks under light pressure. ",{"guideVisibility":591},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":593,"type":594,"data":595,"tunes":597},"_QiExRi6vE","warning",{"text":596},"For best strength and longevity, make sure to use stainless steel welding wire when working with stainless steel.",{"guideVisibility":598},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":600,"type":30,"data":601,"tunes":603},"u0ZWsEA0sl",{"text":602},"I also decided to sand my spot weld under the bottom so that it wouldn't be noticeable when putting my fingers on this edge to open the drawer. If you are good at welding, you most probably won't need to do this.",{"guideVisibility":604},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":606,"type":30,"data":607,"tunes":609},"z2yS7SkkAI",{"text":608},"Once the front panel and main body are welded together, you can then proceed to sanding all the parts. You can use either 220 or 180 grit sandpaper, both grits work well but 220 is preferred to prevent noticeable scratches that may show through the paint. ",{"guideVisibility":610},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":612,"type":30,"data":613,"tunes":615},"ZDhVuKSK8W",{"text":614},"The purpose of sanding is to slightly rough up the surface so that the primer has something to grip onto. If the surface was smooth, the primer would fail to bond, kinda like trying to climb up a sheet of glass compared to a rock wall. When sanding, make sure to sand in a circular motion rather than in straight parallel movements. The circular motion distributes the scratches in multiple directions so that they are far less noticeable once the part is painted.",{"guideVisibility":616},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":618,"type":61,"data":619,"tunes":622},"4SqkLjpH6h",{"caption":63,"withBorder":12,"withBackground":12,"stretched":12,"file":620},{"url":621},"\u002Fuploads\u002F5591EKZJNGy\u002Fcontent\u002Fb4fdd75c-312c-49ab-bfa8-18b3820caf37.jpg",{"guideVisibility":623},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":625,"type":61,"data":626,"tunes":629},"_XLW-n_dql",{"caption":63,"withBorder":12,"withBackground":12,"stretched":12,"file":627},{"url":628},"\u002Fuploads\u002F5591EKZJNGy\u002Fcontent\u002Fe7e8da3f-2a69-4b39-be74-9522786b7a47.jpg",{"guideVisibility":630},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":632,"type":21,"data":633,"tunes":635},"mMV0lkbmi-",{"text":634,"level":4},"Priming",{"guideVisibility":636},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":638,"type":30,"data":639,"tunes":641},"WqBvG4eET4",{"text":640},"For painting, I made up a stand that would hold the panels steady in place while allowing almost complete surface coverage (apart from where the wire sat). I highly recommend that you do something similar so that you can paint your parts with ease.\u003Cbr>\u003Cbr>",{"guideVisibility":642},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":644,"type":61,"data":645,"tunes":648},"ojPIkPCDcU",{"caption":63,"withBorder":12,"withBackground":12,"stretched":12,"file":646},{"url":647},"\u002Fuploads\u002F5591EKZJNGy\u002Fcontent\u002F24cc4fee-eceb-4e9c-87a1-63659269d086.jpg",{"guideVisibility":649},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":651,"type":61,"data":652,"tunes":655},"jrqRVcSSxw",{"caption":63,"withBorder":12,"withBackground":12,"stretched":12,"file":653},{"url":654},"\u002Fuploads\u002F5591EKZJNGy\u002Fcontent\u002Fb1421bed-26a2-43e3-9c01-6d915ad73ba0.jpg",{"guideVisibility":656},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":658,"type":30,"data":659,"tunes":661},"HahX1Zvgyd",{"text":660},"When it comes to priming, you'll want to use an etch primer. This is a \u003Cb>\u003Cu>must\u003C\u002Fu>\u003C\u002Fb> for stainless steel as stainless steel has a smooth, corrosion resistant surface. This makes it difficult for normal paint to adhere. An etch primer uses a mild acid that reacts with the surface of the stainless steel, creating a stronger bond between the surface and the primer.",{"guideVisibility":662},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":664,"type":30,"data":665,"tunes":667},"HbBd9HB2qS",{"text":666},"Before applying the primer, make sure to wipe the surface with either 99% isopropyl alcohol or methylated spirits to remove any contaminants like dust or oils from your fingers. I like to use a dual cloth method where you wipe the surface with a damp cloth of isopropyl alcohol or methylated spirits and then before it can dry, wiping it over with a dry cloth. It helps to remove surface contaminants rather than just smearing them. ",{"guideVisibility":668},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":670,"type":30,"data":671,"tunes":673},"ykdSjkJ3DJ",{"text":672},"Before painting, I like to use a hair dryer or heat gun to make sure the steel is completely dry, especially on humid days where condensation can form. Any moisture left on the steel can interfere with primer adhesion. Allow the metal to cool back down to ambient temperature before applying your primer. If the surface is left warm, the primer can dry too quickly and impact the bonding and surface finish.",{"guideVisibility":674},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":676,"type":30,"data":677,"tunes":679},"x4TFHs4oDI",{"text":678},"Once the surface is fully prepped (sanded and cleaned), you can happily go on your way with applying the primer.",{"guideVisibility":680},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":682,"type":30,"data":683,"tunes":685},"5g6p1gCxjg",{"text":684},"Spraying on the primer can go wrong if your technique is not right. An easy way to go about it, is to practice by spraying onto some cardboard. This allows you to understand how the nozzle behaves before going at your prepped surface. ",{"guideVisibility":686},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":688,"type":30,"data":689,"tunes":691},"kgYjuThfmg",{"text":690},"When spraying your prepped surface, keep the nozzle of the spray can around \u003Cb>200-300mm\u003C\u002Fb> from the surface so you get a nice even layer. Before spraying, move off to the side of your workpiece, press the nozzle down to start spraying and then using a steady pace, pass horizontally across the surface. Don't release the nozzle until you are past the opposite side before releasing the nozzle. ",{"guideVisibility":692},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":694,"type":30,"data":695,"tunes":697},"Ok3f2j5NAM",{"text":696},"As you become more comfortable, you can do multiple passes at a time. Just always make sure to start and stop off the workpiece as this helps to prevent \"spitting\". This is where the nozzle ejects small blobs of paint at the start of the spray. If this happens, allow the primer to dry, sand the affected area lightly with \u003Cb>400-600 grit\u003C\u002Fb>, and reapply the primer.",{"guideVisibility":698},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":700,"type":30,"data":701,"tunes":703},"r6ofHRALmL",{"text":702},"Apply \u003Cb>2-3 light coats\u003C\u002Fb> of primer rather than one heavy coat. Light coats produce a smoother finish and are much less likely to run. For my primer, I had to wait 10-15 minutes between each coat. But make sure to follow the instructions on the back of the spray can for the waiting times between coats for your specific primer.Apply 2-3 light coats",{"guideVisibility":704},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":706,"type":30,"data":707,"tunes":709},"2PMzh24IFO",{"text":708},"Repeat the surface preparation and priming for all your parts.",{"guideVisibility":710},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":712,"type":21,"data":713,"tunes":715},"_HeFIJ7bQl",{"text":714,"level":4},"Painting",{"guideVisibility":716},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":718,"type":30,"data":719,"tunes":721},"QQ5SAud5y7",{"text":720},"The primer I'm using has a drying time of \u003Cb>30 minutes\u003C\u002Fb> before being touch dry to apply my paint coat. I've gone with a satin black paint, but feel free to paint it whatever colour you wish.",{"guideVisibility":722},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":724,"type":30,"data":725,"tunes":727},"p0A1TADSQ8",{"text":726},"Just like with the primer, spray off to the side before spraying over your surface to prevent spitting from the nozzle. If you are painting within the primer's recommended recoat window, there's no surface prep needed. If the primer has fully cured or has been left for several days, lightly scuff the surface with 800-1200 grit sandpaper before wiping it clean. This provides a fresh surface for the paint to bond to. I always try to apply my final paint coat within the primer's recoat window to prevent having to wait multiple days and lightly sanding the primer.",{"guideVisibility":728},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":730,"type":30,"data":731,"tunes":733},"IpK6Y1WmmG",{"text":732},"After painting, allow the finish to fully cure before assembly. For the paint I used, I waited two weeks. Even though it is tempting to assemble it, doing so too soon can easily scratch or peel the paint before it is fully hardened. Best to wait it out.",{"guideVisibility":734},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":736,"type":21,"data":737,"tunes":739},"oGo4xFksRD",{"text":738,"level":4},"Assembly",{"guideVisibility":740},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":742,"type":30,"data":743,"tunes":745},"huzibm9ILl",{"text":744},"The drawer consists of 5 parts at this stage. We have the main drawer body, two sides and two horizontal support beams. ",{"guideVisibility":746},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":748,"type":30,"data":749,"tunes":751},"8htfSpsXFF",{"text":750},"Your drawer slides will need to be disassembled into the two parts, the main section containing the bearings and the other which is usually just a pressed bit of steel. ",{"guideVisibility":752},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":754,"type":21,"data":755,"tunes":758},"gbn-bmHqM0",{"text":756,"level":757},"The steps",4,{"guideVisibility":759},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":761,"type":30,"data":762,"tunes":764},"4VtM9Uhj9J",{"text":763},"1. Bolt the pressed metal plate (drawer slide member\u002Fprofile) to the main drawer body, like seen in the image below.",{"guideVisibility":765},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":767,"type":61,"data":768,"tunes":771},"ocZuZiJ2KK",{"caption":63,"withBorder":12,"withBackground":12,"stretched":12,"file":769},{"url":770},"\u002Fuploads\u002F5591EKZJNGy\u002Fcontent\u002Fb68cb602-d61e-4c62-bdbe-b8407849bccb.jpg",{"guideVisibility":772},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":774,"type":30,"data":775,"tunes":777},"_hyYWybhgx",{"text":776},"2. Bolt the two horizontal support beams to one of the two sides of your choosing. The bolts are inserted from the bottom and the nuts go from the inside of the frame assembly. Make sure the horizontal beams are orientated the correct way, they should sit flat against the bottom edge of the side component.",{"guideVisibility":778},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":780,"type":61,"data":781,"tunes":785},"o8Kz4cVSEs",{"caption":782,"withBorder":12,"withBackground":12,"stretched":12,"file":783},"Scratches in the paint seen are due to me testing the paint hardness. By lightly running your nail along the paint in a hidden location, if it scratches easily, it means it still needs time to cure.",{"url":784},"\u002Fuploads\u002F5591EKZJNGy\u002Fcontent\u002F084139e2-483e-4f7b-a327-f6f2db09faef.jpg",{"guideVisibility":786},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":788,"type":30,"data":789,"tunes":791},"SgSWW3sSgv",{"text":790},"3. Bolt the other side to the two horizontal beams to complete the assembly.",{"guideVisibility":792},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":794,"type":61,"data":795,"tunes":798},"3YF9X-z7tp",{"caption":63,"withBorder":12,"withBackground":12,"stretched":12,"file":796},{"url":797},"\u002Fuploads\u002F5591EKZJNGy\u002Fcontent\u002F4136b6d3-c9b0-4134-b0bc-1fcf48a9aab4.jpg",{"guideVisibility":799},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":801,"type":30,"data":802,"tunes":804},"kX_gvWjNWO",{"text":803},"4. Bolting the main drawer slide assembly (the part with the bearings) will be difficult. I suggest placing the first drawer slide on the bottom side component, sitting the assembly on the edge of your desk, inserting the first bolt in the centre of the slide from underneath and screwing the nut onto the bolt from the top. Then you can easily mount the other bolts. Flip the assembly over and repeat for the second side component.",{"guideVisibility":805},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":807,"type":61,"data":808,"tunes":811},"x8MUiU2B3B",{"caption":63,"withBorder":12,"withBackground":12,"stretched":12,"file":809},{"url":810},"\u002Fuploads\u002F5591EKZJNGy\u002Fcontent\u002Fa89d40f1-d8b0-4b5f-9b10-9063935885cd.jpg",{"guideVisibility":812},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":814,"type":61,"data":815,"tunes":818},"5Dzrw5sn_n",{"caption":63,"withBorder":12,"withBackground":12,"stretched":12,"file":816},{"url":817},"\u002Fuploads\u002F5591EKZJNGy\u002Fcontent\u002Fa1558899-b263-4e10-b3af-7aced41a39df.jpg",{"guideVisibility":819},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":821,"type":30,"data":822,"tunes":824},"6e_GmxBWl4",{"text":823},"5. After everything is attached, place the assembly vertically on your desk just to make sure it is level. If it doesn't sit flat, you'll have to slightly loosen the bolts for the horizontal beams and then tighten them once levelled.\u003Cbr>\u003Cbr>6. When attaching this assembly to your desk, you'll definitely need an extra pair of hands to hold it in place while marking it out unless you can flip your desk. The top front edge of the assembly should sit 3mm from the edge of your desk. In my example image, I have it inset too far, so the back of the drawer is slightly inaccessible. ",{"guideVisibility":825},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":827,"type":30,"data":828,"tunes":830},"XU6CO_YaQW",{"text":829},"Use the 8 button head timber screws for attaching it to the desk.",{"guideVisibility":831},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":833,"type":61,"data":834,"tunes":837},"5CNFAEIqWT",{"caption":63,"withBorder":12,"withBackground":12,"stretched":12,"file":835},{"url":836},"\u002Fuploads\u002F5591EKZJNGy\u002Fcontent\u002Fd74212da-e900-4542-a6f4-500c2c57f718.jpg",{"guideVisibility":838},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":840,"type":30,"data":841,"tunes":843},"_NBYnDzfwD",{"text":842},"7. Once the assembly is attached, you can then get the main body of the drawer, align the slides on each side and slide it into place. Pull it out carefully half way and make sure the drawer slides attached together correctly before pulling it out the whole way and using it.",{"guideVisibility":844},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":846,"type":847,"data":848},"cNfEK0Ebr-","diveStart",{"boundary":849,"version":5},"start",{"id":851,"type":21,"data":852,"tunes":854},"tdj2cbnlIu",{"text":853,"level":24},"Conclusion",{"guideVisibility":855},{"mode":27,"manual":201},{"id":857,"type":30,"data":858,"tunes":860},"Q6b3Ac3uyB",{"text":859},"If you were able to complete this project, I'd love for you to join my Discord server (link in the footer) to show it off. This is a lengthy and decently difficult project, so I have respect for those who undertake it.\u003Cbr>",{"guideVisibility":861},{"mode":27,"manual":201},{"id":863,"type":30,"data":864,"tunes":866},"oUe062q_MI",{"text":865},"I would like to redesign the front panel so that it doesn't need to be welded at all in the future at some point. This would also remove the need for painting and priming, skipping straight to assembly after manufacturing. The issue is that I don't really know how to go about doing that and don't have the time to dedicate to this project. If you know how the front panel could be redesigned without impacting the sleek appearance, feel free to give it a try and share your changes with the community.",{"guideVisibility":867},{"mode":27,"manual":201},{"id":869,"type":61,"data":870,"tunes":873},"3jdoL1DHUi",{"caption":63,"withBorder":12,"withBackground":12,"stretched":12,"file":871},{"url":872},"\u002Fuploads\u002F5591EKZJNGy\u002Fcontent\u002Facc94bcd-2c7c-40d5-a8ae-9303cb01ba59.jpg",{"guideVisibility":874},{"mode":27,"manual":201},{"id":876,"type":61,"data":877,"tunes":880},"GmWDcfCAi4",{"caption":63,"withBorder":12,"withBackground":12,"stretched":12,"file":878},{"url":879},"\u002Fuploads\u002F5591EKZJNGy\u002Fcontent\u002Fcfb44ade-a5f9-473a-a9be-e18be24b20d7.jpg",{"guideVisibility":881},{"mode":27,"manual":201},"2026-07-28T17:48:23.402488",33,"\u002Fuploads\u002F5591EKZJNGy\u002Fthumbnail\u002Fbdbbbd45-e510-4184-9ca1-ce2c2a95f740.jpg","2026-09-16T16:25:31.166584",0,[888],{"id":4,"name":208,"slug":208},{"summary":890,"difficulty":4,"build_time_minutes":891,"estimated_cost_cents":892,"youtube_url":11,"homepage_video":12,"uid":893,"slug":894,"title":895,"content":896,"published":201,"created":1280,"views":1281,"thumbnail":1282,"license_id":1283,"updated_at":1284,"download_count":886,"tag_relations":1285,"alicense":1288,"has_draft":12,"draft_updated_at":11},"Clip to make debugging and flashing Xiao nRF52840 over SWD easier.",60,800,"higgtq6RUVT","xiao-debug-peg-clamp","Xiao Debug Peg\u002FClamp",{"time":897,"blocks":898,"version":200},1788922223008,[899,904,910,915,921,927,933,968,973,979,985,992,999,1005,1013,1019,1044,1050,1056,1062,1068,1075,1081,1088,1095,1102,1108,1115,1121,1127,1133,1140,1147,1154,1161,1168,1175,1181,1188,1194,1201,1208,1214,1221,1228,1234,1240,1246,1269,1274],{"id":900,"type":901,"data":902},"dTb77RUzHO","diveEnd",{"boundary":903,"version":5},"end",{"id":905,"type":30,"data":906,"tunes":908},"HXtFkgO1qZ",{"text":907},"\u003Ci>Select deep dive mode to read the background of the previous and current design.\u003C\u002Fi>",{"guideVisibility":909},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":911,"type":21,"data":912,"tunes":913},"2TDWrJsAzD",{"text":223,"level":5},{"guideVisibility":914},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":916,"type":30,"data":917,"tunes":919},"NMfLwnz_b1",{"text":918},"While looking for a way to access the SWD\u002FJTAG pads on the back of my XIAO board, I couldn't find a solution that suited what I needed. Existing options were either feature-rich development platforms like the \u003Cb>XIAO Debug Mate \u003C\u002Fb>or required soldering directly to the board. I wanted something much simpler like a holder or clip that could be attached or removed in seconds while still providing reliable SWD access.",{"guideVisibility":920},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":922,"type":21,"data":923,"tunes":925},"tTBSXfuhDR",{"text":924,"level":24},"Parts",{"guideVisibility":926},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":928,"type":30,"data":929,"tunes":931},"uRCn3alyyc",{"text":930},"To build this clamp, you will need the following parts:",{"guideVisibility":932},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":934,"type":76,"data":935,"tunes":966},"oGRoIpwMyA",{"style":78,"meta":936,"items":937},{},[938,942,946,950,954,958,962],{"content":939,"meta":940,"items":941},"4x Pogo pins (\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.mouser.com\u002Fen\u002FProductDetail\u002FSame-Sky\u002FCPG-69-TH-B?qs=2FehpBK1j95j9pBF8slnWA%3D%3D\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">CPG-69-TH-B\u003C\u002Fa>)",{},[],{"content":943,"meta":944,"items":945},"1x Pen spring",{},[],{"content":947,"meta":948,"items":949},"1x SWD breakout board",{},[],{"content":951,"meta":952,"items":953},"28AWG wire",{},[],{"content":955,"meta":956,"items":957},"Double-sided tape",{},[],{"content":959,"meta":960,"items":961},"Cable tie (optional)",{},[],{"content":963,"meta":964,"items":965},"PLA, ASA or PETG filament (and a 3D printer of course)",{},[],{"guideVisibility":967},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":969,"type":21,"data":970,"tunes":971},"wS6s9zytcf",{"text":526,"level":5},{"guideVisibility":972},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":974,"type":30,"data":975,"tunes":977},"2iFC3mSOzv",{"text":976},"To begin, you need to solder wires to your \u003Cb>Pogo Pins\u003C\u002Fb> and then thread each pogo pin from inside the clamp through the four holes. The wires should come out the bottom and then run up along the stem to a position you believe would be right for your SWD breakout board. I chose the very end of the clamp where you push the two sides together, this was not a great spot, I suggest you place it closer to the pins.",{"guideVisibility":978},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":980,"type":30,"data":981,"tunes":983},"abWb1wK_T-",{"text":982},"Each wire should be soldered correctly on the SWD breakout board. On the back of the Xiao nRF52840, there are 4 JTAG pads as shown below.",{"guideVisibility":984},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":986,"type":61,"data":987,"tunes":990},"28hrTH9MQ6",{"caption":63,"withBorder":12,"withBackground":12,"stretched":12,"file":988},{"url":989},"\u002Fuploads\u002Fhiggtq6RUVT\u002Fcontent\u002F4a978985-42e5-47fe-bbbb-d4d2a0e8cdf2.webp",{"guideVisibility":991},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":993,"type":61,"data":994,"tunes":997},"C89mZWx4f3",{"caption":63,"withBorder":12,"withBackground":12,"stretched":12,"file":995},{"url":996},"\u002Fuploads\u002Fhiggtq6RUVT\u002Fcontent\u002Fc6104d48-e3b8-4580-a50c-264fbf83c2b9.png",{"guideVisibility":998},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":1000,"type":30,"data":1001,"tunes":1003},"kjTVKa7Y2K",{"text":1002},"The breakout board will look like this (image shown above):\u003Cbr>",{"guideVisibility":1004},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":1006,"type":1007,"data":1008,"tunes":1011},"1ieb2g0krf","code",{"code":1009,"language":1010},"(1) Vref    (2) SWIO  \n(3) GND     (4) CLK  \n(5) GND     (6) SWO  \n(7) KEY     (8) NC  \n(9) GND     (10) !RST","plaintext",{"guideVisibility":1012},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":1014,"type":30,"data":1015,"tunes":1017},"eF0A0ogxDc",{"text":1016},"The pins should be wired as follows (Xiao --&gt; Adafruit Breakout Board)\u003Cbr>",{"guideVisibility":1018},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":1020,"type":1021,"data":1022,"tunes":1042},"h4MStZy-8o","table",{"withHeadings":12,"stretched":12,"content":1023},[1024,1027,1030,1033,1036,1039],[1025,1026],"Xiao Pads","Adafruit Breakout",[1028,1029],"CLK","CLK (4)",[1031,1032],"DIO","SWIO (2)",[1034,1035],"GND","GND (3)",[1037,1038],"RST","!RST (10)",[1040,1041],"3v3","Vref (1)",{"guideVisibility":1043},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":1045,"type":594,"data":1046,"tunes":1048},"0mftzXVWqw",{"text":1047},"Absolutely make sure you solder the GND from the Xiao JTAG pad to the correct GND pin on the breakout board (the GND below Vref), otherwise the J-Link debugger will not detect the Xiao board. I made this mistake multiple times when I wasn't paying attention, the first time I was stumped and spent an hour thinking my J-Link debugger was broken.",{"guideVisibility":1049},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":1051,"type":30,"data":1052,"tunes":1054},"M5-GEXkAct",{"text":1053},"After soldering all the pins, you can then use double sided tape to attach the SWD breakout board to the clamp. You can choose to use a cable tie to hold the wires together, it also helps to protect them from breaking off from movement overtime.\u003Cbr>",{"guideVisibility":1055},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":1057,"type":30,"data":1058,"tunes":1060},"JH6-TkpyFM",{"text":1059},"When it comes to connecting Vref to the Xiao, I cut the end from a dupont jumper lead giving me a female connector. This allows me to switch between connecting directly to the 3v3 pin on the Xiao and connecting to a breadboard. Versatility is everything.",{"guideVisibility":1061},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":1063,"type":30,"data":1064,"tunes":1066},"_d-OH3ys8l",{"text":1065},"Your final clamp should look something like this, if it doesn't... try again?",{"guideVisibility":1067},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":1069,"type":61,"data":1070,"tunes":1073},"dLe9YmOWih",{"caption":63,"withBorder":12,"withBackground":12,"stretched":12,"file":1071},{"url":1072},"\u002Fuploads\u002Fhiggtq6RUVT\u002Fcontent\u002F50318abc-7eb0-49f2-a49d-42fb0b627437.jpg",{"guideVisibility":1074},{"mode":27,"manual":12},{"id":1076,"type":21,"data":1077,"tunes":1079},"-jKmFybfrK",{"text":1078,"level":5},"The Original Design",{"guideVisibility":1080},{"mode":238,"manual":201},{"id":1082,"type":61,"data":1083,"tunes":1086},"b-sYXDeXE3",{"caption":63,"withBorder":12,"withBackground":12,"stretched":12,"file":1084},{"url":1085},"\u002Fuploads\u002Fhiggtq6RUVT\u002Fcontent\u002F0a9b69b5-c124-4a00-9434-f431bc4b56a6.png",{"guideVisibility":1087},{"mode":238,"manual":201},{"id":1089,"type":61,"data":1090,"tunes":1093},"zn-vdnXVJH",{"caption":63,"withBorder":12,"withBackground":12,"stretched":12,"file":1091},{"url":1092},"\u002Fuploads\u002Fhiggtq6RUVT\u002Fcontent\u002F62b81fd5-75d3-4728-9bb9-d9e8ed2f2e58.png",{"guideVisibility":1094},{"mode":238,"manual":201},{"id":1096,"type":61,"data":1097,"tunes":1100},"7VK5OZiuXB",{"caption":63,"withBorder":12,"withBackground":12,"stretched":12,"file":1098},{"url":1099},"\u002Fuploads\u002Fhiggtq6RUVT\u002Fcontent\u002F4722c862-8190-4b08-8d33-caa8a7bd6f29.png",{"guideVisibility":1101},{"mode":238,"manual":201},{"id":1103,"type":30,"data":1104,"tunes":1106},"1PtL_Lnqlo",{"text":1105},"My first design was a holder that the Xiao would sit in and get clamped to. The clamp helped to push the Xiao board down onto the pogo pins that sat underneath. This worked well for a couple months, until it didn't. I wanted to debug another Xiao for Matter sleep states to optimise battery consumption. Turns out, I had to pull my whole setup apart just to get my holder back.",{"guideVisibility":1107},{"mode":238,"manual":201},{"id":1109,"type":61,"data":1110,"tunes":1113},"WeD8Dc_KS6",{"caption":63,"withBorder":12,"withBackground":12,"stretched":12,"file":1111},{"url":1112},"\u002Fuploads\u002Fhiggtq6RUVT\u002Fcontent\u002F1359109d-c6db-4dbf-9f75-2aa7a01e3b62.jpg",{"guideVisibility":1114},{"mode":238,"manual":201},{"id":1116,"type":30,"data":1117,"tunes":1119},"Lv6B8KOz2_",{"text":1118},"This is because the GPIO wires were connected underneath the holder, the XIAO couldn't simply be lifted out. Every board swap meant disconnecting all of the wiring first, which completely defeated the purpose of having a reusable debugging fixture. I could've redesigned it to have open sides so the wires could be slipped off, but then my clamp over the top wouldn't have anything to connect to. I decided to redesign it so it'd be easier to use.",{"guideVisibility":1120},{"mode":238,"manual":201},{"id":1122,"type":21,"data":1123,"tunes":1125},"xAHu3CSyDI",{"text":1124,"level":5},"The Redesign",{"guideVisibility":1126},{"mode":238,"manual":201},{"id":1128,"type":30,"data":1129,"tunes":1131},"6bm_2vIvP0",{"text":1130},"I began hunting on printables and makerworld for pegs. How do you even make a 3D printed peg? It was a lot easier than I thought. After seeing how I could make a peg, I began my development.",{"guideVisibility":1132},{"mode":238,"manual":201},{"id":1134,"type":61,"data":1135,"tunes":1138},"HUwec28eXK",{"caption":63,"withBorder":12,"withBackground":12,"stretched":12,"file":1136},{"url":1137},"\u002Fuploads\u002Fhiggtq6RUVT\u002Fcontent\u002F1b66fca1-e3d9-40a3-a3af-f83ecc98c7ee.png",{"guideVisibility":1139},{"mode":238,"manual":201},{"id":1141,"type":61,"data":1142,"tunes":1145},"Isu-63XLow",{"caption":63,"withBorder":12,"withBackground":12,"stretched":12,"file":1143},{"url":1144},"\u002Fuploads\u002Fhiggtq6RUVT\u002Fcontent\u002F687f5a62-bcac-4c5b-a739-1f73dae2972d.png",{"guideVisibility":1146},{"mode":238,"manual":201},{"id":1148,"type":61,"data":1149,"tunes":1152},"l-7mZDydfq",{"caption":63,"withBorder":12,"withBackground":12,"stretched":12,"file":1150},{"url":1151},"\u002Fuploads\u002Fhiggtq6RUVT\u002Fcontent\u002Fd0a542de-e717-47da-bd5c-9cdfb293600e.png",{"guideVisibility":1153},{"mode":238,"manual":201},{"id":1155,"type":61,"data":1156,"tunes":1159},"tvsf7pIXne",{"caption":63,"withBorder":12,"withBackground":12,"stretched":12,"file":1157},{"url":1158},"\u002Fuploads\u002Fhiggtq6RUVT\u002Fcontent\u002F87307468-6a85-4fd1-85bd-349ea25b2965.png",{"guideVisibility":1160},{"mode":238,"manual":201},{"id":1162,"type":61,"data":1163,"tunes":1166},"YnwZPDEA4M",{"caption":63,"withBorder":12,"withBackground":12,"stretched":12,"file":1164},{"url":1165},"\u002Fuploads\u002Fhiggtq6RUVT\u002Fcontent\u002F75eec48c-25b8-43b2-811b-df7643a1dd06.jpg",{"guideVisibility":1167},{"mode":238,"manual":201},{"id":1169,"type":61,"data":1170,"tunes":1173},"vXdxTB4uVf",{"caption":63,"withBorder":12,"withBackground":12,"stretched":12,"file":1171},{"url":1172},"\u002Fuploads\u002Fhiggtq6RUVT\u002Fcontent\u002F41b096f2-68f2-4f03-ad09-9d7ced7e4f3e.png",{"guideVisibility":1174},{"mode":238,"manual":201},{"id":1176,"type":30,"data":1177,"tunes":1179},"ejoUL-erjv",{"text":1178},"I quickly ran into an issue. The 3D printed \"spring\" wasn't able to provide enough clamping force onto the Xiao. The Xiao was able to lift up and move off from the pins. I had a pen spring sitting around and decided to put it to some use. On my first iteration with pins for the spring to sit on, the spring just kept trying to fly off.",{"guideVisibility":1180},{"mode":238,"manual":201},{"id":1182,"type":61,"data":1183,"tunes":1186},"1K7L2tSt-K",{"caption":63,"withBorder":12,"withBackground":12,"stretched":12,"file":1184},{"url":1185},"\u002Fuploads\u002Fhiggtq6RUVT\u002Fcontent\u002F35bfe4a6-6582-41d3-b8cc-be6590695998.png",{"guideVisibility":1187},{"mode":238,"manual":201},{"id":1189,"type":30,"data":1190,"tunes":1192},"r9g--F2TVR",{"text":1191},"After extending the pins, the spring had less ability to flex outwards and the force was more so directed upwards. I then faced another issue. The top half of the clamp wasn't able to angle downwards, so the force was being distributed along the whole length of the Xiao board. The result of this was the Xiao not being pushed down onto the pins quite enough. My solution for this was to make the section circled in red thinner so it would sit higher above the Xiao and focus the force on the front of the Xiao board.",{"guideVisibility":1193},{"mode":238,"manual":201},{"id":1195,"type":61,"data":1196,"tunes":1199},"lwBTaqhTXP",{"caption":63,"withBorder":12,"withBackground":12,"stretched":12,"file":1197},{"url":1198},"\u002Fuploads\u002Fhiggtq6RUVT\u002Fcontent\u002F242f4a8d-d441-4e7b-8a5d-14094c1205d8.png",{"guideVisibility":1200},{"mode":238,"manual":201},{"id":1202,"type":61,"data":1203,"tunes":1206},"jk8UeH7xhM",{"caption":63,"withBorder":12,"withBackground":12,"stretched":12,"file":1204},{"url":1205},"\u002Fuploads\u002Fhiggtq6RUVT\u002Fcontent\u002F1b54e127-8f7f-4e4b-95dc-7bfa86bcec12.png",{"guideVisibility":1207},{"mode":238,"manual":201},{"id":1209,"type":30,"data":1210,"tunes":1212},"-0e29voUCW",{"text":1211},"This adjustment worked allowing the pins to push down onto the JTAG pads of the Xiao. \u003Cbr>",{"guideVisibility":1213},{"mode":238,"manual":201},{"id":1215,"type":61,"data":1216,"tunes":1219},"cc_C4iLt3Y",{"caption":63,"withBorder":12,"withBackground":12,"stretched":12,"file":1217},{"url":1218},"\u002Fuploads\u002Fhiggtq6RUVT\u002Fcontent\u002Fdb1491d9-3271-497e-8790-5034d339962f.png",{"guideVisibility":1220},{"mode":238,"manual":201},{"id":1222,"type":61,"data":1223,"tunes":1226},"MDeKyGLqZf",{"caption":63,"withBorder":12,"withBackground":12,"stretched":12,"file":1224},{"url":1225},"\u002Fuploads\u002Fhiggtq6RUVT\u002Fcontent\u002Fa1c339c0-a338-429c-a173-ee063c7527ef.jpg",{"guideVisibility":1227},{"mode":238,"manual":201},{"id":1229,"type":30,"data":1230,"tunes":1232},"GlM1Ejr3sX",{"text":1231},"The new design is more like a peg where it has two halves connected together that push down on each other. At one end, we have a small pen spring because the original printed spring didn't provide enough clamping force. The printed spring is still retained, but now it simply keeps the two halves aligned while the pen spring provides the actual clamping pressure. At the other end, we are using the USB-C port on the Xiao as the alignment point. This keeps the GPIO pins accessible from both sides allowing the clamp to be removed at any given moment.",{"guideVisibility":1233},{"mode":238,"manual":201},{"id":1235,"type":30,"data":1236,"tunes":1238},"f5TXJHxNLT",{"text":1237},"I've since refined the design and printed the updated version. I just haven't been motivated enough to desolder the existing wiring and install the pogo pins into the new clamp yet. I do have plans to design cable guides so a zip tie isn't needed as well as slots to hold the SWD breakout board. I've currently got the breakout board held on with Tesa double-sided tape, but I'd prefer printed slots. ",{"guideVisibility":1239},{"mode":238,"manual":201},{"id":1241,"type":21,"data":1242,"tunes":1244},"fnrFHlM_TZ",{"text":1243,"level":5},"Future Improvements",{"guideVisibility":1245},{"mode":27,"manual":201},{"id":1247,"type":76,"data":1248,"tunes":1267},"wNmN5Uw2DB",{"style":78,"meta":1249,"items":1250},{},[1251,1255,1259,1263],{"content":1252,"meta":1253,"items":1254},"Integrated SWD breakout holder",{},[],{"content":1256,"meta":1257,"items":1258},"Cable tie no longer required",{},[],{"content":1260,"meta":1261,"items":1262},"Replace tape with mechanical retention",{},[],{"content":1264,"meta":1265,"items":1266},"Better strain relief",{},[],{"guideVisibility":1268},{"mode":27,"manual":201},{"id":1270,"type":21,"data":1271,"tunes":1272},"pPXuzoIyeY",{"text":853,"level":5},{"guideVisibility":1273},{"mode":238,"manual":201},{"id":1275,"type":30,"data":1276,"tunes":1278},"r6YAYrawf5",{"text":1277},"Overall I'm much happier with this design. The clamp can now be removed without disconnecting the rest of the setup, making it significantly easier to swap between development boards during debugging. As always, the Fusion360 file as well as an STL file are both available for download in the files tab.",{"guideVisibility":1279},{"mode":238,"manual":201},"2026-07-23T14:19:58.570447",36,"\u002Fuploads\u002Fhiggtq6RUVT\u002Fthumbnail\u002F6deb6b27-05bb-408f-9a0f-bc662324fe29.jpg",10,"2026-09-15T15:35:27.039875",[1286],{"id":24,"name":1287,"slug":1287},"tools",{"name":1289,"li_type":1290,"description":1291,"terms":63,"url":1292,"clauses":1293,"uid":1283},"Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International","CC BY-NC 4.0","A content licence allowing sharing and adaptation with attribution, but not for commercial purposes.","https:\u002F\u002Fcreativecommons.org\u002Flicenses\u002Fby-nc\u002F4.0\u002F",{"sharing_without_attribution":1294,"remix_culture_allowed":1295,"commercial_use":1294,"free_cultural_works":1296,"meets_open_definition":1296,"share_under_same_license":1296,"no_sharing_or_redistributing_3D_files":1296,"no_remixing":1296,"non_commercial_use":1295,"patent_license_included":1296,"right_to_repair_protected":1296,"internal_commercial_use":1297,"commercial_reselling":1294,"no_attribution_necessary":1296},"no","yes","na","maybe"]