At some point, every D&D player has dumped their dice into a shoebox, a Crown Royal bag… or that one drawer in the kitchen that somehow holds batteries, rubber bands, and three random Allen wrenches.
But what if your dice storage was worthy of Middle Earth?
Today, we’re building a 3D printed Hobbit-inspired dice tower where you drop the dice down the chimney and it rolls right out the iconic round front door. But here’s the twist…
It’s not just a dice tower.
It’s a dice vault.
And I’m going to show you how to design two different working hinge systems so your front door can either swing open — or fully detach and store your dice inside.
Let’s build it.
Why Build a Custom D&D Dice Tower?
If you’re serious about tabletop gaming, you know:
-
Dice towers reduce cheating
-
They improve randomness
-
They protect your minis and terrain
-
And let’s be honest… they just look awesome
But most dice towers only do one thing.
This one:
-
Rolls dice
-
Stores dice
-
Uses functional 3D printed hinges
-
Is fully customizable in Nomad Sculpt
-
And prints beautifully on FDM printers
That’s MakerBuildIt energy right there.
Designing the Hobbit Dice Tower in Nomad Sculpt
This model was built in Nomad Sculpt, but the hinge concepts apply to Blender or any modeling software that supports booleans and voxel remeshing.
The main structure includes:
-
Chimney wide enough for a standard D20
-
Internal channel aligned to the round front door
-
Removable door system
-
Hidden vault space inside
Now let’s talk hinges — because this is where it gets fun.
Hinge Design #1: Simple Pin-Style Slide Hinge
This is the easiest hinge to design and print.
How It Works:
-
Add a cylinder beside the door.
-
Use the hole (boolean subtract) tool to hollow the cylinder.
-
Create a second cylinder that fits inside with slight tolerance.
-
Connect that inner cylinder to the door with a box.
-
Voxel remesh the pieces into one object.
Now you have a sliding pin hinge.
Why Use This One?
-
Easy to model
-
Prints reliably
-
Great for display towers
-
Pops open easily
If you just want your dice tower door to open and close without worrying about tight storage — this is your hinge.
Hinge Design #2: Removable Traditional Pin Hinge (Dice Vault Mode)
This version is more mechanical.
Instead of remeshing everything together:
-
Duplicate the hinge support box
-
Position one at the top and one at the bottom
-
Duplicate the pin and hide it
-
Voxel remesh to create a clean pin channel
-
Create a slightly smaller pin to allow clearance
-
Add a top cap to lock it in place
Now the hinge works like a real mechanical hinge.
Why This One Is Better for Storage:
-
Holds tighter
-
Allows removable pins
-
Lets you create a sealed dice vault
-
Feels more engineered
This is the hinge you use if you want your Hobbit hole to hide treasure.
Tolerance Tips for 3D Printed Hinges
This is critical.
When printing hinge pins:
-
Make the final pin slightly narrower than the boolean cut version
-
Leave 0.2–0.3mm clearance for FDM printers
-
Avoid making the hinge overly snug
-
Print at 0.2mm layer height for smoother rotation
Too tight? It fuses.
Too loose? It wobbles.
Dial it in and it feels professional.
Printing the Dice Tower
Recommended settings:
-
PLA or PLA+
-
0.4mm nozzle
-
15–20% infill
-
3 walls minimum
-
No supports needed if internal channel is angled properly
Pro Tip:
If your hinge tolerances are tight, print the door separately for easier tuning.
Why Add Storage to a Dice Tower?
Because functionality matters.
A traditional dice tower only rolls dice.
This version:
-
Rolls dice
-
Stores dice
-
Protects your favorite D20
-
Adds roleplay flavor to your table
And let’s be honest…
A dice tower that hides 40 dice is going to make a dragon nervous.
👉 Download the model here: https://makerbuildit.com/products/hobbit-dice-tower
Updating the Model
One thing I realized after printing:
The hinge box around the pin should have been slightly larger so the circular cut stays fully enclosed.
That’s getting revised.
If you download the model from my site, you’ll get update notifications when improvements are made.
MakerBuildIt models evolve.
Final Thoughts: Tower or Vault?
So here’s the real question.
Are you building:
-
A dice tower?
Or
-
A dice tower and hidden vault?
Same cozy Hobbit hole.
Two hinge styles.
Two engineering philosophies.
That’s the beauty of 3D modeling — you get to decide.
Related Projects You Might Like
🎥 Other videos: Other Episodes in the Art of Articulation Series: Part 01: Chain Joints - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6M8x-yEO2Q
Part 02: Ball and Socket Print in Place Joints - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYgYo8M5z8Y
Part 03: Key & Cut - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xfv4sLJmv0s
Part 04: Rotational Joint - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtPGfLZdfqw
Part 05: Part 05: Snap in Ball and Socket Joints - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hv5AEqQ7B38
Part 06: Simple Trick to Create Articulated Action Figure Hinge Joints! - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DpJl5RutMA
If you’re into functional 3D prints that mix creativity with engineering — you’re in the right place.
🧰 Gear Used (Some Affiliate Links)
• 3D Printers - https://amzn.to/44A971y
• PLA filament - https://amzn.to/4p4OJNk
• Nomad Sculpt - https://nomadsculpt.com/
• MakerLab (Used for the base build) - https://makerworld.com/en/makerlab/imageTo3d
Frequently Asked Questions
What software did you use?
Nomad Sculpt for modeling. Any slicer works.
Can I print this on a Bambu Lab printer?
Absolutely. It prints great on Bambu Lab machines.
Does the hinge print assembled?
The simple hinge is partially integrated. The traditional hinge uses a removable pin.
Can I scale the model?
Yes — just make sure you adjust hinge tolerances accordingly.
Maker Wisdom
A good dice tower rolls them.
A great dice tower hides treasures.