PalettePail: Vallejo Edition – Modular Paint Tray System for 5-Gallon Buckets

Let’s be honest—if you paint miniatures or build tabletop terrain, you’ve probably got paint bottles stashed in bins, stacked on shelves, or scattered across your desk in a not-so-glorious rainbow of chaos. We've all been there.

PalettePail: Vallejo Edition was designed to bring order to the madness. This modular system turns a plain old 5-gallon bucket into a fully customizable, portable paint storage powerhouse built specifically for dropper-style paints like Vallejo, Army Painter, Scale75, and more.

At the heart of the system is a snap-together rail insert, printed in 12 easy-to-manage pieces. Once assembled, it fits snugly inside a standard 5-gallon bucket and allows you to slide in up to three stackable trays, each designed to securely hold 51 dropper bottles. That’s up to 153 bottles per bucket—no shaking, no tipping, no more searching for your favorite highlight color.

Each tray includes:
- A center handle for easy lifting in and out of the bucket
- A built-in cup area in the middle to hold brushes, glue, or hobby tools when the tray is sitting on your workspace
- A tight-fitting layout that keeps your bottles upright and tidy

To make the system even more versatile, this edition includes two different utility tray options:
- A deep utility tray, perfect for taller items like glue bottles, sculpting tools, or texture pastes
- A shallow tray, ideal for brushes, clippers, bits, and anything you want quick access to

Print whichever tray works best for your setup—or go all-in and use both!

Also included is a clever little add-on: a top brush/tool caddy that nests into the unused space near the rim of your bucket. It prints in three parts and snaps together without glue. It’s the perfect spot to toss your go-to brushes, hobby knives, or stir sticks—no digging, no mess.

Whether you're setting up your home hobby space or looking for a portable solution for paint nights, game cons, or club meetups, PalettePail makes it easy to keep your paints safe, organized, and ready to roll.

This STL file set includes:
• 1x Rail System (12 parts – snap fit, no glue required)
• 1x Vallejo Tray (3 parts – glue required)
• 1x Utility Tray – Deep Version (3 parts – glue required)
• 1x Utility Tray – Shallow Version (3 parts – glue required)
• 1x Top Brush/Tool Caddy (3 parts – snap fit, no glue required)

Looking for other options? Check out:
• PalettePail: Craft Paint Edition – perfect for 2oz bottles like Apple Barrel
• PalettePail: Complete Bundle – includes all tray types plus bonus accessories
• Model Paint Holders – wall and tabletop solutions for dropper bottles
• HD Hobby Helpers – organizers, tool trays, and workspace add-ons
• View the full PalettePail Collection – all editions in one place

• Printer type: FDM/FFF
• Layer height: 0.2mm recommended
• s: Not required
• Assembly: Rails snap together; trays require glue; brush caddy snaps together
• Scale: 100%