advertisement
Facebook
X
LinkedIn
WhatsApp
Reddit

Need a hard case for your Switch Pro Controller? There’s a 3D print for that

While the Nintendo Switch was designed to be portable, this can become complicated if you prefer to play with a Pro Controller. Simply throwing the expensive pad into a backpack isn’t ideal, but there’s a 3D print for that now.

Maker Kyle DeDecker has created a carry case for the Pro Controller that sets itself apart from third party offerings you can buy. While similar cases are available for other controllers, they’re usually soft and prone to taking up extra space in a bag.

To make this DeDecker needed a model of the controller to design the case around. This was surprisingly difficult to find but, eventually, a scan of the hardware was found on Tinkercad’s sharing platform.

Using Blender the rough scan needed to be smoothed out for a tight fit. Around 20 hours went into the modelling and print-preparation work. We’ve been told that adding the correct supports was a nightmare here as the automatic software that usually facilitates this would have required a lot of sanding to properly remove.

After being sliced in Cura printing took around 48 hours with each of the main body pieces with delicate tree supports needing 12 hours alone. A small printer was used here, so those with larger print beds may be able to get theirs made faster.

After cutting away the supports and doing some light sanding, the individual pieces were “welded” together by melting the seams with a soldering iron. This is the same technique we saw used for a collection of Tokyo Ghoul masks,  but it’s much less noticeable here on an unpainted, monochrome project.

The finished print is 15.1 X 7.51 X 13 centimetres and perfectly wraps around the controller, complete with a friction hinge and latch.

For actual use the PLA used here has a bit of give and so there’s been no scratching happening yet. That being said, those worried can choose to line the inside with some felt or a similarly soft material.

The files to make your own are available for free from Thingiverse where DeDecker’s previous designs are also available.

He says that his experiences in making a similar project for the Xbox One controller greatly helped speed up the process here.

Previous 3D Prints of the Day:

advertisement

About Author

advertisement

Related News

advertisement