My hunt for the Nintendo Switch at retail price finally came to an end this last week! Unlike most, who would spend hours playing their new console, I promptly fired up the 3D printer and began scouring the web for awesome accessories. After sharing what I made on twitter it became apparent that many of you liked what you saw, so I thought I could show what I used and where I got the files, so you can make your own!
First I'll start with the hardware: I am using a CTC Dual Extruder printer, which is now very affordable and available on eBay (I'll link everything at the end).
Second, for filament I used a sandable, stain ready, wood filament from Hatchbox USA. I personally really like this filament because it prints with standard PLA (190c nozzle temp, 60c bed temp) settings with no issues, and is the most affordable wood filament on the market. I have experimented with many filament types and I will provide a link below as well where you can get samples of some of the more specialty/expensive types available, from wood to metal.
Finally the other equipment you need is your preferred wood stain, a roll of paper towels, and a few pieces of 400 grit sandpaper. These will all be used for finishing the wood filament and won't be needed if you decide to print in other mediums. For wood filament I highly recommend going over the piece with sandpaper for taking off high spots and smoothing the outer shell. After which I wiped down the piece with a dry paper towel, then applied the stain with another clean paper towel. I like to apply the stain with a towel as opposed to a brush, sponge or stain cloth because it gives a more natural looking pattern on the wood filament.
Each of the accessories I printed were found on Thingiverse.com and were not designed by me. I was just able to hunt down the ones that worked. I printed many of the items on the Nintendo Switch page of the site, and these are the ones that came out the best.
Here is a list of links for all the materials I used and models from their original designers, enjoy and post any questions in the comments and I’ll do my best to help!
Hardware Links:
3D Printer - https://goo.gl/rYDeMn
Hatchbox Filament - https://goo.gl/AYhebK
Sample Filament Site- http://www.globalfsdusa.com/
Wood Stain - https://goo.gl/DdHx24
STL Files ( 3D printer compatible files):
Charge and Play Dock - https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2164088
Joy-Con Grips- https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2259607
Joy-Con Strap Holder- https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2297807
Game Case - https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2308249