Features:
Is fully 3D printable. No extra hardware needed. Fits a big variety of toggle switches. The compliant spring gives the cover a satisfying snaping motion. The .STEP is available too if you have to make it fit for some weird switches or to customize for your own project.
Printing:
Best be done in the given orientation. Enable a brim and maybe organic support for the cap part. layerhights from 0.12-0.25mm are good to go. The mechanism works fine with all parts printed from PLA but i recommend higly to have at least the spring part made from PETG. Although i never had any issue with a spring made from PLA, a PETG spring should be more reliable on the long run.
Assembly:
1) Mount the spring to the cap. Use a piece of filament as axle. Pay attention to insert it the right way round. (See picture below)
2) Push the spring in the base parts recess. You might need some practice and some fine pliers to persuade the spring to go in its designated place. Please note that the spring is intended to “work/move” a little in the base in order to ensure its function. If you fix it with glue it is likely that the cap wont close fully anymore.
3) Fix the cap to the base. Use a piece of filament as axle
3a) If you use the cap with the pattern on top, use sharpy or a little nail polish to give it a nice coloring.
3b) If you are using the inverted pattern, you have to glue the inserts in place with a drop of superglue
4) Done! enjoy the awesome springiness!
If you have a switch with internal lighting, concider printing the cap from translucent material. I guess this might have i nice effect on its appearance if one is into this kind of gimicky stuff ^^
If you are looking for a different style for your cap, maybe this one is more to your liking
CHANGELOG 07.01.2024
Reworked the hinge area on the Base part in order to make it stronger
Added a Cap part without the grooves on the side.
Old version parts are still available in parts folder “old parts”
CHANGELOG 04.05.2024
Added a little latch on the base, in order to prevent the spring from slipping out in some rare occasions
CHANGELOG 12.04.2024
Reworked the cap's internal structure a little in order to make it easier to close it with smal switches, so the smal switches get turned off reliably.
Also added two new caps with a “warning pattern"
The author remixed this model.
Changed the cap in its form and reworked the baseplate a little. The hinges on the cap might be a little stronger now. Otherwise its pretty much the same in its function. just an other style