3D Printed IPhone Tripod Mount and Case, 2 in 1

Hello Instructables Family,

Here is my latest design! I always love to capture videos and nice pictures with my phone. So I decided to buy a tripod mount for it. However, the tripod mounts are in the market are expensive and ugly. Due to this fact, I was upset and decided to design one by myself. "Why not ?!"

After few sketches, I get exited about this project because I started to love my design. Finally my design has finished and became 2 in 1 project. Right now it is a tripod mount and a case. Please enjoy the photos.

Let's have a look at my steps

Step 1: Behind the Scenes, First Design and Mistakes

Behind the Scenes,

I should admit admit that, 3D printing is also experimenting as well. My design was look good in the CAD software (I am using AUTODESK Inventor). But before printing it, I should have check the part dimensions for printability. In the first picture which has metallic arm design, (I call it arm because this part is hugging my phone) I used small parts like nails to hold my phone. Those small nail parts break very easily while I was taking my phone off the case. So I changed that design into more stronger one.

After that I decided to print all my part to see my mistakes. As you can see in the pictures I marked all my mistakes on the 3D printed part so that I won't forget them and redesign easily.

Let me list my mistakes that I fixed:

1) Nut entrance was small due to not including tolerance calculation.

2) Arm part break easily due to misconnections and less infill.

3) Column part wasn't long enough to hold my phone vertical.

4) Screw directions were not matching.

5) Screwdriver entrance was too close to surface and it failed too early.

6) Why I didn't put my signature on it ? I should put.

There were in total of 6 mistakes in my first design. So I fixed them for better user performance and satisfaction.

Additionally, let me explain part names. Arms is the main part that is holding your phone and it is also phone case by itself. Screw is the screw :D you know it. Lastly Column is the thickest part that holds arms on top of any tripod.

Step 2: Parts and Easy Assembly

Parts and Easy Assembly,

This design is speaking for itself. Just attach them into together, very easy. Only thing you need to know is M5 nut is your connection to any standard tripod. Just fit it into the hexagon entrance that I designed at the bottom of the part named column. (It is in the fifth picture)

Step 3: As a Tripod Mount

As a Tripod Mount,

By assembling parts you can use this design as a Tripod Mount. It stabilizes your phone very well. All the corners in arm part encapsulates edges of your phone, which means that it will never let your phone fall. To take your phone of the case please raise upper arms up, bottom arms down. Very simple to detach and hard to make it fall!

If you want to be sure about its quality for holding let me know, I can provide a video to this step, just comment down below. :)

Step 4: As a Case

As a Case,

By using only part named Arms you can use this design as a high fashion bumper :) It covers all the corners of your phone and absorbs any external forces. It looks really good and it is 2.8mm thin. This design reminds me electricity :D

Also if you want to see more cool pictures of this design you can see them from my Instagram account.

As a side note,

I get the dimension of my phone from apple's official case developer guidelines for designers. You can download the same file and change the arm design's dimensions to any other iPhone and by following the same idea you can prepare arm designs for android phones as well.

Step 5: Stl Files and Last Improvement After My Usage Experience

Welcome to final step,

After using my design (by myself), I decided to improve one last thing which is screw. When you use the design as tripod mount after a while screw loosens. Due to this fact you want to fasten it but you don't carry a screwdriver in general. So I add latch like design on top os the screw. With this way you can screw and unscrew it without any need to screwdriver. (You can see developed design pictures)

Please take a look at into CURA settings that I provide as a picture.

These settings are really important. If you want to print all of them once, print will take a day long. I don't suggest that method. Instead, by using high quality settings that I provide, print screw and column together with 60% infill. After you finish them, print the part named arm with 100% infill, because you this part to be strong. Now you can download the attached .stl files. (Screw.stl, Arms.stl, columns.stl)

Please enjoy my design and comment down below :) I would love to here your experience with it.