Rough draft on new Reddit thread

[Gluing optional, finished] I commissioned the design of a 3D printed controller case for the Surface Duo that makes it function like Nintendo Switch Joycons in both portrait AND landscape orientation PLUS adds a holder for the Surface Slim Pen on the back of the phone PLUS an attachable keyboard



https://imgur.com/a/SmDYhXi

**This is not a protective case! It is purely focused on design, but it will have a decent protective value compared to nothing. I have not and will not drop test my phone.**


Multiple images in that Imgur album.

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4899484

**The title still says glue-on, but gluing the case to the phone is now optional and I won't be gluing mine.**

UPDATES WILL BE POSTED IN COMMENTS.


**Disclaimer:
Read this post fully before trying this yourself! (Even if you read the previous thread because there are changes)** Make sure the 3D print service you use knows to print the rails separately and you'll need to glue the rails to the case (Gorilla Glue was used on mine). He said that it prints better if done separately.

**You will also need to glue magnets in the case for holding in the Surface Slim Pen on the back. The magnets are 4mmx2mm magnets. Make sure you get the orientation right before gluing.**

**Gluing to the phone is optional now.** The side with the Slim Pen holder (not charger port side) is a VERY tight fit and glue is absolutely not necessary. The side with the charger port side is a little loose, but not an issue as long as you don't hold it the way that the case goes on.

**You don't even need to print the side that doesn't have the pen holder if you have no interest in using the rails in dual portrait orientation.** I know that spreading an app/game/video across both screens is very subjective and not everybody likes the tiny gap between the screens.

**I personally will NOT be gluing mine to my phone, so I've had the model updated to restore the rail over the SIM slot. The case will block the SIM slot.** You just need to take case off the phone to access the SIM slot, or if you glued it to your phone, pry off the rail and the reglue the rail after switching SIM Cards.

**Try at your own risk if you decide to glue it to your phone to hold it better and that would maybe make it a permanent modification.**


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I spent a lot of money on this, so if you use this, please tip on Thingiverse. I had the Etsy shop I commissioned post the file, so the tips go to the person that made this. In exchange for this, I will get half of the tips until I've made back what I've spent on this. Any after that is all his.

You can also use the Etsy shop I commissioned for the 3D printing and shipping if you want to directly support him, but he's in Canada so that means shipping from outside your country if you don't live in Canada.

https://www.etsy.com/shop/Spark3DPrinting


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**How to use the files:**
Find a shop on Etsy or a service that will 3D print files you send to them and ship to you. You can use the Etsy shop that I commissioned for the printing if you want to support the person that created the 3D model, but he's in Canada so that means shipping from outside your country if you don't live in Canada.

I can't remember the price for the 3D printing/shipping, but I think it was around $50-$100 (US). Different print services may give different prices - just ask for a quote and give them the Thingiverse link.



I had the idea and had back and forth discussions with the Etsy shop (features, design aspects, etc) that I paid to finally get to what I have here. I paid more than the asking price because of the discussions needed on this to get it finished.



I was going to abandon the idea of the Surface Pen holder due to the position compromising the controller rail, but he had the idea of bypassing the phone's magnet (which is normally intended just for closing the phone) and instead putting in magnets on the case to hold the Pen in. He definitely deserves the support if you're willing to tip him.



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So I commissioned the design of a "case" for the Surface Duo to add rails for the Razer Junglecat Switch-like controllers (all 4 sides for portrait and vertical). Plus it has a holder for the Surface Slim Pen on the back and a keyboard attachment.

This does add some bulk to the phone, but I think it's worth it. The phone was already pretty thin without it.



Oh and it won't be usable folded out for single screen use (screens facing out instead of facing each other), except it's kind of usable awkwardly for using the camera. But I didn't buy a dual screen phone to only use one of the screens and I don't really care about the camera.


**I used 4 Command strips (2 on the keyboard, 2 on the 3D printed attachment piece) for putting the keyboard on the keyboard attachment. See the Imgur album link on the top of the page.**

Because of the weight of the phone, the keyboard attachment is not perfectly comfortable to use. However, it's useful when you don't want a virtual keyboard popping up (sometimes it messes up the apps and closes one of them) and when you want a keyboard always accessible. For example, in Runescape, it's useful to have the keyboard always accessible for quickly typing something into the GE when buying things or searching your bank.

It's also nice to have the play/pause button for media, Home button and volume buttons on the keyboard. The keyboard button that looks kind of like the Windows logo also functions as a button for virtual assistant if you like that.

The mouse is not very comfortable, but it has practical uses in remote desktop or cloud PC Gaming. But what's most useful is the arrow keys when typing or scrolling a web page inside a remote desktop.


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**This section is about the early prototype and can be skipped if you won't be gluing it to your phone:**



On the first prototype, none of the 4 corner pieces cracked my phone when they popped off due to the bumper (intended to prevent the phone from sleeping in a pocket). I cut the bumper in the new version because of this design flaw. The new design being a tight fit and no longer required to be glued means that could be reintroduced, but I'm not going to make any more changes to this.


I glued an Otterbox case onto a previous phone, the Galaxy Note 8 and that DID crack (tore) the back when I took it off. It must be the difference in the backs of the phones. My Surface Duo was already cracked on the back, though (bought used).


However, you should assume that this will be a permanent modification if you glue it because I can't guarantee that it will cleanly pop off your phone.  Surface Duo 2 may not use the same type of back so if this gets adapted for that, it may not react the same way.


It WILL block the SIM slot, BUT you can take the case off. Or if you glued it to your phone, you can pry off just the rail and then reglue the rail to the case. The power button, charger port, fingerprint sensor and volume buttons are NOT blocked.


If you glued it to your phone, after prying off the rail, you'll need something like tweezers to pull the tray out after poking it with a SIM tool.

On the first prototype, most of the glue residue ended up on the 3D printed plastic when it detached, so you'd need a new 3D printed part for that side if you can manage to remove it (assume gluing is permanent) or accidentally break it off. The glue residue did not come off easily on the 3D printed piece.


I'm not 100% certain that it is entirely safe to intentionally remove the 3D Printed pieces after it has been glued, but so far, it didn't damage my phone when the 2 prototype pieces broke off (due to the bumper that is now cut) and I intentionally removed the other 2. The original prototype was in 4 corner pieces but the final version is now 2 side pieces.


Splitting it into 4 pieces made it catch on my pocket and that was how one piece got torn off. It is a whole piece on each side of the phone now (2 total pieces).



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**I'm not responsible if you glue it to your phone and don't know what you're doing. I used JB Weld on the first prototype, the one with the highest PSI rating. The fast-setting clear one stunk even after over a week. I'll post the exact glue name I used later.**


UPDATES WILL BE POSTED IN COMMENTS.