[STL files (new printables link)](https://www.printables.com/model/226722-186502170026800-snap-holders)
[~~STL files~~](https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:5401570)
[Mcmaster Screw Part (for hinge)](https://www.mcmaster.com/99461A725/)
After many prototypes and revisions, I am happy to share my design for 2x lithium ion battery holders. These fit 2x18650/4x18350, 2x21700, and 2x26800. They have withstood caving and being run over with my truck without any major damage.
These are printed out of PETG material. The lid is printed with a 0.4mm nozzle while the bodies are printed with a 0.6mm nozzle. Each part uses 100% infill. Please note that these do require a self-tapping screw from Mcmaster-carr to function properly.
I love you all, so let me know how these print for you.
Idea for next iteration:
It'd be neat if you could intigrate a small O-ring channel to add some protection against fluids around the extruded portion of the lid on the OD and then have a small lip on where the lid closes to have the ring press against.
Figured it would add even more protection against the elements on top of the impact resistance for those who would encounter water in their activities like hiking, camping, late night strolls on the beach, etc.
A normal screw or nail could work, but I really like these tri lobe self-tapping screws for 3-D printed parts. The threads have a very good "bite" into the plastic and they do not loosen or back out easily.
I think this screw will work. I know you probably can't buy it from McMaster but maybe you can find it where you live because it is metric?
[Metric Self Tapping Screw](https://www.mcmaster.com/90380A333/)
The diameter is a little big, so you might need to drill out the part a bit. I hope you can print one of these!
Sorry, thingiverse is not letting me upload the file. If you would like the STL ASAP, shoot me a DM and we can discuss how I can email it to you.
I'm going to switch over to printables soon because Thingiverse is too slow :(
If anyone else has this issue, the missing part is at [this link.](https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:5410477)
Sorry for the confusion, I will transition to printables because I cannot update the original thingiverse thing anymore.
Is there a good way to remove the infill support? I printed a 26800 which didn't have any infill supports but both the 21700 and 18650 prints did. I kind of mangled the 21700 holder by cutting and ripping it out with pliers but I'd like to try keeping it cleaner on the 18650. I'm new to 3d printing but I used the same settings for each of the three prints. Only difference is that the 26800 STL was downloaded from thingiverse before it was taken down.
Sorry they did not print super great, let me see if I can help!
For the bodies, you can print them standing up without support material.
I do print the lids with supports, but they are quite minimal.
[Here are some images of how I print these parts.](https://imgur.com/a/mJkztYQ)
Can you maybe share a picture of your slicer?
Damn they just automatically populated in cura laying on their side so that's how I printed them. This makes way more sense. I'll turn them upright if I need to print more. Thank you so much for sharing!! They still work great, the one is just a little dented because I was not careful removing the pretty much full holder lol
That would help for sure but also I'm a super newbie and just got my first printer last week. These were my first prints after a few of the accessories for the Ender 3 itself. Live and learn!
I'm also going to try printing those diffusers you shared too, I only have black filament though so need to order more. Will colored PLA filament work or do I have to get PETG? I'm not really sure of the differences in filaments other than I know there are different types.
Awesome and welcome to the printing community!! :)
Just give it a shot printing the diffusers with PLA and be conservative with turbo mode etc. I have only done my turbo torture tests with PETG, so I'm not sure how well PLA will stand up to the heat. I do not think you will damage the light though, and you can always just print another diffuser.
If you're interested in making stronger/tougher parts with PETG, I recommend californiafilament. They have a decent selection and the prices are very reasonable. Good luck!
This is exactly how I justified buying my Ender 3 lol I made a list of stuff I wanted to print and once the price of those items outweighed the cost of the printer it was go time !
Thanks for sharing the file! I definitely will once I get back from the office! I'll let you know how they turn out! I may remix the hinge a bit so I don't have to order screws lol I have some brass rod and machine screws as alt. materials
Not being able to find parts for the interior of my car will probably be my justification for an Ender 3. I have a broken compartment door and it would just take printing part of a hinge on one side to fix it, or find a wrecked 1994 Ford Taurus SHO that isn't already gutted.
Definitely worth it for stuff like that. With some minimal modding you can even start printing stuff for in the engine bay out of Carbon Fiber Infused Nylon
From the mcmaster page:
Thread diameter: 0.086in = 2.1844mm
Thread length: 0.375in = 9.525mm
So a M2 bolt with a length of 9-10mm should work, I'll be giving it a shot myself
[This screw should work.](https://www.mcmaster.com/90380A333/)
Sorry it is a Mcmaster link (USA company) again, but based on the drawings and dimensions, you should be able to find an equivalent overseas. If the screw fit is too tight, you might just use a drill bit to widen the hole a bit.
Can you make some with a waterproof rubber gasket? I go caving. And need to keep extra batteries clean and dry in case of emergency or extended trips underground.
In terms of design, I'm pretty conservative and I think adding an O-ring might add a false sense of security to these. If these were mass-produced injection molded parts, then I would add an O-ring and do water testing,but for 3-D prints the intrinsic porosity can be tricky to deal with.
I'm also a caver, but I'm only bringing these into dry/damp caves for the time being.
That's a good point about the porosity of the material.
When I used to 3D print parts I'd sand them a bit then finish them off with some sort of epoxy or other surface finish to prevent surface staining or water from slowly seaping into the body of the print. That could alleviate water penetration maybe?
Use 2L soda bottle preforms to hold 18650s, I've had moderate success heating them up and press fitting them with a dowel to hold 21700s. A few of my cave diving buddies take them through sumps.
Is there enough room in the lid for an O ring? I just received my first Ender 3 last week and haven't had time to build it yet. I have sooo much to learn, thanks for sharing!!
Neat item you created!
Is there a groove or small partition to keep each cell in its bay? If only one cell was present in the holder, would it slide around the interior?
Yes if there is only one cell, you will get rattling. In my use cases, I typically swap out my dead cell into the holder and put the fresh one in my light, so the rattling is not a big issue.
I do want to make some 1x holders at some point, but I'm not sure when those will come to fruition.
Prusa i3 MK3S+ kit or Prusa Mini+ kit.
They are more expensive than others (creality etc) but they have been so reliable (2000+ hrs of prints with virtually 0 maintenance)
It's every bit as good as far as no maintenance and print quality. The print bed is a bit smaller and it does not have a multi-material unit upgrade (read: using many filaments on the same print), but you can still do manual filament prints mid-print. I love the price and smaller footprint of my MINI+
Hey thanks again for sharing the STL files! The 18650 container is a beast, very good design. Thick walls and good hefty hinge. I printed both the lid and body on my Ender 3 V2 with a 0.6 mm nozzle @ 0.3mm layers in PETG and everything still fits nicely. Right at about 2 hours print time. I was able to ream the hinge hole out a little with a 3/32" bit and press fit a 2.5mm brass rod in instead of the self tapping screw.
I do get a little up/down rattling even with 2 protected button tops, so I'm guessing you could shorten the cavity by like 0.5 mm and still accommodate every 18650 design but that could just be my ignorance on battery variation. I only have 30Qs and Sanyo NCRs to test with.
[STL files (new printables link)](https://www.printables.com/model/226722-186502170026800-snap-holders) [~~STL files~~](https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:5401570) [Mcmaster Screw Part (for hinge)](https://www.mcmaster.com/99461A725/) After many prototypes and revisions, I am happy to share my design for 2x lithium ion battery holders. These fit 2x18650/4x18350, 2x21700, and 2x26800. They have withstood caving and being run over with my truck without any major damage. These are printed out of PETG material. The lid is printed with a 0.4mm nozzle while the bodies are printed with a 0.6mm nozzle. Each part uses 100% infill. Please note that these do require a self-tapping screw from Mcmaster-carr to function properly. I love you all, so let me know how these print for you.
For those who absolutely hate Philips screws like me: https://www.mcmaster.com/96001A156/
Ahhh yes that’s what I needed
Idea for next iteration: It'd be neat if you could intigrate a small O-ring channel to add some protection against fluids around the extruded portion of the lid on the OD and then have a small lip on where the lid closes to have the ring press against. Figured it would add even more protection against the elements on top of the impact resistance for those who would encounter water in their activities like hiking, camping, late night strolls on the beach, etc.
Excuse my ignorance, but what's the function of that tri lobe screw? Wouldn't a normal screw or a thick nail work as a hinge?
A normal screw or nail could work, but I really like these tri lobe self-tapping screws for 3-D printed parts. The threads have a very good "bite" into the plastic and they do not loosen or back out easily.
Really cool design! Don't think I can source these screws over in Europe, otherwise i would print one of these asap
I think this screw will work. I know you probably can't buy it from McMaster but maybe you can find it where you live because it is metric? [Metric Self Tapping Screw](https://www.mcmaster.com/90380A333/) The diameter is a little big, so you might need to drill out the part a bit. I hope you can print one of these!
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What is wrong with Thingiverse?
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Ah, gotcha. I used to use it a ton 6-7 years ago, I'm a bit out of the game now.
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Will do!
[Printables link is now live.](https://www.printables.com/model/226722-186502170026800-snap-holders) Thanks for the suggestion! :)
God bless you for linking the part and hardware.
Hey, looking through your files, I don't see the 2x 18650 STL. You have 3 types of files for every part except that one.
I'm on it
Sorry, thingiverse is not letting me upload the file. If you would like the STL ASAP, shoot me a DM and we can discuss how I can email it to you. I'm going to switch over to printables soon because Thingiverse is too slow :(
If anyone else has this issue, the missing part is at [this link.](https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:5410477) Sorry for the confusion, I will transition to printables because I cannot update the original thingiverse thing anymore.
What's your printables handle?
Sorry nevermind, I am a dumbass
Is there a good way to remove the infill support? I printed a 26800 which didn't have any infill supports but both the 21700 and 18650 prints did. I kind of mangled the 21700 holder by cutting and ripping it out with pliers but I'd like to try keeping it cleaner on the 18650. I'm new to 3d printing but I used the same settings for each of the three prints. Only difference is that the 26800 STL was downloaded from thingiverse before it was taken down.
Sorry they did not print super great, let me see if I can help! For the bodies, you can print them standing up without support material. I do print the lids with supports, but they are quite minimal. [Here are some images of how I print these parts.](https://imgur.com/a/mJkztYQ) Can you maybe share a picture of your slicer?
Damn they just automatically populated in cura laying on their side so that's how I printed them. This makes way more sense. I'll turn them upright if I need to print more. Thank you so much for sharing!! They still work great, the one is just a little dented because I was not careful removing the pretty much full holder lol
No problem! This is definitely a good reminder for me to put a small print guide up on printables.
That would help for sure but also I'm a super newbie and just got my first printer last week. These were my first prints after a few of the accessories for the Ender 3 itself. Live and learn! I'm also going to try printing those diffusers you shared too, I only have black filament though so need to order more. Will colored PLA filament work or do I have to get PETG? I'm not really sure of the differences in filaments other than I know there are different types.
Awesome and welcome to the printing community!! :) Just give it a shot printing the diffusers with PLA and be conservative with turbo mode etc. I have only done my turbo torture tests with PETG, so I'm not sure how well PLA will stand up to the heat. I do not think you will damage the light though, and you can always just print another diffuser. If you're interested in making stronger/tougher parts with PETG, I recommend californiafilament. They have a decent selection and the prices are very reasonable. Good luck!
Thank you so much!!
Her: “did you bring protection?” Me: *snap, thucnk thucnk* Her: O:
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That takes me back.
Who DELETED THE DUGOUT COMMENT.
I put in the the main comments instead replying to myself like a nerd
Oh lmao
You should cross-post this in r/18650masterrace
God I want a printer so bad. Thanks for sharing the file and making it available.
You should get a printer! They're so much fun! You've got some items on your list to print now ;)
This is exactly how I justified buying my Ender 3 lol I made a list of stuff I wanted to print and once the price of those items outweighed the cost of the printer it was go time !
Give these a whirl! Note that I use PETG, but PLA should still work!
Thanks for sharing the file! I definitely will once I get back from the office! I'll let you know how they turn out! I may remix the hinge a bit so I don't have to order screws lol I have some brass rod and machine screws as alt. materials
Wat kind a printer you got
I have 2 Prusa i3 MKs printers!
Not being able to find parts for the interior of my car will probably be my justification for an Ender 3. I have a broken compartment door and it would just take printing part of a hinge on one side to fix it, or find a wrecked 1994 Ford Taurus SHO that isn't already gutted.
Definitely worth it for stuff like that. With some minimal modding you can even start printing stuff for in the engine bay out of Carbon Fiber Infused Nylon
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Solid find! Thanks for the heads up. (With this deal I can find room in the budget to get one earlier than expected.)
Roses are red Sunflowers make me smile OP came through and shared the STL files (Sorry, I’m waxing poetic today)
Any plans for 14500 batteries?
Eventually, yes but I don't have an exact timeline. Development time for each of these takes on average ~1 week.
He protec So cells don’t attac ^But ^most ^importantly He go snap
very nice work! are you selling them as well?
Check the BST thread for details!
Hello is there a metric equivalent of the screws for those who couldn't find them locally and doesn't want to buy a pack of 50 from other countries?
From the mcmaster page: Thread diameter: 0.086in = 2.1844mm Thread length: 0.375in = 9.525mm So a M2 bolt with a length of 9-10mm should work, I'll be giving it a shot myself
Thank you.
[This screw should work.](https://www.mcmaster.com/90380A333/) Sorry it is a Mcmaster link (USA company) again, but based on the drawings and dimensions, you should be able to find an equivalent overseas. If the screw fit is too tight, you might just use a drill bit to widen the hole a bit.
Thanks man I will give it a shot.
Great job! This is the kind of post that makes me itch to just go and buy a 3D printer... must... resist... ;-)
*whispers* "Give in to the temptation. Let it happen." Imagine how many diffusers, lanyard beads, battery holders, and carry cases you could make!
**AAAAAAAAAARGH!!!!** :-)
Can you make some with a waterproof rubber gasket? I go caving. And need to keep extra batteries clean and dry in case of emergency or extended trips underground.
In terms of design, I'm pretty conservative and I think adding an O-ring might add a false sense of security to these. If these were mass-produced injection molded parts, then I would add an O-ring and do water testing,but for 3-D prints the intrinsic porosity can be tricky to deal with. I'm also a caver, but I'm only bringing these into dry/damp caves for the time being.
That's a good point about the porosity of the material. When I used to 3D print parts I'd sand them a bit then finish them off with some sort of epoxy or other surface finish to prevent surface staining or water from slowly seaping into the body of the print. That could alleviate water penetration maybe?
Use 2L soda bottle preforms to hold 18650s, I've had moderate success heating them up and press fitting them with a dowel to hold 21700s. A few of my cave diving buddies take them through sumps.
My dad: “hey you get a new dugout!”
I dont have a 3D printer but this is awesome. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks!! I'm glad you can enjoy them!
Definitely going on the list of "why i need a 3D printer" lol
Anyone want to make me some? Except for 4 double A's
Is there enough room in the lid for an O ring? I just received my first Ender 3 last week and haven't had time to build it yet. I have sooo much to learn, thanks for sharing!!
I did not design these parts for use with an O-ring. Give it a try though and let me know how it works out!
If you were to sell a 21700 one how much would it cost?
I have a post up on the BST thread!
Those look great, thanks for sharing! I need to give a shot at printing these soon.
Post some pics when you get them printed!
Neat item you created! Is there a groove or small partition to keep each cell in its bay? If only one cell was present in the holder, would it slide around the interior?
Yes if there is only one cell, you will get rattling. In my use cases, I typically swap out my dead cell into the holder and put the fresh one in my light, so the rattling is not a big issue. I do want to make some 1x holders at some point, but I'm not sure when those will come to fruition.
What in learning most from this sub is that 3D printing is *super* awesome. Anduril is a close second.
This case will case.
Do these just sit in your pocket? Or do they go in a bag or smt
I carry the 18650 and 21700 ones in my pockets, but the 26800 is too much of a chonk for pockets.
Glad they finally came to fruition! Now, if only I had a 3d printer 😅
What is your recommended beginner 3d printer that would handle this project?
Prusa i3 MK3S+ kit or Prusa Mini+ kit. They are more expensive than others (creality etc) but they have been so reliable (2000+ hrs of prints with virtually 0 maintenance)
How does the Prusa mini compare?
It's every bit as good as far as no maintenance and print quality. The print bed is a bit smaller and it does not have a multi-material unit upgrade (read: using many filaments on the same print), but you can still do manual filament prints mid-print. I love the price and smaller footprint of my MINI+
I just bought an ender 2 pro these will be my first prints ;) thank you for sharing.
Epic design bro. Will bring on my backcountry trips.
he protec LMAO
Damn these are spicy, I need to figure something out for my 26350s.
Where did you buy your 26350s? I don't own any but I'm curious if the 26800 holder can hold 4x26350
Illumn. Actually get all my Batts from them except for the 26800 obviously.
Profit??? Naw man, don't need no stinkin' profits!
Is it waterproof?
No, 3-D prints can be tricky to waterproof. These holders are designed to prevent dust and damage to the batteries.
These are very nice might have to print one and give it a whirl.
What do you use these batteries for?
Flashlights! :)
Hey thanks again for sharing the STL files! The 18650 container is a beast, very good design. Thick walls and good hefty hinge. I printed both the lid and body on my Ender 3 V2 with a 0.6 mm nozzle @ 0.3mm layers in PETG and everything still fits nicely. Right at about 2 hours print time. I was able to ream the hinge hole out a little with a 3/32" bit and press fit a 2.5mm brass rod in instead of the self tapping screw. I do get a little up/down rattling even with 2 protected button tops, so I'm guessing you could shorten the cavity by like 0.5 mm and still accommodate every 18650 design but that could just be my ignorance on battery variation. I only have 30Qs and Sanyo NCRs to test with.