R36H Internal Button Bracket Protector - Anti-Strain Support (L/R, Power & Volume)

Story behind the design:
During the past Children's Day, my students accidentally damaged the top and side buttons of my console. Instead of giving up on the device, I decided to design a permanent hardware solution to reinforce and protect it from future heavy use.

How it works & Installation:

• The "Cardboard Mod" Trick: To ensure a perfect fit and mimic the famous Nintendo Switch Joy-Con "drift fix" mod, you need to place a tiny piece of thin cardboard (and glue) between this 3D-printed support and the button mechanism.

• Safety First: I engineered this specifically to apply the correct structural counter-pressure without putting dangerous stress on the motherboard (PCB) or the plastic housing.

• Future-Proof Design: I left a hollow, open space in the middle of the bracket. This serves for leaving enough room for a future passive cooling mod (like adding copper shims or a small heatsink) to keep temperatures down.

FUTURE: Anti drift for r36s & r36H

Recommended Print Settings:

• Material: PLA+ or PETG (for rigidity).

• Infill: +30% triangle (it is a tiny structural piece, needs max density).

• Supports: No.

• Testet with 0.6 nozzle because fast

Files Included:

• Full Version: The fully tested, recommended model.

• "Smol" Version: A version optimized for smaller 3D printer beds. Please note: This specific version has not been fully tested yet, but in theory, it should work perfectly. If you print it, please leave feedback in the comments!

Log:

V1: Differences from the ideal version: My first design sought to stop the button at a certain height, but since it was too complicated (and I think something that could only be done with a resin printer), I decided it was better to make a bracket that would hold the switch instead of the physical button. 

V2: The joystick gets in the way and prevents the console from closing.

V3:I also had problems with the respective R1 button due to a thickness that jammed the button, so the final v3 design eliminated the decoration I had planned for that area.

V.3.1:Oh my god, I had to remove the honeycomb pattern because it was preventing the other side from working.

V4. Happy 🥳