2032 battery holder and switch

thingiverse

This project is a result of the the 3Dprinting Professor asking for a battery holder and switch for 3V button cells. There didn't seem to be much available that was suitable for incorporating into projects. To complete this holder you will need to add some copper strip material. The model is designed to use 24g 1/4" copper strip material readily available from Ebay and many other places. You could also use brass material if you want something tougher and springier. (might be a good idea). Search for "24g copper/brass" on your favorite supplies store. These materials are useful for making all types of battery holders. Brass shim material from machinists suppliers could also be cut down and used successfully. The slots in the model are designed to be a tight fit. Gently heat the metal in a candle flame before inserting it in the slots for a tight and permanent fit. The switch uses a 3mm machine screw. Drive it through the hole until it just touches the metal +ive plate. You can turn the battery "on" by tightening it further until it just pushes the contact plate against the side of the battery. The -ive connection is the bottom plate. You should be able to easily solder to these materials but care must be taken not to melt the battery holder - it's best to attach the wires before inserting the contacts into the holder. Make sure you use a very hot soldering iron to attach the wires otherwise you may find it difficult. The test sample in the photographs was printed at 0.2mm layer height in 12 minutes. This is not good enough for a functional holder so I would recommend 0.1mm or better. The tolerances are quite fine and while the battery size is metric, the contact material is imperial (~1/40" by 1/4") Comments, feedback and derivative uses welcomed.