A Pinephone case that'll actually prevent the screen from cracking

[KNERD]

I'm on about my 3rd screen replacement. Yes I'm quite clumsy and often drop the Pinephone.

So is there **any** Pinephone case that'll actually prevent the screen from cracking if you drop the Pinephone screen face down? If someone makes this case they'd make a lot of money from sales - I'd buy one and I'm sure many others would too.

What is everyone using for a durable Pinephone case? I've heard the soft and hard cases from Pine64 also don't prevent cracks..

I just cracked my third one also. It has the clear soft case, but still cracked from a very low height drop of only about 40 cm. It was a ver small crack, but still. At this point I am done with the PinePhone. I will be moving on to the PinePhone Pro with the Gorilla Glass

Glad to know I'm not the only one who has this problem with the screen easily breaking. It seems very common.

That's interesting you mention that the PinephonePro has Gorilla glass. I wonder if the gorilla glass front as a spare part could be sold separately and used with the standard Pinephone as an upgrade? Would that be something PIne64 would consider?

I think the PinePhone is about dead. It has that very old Mali-450 GPU, and there is no driver for it from what I have been reading. With that, I see very few adopting something which has no future.

Also. the screens are not compatible.

[Csanderson0313]

I'm on about my 3rd screen replacement. Yes I'm quite clumsy and often drop the Pinephone.

So is there **any** Pinephone case that'll actually prevent the screen from cracking if you drop the Pinephone screen face down? If someone makes this case they'd make a lot of money from sales - I'd buy one and I'm sure many others would too.

What is everyone using for a durable Pinephone case? I've heard the soft and hard cases from Pine64 also don't prevent cracks..

I am in the process of making a case. I broke my a while a ago and still waiting for my screen. They sent me a broken screen. They now having trouble getting my address right for the replacement. I end up ordering a new one and will just deal with the bank to get my money back for old one

[KNERD]

I'm on about my 3rd screen replacement. Yes I'm quite clumsy and often drop the Pinephone.

So is there **any** Pinephone case that'll actually prevent the screen from cracking if you drop the Pinephone screen face down? If someone makes this case they'd make a lot of money from sales - I'd buy one and I'm sure many others would too.

What is everyone using for a durable Pinephone case? I've heard the soft and hard cases from Pine64 also don't prevent cracks..

I am in the process of making a case. I broke my a while a ago and still waiting for my screen. They sent me a broken screen. They now having trouble getting my address right for the replacement. I end up ordering a new one and will just deal with the bank to get my money back for old one

Making one how?

I wonder how much to do molded one, and sell them to everyone

Here is a short ad video on making your own 3D printed molds

https://youtu.be/iZeu8LAnTvw

[TRS-80]

My father was a machine designer. From what I know about it (from him and elsewhere), injection molding is a bit of an art as well as a science. Knowing exactly how much those plastic (or silicone) parts are going to cool, change dimensions, twist, etc. My understanding is that this is non-trivial.

There are also pretty high costs for molds, design as well as manufacturing. Which makes it infeasible for small production numbers. Which is why you do not see anyone selling cases for the PinePhone in the first place (like you can find easily for devices which are sold in larger numbers).

Putting it all together is why 3d printing is so exciting, it brings these sort of things within reach where otherwise they would be infeasible due to things I mentioned above. And also why several of us in this thread are saying that should / will need to likely be the way forward. At least initially.

[KNERD]

I do wonder if this inexpensive Creality resin printer could create those rigid molds.

https://www.creality3dofficial.com/produ...3d-printer

[TRS-80]

From what I know about 3d printing[0], it seems to me that a 2 part phone case (like an OtterBox) could be extruded using regular TPE (or whatever that common filament is), and then the other (soft) part could also be printed with one of the flexible filaments. The latter being the more fiddly bit.

Doing stuff with molds is a little more advanced, but less common, method, which may yield a better result. Maybe you could even use real silicone (not sure).

All of this is theory on my part, however. I am sure that if someone with the know-how would start making them, there would be many buyers. If no one else gets there first, that person might be me, but honestly I am a long way off from that at this time.

[0] I have been studying it for years, and finally recently feel the time is right to take the plunge and build one, but just do not have the space or time at the moment.

[bcnaz]

For the moment the keyboard "Case" does protect the phones screen pretty well.

It does almost triple the footprint though.... :-( ==> but it triples the runtime as well. :-)

[KNERD]

From what I know about 3d printing[0], it seems to me that a 2 part phone case (like an OtterBox) could be extruded using regular TPE (or whatever that common filament is), and then the other (soft) part could also be printed with one of the flexible filaments.  The latter being the more fiddly bit.

Doing stuff with molds is a little more advanced, but less common, method, which may yield a better result.  Maybe you could even use real silicone (not sure).

All of this is theory on my part, however.  I am sure that if someone with the know-how would start making them, there would be many buyers.  If no one else gets there first, that person might be me, but honestly I am a long way off from that at this time.

[0] I have been studying it for years, and finally recently feel the time is right to take the plunge and build one, but just do not have the space or time at the moment.

From my experience, filament based 3D printing is just not suitable. The stuff is just not very durable.  I have stuff breaking on the grain all the time. I try reprinting in a different orientation, and another area of the print breaks.

I guess a rigid resin is the way to go. I guess anyone could do a design of a case mold, and have some other do the resin print. From the ad video I posted, they indicate another company they work with specializes in low volume injection mold production.

I would like to make a case similar to this one

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For the moment the keyboard "Case"  does protect the phones screen pretty well.

It does almost triple the footprint though.... :-(    ==> but it triples the runtime as well. :-)

After seeing all the complaints about the keyboard, hard pass on that.

[bcnaz]

WoW !

That look's first class, solves two challenges, "carry" the phone And "protect" the phone.. attractive also.!

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Yeah, think of the keyboard as a "Brave Heart release" as it is -- it is a little disappointing, but it could be a launch pad to something fantastic -- (I think)

But everything has a starting point.

I do wish they had included speakers in the keyboard.

[TRS-80]

I am awaiting my keyboard to come in the mail yet.  Really curious how any case might work with that.  I guess I will give it a frob and some thought once I get it.

filament based 3D printing is just not suitable. The stuff is just not very durable.  I have stuff breaking on the grain all the time. I try reprinting in a different orientation, and another area of the print breaks.

I wonder about ABS?  I know that Voron printers use that for the functional parts.

low volume injection mold production.

This sounds a lot more viable to me than fancy resin solutions (I could be wrong).