Basti 🇩🇪🇪🇺Jan 18, 2023
Gina Häußge

My partner kept mentioning that he wanted coloured buttons for his #SteamDeck. After losing my fear of opening up the deck thanks to replacing fan & SSD an idea started forming for a surprise & #projects entry.

So - in secrecy - I designed a 3d printed box to create a 2 part silicone mold of the buttons (taken from my deck), cast them in epoxy resin, applied rub on letters & sealed those in with UV resin.

Really happy with the result, as is he 😊 And this is just v1, got some bigger plans 😁

Jan 18, 2023 at 5:34pmWeb
Show threadrag. Gustavino BevilacquaJan 18, 2023

@foosel

👏 👏 👏 👏
A great job, congrats!

Show threadDJGummikuhJan 18, 2023
@foosel WTF that looks amazing! Also, since the coloring is massive, no matter how much he uses them they will never loose color! (though maybe the letters wear off eventually) 🤯 👍
Show threadGina HäußgeJan 18, 2023

@DJGummikuh v2 will also work around that by making the letters inlays 😊 already have them printed on the resin printer. will be a multistage process, first a top layer of clear resin, then the inlays secured with UV resin, then more clear resin and finally a contrasting backlayer.

Or at least that is the plan 🤣

Show threadDJGummikuhJan 18, 2023
@foosel Does he know? :D
Show threadGina HäußgeJan 18, 2023
@DJGummikuh yes, because that's going to require too many steps to do in secret in a shared flat 😅
Show threadMureniusJan 18, 2023
@foosel @DJGummikuh Dibs on V2 😁
Show threadMureniusJan 18, 2023
@foosel Looks yummy 😋
Show threadmeteyouJan 18, 2023
@foosel wow, that looks very good!
Show threadRobee? Na! 🌈Jan 18, 2023
@foosel wow!!!!! 😍
Show threadEmily SJan 18, 2023
@foosel oooh! That's an excellent process. I got given some of the two part silicone for Christmas, I'll have to try that.
Show threadGina HäußgeJan 18, 2023
@Emily_S I plan to do a more detailed write up in shape of a blog post, I hope I'll find the time for that on the weekend.
Show threadMarcJan 18, 2023
@foosel Geil! I'm jealous. 😉
Show threadKevin WittekJan 18, 2023

@foosel Wow 😍, the color looks incredibly like Smarties 😅

Good times when gamepads had colored buttons 🤓

Show threadPhilWJan 18, 2023
@kiview @foosel that looks awesome. I have a sticking shoulder button. Maybe I should get over my fears and bite the bullet and open it up
Show threadGina HäußgeJan 18, 2023

@philw @kiview I was really afraid of it before I swapped my (noisy) fan and upgraded the SSD, but compared to a lot of other stuff that I've disassembled in my life Valve really made it easy. The worst of swapping the buttons isn't opening the case but removing the right trigger because that is clipped on tightly, and even that is fine if you follow the iFixit guide.

Personal tips: iFixit guide and tools as recommended therein.

You've got this!

Show threadsteve Jan 18, 2023
@foosel oh wow these are so cool!
Show threadJudy2kJan 18, 2023
@foosel Damn! That's awesome!
Show threadJared (MOVED TO DMV.COMMUNITY)Jan 18, 2023
@foosel This is absolutely incredible!
Show threadAngela Korra'tiJan 18, 2023
@foosel Nice work!
Show threadcoderipperJan 18, 2023
@foosel Very nice work. I had forgotten that stereo lithography has a long history in mold making. You have inspired me to consider similar applications. Thanks for posting.
Show threadGina HäußgeJan 18, 2023
@coderipper That's all FDM and original buttons though, however v2 will involve SLA as well ^^
Show threadSybren Stüvel 🧡🤍Jan 18, 2023
@atmind iets voor jullie?
Show threadAt MindJan 18, 2023
@sybren zomerprojectje…
Show threadRainerZufallJan 18, 2023
@foosel Really Really nice! I like it! 🤩
Show threadyono mittlefehldtJan 18, 2023
@foosel amazing! Side note: they also look like off-brand M&Ms (or Smarties) that I want to eat.
Show threadlfiskJan 18, 2023
@yonomitt @foosel Extra chewy M&M's. Don't melt in your hand or your mouth😏​
Show threadTicktokJan 18, 2023

@foosel AWESOME! I've been wanting to do exacly this but just haven't spent the time to
A) Practice making silicone molds and resin casting
B) Disassemble my deck to cast the keys.

Do you plan to release the stl's for 3d printed parts?

Show threadGina HäußgeJan 18, 2023

@ticktok Yes. Plan is to do a write-up in shape of a blog post, with pictures and files. Hopefully this weekend, but no promises.

Btw, first time ever for me, both for silicone and resin. Done from last to this Monday. Steamdeck disassembly is amazingly trivial with the right tools, iFixit has you covered with amazing and official guides plus tools and also parts as needed.

Show threadTicktokJan 18, 2023
@foosel nice! yea I've watched the disassembly as I already have a 1TB m.2 I'm planning on swapping in as well so disassembly is already on the todo list. I'm hopeful to do my deck and make new buttons for all my steam controllers as well.(and I might do the hall effect analog stick mod to my deck at some point)
Show threadLaura LangdonJan 18, 2023
@blangdon!
Show threadPeter LichotaJan 18, 2023
@foosel Well done!!… 
Show thread13 barn owls in a trenchcoatJan 18, 2023
@foosel that is such a good look on the Deck. Amazing work!
Show threadzwangseinweisungJan 18, 2023
@foosel Am i the only onw who sees M&M ? 🤣
Show threadGina HäußgeJan 18, 2023
@zwangseinweisung no, at least not based on my replies 🤣 #forbiddenSmarties
Show threadzwangseinweisungJan 18, 2023
@foosel I would prefer Smarties too but M&Ms are more international
Show threadBasti 🇩🇪🇪🇺Jan 18, 2023
@foosel That's just awesome! Looks really good 😍
Show threadVegetable Gremlin ⍼​👻Jan 18, 2023
@foosel do you do anything special to mix your silicone
Show threadGina HäußgeJan 18, 2023
@vegetablegremlin weigh it, mix it, de-gas it in a food vacuum thingy, pour it, wait. That's it.
Show threadVegetable Gremlin ⍼​👻Jan 18, 2023
@foosel oh the food vacuum thats a good idea
Show threadGina HäußgeJan 18, 2023
@vegetablegremlin Got that idea from a hackaday article: https://hackaday.com/2019/12/19/degassing-epoxy-resin-on-the-very-cheap/
Degassing Epoxy Resin On The (Very) Cheap

Anyone who’s tried to encapsulate something in epoxy resin knows how much of a hassle air bubbles can be. If you’re trying to get a perfectly clear finish, the last thing you want is a …

Hackaday
Show threadGina HäußgeJan 18, 2023
@vegetablegremlin knew I had a picture somewhere
Show threadVegetable Gremlin ⍼​👻Jan 18, 2023
@foosel dignified. elegant.
Show threadMartha CrimsonJan 18, 2023
@foosel
Awesome! Looks good!
Show threadcortneyJan 18, 2023
@foosel THIS IS SO COOL
Show threadGreg LeunigJan 18, 2023
@foosel Very cool!
Show threadTabascoEyeJan 18, 2023
@foosel niiiiice. They look like m&ms ;)
Show threadalphabetterJan 18, 2023
@foosel I want to try mould making on 3D printer sometime. Just need the right project. Btw thanks for all the work on octoprint. It really adds tremendously to the usability of cheap printers.
Show threadKerryJan 18, 2023
@foosel @donmelton Partner of the year!
Show threadIts GregoryJan 18, 2023
@foosel
You done real good...
They are awesome !
Show threadLukas BurgstallerJan 18, 2023
@foosel I don’t want to open up my deck - but damn, buttons like this would be worth it. They look fantastic 😀
Show threadJohnOCFIIJan 18, 2023
@foosel The results look so professional! Excellent work!
Show threadSusaJan 18, 2023
@foosel
Wow, this looks marvellous! I love the idea - but as you described, I have quite some fear of opening the deck up ... 😅
I'll just adore your work until, one day, I might have to open our deck, too 😁
@DrFerrous
Show threadGNU/overfloJan 19, 2023
@foosel this reads like a _proper_ lovestory.
Show threadGina HäußgeJan 19, 2023
@overflo It sure is 🙂
Show threadLexi of the NightJan 19, 2023
@foosel they look like candy buttons 😲
Show threadGina HäußgeJan 19, 2023
@lexi Everyone keeps saying that 😂 They are less M&M looking in person though. I used Mica powder to colour the resin and that gave it a somewhat metallic finish.
Show threaddanimrichJan 19, 2023
@foosel Very nice technique! The buttons look as if they came that way from the factory.
Show threadMartin SchoenbacherJan 19, 2023
@foosel This looks awesome! Great work!
Show threadCato [MOVED]Jan 19, 2023
@foosel wow, this is amazing! Makes me want to try out silicone molding & casting now!