Guardian Stand for the Nintendo Switch

thingiverse

I'm excited to submit this entry for the Nintendo Switch Design Challenge at MyMiniFactory (https://www.myminifactory.com/object/guardian-stand-for-the-nintendo-switch-29979). I designed this stand after being captivated by the guardian from The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild since watching the first trailer. As soon as I saw it, I knew I had to create a figure that embodied its design. This stand is definitely not intended for on-the-go use; instead, it's meant to be kept at home or in the office where it can make a stylish statement and serve a practical purpose simultaneously. It works perfectly with other tablets and larger smartphones as well. My goal was to produce a more substantial guardian figure, one that would surpass the amiibo figurine in size and functionality. While the amiibo is cool, its availability is limited, and it's not large enough to use as a dock on its own. The stand relies primarily on three points of support to maintain its upright position: the leftmost long leg, the rightmost long leg, and the head itself. The middle leg also provides some stability but isn't essential for maintaining balance. This design was created from scratch with no reliance on scans of the amiibo or in-game models. Every detail was carefully crafted by hand to ensure a seamless and authentic representation of the guardian. The assembled guardian can be printed using the guardianwhole-final-repaired.stl file, which is included as part of this submission. The individual parts (Body, Head, Head Connector, and the six legs) are also available for download with the rest of the files. Some additional notes about printing: I opted not to use infill in my print, but it remains stable and sturdy without it. However, I strongly recommend using infill for added sturdiness and bulk if possible. Due to the limited size of my printer, I had to print this model in parts. To assemble them, I used hot glue successfully, although I plan to use a stronger adhesive like epoxy if I were to print it again in sections. By printing in parts, I was able to keep the head loose, allowing it to pivot freely. Printing this model took approximately 20-25 hours on my Micro M3D printer with medium quality settings and no infill. Printer Specifications: Printer: M3D Micro Supports: Yes