A wall mount for anything (router example)

"I just want a wall mount for my router." That sentence is a perfectly good start in Solid Vibes. You do not need to know what a keyhole slot or a fillet is. The agent asks for the three facts any mount needs, builds a live preview while you answer, and then you refine.

The same approach works for a smoke detector, a speaker, a camera, a shelf, or a tool.

1. Say the goal

On Home, under "What do you want to make?":

A wall mount for my Wi-Fi router.

2. Answer the three questions

The agent asks for roughly these three things, and you can answer in your own words:

Size. How big is the router? Measure its width, depth and height with a ruler, or use the "measure with my phone camera" option. Also note where the ports and vents are.

Weight. Routers are light, usually under 1 kg. The weight decides how thick the mount should be and what screws to use.

Mounting. Is the wall plasterboard, wood, brick or concrete? Do you want the router lying flat, standing, or tilted? Should cables come out of the bottom?

A live preview builds as you answer. Notice how it changes when you change the weight or the way the router sits.

3. Think about two things people forget

Heat

Routers run warm. PLA softens at roughly 55 to 60 degrees Celsius, and a mount that holds a router under constant warmth can slowly sag. Choose PETG (a good all-rounder), or ABS or ASA for hotter conditions.

Airflow

Do not hide the vents. Say so:

Keep the underside and the top vents of the router uncovered. The mount should hold it from the sides and the bottom edge only. Leave room for cables to run down.

4. Mount it to the wall securely

The mount is only as good as its screws. Ask for features that make installation easy:

Add two keyhole slots on the back so I can hang it on two screws, plus two countersunk holes for extra screws. Spacing between the keyholes should be 60 mm. Use a 4 mm screw.

The agent has smart features for keyholes and countersunk mount holes. A keyhole slot lets you hang the mount by sliding it over screw heads, then it locks into place when pulled down.

• For plasterboard, use wall anchors rated well above the router's weight.
• For brick or concrete, use wall plugs.
• Hit a stud if you can.

5. Check and refine

Review the ghost preview, then try some refinements with natural language:

Make the lower lip 5 mm taller so the router cannot slide out. Round all the outer edges with a 2 mm radius. Add a cable notch on the bottom-left.

Use Tweak and Reject freely. Each one is a cheap experiment.

6. Make it

In Make:

1. Choose 3D Print (FDM), your printer, and PETG.
2. Read the printability score and fix any issues.
3. Export 3MF or STL.
4. Check the Make list. It tells you which screws and anchors to buy.

Print one test first if the router has a tight fit. See Tolerances and fit.

What to do when you cannot measure

If the device is already on a shelf and you cannot easily measure it, a photo helps:

Here is a photo of my router with a credit card lying next to it for scale. Build a wall mount that cradles it.

Add key dimensions you can measure, like the overall width. Replace a broken part from a photo covers this in more detail.

Variations

Try it

Open the L-bracket template and adapt it:

Turn this bracket into a wall mount for a device that is 220 mm wide, 140 mm deep and 40 mm tall, weighing 0.8 kg. It should hold the device from below with a 12 mm lip, and have two keyhole slots on the back, 80 mm apart. Print in PETG.