---
title: "Surface mount spacers"
slug: surface-mount-spacers
date: 2020-06-10T18:47:06
categories: ["3D Printing", "All", "Quicky"]
tags: ["3D printing", "DIY"]
draft: false
---
_Well well well... The Sonoff TX switches where doing what they should do but another issue cropped up._  
As i said in my last post my old light switches are of the surface mount kind. The wall socket or whatever it's called was not the right size for the new screwholes.

## The problem

![Photo showing how the Sonoff TX comes loose from the wall.](attach1.jpg)

It almost fit right but clearly there was a gap and the wiring was trying to push the switch away from the wall.

Which is even more noticeable when grabbing it. Clearly this wasn't going to work for longer term installation.

![Photo showing how the Sonoff TX comes loose from the wall even more.](attach2.jpg)

![Photo of old lightswitch, showing a spacer plate beneath it.](attach3.jpg)

Then I looked at the old switches and low and behold, it had some kind of spacer plate to fit the surface mount stuff on it

This spacer gave me an idea.

Why not make a new spacer and 3d print it.

![Photo of the old light switches spacer plate.](attach4.jpg)

## The solution

![CAD design made to space the Sonoff TX.](attach5.png)

This is the final version I cooked up in tinkercad.

![The 3D printed spacer.](attach6.jpg)

This was the first draft off the printer.

The first version I made did not have deep enough screw holes and was not wide enough so the Sonoff could not fit over it and stuck out.

![Photo showing the 3D printed part not fitting correctly due to measurement error.](attach7.jpg)

![Photo of the final spacer on the wall.](attach8.jpg)

The second version fit a lot better and the bottom screw slot did wonders for aligning the spacer level. Jeez these boxes are crooked.

Here is the sonoff switch. You can see the screws in the wall on the top and bottom, and the switch to spacer screws left and right.

![Photo of the Sonoff TX mounted on the spacer without faceplate.](attach9.jpg)

![Photo of the Sonoff TX mounted on the spacer with faceplate.](attach10.jpg)

While the switch is now sticking out a bit more but I like this much better. I'd say this was successful :-D

