I Made a 3D Printed Case for the T-Beam 1W LoRa, Because Two Options Wasn't Enough.
So I got myself a T-Beam 1 Watt LoRa device. Fell in love immediately. Fantastic board, 1W of LoRa output power, GPS built in, runs Meshtastic like a dream, and it looks cool sitting on the desk doing its long-range radio thing. Genuinely great hardware.
Then I went looking for a case.
There were two. Two options at the time. For a device this good. I'm not going to name names, but neither of them were doing it for me. So naturally, I did what any self-respecting maker with a 3D printer and a mild case of "I could just make that myself" syndrome does, I designed my own.
What Is the T-Beam 1W LoRa, Anyway?
If you're new to the world of LoRa and Meshtastic, here's the quick version: LoRa (Long Range) is a wireless communication technology that lets devices talk to each other over several kilometres without needing Wi-Fi, mobile data, or any internet connection at all. It's low power, long range, and incredibly useful for off-grid communication, hiking, emergency comms, and general maker mischief.
The TTGO (otherwise known as Lilygo) T-Beam 1W is one of the more powerful LoRa development boards out there. It pairs an ESP32 microcontroller with a 1 Watt LoRa radio module and a built-in GPS — making it a solid choice for running Meshtastic, the open-source mesh networking firmware that lets you build your own off-grid text messaging network. Think of it as WhatsApp, but for people who think mobile towers are a bit too convenient.
Why I Designed This Case
The T-Beam 1W has a few quirks that made existing cases frustrating. The boot button and the user-programmable button are both important — if your case buries them, you're essentially pressing random bits of plastic hoping for the best. The reset pinhole is easy to overlook too, until the day you desperately need it.
I also wanted something that could actually go places — mounted on a wall, stuck to a metal surface in the van, clipped to a shelf. And I wanted it to charge without looking like a crime scene of cables and propped-up boards.
So I designed around all of that.
What's in the Design
The case is a two-part 3D printed enclosure and it's built with the "actually useful" brief in mind:
Button access that works — side-mounted passthroughs for the boot button and the customisable button, plus a pinhole for reset. All three accessible without any disassembly or creative finger gymnastics.
Magnetic mounting — two 10mm × 3mm magnets are embedded in the back of the case. Stick it to your server rack, the side of your van, a filing cabinet, a metal pegboard — if it's ferrous, your LoRa node now lives there. Deeply satisfying.
A charging stand — a separate base lets you prop the whole thing upright while it's charging, so it's not just laying face-down on your desk like a device that's given up on life.
Proper ventilation — plenty of air vents keep the electronics cool and quiet, because a LoRa node that runs hot is a LoRa node with a limited future.
Self-tapping screws — the two halves are secured with 2mm diameter × 25mm self-tapping screws. Solid, clean, and no glue required. Civilised engineering.
The Battery I'm Using
I tried a few batteries before settling on one I was happy with, and I've linked it in the Thangs files. The key thing for me was finding one that lets the T-Beam stay powered on while charging through the battery's own built-in charge port — no unexpected reboots mid-charge, no having to choose between charging and using it. It's a small thing but it makes a big difference in practice.
Download It Free on Thangs
The full design — case top, case bottom, and charging stand — is up on Thangs for free. All you need is a printer, the screws, a couple of magnets, and about as much patience as it takes to print a two-part enclosure.
👉 Download the T-Beam 1W LoRa Case on Thangs
If you print it, I'd genuinely love to see it, drop a photo in the Thangs comments or tag Noppitlabs wherever you hang out online.