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We know, we know. Smartphone stands are hardly something new in the 3D printing world. And there are more than a handful of models we love. There are quite a few editors at All3DP, and we’ve all got our personal picks that match our aesthetic choices and interests.

A favorite of yours truly? The cat keychain. The why is pretty easy to guess. Yet this week’s Thing of the Week isn’t that adorable and useful design (although you could also add it to your keychain setup), but about the Simple Honeycomb Mobile Stand.

While looking for a second stand that can stay on a desk instead of being constantly on the move, there were many options that caught our eye. How did we settle on this one? It was mostly about looking at the challenges other holders have presented.

Sometimes, the size of the phone and cover means that if there’s a tight slot or grip on the device from the holder, you might need to remove the cover to make it fit. Balance might be an issue if only a small area of the phone’s meant to be held. Plus, some designs that have a lever or such might get stuck at a specific height or might become too loose and unstable. We’ve also come across a challenge when printing a model that had many parts that needed to be put together, and the tolerances of the design weren’t as reliable as we’d hoped they’d be.

And here’s where we circle back to the Simple Honeycomb Mobile Stand. It’s a simple design that prints quickly, doesn’t consume much filament, easily lets you position your device at two different angles, and you don’t need to worry about it being a specific, exact size. Plus, you can customize it by choosing the filament colors you want, whether you’re after a popping combination or more muted contrasts.

3D Printing Tips

Image of: — Crisp layers, an unyielding fit, and a dazzling pattern (Source: All3DP)

There are many good reasons why this was among the winners of the Charging Docks contest from 2024, and its ease of printing is one of them. Given that the honeycomb pattern allows for great strength, you don’t need a 100% infill to get the sturdiest of models (although at least one maker has opted for this).

We went for Elegoo’s blue PLA – in a streamlined workflow that included Creality Print and Creality’s K1 – and we couldn’t be happier with the slicing and printing experience.

It’s worth noting that the fit of the stand in the slots is quite tight, which means it’ll be an unyielding hold once it’s set up, but might require a bit of force (especially if you want to switch between heights).

And, like maker BlackMorse points out, to use it as a charging dock, you’ll want to place the stand on the top position to ensure a better angle to avoid damaging the cable.

Who’s the Creator?

Maker JanStech has shared many useful models, with anything from carabiners to bath toys and sewing kits. Although he doesn’t offer any subscription tiers on Printables, you can follow him to learn about any new models he uploads to the platform – especially if you’re interested in camping or being outdoors, like he appears to be.