Fidget Clicker Generator
Make a printable fidget clicker for mechanical keyboard switches. Choose how many switches, the shape and a keyring tab, print the body, then snap in any MX-style switch and keycap. The STL is checked to be watertight before you download it.
- 1Clicker or fit test
- 2Switches, shape, fit
- 3Download STL
3Preview and download
This browser can't show the 3D preview (WebGL is off). The STL is still built and checked below.
The model is built in your browser. Nothing is uploaded, and the STL is saved straight from this page.
1What to make
New printer or filament? Print the fit test plate first (about 4 mm tall) to find the hole size your switches snap into.
2Switches and shape
2Fit test plate
Three square holes, 0.1 mm apart, in a 1.5 mm plate with a stiff rim. Dots next to each hole tell them apart:
Push a switch into each hole from the rim side. Pick the hole where it snaps in with a click and stays put when you turn the plate over, then set that size below and switch back to Clicker.
2Switch fit
What you need
- The printed body from this page.
- MX-style mechanical keyboard switches, one per hole. These are the switches with a cross-shaped stem that clip into a 14 mm square plate hole. Both 3-pin and 5-pin versions fit: the metal pins and the extra plastic pegs hang free in the pocket, and nothing needs soldering.
- For a loud click, use clicky switches, the kind usually sold as blue or white. Tactile switches give a bump with a softer sound, and linear switches are smooth and quiet. Colour names differ between makers, so read the switch description.
- Keycaps with a cross (MX) stem, in the standard 1u size. A spare from an old keyboard works, as does a blank cap or a novelty one.
How to put it together
- Push each switch straight down into its hole from the top until the clips snap under the plate.
- Press a keycap onto each switch stem.
- Add a split ring or lanyard to the keyring tab if you made one.
- To take a switch out, squeeze its two clips from the top with a switch puller and lift. With push-out holes, you can also push it up from below with a pen while you squeeze.
How to print it
- Print it the way it comes: flat bottom on the bed, switch holes facing up. It needs no supports. The only overhang is the narrow ledge around each hole (0.8 mm per side by default).
- Use a 0.2 mm layer height with a 0.4 mm nozzle, 3 walls and 20% infill or more so the body feels solid.
- PLA or PETG both work. PLA is the easy choice. PETG is tougher if the clicker lives in a pocket or a hot car.
- Print the fit test plate first. Printers often make holes a little smaller or larger than the file, and the switch clips need a snug fit. Use the size that snaps in on your printer.
Dimensions used
The plate values follow the widely published plate-mount numbers for MX-style switches. Your switches and printer may differ, which is why every size can be changed and the fit test exists.
| Part | Default | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Switch hole | 14.00 mm square (13.80 to 14.40) | The usual plate cut-out for MX-style switches |
| Plate | 1.5 mm thick | The plate thickness the switch clips are made to grab |
| Pocket under the plate | Hole + 1.6 mm (15.6 mm square) | Leaves a 0.8 mm ledge per side for the clips to hook under |
| Pocket depth | 9.0 mm | Room for the switch's lower housing and pins |
| Floor | 1.6 mm | Stiff enough not to flex when you press |
| Switch spacing | 19.05 mm | Standard key spacing (0.75 inch), so 1u keycaps don't touch |
| Wall | 2.4 mm minimum | Several perimeter lines with a 0.4 mm nozzle, for a solid feel |
With the defaults, a single round clicker is about 26.9 mm across and 12.1 mm tall before the keycap.
What the check means
Before the download button turns on, the page reads the STL back from its own bytes. It checks that the triangle count matches the file, that every edge joins exactly two faces in opposite directions (a closed, manifold solid that slicers accept), that the outer size matches your settings, that each switch hole in the file is exactly the size you picked, and that no wall is thinner than your setting.
“MX-style” describes switches that share the common cross stem and 14 mm plate footprint. Cherry MX is a switch line made by Cherry. MakerJig is not affiliated with Cherry or any switch or keycap maker.
FAQ
What switches do you use for a fidget clicker?
Any MX-style mechanical keyboard switch with a cross stem that fits a 14 mm plate hole. Clicky switches give the classic click; tactile and linear switches are quieter. The body has no PCB, so 3-pin and 5-pin switches both work.
What size hole does a keyboard switch need?
MX-style switches are made for a 14 mm square hole in a 1.5 mm plate. Printed holes rarely come out exact, so this generator lets you pick 13.80 to 14.40 mm in 0.05 mm steps. Print the fit test plate to find the size that works on your printer.
How do you make a fidget clicker?
Print a body with a switch hole, push a mechanical keyboard switch into it until it clips in, and press a keycap on top. This page makes the body for you in the size and shape you choose.
Does a 3D printed clicker need supports?
Not this one. It prints upright with the holes facing up. The ledge each switch clips under is only about 0.8 mm wide, which printers bridge without support.
Can I use keycaps from my keyboard?
Yes, if your keyboard has MX-style stems (a plus-shaped socket under the cap). Standard 1u caps fit, and the 19.05 mm spacing matches a keyboard, so caps sit side by side on multi-switch clickers.
The switch is loose or won't go in. What now?
If it falls out, pick a smaller hole size; if you can't push it in, pick a larger one. Steps of 0.05 mm are enough to change the fit. Check that the pocket depth leaves room for the pins of your switch.
Does this upload my design?
No. The model and the STL are made by your browser on your device. Your settings and the file are never sent to a server.