Pocket Operators are among my favorite gadgets, especially for travel, times when I’m away from my maker space and need to satisfy my urge to create or spark my creativity. The problem is, the mere thought of them rattling around inside a suitcase during air travel terrifies me. To solve this, I decided to make a travel case for the Pocket Operators that would protect them and give me greater peace of mind.

Each case uses 6 magnets (6 mm in diameter and 3 mm thick). I also added simple 2 mm-thick EVA foam rectangles to prevent the Pocket Operator from getting scratched by direct contact with the 3D-printed plastic. These also help compensate for printing variations and ensure the Pocket Operator fits snugly inside the case.

As for colors, I used white PLA for the main body. I chose gray EVA foam instead of white because the shades didn't quite match; the gray made the color contrast look more intentional. For the locking mechanism, I printed the parts using filament colors that matched the specific Pocket Operator models. This makes it much easier to identify which model is inside which case.

A personal note: this is a traveling case, not a storing case. I don't think pocket operators deserve to be tucked away, if anything, they deserve to be in a place where we can easily see them. One of the most incredible features of the Pocket Operator is how attractive it is – I think Pocket Operators are creative block destroyer machines, always have one at arms length.

You can access the 3D models and download the files below.