# Switchplate Cover **URL:** \ **Category:** Projects\ **Created:** [January 16, 2017, 3:53am UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/switchplate-cover/32901 "2017-01-16T03:53:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![JohnGann](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex009/user_avatar/community.inventables.com/johngann/32/69195_2.png) [@JohnGann](https://community.inventables.com/u/JohnGann)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2017, 3:53am UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/switchplate-cover/32901/1 "2017-01-16T03:53:50Z")
For some time (years actually) I’ve wanted to engrave the light switch covers in our house so my wife could figure out which of the 11 switches near the front door was the porch (2nd from the top on the right side - duh). I initially looked at a laser etcher but discovered it wouldn’t work on the plastic they are made of - in search of a solution I discovered x-carve. After multiple wood carved I finally got around to trying a cover. I used a shallow electrical box as my mounting jig hot gluing it to my scrap board - used the 0.001 engraving bit with the cast acrylic preset and it worked great. Did a fill with some gray oil based enamel (out of black) and it looks great. X-carve for the win! ![](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex009/uploads/inventables/original/3X/6/a/6ae8416d7f51f6a0aace22cc73f529d5ec8bc140.JPG) ![](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex009/uploads/inventables/original/3X/4/d/4de2bc31221407710f3046fd154b33fedc3de17d.JPG) ![](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex009/uploads/inventables/original/3X/d/0/d04518f96ae36e10099762682448124062b2f882.JPG) ---
**Author:** ![RonSabourin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a88e57/32.png) [@RonSabourin](https://community.inventables.com/u/RonSabourin)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2017, 1:08pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/switchplate-cover/32901/2 "2017-01-16T13:08:53Z")
Great idea!! ---
**Author:** ![JeffWalkington](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e0b2c6/32.png) [@JeffWalkington](https://community.inventables.com/u/JeffWalkington)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2017, 2:07am UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/switchplate-cover/32901/3 "2017-01-17T02:07:18Z")
That’s fantastic. I have the same issue and now I have a solution! ---
**Author:** ![JohnGann](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex009/user_avatar/community.inventables.com/johngann/32/69195_2.png) [@JohnGann](https://community.inventables.com/u/JohnGann)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2017, 3:04pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/switchplate-cover/32901/5 "2017-01-17T15:04:04Z")
Thanks Phil - I was looking at it last night thinking it needed some cleanup, thanks for the tip. ---
**Author:** ![JohnGann](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex009/user_avatar/community.inventables.com/johngann/32/69195_2.png) [@JohnGann](https://community.inventables.com/u/JohnGann)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2017, 3:59pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/switchplate-cover/32901/7 "2017-01-17T15:59:51Z")
I had watched that previously and used it on a wood piece I did - just didn’t think about using it after the fact on the cover. Thanks for the heads up. ---
**Author:** ![JohnGann](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex009/user_avatar/community.inventables.com/johngann/32/69195_2.png) [@JohnGann](https://community.inventables.com/u/JohnGann)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2017, 4:26pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/switchplate-cover/32901/9 "2017-01-17T16:26:25Z")
Nice. Good tip (see what I did there - tip…) 😀 ---
**Author:** ![Phileoka](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex009/user_avatar/community.inventables.com/phileoka/32/44329_2.png) [@Phileoka](https://community.inventables.com/u/Phileoka)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2017, 10:32pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/switchplate-cover/32901/10 "2017-01-17T22:32:28Z")
Switch plate for a childs room. Or, I guess an aledged ‘man cave’. Trial prototype, works, but needs improvements. Well, tried to upload photo’s. It indicated yes, but I don’t know where they went. More to come. ---
**Author:** ![Phileoka](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex009/user_avatar/community.inventables.com/phileoka/32/44329_2.png) [@Phileoka](https://community.inventables.com/u/Phileoka)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2017, 11:10pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/switchplate-cover/32901/11 "2017-01-17T23:10:33Z")
Well ![](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex009/uploads/inventables/original/3X/6/9/693d2d4e312a853978799e2823a9ed0a930068b0.JPG) ![](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex009/uploads/inventables/original/3X/e/7/e7e5b051c5ceb2745125bfad2ab9f2b8396d1fb2.JPG) ---
**Author:** ![Phileoka](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex009/user_avatar/community.inventables.com/phileoka/32/44329_2.png) [@Phileoka](https://community.inventables.com/u/Phileoka)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2017, 7:17pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/switchplate-cover/32901/13 "2017-01-18T19:17:25Z")
Mine from Gizmos(ScrollSaw Woodworking) Dec2015/Jan2016. Mike Ryan designer. Google him? ---
**Author:** ![Phileoka](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex009/user_avatar/community.inventables.com/phileoka/32/44329_2.png) [@Phileoka](https://community.inventables.com/u/Phileoka)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2017, 8:35pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/switchplate-cover/32901/15 "2017-01-18T20:35:28Z")
There’s a regular switch plate cover superglued(not loctited) to the back side. Moving the SPDT arm exposes the mounting screw holes. ---
**Author:** ![AdamPrince](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex009/user_avatar/community.inventables.com/adamprince/32/68885_2.png) [@AdamPrince](https://community.inventables.com/u/AdamPrince)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2017, 1:07pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/switchplate-cover/32901/16 "2017-01-19T13:07:44Z")
Awesome idea! To bad mine are metal or else I would do the same thing to ours. ---
**Author:** ![TonyGutierrez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d6d6ee/32.png) [@TonyGutierrez](https://community.inventables.com/u/TonyGutierrez)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2017, 1:50pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/switchplate-cover/32901/18 "2017-01-19T13:50:13Z")
Ditto. Ive always wanted one of these. Awesome! ---
**Author:** ![TonyNo](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex009/user_avatar/community.inventables.com/tonyno/32/3291_2.png) [@TonyNo](https://community.inventables.com/u/TonyNo)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2017, 11:36pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/switchplate-cover/32901/20 "2017-01-19T23:36:54Z")
That appears to be a phase-shift gear train! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![JohnGann](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex009/user_avatar/community.inventables.com/johngann/32/69195_2.png) [@JohnGann](https://community.inventables.com/u/JohnGann)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2017, 11:37pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/switchplate-cover/32901/21 "2017-01-19T23:37:27Z")
Way to go Phil! Love it ---
**Author:** ![Phileoka](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex009/user_avatar/community.inventables.com/phileoka/32/44329_2.png) [@Phileoka](https://community.inventables.com/u/Phileoka)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2017, 5:47pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/switchplate-cover/32901/23 "2017-01-20T17:47:15Z")
You do a great service to forum users. This sparks activity. Please don’t forget the initial designer, Mike Ryan.