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I was wiping the screen this morning and when I looked at the screen I noticed there were several tiny scratches. I think a tiny bit of grit was on the microfibre cloth I used. I decided to get the crystal clear protector bundle from boxware which incudes a two piece silicone cover for the uni as well. does anyone have any experience with this brand of screen protector? would this also stop the existing scratches from showing up? one is a rather nasty one which is about 1cm long and can be seen where the light refracts oddly. thanks in advance.
Bump:
i decided to take matters into my own hands. i use brasso to polish my ipod every few months when the scratches become too annoying. Now if brasso works with soft perspex, it should work with the polycarbonate layer that protects the touch sensitive screen. Before I begin with the details, the usual disclaimers apply; This is for your information only, if you attempt to carry out what is described, you do so at your own risk. I am in no way encouraging nor persuading anyone to do this. Now on to the good stuff.
IUnfortunately I have no pictures as I didn't really think much about it.
First make sure you have the following:
1) Brasso
2) microfiber cloth (buffing)
3) a wad of soft cotton cloth with small weave
4) Quite a bit of free time (90 minutes?)
Switching the unit off is no necessary, you just have to make sure that the touch screen is not active that's all. If possible, fold the wad of cotton once or twice, this helps you keep rubbing for longer periods without drying up. Hold it over the mouth of the bottle and tip the bottle once or twice, depending on how absorbant the cotton is. Do NOT saturate it. Start rubbing over the scratch with MILD pressure, back and forth along one axis; perpendicular to the scratch usually works best; do NOT use a circular motion. The reason for using a cloth with small weave is because I found the hardware that the bigger the weave is, the more prone one might be to create more scratches than he removes. The mild pressure used also helps with this, along with the fact that too much pressure may result in a cracked touch screen. You will inevitably get some brasso around the edges and on the plastic as well. Atleast on my O2 XDA Exec, this was not an issue, although I did take care to wipe up the excess on the plastic fairly quickly, every minute or so. Take care not to let the brasso cake up; this shouldn't happen with you're rubbing constantly and the gunk has no time to settle. If this happens DO NOT start rubbing over it again, even with a freshly soaked rag as the caked up brasso is just too abrasive and WILL cause scratches. In case this happens (and it will, if you go to the loo or to get a cup of tea), simply wipe it off gently using the microfiber cloth and pick up where you left off. I stopped maybe three times and wiped the screen completely clean to see how much progress I've made. A few points to remember are :
1) Use mild pressure
2) NEVER use a circular motion when rubbing
3) Clean off any excess gunk on the plastic as soon as you see it
The final result should be pretty good elimination of the scratches. I dunno how this would rate against other scratch removers, but with my ipod nothing worked better for the price, not even displex or applesauce.
Who can share with us the knowledge, wisdom and techique of applying the screen protector correctly, evenly and eventually bubble free.
If we all admit it, we need help, or is it just me with the shaky hands and crooked eye?
Tomo said:
Who can share with us the knowledge, wisdom and techique of applying the screen protector correctly, evenly and eventually bubble free.
If we all admit it, we need help, or is it just me with the shaky hands and crooked eye?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've applied a lot of screen protectors, but I'm no expert. YMMV. Even so, you want to start with a dust-free environment. Tiny specks of dust, if like me, you live out in the country, are as problematic as air bubbles, and a serious pain to remove. If you get one on a sticky surface, while you're removing it with scotch tape, you're also risking more little particles landing on it. It can be a never-ending nightmare and eventually leave the protector so marred with residue that it's no longer worth using on such a gorgeous device--so prevention is the best cure.
Step 1: Dust free room.
I recommend a bathroom for a dust-free setting. Well before taking anything inside, hit the shower on as hot as it goes and let it steam up the room, keep the door as closed as possible. Once it's off, the steam will cool and weigh down particles in the air. Once the room is no longer moist, carefully bring in your phone and protectors, maybe a credit card too without letting in too much outside air or new unweighted dust. Open and close the door slowly--quick movements will draw in lots of dusty air, but don't dilly-dally while getting inside either. It's time-consuming to set up, but worth it if you live in a dusty area.
Step 2: Orientation
Now you want to find a location on the phone that will allow you to orient placement of the protector. If the protector has a hole for the speaker, or light sensor or whatever--that's the end you want to start with because the more border you have to work with, the easier it will be to align it straight from the start. You're going to want to start on a narrow end so you are laying it down longwise as this will be easier to manage bubbles as you go mm by mm. Make sure your screen is completely clean (hopefully you haven't removed the original plastic covering until just now), and then peel off a little of the screen protectors' backing and orient it along a border of the phone. If you can get that part straight, the rest of the protector will go down straight as well.
Step 3: Slow Application
Now you're going to slowly peel back more and more of the backing as you slowly apply more and more of the protector. If you get a bubble as you go, back it up a millimeter and lay it down again more slowly. This is the time to use the credit card if you get a bubble that just keeps coming up in the same spot--don't wait until it's applied and try to push it out. That's a nightmare.
A good protector can last years if applied properly the first time and not abused. I use clairvue and they're very durable. I don't know about the included TP2 protector.
Step 4:Breathe
You weren't breathing while doing this were you? No wonder it sucks.
I alwaus use a bank Card.
being down en slowly slide the bank pass upward. This covers all the screen and leaves no bubbles. then do it a second time, mosliding the card upwards. Works for me most of the time. (at least, don't know if the screen is straight, or has a little angle in it?)
Mine went on without a problem...
first clean the screen of all gunk dust finger prints (yes we know you played befor putting on the screen protector) etc etc
Do this as said above in a dust free room or just have hoovered is normaly just as easy
peel the lower part of the protector off the plastic backing ... the backing they provide is quite stiff so you can use this to apply the protector
you only want to peel back around 1-2cm or about half an inch i chose the bit which goes over the buttons you may want to do the camera end first
I then used a glasses cloth but any decently fine weave cloth which is dust free will do and slowly very slowly stuck the protector to the screen and massaged the edge down peeling it off the backing as i went.
OPk re reading that it doesn't ake much sense but if you fold it over on itself using the backing to hold it off the screen and run the edges down you won't get air bubbles i found
Mild soapwater misted to the sticker and to the surface to be attached.
Then apply the sticker and align to the surface where to attach
Push the soapwater out from between the film and the surface.
NOTE: this is a general rule to apply stickers! I have no knowledge on phone shields.
nevermind i must have had a small bit sticking off the side the corner of mines just lifted and must have got a few small bits of dust in the gap ... i wonder if the adhesive is water soluble
Well I thought I'd screwed up my screen protector, but I salvaged it. It took about eight goes but it's on and working brilliantly.
Here are some salvaging tips:
1. When you're lifting the protector off, try and avoid bending any part too much. This is particularly relevant for the corners.
There are two ways of lifting the protector from the screen. The best is with sticky tape (Sellotape?) which can be applied near the corner and will be the easiest method. But if your stickky tape's rubbish, it might not lift the protector. In that case, you can carefully use the tip of a sharp knife to lift the very smallest amount you can. As you lift, you're looking to minimise the contact area by turning the knife sideways and definitely not allowing the knife's point or sharp edge touch the protector.
2. As it lifts, try and help the protector up by just holding the edges.
3. Take your time. The thing WILL drop back down a few times as you lose your grip, but just relax, take a deep breath and start again.
Once it's off:
1. Clean the phone screen.
2. fortunz and magius00 have given some great application tips elsewhere. Here what you're looking for is a perfectly clean screen with no dust.
Now. Before reapplying the protector:
1. Wash it with soap. I've used both shower gel and washing-up liquid. Wash both sides. Use your fingers to wash it.
2. Minimise contact with the "sticky side" once it's washed.
3. Rinse it well. Both sides. Clean water.
4. Don't bother to dry it. Definitely don't. You'll make it worse than ever. You can gently shake it to lose the largest drops. Both sides can have water droplets. Fear not.
As the protector goes on, try and minimise the contact around the edges whilst maximising pressure from the middle. Basically, the more secure the edges at this stage, the more difficult it's going to be to squeeze out any trapped air bubbles. Squeeze the bubbles from the centre outwards.
Once I'd done this about four (!) times, patiently putting the protector on and then gently easing it off again as some stray pube or grain of sand had found its way in between (how?), I eventually achieved an air-bubble, pube and sand-free application. The only trouble was the screen underneath appeared misty - but at least it was being protected; I planned on ordering a new one after the weekend. I did however notice one or two very clear patches. Now, some 48 hours after putting the protector on, the mistiness is totally gone and I have a perfectly clear, bubble-free screen protector on my lovely new toy. I don't need to order another screen protector after all.
Yayyy.
I had no problem getting mine on, but since it's been on it's already somehow managed to get scratched and it's peeling by the end call key as well.
Can't wait until there are some decent ones on the market.
Any known good makes to look out for?
dazultra2000 said:
I had no problem getting mine on, but since it's been on it's already somehow managed to get scratched and it's peeling by the end call key as well.
Can't wait until there are some decent ones on the market.
Any known good makes to look out for?
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Click to collapse
Brando do good ones, I have ordered mine.
Thanks to all for advice. I went with EXCIM (http://cgi.ebay.ie/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...K:MEWNX:IT&item=270398112761#ebayphotohosting )and it fitted easily and well, no bubbles or stange curly hairs. It's a bit thicker than the one that comes with the TP, but also a teenshy bit smaller which makes it a more forgiving fit on the device.
Another tip - use clear tape to lift the screen protector and / or dust from screen protector. Works like a charm!
Further to the sticky tape suggestion - 3M Scotch tape works the best for this
yippy following the in the bathroom (ensuite) method and a credit card applied my first ever blemish free screen protector (the standard one that came with unit) ...first go ....so thanks all concerned
I got a small scratch/paint chip on the black plastic near the usb port does anyone have any ideas on how I can fix this? I was thinking of using black nail polish.
Any other ideas would be appreciated.
Thanks!
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
Couple questions: is it on the rim of the charging port? I got one from removing my charge cable at an angle and it twisted and gouged the plastic on the way out, which leads me to my next question, is it deep? Like is it superficial or is it more like missing the gloss finish and possibly some plastic?
A usful product to have for glossy finishes is Displex, it works amazing on this phone. I am incredibly anal about high gloss finishes and blemishes showing up on them, even if i can only see them in direct sunlight. If you use this product with a cotton swab and gently but firmly rub in a circular pattern the scratches will go away very quickly, if you do it too much or too forcefully you may cause a bit of a clouding effect you can notice in strong light, so just do it for about 30 seconds and wipe it clean with a micro fiber cloth and do a little more, you should need a pea sided drop altogether, this will last for quite a while, just make sure you squeese the tube up and down to kind of mix it if it's been sitting a while. If the blemish is more of a gouge and not a fine scratch then this wont work as well, what it does is polishes the edges of the scratch down and fills in the bottom of the scratch with what's being polished smooth, so it works wonders for small problems, with larger issues you'll end up with a smooth ripple in the plastic as it will wear the hard edges down but obviously won't rebuild what's missing. I was reluctant to use it on my captivate cause it didn't do squat to my htc pure, but it performed remarkably on my captivate, just be methodical about how you use it and when you're done and your scratch is gone to your satisfaction be sure to put a little(and I mean little) on your micro fiber cloth or incredibly soft rag and buff over the area back and forth in one direction, for me that helped eliminate any cloudy effect and polish it back to a brand new phone shine. Just go into Google shopping and search for Displex, it's very inexpensive.
Sorry to repost so quickly but I forgot to mention about the nail polish, you can test it out but if it doesn't work I would be reluctant to use nail polish remover anywhere near the plastic on my captivate as it usually contains acetone which destroys plastic finishes usually, just put a drop on the surface of a cd, if it doesn't bother it you're probably ok, but I would still be reluctant. I'm a painter and have a lot of experience with solvents. The other possible issues with nail polish is it might not grip the phone well and depending on how thick it's applied might actually just pop off when it dries to be really hard. I tried it on my Fuze and it wouldn't cling to it at all; it also left a nasty seam and was just as bad of an eyesore as without it there, acrylic paints are easier to work with and dry very shiny but aren't always that hard, you'd need a type that mixes with a hardener as apposed to generic model paint, model paint takes considerable time to cure and wears down faster than the acrylic plastic of the phone.
Thanks for the advice my friend took a look at it and said its missing the gloss as the black finish came off and now there's a small white circle near the usb port.
I don't know how that happened as I always pocket the phone by itself and nothing else.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
You may want to still try that polish I mentioned, sometimes with hard plastics like this the nick gives it a powdery look that looks worse than it is, if it's still relatively smooth but is an ugly blemish then it will most likely polish out to a high shine again and the white spot may go away. I don't know the process Samsung used for manufacturing but I was under the impression that they were solid colored plastic possibly with a protective coating over that, if I'm right then that white you mentioned should polish out. Best of luck whatever you decide to do.
Wasn't really sure where to put this so apologies if this is in the wrong place. Was looking at my S8500 Wave and thinking about customizing it externally. Having already voided the warranty a few times I don't mind doing this to mine (WARNING: if you do remove the case it auto voids the warranty)
This would involve spraying the case a different colour to give it a fresh look as I have a fair few scratches and marks. I will also look into seeing whether the diamond home button can be flattened down for a more streamlined effect and also spraying the top and bottom black sections a different colour
Let's start putting ideas together of further mods we could make and once I have modded mine I will upload the pictures
Update 1:
Hand sanded off the battery case logo to ensure a smoother phone look, need to finish sanding down the rest of the battery panel to strip it of paint, then sand down the rest of the casing.
Now I can post links, here's a picture of the battery cover with it's logo sanded off, haven't quite finished the rest of the sanding
http://www.freeimagehosting.net/t/86ca7.jpg
Update 2:
After sanding off the red paint, have decided to sand down the case fully to bare aluminium, have polished up but not got the best finish yet, will upload pictures in a bit
instead of getting it painted get it powder coated.
if dont know google for it!....lol
will look much better!
was going to use spray paint but I will look into powder painting
Good work! What color are you going to use?
wilmervanheerde said:
Good work! What color are you going to use?
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was probably going to go with a shade of red, a darkish one maybe more burgundy and see what it turns out like
lamborghani style
lol
i would have gone with the race car color.....something like Matt black( as it wont catch fingerprints) with yellow strips!!!
you can just let your imagination fly
hellseekar said:
lol
i would have gone with the race car color.....something like Matt black( as it wont catch fingerprints) with yellow strips!!!
you can just let your imagination fly
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
hmm true, well can always be repainted like, sand it back off and redo it
http://cgi.ebay.de/Samsung-GT-S8500...DE_Handys_ohne_Vertrag_KM&hash=item19c812ea28
This looks funny...
Best Regards
Spray painted it after preparing it, was okay for roughly two days then peeled back off, might just sand it off and leave it as the bare aluminium casing
did you spray painted on bare almunium?
if yes the you did wrong, first you have to apply primer or a bonding agent so that the paint should not peel off....and after that you must put it in oven to dry it off!!
al,unium is not the best material to be spray painted on!....lol
Did put primer on but left to air dry, may retry with an oven
primer can be air dried but after applying paint it should be heat dried....lol
u can also try drying the primer in oven it would be even better..!
by the way which paint are you using?
if all fails you can ask any local painter in your town to tell you how to paint aluminum!.....lol
hellseekar said:
primer can be air dried but after applying paint it should be heat dried....lol
u can also try drying the primer in oven it would be even better..!
by the way which paint are you using?
if all fails you can ask any local painter in your town to tell you how to paint aluminum!.....lol
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Just using car spray paint, designed for metals but think I should find a more specific aluminium spray paint but that isn't cheap lol and I have like £0 to my name
Any one know of a paint to use on the plastics? needs repainting black
Considering the new xperia x has one and that the back cover on the z3 is easily replaced, wouldn't it be a great idea to give your old phone an updated look by just putting a custom back on it!
Can be done. The camera plastic cover is glued to the back cover from the inside?
isn't it like a Faraday cage? does it kill the wifi + mobile signals?
bookworth said:
isn't it like a Faraday cage? does it kill the wifi + mobile signals?
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Click to collapse
Shouldn't kill them (maybe it will be tricky with NFC). The thing is that the frame around the phone is plastic, so that should be enough for the WiFi.
Guids said:
Considering the new xperia x has one and that the back cover on the z3 is easily replaced, wouldn't it be a great idea to give your old phone an updated look by just putting a custom back on it!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
THat's a good idea. I thought about it and was wondering about the Faraday effect. But then again I would settle with anything that is not glass to be honest.
I'm sure that anybody with a CNC could make a custom backplate in POM or any other resistant plastic...
Now to find somebody on the forum with a CNC and spare time!
I made my own in acryllic plastic.
1. Cut out in 1mm acryllic sheet using the old back as a template and then cut with Exactoknife(Needs to cut/draw a line several times with exactoknife, acryllic is tough to cut, also needs to be sanded down to same size as old cover. Sanded evenly and not to fast to prevent friction heat that messes up the acryllic)
2. Take out camera lens from the old frame (Adhesive tape, easy to remove with exacto)
3. Drill a hole for camera lens using old back as template.
4. Sanded both sides from 80 to 120(Wood) then 400>600>800>1200 Silicone carbide paper(Wet)
5. Heated it up evenly with a flame on both sides to give it a darker smoked color then stuck it between two flat objects to prevent it bubbling or deforming until it cooled down.
(Heated back and forth so it didnt get too hot and had time to cool)
6. Once cool, washed with water.
7. A few smooth strokes against 1200 Silicone Carbide (Wet) to even out any irragularities
8. Dried, then a few smooth strokes with 1200 Silicone Carbide dry, sideways to have an even pattern and smooth surface.
9. Took the camera lens, glued into hole. Let dry then 1200dry sanded around camera hole to remove glue residue. (Dont sand the camera lens or you have to polish it. Major PITA..)
10. Took the top part of the black sticker from the inside of the old glass cover, cut out the top camera part as a square and stuck it around camera and flash to prevent flash bleeds.
11. Reapply new adhesive tape to the cover and reapply it and voila, waterproof again
This is my 3rd, made it last night, rushed job as I was tired wanting to sleep, so did not care about looks.
Also couldn't find one of my previous glass covers so I had to reuse the camera lens and sticker from the old plastic cover.
Resulting in the camera lens outer ring breaking off and the sticker being semi sticky and filled with bubbles. But it functions, which was the main idea.
Didnt bother about sanding it decently so there's still scratches, but it gives you an picture what it looks like.
If done properly and more patiently you can get a smoother texture, no air bubbles and a non broken lens, but once superglued that lens is stuck rocksolid.
Hey guys, is there a drawing of the back cover available?
I would like to try a 3D-print, after the second back cover is broken.
But I don't have a radius gauge and need the radius of the corners.
Thanks for your help.
@mike the pike
what a coincidence!
I have made a modell in FreeCad because I had the same idea like you. But I don't have a 3D printer, so my plan was to order it from a german company which offers to cut parts out of plastic plates.
I'am not a drawing or CAD profi, in fact this was my first experience with stuff like this, but I am pretty shure my modell is quite accurate. My only opportunity to test it, was to print a 1:1 sketch and compare it with the (broken) original backcover.
Feel free to use and modify my work, but please tell me if it works. :highfive:
Doing this, part one
I spent some time in the machine shop on campus yesterday, and, with the help of the assistants, made a metal back out of sheet aluminum.
The toughness is far superior to glass, and the strength is, too (the glass used on the Z3 Compact by default is somewhat pathetic).
From here, I was planning to first apply a brushed finish with an abrasive pad and WD-40 (thanks, YouTube) then either anodize (time to steal a HVPS from a hardware store?) black, or pay someone to apply a thermoset powder coat. Anodizing would probably yield better results, and be cheaper, but the scratch resistance on the aluminum is a bit low, so thermoset would help a bit. Oh, and the bottom left corner is a little bit off. Might get some silicone caulk and apply at the corner for waterproofing. Otherwise, it turned out extremely well. Filed down the corners myself to get the perfect fit.
One problem that I have is the flash. The normal back glass is a plane of glass stretching across the LED in the back. Will either 3D print it, or, more realistically, just stick a spare Z3 Compact camera lens cover on it and call it a day. Any other suggestions are welcome.
Also, I'm not allowed to post images, since I made this account for this . If you're interested in the result, PM me.
Eric
P.S.: NFC doesn't work but reception is perfect.
Barrel_Trollz said:
I spent some time in the machine shop on campus yesterday, and, with the help of the assistants, made a metal back out of sheet aluminum.
The toughness is far superior to glass, and the strength is, too (the glass used on the Z3 Compact by default is somewhat pathetic).
From here, I was planning to first apply a brushed finish with an abrasive pad and WD-40 (thanks, YouTube) then either anodize (time to steal a HVPS from a hardware store?) black, or pay someone to apply a thermoset powder coat. Anodizing would probably yield better results, and be cheaper, but the scratch resistance on the aluminum is a bit low, so thermoset would help a bit. Oh, and the bottom left corner is a little bit off. Might get some silicone caulk and apply at the corner for waterproofing. Otherwise, it turned out extremely well. Filed down the corners myself to get the perfect fit.
One problem that I have is the flash. The normal back glass is a plane of glass stretching across the LED in the back. Will either 3D print it, or, more realistically, just stick a spare Z3 Compact camera lens cover on it and call it a day. Any other suggestions are welcome.
Also, I'm not allowed to post images, since I made this account for this . If you're interested in the result, PM me.
Eric
P.S.: NFC doesn't work but reception is perfect.
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I assume that the glass they use for the camera lens is of a convex design such to scatter the light intensity for maximum coverage of the subject. It won't be so easy as just using any untreated material unless you want a dull-flash. Assuming you've already made your cuts to good tolerances, then why not just source your adhesives from the OEM itself? Save yourself some work. The proper way to apply those adhesives(as such to retain the water-resistant nature) is to use a hot plate up to 100 C and place it on the plate for a few seconds before pulling it off.
I'm mainly worried about the cut at the bottom left. It's not at all made to a good tolerance. I did buy the adhesive sticker, and I plan to use it, but some silicone wouldn't hurt on that one place.
Also, there is a bit of distortion when I look through it, so you're right. Not much I can do about it, though, but pray to the gods of diffraction.
allerd said:
@mike the pike
what a coincidence!
I have made a modell in FreeCad because I had the same idea like you. But I don't have a 3D printer, so my plan was to order it from a german company which offers to cut parts out of plastic plates.
I'am not a drawing or CAD profi, in fact this was my first experience with stuff like this, but I am pretty shure my modell is quite accurate. My only opportunity to test it, was to print a 1:1 sketch and compare it with the (broken) original backcover.
Feel free to use and modify my work, but please tell me if it works. :highfive:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry, I didn't visit this site quiet a wile.
I lent me a radius-gauge and I think I found some good values.
Unfortunately I don't have them in mind, because I gave them to a colleague, how will 3D-print the cover for me.
As I only made hand-drawing, he will transcript it into any 3D-data-file, which I will provide you here, as soon as I received the results.
So stay tuned.
The cover for the camera is still usable and I plan to insert it into the new back-cover, but I'm quite at a loss about the flashlight.
p.s. Yesterday I mounted my 4th back-cover
Accurate 3D model and curves for creating z3c back cover:
http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1998130
Mission complete
Hi all!
I finished my metal back cover. Still a new user, so can't post images, but I just wanted to let you guys know that I completed it and the phone is 100% functional (aside from NFC, RIP).
In the end, I anodized the aluminum and used a thin plastic sheet sealed with superglue around the flash (flash works fine BTW), and gave it a little brushed finish afterwards that cut into the anodized piece ever so slightly.
I'm very happy with it, the finish on this phone is unlike any I've ever felt. Smooth, yet solid, soft, yet sturdy. The phone is cool to the touch when in standby. The camera was a bit wonky at first, but as I pressed down into the metal back it stabilized, and now seems very resilient. The anodization itself didn't go all that smoothly (took four tries), with the metal part itself ending up with an uneven finish. It being black and brushed helps, as the texture undulates, making up for the inconsistencies.
I made a post to /r/Android with images and more details. Same username as on here. Go check it out if you're interested.
Eric
Mission also complete
I finished now my 3D-printed backcover and it is quite satisfying.
I made it by using the file railpl posted.
Unfortunately it is about half a mm to short so there is a small gap on the short side, but for me it is okay.
I used the lenscover from my old glassback and drilled a tiny hole for the flashlite.
So I think it is not waterproof anymore.