Blackout Roller Blind Side Guide

A precision designed side guide for roller blinds that significantly reduces light leakage from the edges, improving overall room darkness.

The blind fabric is guided through a carefully shaped U channel that helps block stray light while maintaining smooth, unobstructed movement. This makes it especially effective for bedrooms, home cinemas, and any space where light control is important.

The internal geometry includes subtle curvature designed to prevent interference with window handles or other protruding fixtures, ensuring reliable operation in real installations.

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Printer Compatibility

The current models are designed for printers with a build volume larger than 180 × 180 mm, and may not fit on the Bambu Lab A1 Mini build plate.

A version compatible with smaller printers, including the A1 Mini, may be developed in the future if there is enough demand. If you need this version, please let me know via the Discord community.

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Installation

Designed for clean, tool free installation using high strength double sided tape. No drilling is required, and the guide can be removed without leaving permanent marks, making it suitable for rental properties and non invasive setups.

Recommended Adhesive

For best long term performance, a high strength, heat resistant double sided tape is recommended.

A tested option that performs reliably even under direct sunlight and elevated temperatures is available here:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/306149040808

This ensures strong adhesion over time and helps maintain stability in warmer environments.

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Key Features

• Significantly reduces side light leakage from roller blinds
• Internal curved profile to avoid contact with window handles
• Smooth U channel for consistent blind movement
• Clean, minimal design suitable for modern interiors
• Designed for dual colour printing for optimal performance

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Material Recommendation

I designed and tested this model using PETG, which is the material I recommend for printing.

PETG offers excellent durability, better heat resistance than PLA, and is well suited for parts exposed to direct sunlight and the higher temperatures commonly found around windows. While other materials can be used, PETG provides the best balance of strength, stability, and long term performance for this application.

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Printing Profiles:

• Dual Nozzle

This version is optimised for 2 nozzle dual extrusion printers.

The Bambu Studio project is organised into separate components for easy print management:

• Black inner section for light absorption
• White outer shell for a clean visible finish
• Dedicated adhesive contact area for mounting tape

• Single colour

A single colour print profile is also included for printers without dual extrusion capabilities.

For the best results, I recommend printing this version in black PETG. Dark filaments help minimise light transmission through the guide, while PETG provides excellent heat resistance and durability for parts exposed to direct sunlight.

Double Sided Tape Recess

The Bambu Studio project includes a negative modifier that creates a 0.4 mm recessed mounting surface for the double sided tape.

This recess is designed for the recommended tape, which is approximately 1 mm thick. It allows the guide to sit flush against the window frame once installed, preventing the tape from creating an unwanted gap.

If you're using a standard thin double sided tape, simply disable the negative modifier before printing, as the recess is not required.

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Included Files

The collection currently includes the following Bambu Studio print profiles:

1. Dual Nozzle – Optimised for 2 nozzle dual extrusion printers, featuring a black inner section and a white outer shell.
2. Single Colour – A simplified profile designed to be printed entirely in a single colour.
3. Clips - Installation clips designed to simplify alignment and mounting

About the Files

This collection includes Bambu Studio (.3MF) project files only.

The 3MF format preserves all print settings, modifiers, colours, and part organisation exactly as intended, ensuring the best printing experience.

If you require STL files for a specific reason, feel free to ask in the Printalo Lab Discord community. I'll be happy to help whenever possible.

Gap Fillers

Since every window and roller blind installation is slightly different, this collection includes a set of modular gap filler pieces.

These can be combined as needed to fill any remaining space between the guide and the window frame, allowing you to achieve a clean, custom fit without modifying the main model.

Please note: The gap fillers are designed to be used with the included Custom Clip, rather than the standard installation clips.

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Future Update

A NO AMS single extrusion version is currently in development and will be released in the coming days. This version will provide separate black and white parts designed to be printed individually and assembled using glue.

A Wall Mounted version is also planned, featuring integrated screw holes for a more permanent installation option. This is intended for setups where the roller blind is installed outside the window recess and the guide needs to be fixed directly to the wall rather than the frame.

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Questions or Feedback?

If you have any questions about the model, need help with printing or installation, or would like to suggest improvements, feel free to join the Printalo Lab Discord community.

It's the best place to ask questions, report issues, request new features, and share photos of your finished prints.

Discord: https://discord.gg/xv4AzGbk6

I'd love to see your results and hear your feedback. Thank you for supporting my work!

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Support

This collection includes several mirrored and closely related parts. Although every file has been carefully designed, tested, and checked, there's always a small chance that I may have overlooked an issue.

If you encounter a modelling error, a part that doesn't fit as intended, or any other problem with the files, please let me know through the Discord server. I'll investigate the issue and release a fix as quickly as possible.

Your feedback helps improve the collection for everyone, and I truly appreciate your support.