The Foqos block (an alternative to Brick)
Some quick background
I'm as addicted to my phone as everyone else, and I hate it. I loved the iPhone when it launched, and I've bought a new one every other year since. But nearly 20 years on, I hate the thing, and what it's done to society (with plenty of help from the social media companies, and Google).
I've tried screentime apps like Forest, but once you realise how easily they're switched off again, you start to wonder what the point is. I've tried ditching the smartphone entirely for a dumb phone, but I need messaging and maps when I'm out, and a dumb phone doesn't cut it when you urgently need to know what platform your train's coming in on.
So what to do?
Brick
Someone told me about Brick, and after watching a few comparison videos it seemed worth a try. The reviews all said the same thing: having to get up and physically walk to your Brick creates just enough friction to make you question whether you really need that app.
I'm sure it's a great, well polished and executed solution, but at just under £50, it's a lot of money for a bit of plastic with an NFC chip and a magnet inside.
Foqos
A bit more digging turned up the uncomfortably-named Foqos, by Ali Waseem. It's free, open-source, built as a side project with no goal beyond being useful, and it collects zero data about its users. Roughly the opposite of Brick.
Better still, Foqos works with any barcode, QR code, or NFC chip. You could unlock your phone with a chocolate bar. But there's something to be said for a dedicated object, ideally one with magnets, so it can live on the fridge (the ideal spot, in my opinion).
My solution
So I opened Shapr3D (overpriced, but excellent) and designed a little 3D-printed block that houses two neodymium magnets and an NFC tag, sealed neatly inside.
And if you don't have magnets, or don't want to use them, there's a thinner version that sticks on with double-sided tape (use 3M heavy duty if you want it to stay put), an even smaller one you could keep in a wallet, and a keyring version.
In the spirit of Foqos itself, I've made the .step file available for all of them under the creative commons license, so you can modify to different size magnets etc.
Printing tips
There is a small gap (usually one or two layers worth, depending on your layer height) for the NFC sticker. After slicing the model in the printer, you need to add a pause to the print on the exact layer which does the bridging over that gap. Once it starts printing, listen out for the pause, then put the NFC sticker on and resume print as soon as possible.
I often set my first layer on my projects much slower to get a nicer finish, using these settings under the Speed tab of OrcaSlicer: First layer: 20mm/s. First layer infill: 40mm/s.
The magnet version has a 'back' part which is pushed-fit to hold the magnets in. Be sure to let it cool before removing from the print-bed to avoid bending. If you use a 'supertack' plate, be especially careful.
The magnets and back plate are designed to be a tight push-fit, but magnet sizes can vary a little so you may need to adjust the model if they don't fit well. It was designed for magnets 20x7mm exactly. Try to push all four pins of the back plate in at the same time with a quick firm press.
If you have a Bambu Lab printer, you can try using my .3mf files which will have all the correct settings.