Custom 9.7" Display (iPad 1,2,3) for Apple //c with STL files and build guide [Draft: work in progress]

phunguss

Administrator
Staff member
Dec 24, 2023
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540
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Stillwater, MN
This is primarily based on the design by @ArjenCNX in this thread. I have made some modifications to the files to support any iPad 1, 2, or 3: 9.7" panel that you can rescue from a non-functional iPad. There are enough changes to warrant this as a separate thread, so I don't flood the thread and the great work already done by @ArjenCNX. I did not do any modifications to the driver board, so this will still take VGA (VGA card in //e) and HDMI (A2CDVI on //c). The board I chose does not have composite input, but as noted, there are many driver board options available for iPad displays.

iPadDisplayIIc-00-flipped.jpg

Parts used:
- iPad 9.7" LCD panel (from iPad 1, 2, or 3)
- iPad driver board and control panel (various models available) and appropriate power supply
- STL 3D printed files (will attach when completed)
- 2x 3" 10-32 screws and nuts (M5-0.8x70mm or 75 are the metric equivalent and will work interchangeably)
- various small wood type screws (I rescue and repurpose, so I don't know the sizes)

STL files:
Attached below with instructional PDF.

Changes from @ArjenCNX model:
- No de-soldering components from the drive controller board
- Recessed back panel to make room for cable connections and power
- Back panel is now 2 pieces to save on support material during printing
- Base has a rise in it to accommodate thicker cables like VGA
- No USB-C power, you figure out your power cables on your own
- Thicker bezel for the LCD driver board
- Changed smooth knobs to grooved for better grip when tightening
- Changed internal screws so there is decoupling between the hinge so it never loosens on its own
- Modified knobs to accept a nut on a screw so no allen/hex wrench required
- optional base for //e usage
iPadDisplayIIc-05-backIO.jpg

iPadDisplayIIc-04-driver.jpg


Exploded illustration:
iPadDisplayIIc-08-illustration.jpg


Problems along the way.
I picked up a used Creality CR10 for cheap so I would have a larger print volume. It needed some love and adjustments, and I don't have it completely tuned yet, so I wasted a lot of precious Retro Platinum in the process. Elephant's Foot, bed plate adhesion, and other things plagued me. I also installed a 0.8mm nozzle for thicker layers and faster printing. I prefer to print face down to eliminate a lot of support material waste.
iPadDisplayIIc-09-adhesion2.jpg

iPadDisplayIIc-06-could-should.jpg

I was too focused on the design to test everything before I made my prints and I ended up putting the display mounts in upside down. I have to redesign and reprint.
iPadDisplayIIc-07-upsidedown.jpg


The Elephant's Foot causes the first few layers to be larger and that caused some of the tight gaps to close in on themselves. I increased the space but still not enough to offset the EF issues, so I got creative with a knife tip on my soldering iron and cleaned it up with an Xacto knife. Super ugly, but you won't see it at all from the outside or front.
iPadDisplayIIc-11-efoot.jpg


I was able to reprint the correct bezel orientation and install the iPad1 LCD. I haven't cleaned up the brim yet.
iPadDisplayIIc-12-FreshPrints.jpg



More to come, I will update this post as I complete it....
 

Attachments

  • Appleiic-iPadLCD.odt.pdf
    9.4 MB · Views: 107
  • iPad Bezel 2026.zip
    754 KB · Views: 66
Last edited:

ArjenCNX

Tinkerer
Oct 20, 2025
78
82
18
This is primarily based on the design by @ArjenCNX in this thread. I have made some modifications to the files to support any iPad 1, 2, or 3: 9.7" panel that you can rescue from a non-functional iPad. There are enough changes to warrant this as a separate thread, so I don't flood the thread and the great work already done by @ArjenCNX. I did not do any modifications to the driver board, so this will still take VGA (VGA card in //e) and HDMI (A2CDVI on //c). The board I chose does not have composite input, but as noted, there are many driver board options available for iPad displays.

View attachment 25644
Parts used:
- iPad 9.7" LCD panel (from iPad 1, 2, or 3)
- iPad driver board and control panel (various models available) and appropriate power supply
- STL 3D printed files (will attach when completed)
- 2x 3" 10-32 screws and nuts (M5-0.8x70mm or 75 are the metric equivalent and will work interchangeably)
- various small wood type screws (I rescue and repurpose, so I don't know the sizes)

STL files:
Attached below with instructional PDF.

Changes from @ArjenCNX model:
- No de-soldering components from the drive controller board
- Recessed back panel to make room for cable connections and power
- Back panel is now 2 pieces to save on support material during printing
- Base has a rise in it to accommodate thicker cables like VGA
- No USB-C power, you figure out your power cables on your own
- Thicker bezel for the LCD driver board
- Changed smooth knobs to grooved for better grip when tightening
- Changed internal screws so there is decoupling between the hinge so it never loosens on its own
- Modified knobs to accept a nut on a screw so no allen/hex wrench required
- optional base for //e usage
View attachment 25649
View attachment 25650

Exploded illustration:
View attachment 25689

Problems along the way.
I picked up a used Creality CR10 for cheap so I would have a larger print volume. It needed some love and adjustments, and I don't have it completely tuned yet, so I wasted a lot of precious Retro Platinum in the process. Elephant's Foot, bed plate adhesion, and other things plagued me. I also installed a 0.8mm nozzle for thicker layers and faster printing. I prefer to print face down to eliminate a lot of support material waste.
View attachment 25645
View attachment 25648
I was too focused on the design to test everything before I made my prints and I ended up putting the display mounts in upside down. I have to redesign and reprint.
View attachment 25646

The Elephant's Foot causes the first few layers to be larger and that caused some of the tight gaps to close in on themselves. I increased the space but still not enough to offset the EF issues, so I got creative with a knife tip on my soldering iron and cleaned it up with an Xacto knife. Super ugly, but you won't see it at all from the outside or front.
View attachment 25647

I was able to reprint the correct bezel orientation and install the iPad1 LCD. I haven't cleaned up the brim yet.
View attachment 25690


More to come, I will update this post as I complete it....
If you can get PETG material, the warping can be much reduced, the print bed needs to be at about 80C, but then the prints will not warp if you use good quality print materials
 

wottle

Active Tinkerer
Oct 30, 2021
872
610
93
48
Fort Mill, SC
Awesome job! I recently started trying to print this for my IIc Plus. Unfortunately, I have a different version with the composite video on a smaller controller board. I modified it to work with mine, and made a sad attempt to create a new I/O cover. I also found when I imported the model into Bambu Studio, the stand-offs for the IO cover seems to be corrupted. I created new mounting points for the controller, the secondary board (not sure what its purpose is) seems to line up with yours, so I left those as is. The button board is quite a bit different on mine, so I also had to re-do that area to fit mine.

I also think a few of the screw holes are not the right size and had to manually enlarge a couple on the back plate.

Can you share the bolts and nuts you used for this? I'll may run to the hardware store in a bit to see if I can come up with the answer on my own.

Will post pictures when I get is close to fully assembled. And can share my files if it helps others.
 

phunguss

Administrator
Staff member
Dec 24, 2023
629
540
93
57
Stillwater, MN
For the hinge pin, 2x 3" 10-32 screws and nuts (M5-0.8x70mm or 75 are the metric equivalent and will work interchangeably), The rest of the assembly was mostly salvage screws and bolts. The iPad mounting were tiny m1 or m2 wood type screws.
 
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