Introduction: Wall Clip - Hang Video Controllers on Walls

By Laboratory 424
About: Inventing new and unique products for people, robots (if they ask nicely), and a few plants.

Video games are awesome, but the "tangly mess" of controllers on the floor isn't. So, we created an easy to use device to hang most all flavors of Wii, Xbox, and PlayStation controllers on walls or any other vertical surface. In fact, with a little imagination and muscle, it's adaptable to other controllers too. Learn more on our Wall Clip Project Page.

The Wall Clip is essentially a heavy wire in flexible tubing. The key to the design is it's unique shape. This shape has 2 positions and 4 points that can be adjusted to provide a balanced, grasping action to hold your controllers. Using some muscle and guidance, you adjust and reposition the clip to fit your controller. After that you can just put the controller in and pull it out as needed.

This instructable shows you how to build, install, fit, and use a Wall Clip.


Buy Wall Clips in 10 different colors from Amazon. (Affiliate link)
Learn more details on its use on the project page.
See more pictures in our Wall Clip gallery.


Enjoy.

Step 1: Get Parts, Tools, and Materials

To build a Wall Clip you will need the following:

Note: Some products purchased through these links may earn me a small commission to help fund further inventing to share with you. Thank you for your support.

Parts

Tools and Materials

  • 1, sch 40 PVC reducing tee (Soc, 1 in. x 1 in. x 0.75 in.)
  • 1, sch 40 PVC elbow (Soc, 1 in.)
  • 1, sch 40 PVC pipe (1 in. x 12 in. long)
  • 1, ruler
  • 1, wide-mouth clamp
  • 1, sheet of wood (minimum of 0.5 in. x 6 in. x 12 in. long, unneeded if wire is straight)
  • 1, wood plank (roughly 2 in. x 4 in. x 12 in. long, unneeded if wire is straight)
  • 1, knife
  • 1, roll masking tape
  • 1, pen
  • 1, pair work gloves



Be aware that safety is your responsibility. Please read our Safety Warning and Disclaimer before you start.

Step 2: Straighten the Wire

The copper wire has to be fairly straight. It doesn't have to be perfect, just close. (PIC 2-1) If your wire is straight you can move onto the next step. If not, read on.

Straightening #8 wire by hand is too difficult for mortals. We need to use a mechanical system to straighten it. This is the simplest way I've found to straighten a heavy wire for our purposes. Gloves on:

(1) Setup your work area:
We are going to roll the wire on a hard surface with pressure. You will want to do this on a surface that you do not mind marking up. I'm using a small sheet of plywood; however, any hard surface will do. It is best to do this on the floor where you can use your body weight rather than pure muscle pressure to do the work. Position the wire in the center of the surface. (PIC 2-2)

(2) Press and roll the big bends:
Place the plank on one of the ends of the wire. (PIC 2-3) Just like rolling out flour (except with extreme force, and no flour or rolling pin), apply pressure onto the wire and slowly push the plank side to side a few times. The wire should roll (not slide) under the plank. Now move the plank up the wire and repeat the pressing process. Keep doing this until you have traversed the entire length of the wire. (PIC 2-4)

(3) Press and roll entire wire:
Reposition the plank lengthwise on the wire. (PIC 2-5) )Apply pressure on to the wire and push the board back and forth. (PIC 2-6) You should feel the wire rolling under the wood. If not, you need to go back to (2) and work out the big bends.

(4) Inspect wire:
After rolling the entire length of the wire about 10 times or so, check to see if the wire is straight enough. If not, roll some more. Increase the pressure, carefully adjust minor bends by hand, or change the position of the press if it doesn't seem to be working. If an end isn't straightening out, try rolling only on the offending end. When you're done your wire should be mostly straight. It won't be perfect, which is fine. (PIC 2-7)

VIDEO: Straightening Heavy Wire By Hand

Step 3: Cut Vinyl Caps

The vinyl caps are used as bumpers to grip the controller in the clip, and as end caps to protect the wall. All we have to do is cut them in half to produce everything we need.

(1) Prep Cutting Surface:
We are going to cut the caps in half with a knife, so you will want to choose an appropriate surface to work on. I'm using a small sheet of wood. (PIC 3-1)

(2) Draw Cutting Guide:
On a piece of paper, draw two straight, parallel lines 1/2 inch apart. Tape the paper onto your cutting surface. These lines will be your cutting guides. (PIC 3-2)

(3) Position the Cap and Ruler:
Lay the cap so it's open end is lined up with one of the lines. (PIC 3-3) Place the ruler over the cap lined up with the second line on the paper and press the cap flat. Hold it in place. (PIC 3-4)

(4) Cut First Cap:
Place the knife against the straight edge and rest the tip on the surface just above the cap. (PIC 3-5) Check to see where your fingers are...let's keep them out of the way. Rock the knife down while applying pressure and cut the vinyl cap. You will now have a 1/2 inch bumper and 1/2 inch cap. (PIC 3-6)

(5) Cut Second Cap:
Repeat steps (3) and (4) for the second cap.

Step 4: Assemble Tubing and Bumpers

Let's assemble the wire, tubing, and bumpers (caps come later).

(1) Tubing:
Slide the wire into the tubing. Make sure the wire does not extend past the ends of the tube. If it does, trim the wire. (PIC 4-1, PIC 4-2)

(2) Bumpers:
Push a bumper onto the end of the tube using the table surface for leverage. (PIC 4-3) Work the bumper up the tube until it is 3 inches from the end. This may be difficult since the bumpers tend to stick to the tubing. Fingernails help to grab and drag it into position. Be careful not to bend the wire in the tube during this process. (PIC 4-4) Repeat for the other bumper on the other side of the tubing. (PIC 4-5)

Step 5: Setup Bending Tool

The key to the Wall Clip is forming the correct shape. This can be achieved using the Sch 40 PVC elbow, tee, and 12 inch pipe.

(1) Cut PVC pipe:
Cut the 12 inch PVC pipe down to about 1, 6 inch piece and 2, 3 inch pieces. These are used as levers, so the sizes do not need to be precise. Longer pieces are fine, though shorter pieces might make it difficult to bend and hold. (PIC 5-1)

(2) Assemble the bending tool:
Press the elbow onto the tee until you have a 1/4 inch gap between them that will fit the tubing. The tee should be perpendicular to the elbow and have a sung fit since it has to withstand bending forces. These two fittings are not designed to fit together so it will take some force to connect them. If you are having trouble forcing it with your hands, use a rubber mallet or sand off some of the lettering on the side of the T fitting to make it easier. (PIC 5-2, PIC 5-3, PIC 5-4)

(3) Clamp the bending tool:
Clamp the bending tool to a corner of a table. The elbow should be at the edge of the table to maximize clearance to perform the bend. Make sure the clamp is tight. (PIC 5-5)

(4) Level the bending tool:
Align the tee fitting so it is close to level. The T fitting usually has a manufacturing line on it. You can use this line to get it close. To adjust, gently tap with a hammer. Make sure to maintain your 1/4 inch gap between the fittings. (PIC 5-6)

You are now ready for production!

Step 6: First Bend

Let's do the first bend.

(1) Mark bending point:
Tear off a small piece of masking tape and put a mark on it. Use your ruler to find the half-way point on the tube (should be at 5 inches). Place the mark on the tape at that point. This will be the bending point. (PIC 6-1)

(2) Bend:
Place the tube on top of the bending tool so the masking tape mark lines up with the manufacturing line on the tee. Make sure the copper wire does not protrude from either of the ends of the tube. You may want to use your pinky fingers to hold the wire in place while you start the bend. (PIC 6-2) Now push the tube down slowly while applying even pressure to both sides of the tube until it forms a "U". (PIC 6-3, PIC 6-4)

(3) Check:
Remove the tube and check to make sure the ends are close to even, and the copper wire does not protrude from the ends. (PIC 6-5) If so, you're done. If not, (for example: you sneezed while bending) you'll need to unbend the "U" by hand, go back to Step 2 to straighten the wire, and give it another go. (PIC 6-6)

Step 7: Second Bend

You'll want to perform this bend on a firm, slick, non-marking surface on the floor. A tight nap carpet or rug is a good choice. Also, you'll need to put on a clean pair of socks. White works (we haven't tried other colors).

(1) Assemble the bending tooling:
Unclamp the bending tool from the table. Stick the 6 inch pipe into the elbow, and the 2, 3 inch pieces into each end of the tee. (PIC 7-1)

(2) Mount tubing into bending tool:
Mount the tubing onto the bending tool as shown. (PIC 7-2)

(3) Bend:
Make sure the tape mark is aligned with the manufacturing line on the tee. (PIC 7-3) Hold the tube in place firmly with your thumb and set it on the floor. (PIC 7-4) Apply pressure to the tee to cause it to move towards the floor and bend the tubing. (PIC 7-5) Now place one foot on each side of the pipe sticking out from the tee and put weight on the pipe to hold it tightly to the floor. (PIC 7-6). Roll the 6 inch handle forward until it stops. (PIC 7-7, PIC 7-8)

(4) Check:
Remove the tubing and set it on a table surface to see how even it is. It doesn't have to be perfect, just close. If necessary, gently bend the legs so so they touch the table surface evenly. (PIC 7-9, PIC 7-10)

(5) End caps:
Put the end caps on the ends of the tube. (PIC 7-11)

Congratulations! You just made a Wall Clip. Now you need to install and fit it to your controller. Read on to get the job done.

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VIDEO: How to do the first and second bend.

Step 8: Installing

You'll want to seriously consider where to mount the clips so they are convenient and do not pose a danger. Some considerations:

  • Don't hang the clips in high-traffic or action zones. The clips stick out from the wall and may pose a hazard.
  • Place the clips in a position that keeps them out of reach of young children.
  • The vinyl caps on the ends of the legs could be removed by young children. If this is a concern, put a tiny drop of "super glue" into the interior wall of each cap, and put them back on the ends of the legs.
  • Place the clip near the console so it is convenient to hang and remove as you turn off/on the console.

To install the clip, we are simply going to put a hole in the wall and screw the clip in place. However, usually you will be installing more than one clip at a time, and may want them evenly spaced in a line. Doing so requires a slightly different process. So, these instructions will show you how to install 4 clips at a time. You can easily modify these instructions to suit your layout.

Parts

  • 4, Assembled Wall Clips
  • 4, cable clamps
  • 4, wall anchors (not needed if installing into wood)
  • 4, screws (#8 x 1.25 in. long)
  • 4, screw caps (optional)

Tools and Materials

  • 1, roll masking tape
  • 1, tape measure
  • 1, pen
  • 1, straight board or yard stick ( at least 18 in. long)
  • 1, level
  • 1, hammer
  • 1, nail
  • 1, hand drill
  • 1, phillips screwdriver
  • 1, 3/16 in. drill bit if installing into sheet rock
  • 1, 5/64 in. drill bit if installing into softwood
  • 1, 3/32 in. drill bit if installing into hardwood

(1) Put on cable clamps:
Snap the cable clamps onto each of the clips. (PIC 8-3)The clamp should be in the center of the bend of the clip. (PIC 8-4)

(2) Tape off approximate height:
Use masking tape to tape a line about where you want the clips to mount on the wall. (PIC 8-5) The tape doesn't have to be perfectly level. Don't press too hard on the tape so it is easy to remove later. For controllers with cables, remember to leave enough vertical room from the floor so the cable will not touch the ground when dangling from the clip. This is usually a minimum of 38 inches.

(3) Mark horizontal positions of clips:
Using a tape measure, "lightly" put vertical marks on the tape where the holes should go. (PIC 8-6) When positioning Wii remotes and nunchucks next to each other we found 4 inches between hole centers seem nice. Your choice.

(4) Mark vertical positions of clips:
Hold the board against the wall just below the tick marks. Place the level in the center of the board. Adjust the board up/down on each end until the bubble in the level is centered. (PIC 8-7) Hold the board firmly against the wall, and "lightly" put a horizontal hash on each tick mark. (PIC 8-8)

(5) Mark drill holes:
Using a small nail and hammer, mark each cross with a light tap from the hammer. (PIC 8-9) After you are done marking the holes, carefully remove the tape from the wall.

(6) Drill holes in wall:
If you are installing the clips into a hollow wall (EG: sheet rock) you will drill a 3/16 in. hole on each mark made in the previous section. If you are installing directly into wood, your hole should be 5/64 in. for softwood or 3/32 in. for hardwood. Center the drill bit in the mark you made with the nail and apply light pressure while drilling. (PIC 8-10)

(7) Install Wall Anchors:
To mount the clips securely on a hollow wall you need to use a wall anchor. Place an anchor into each hole and gently tap it in with the hammer. (PIC 8-11)

(8) Screw in clips:
Pinch the cable clamp so the holes match up. Push and turn the screw a few times to get it started in the clamp. (PIC 8-12) The screw should poke out the back a little and hold the clamp together. (PIC 8-13) Screw the cable clamp into the anchor. Make sure the cable clamp stays in the center of the bend. Support the clamp with your fingers while tightening to keep the clamp in position. (PIC 8-14) Don't over-tighten. Just tighten until it starts to feel snug.

(9) Push on caps:
Push the screw cap onto the screw head until you hear a snap sound. (PIC 8-15, PIC 8-16) Note: you may want to wait to put the caps on after you fit the controllers in the next section. This will allow you to loosen the screw (if necessary) to rotate the clip to be used as a "hook".

Step 9: Fitting Controllers

Before you use the Wall Clip you will need to adjust its shape to grip the controller you want to hang up. This is simply a matter of squeezing the legs together, pulling them apart, and/or flipping the clip over. After fitting the controller you may occasionally have to adjust it. If you do have to adjust it, a simple squeeze, push, or pull of the legs before placing your controller in the clip will pop it back into shape.

There are two ways you will position the Wall Clip depending on the type of controller you are hanging:

(1) Positioned as a "clip":
The clip, as constructed and mounted on the wall, is already setup to be used as a"clip". (PIC 9-1)

(2) Positioned as a "hook":
Rotate the clip up to touch the wall. (PIC 9-2) Now rotate the clip around the screw 180 degrees. (PIC 9-3) The legs act as hooks. Drag the bumpers down so they rest in the bend of the legs. Fingernails help. (PIC 9-4)

OK, let's fit those clips.

Wii Remote:
Position the clip on the wall as a "clip". Squeeze the bumpers together until they are about 1-3/8 in. apart. (PIC 9-5) Push the controller into the clip and see how it fits. You want a tight grip, but not so tight that it is difficult to insert and remove. (PIC 9-6) If it is too difficult to push into the clip, widen the grip a bit by pulling the bumpers apart. (PIC 9-7) If it is too loose, squeeze some more. Make sure the bumpers are adjusted to contact the sides of the controller. (PIC 9-8) Note: If you have a "skin" on your Wii Remote then you will not have to squeeze as much. In fact, Nintendo's "stock" skin doesn't usually require any fitting. Just push it in. More on that in our gallery. For other skins, test to see how much adjustment is needed before the initial squeeze. (PIC 9-9)

Nunchuck:
Position the clip on the wall as a "clip". The Nunchuck fits into the clip by wedging it's v-shape between the bumpers. Squeeze the bumpers just as you did for the Wii Remote (about 1-3/8 in. apart). Place the nunchuck into the clip from the top. (PIC 9-10) If it is held nicely between the bumpers you are done. Otherwise, adjust accordingly.

Guitar:
Guitar controllers hang on the clip by the neck. Position the clip on the wall as a "hook". Squeeze the legs so they touch the neck, but do not slide past the headstock. (PIC 9-11)

Classic Controller:
Classic controllers are gripped by the legs of the clip. Position the clip on the wall as a "hook". Place the controller into the clip and spread the legs outward in a v-shape so they are positioned just outside the thumbsticks. While spreading the legs, support the bottom of the clip with your index fingers so only the legs rotate outwards. (PIC 9-12) For a firm grip, remove the controller and push the legs a little inward so they will contact the controller. (PIC 9-13) Reinsert the controller to test. Adjust accordingly. (PIC 9-14,PIC 9-15)

Steering wheel:
Steering wheel controllers hang by the wheel. Position the clip on the wall as a "hook". Hang the controller. (PIC 9-16)

Other controllers:
It's possible to adapt the clip to other controllers. Just use some imagination and a little muscle to bend it into shape. Here's what we did for our wireless Xbox controllers.

Position the clip on the wall as a "hook". Place the controller into the clip. It probably will not fit in the hook. Pull the legs towards you until it starts to fit. Now spread the legs so they are positioned just outside the D-pad and thumbstick. While spreading the legs, support the bottom of the clip with your index fingers so only the legs rotate outwards. (PIC 9-17) For a firm grip, remove the controller and push the legs a little inward so they apply pressure against the controller. (PIC 9-18) Reinsert the controller to test. Adjust accordingly. (PIC 9-19)



VIDEO: How to Fit controllers to the Wall Clip.

Step 10: Inserting and Removing Controllers

Here are some notes on inserting and removing controllers in case you need it:

Wii Remote:

Insert the remote by firmly pushing it straight into the clip all the way to the back. (PIC 10-1) The bumpers should tightly grip both sides. We recommend positioning the controller so the bumpers are near the "Home" button. (PIC 10-2) Remove the controller by grasping just above the bumpers and pulling straight out. (PIC 10-3)

Nunchuck:

Insert the nunchuck by placing it into the top of the clip. (PIC 10-4) The v-shape of the controller will wedge itself between the bumpers. (PIC 10-5) Remove the controller by grasping the top of the controller and pulling it up and out. (PIC 10-6)

Guitar:

Insert the guitar by grabbing the neck near the headstock, push the neck into the clip, and lower it onto the bumpers. (PIC 10-7) The headstock will rest on the bumpers. (PIC 10-8) Remove the controller by grabbing the neck and raising it up and out. (PIC 10-9)

Classic controller:

Insert the classic controller by placing it into the top of the clip. (PIC 10-10) The controller will rest on the bumpers and the legs should apply pressure to firmly hold it in place. (PIC 10-11) Remove by lifting it straight up. (PIC 10-12)

Steering Wheel:

Insert the steering wheel controller by placing it on the clip's legs. (PIC 10-13, PIC 10-14) Remove by lifting it off the legs. (PIC 10-15)

Xbox 360 controller:

Insert the 360 controller by placing it into the top of the clip. (PIC 10-16) The controller will rest on the bumpers and the legs should apply pressure to firmly hold it in place. (PIC 10-17) Remove by lifting it straight up. (PIC 10-18)

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VIDEO: How to Insert and Remove Controllers in the Wall Clip