Hello everyone! After following bit-tech.net for a couple of years, I finally got the nerves too create a casemod instead of viewing them. This is the first time that a do so and also with writing a project log. Introductions seems to be in order. My name is HerrOtto and I live in the Netherlands, so excuse me for the language misstakes along the way. I am absolutly the "What's a dremel?" type of guy. So I thought that creating a case for the Rasberry Pi would make a good start for the real deal. After all creating a case with specific dimensions for a mobo the size of a sigarette pack and with whatever you have lying around sounds pretty easy right? I don't have a garage and many tools (or know how to use them), but when it comes down to things lying around I am your guy. Being a fan of robots of all sorts, the idea for the case was the easiest part to realize. The rest.... you will see later on. So here is the idea for the case: CL4P-TP from the game Borderlands! A robot from a game! Who needs a buildplan when you're excited about the idea right? So you grab a piece of MDF (wich was lying around) and start drawing and cutting and filling... Nice workbench right? After some minor setbacks (like hurting your fingers with the saw) the result so far looks good. At least a bit remotely of what I'm trying to accomplish. The cutaways are for the ports on the short side of the Pi (USB, Ethernet, power, card), wich will stick out on the side of CL4P-TP. The Pi itself will be mounted on the backpanel of CL4P-TP (not on display) with the RCA composite video on top and the HDMI output below inside CL4P-TP. And then.. oh disaster! After some more accurate (read first time) measurements of the case so far, the dimensions are 130 mm in height without the wheel and 140 mm width at the top! Being enthausiastic isn't enough After a day of deciding what to do, I broke it all down and started over again. But this time with a buildplan with measurements included! So we learn, so we learn (at least I did). The wheel I planned to use had to go, because it had a diameter of 80mm. I was afraid of CL4P-TP becoming to huge again and I still haven't figured out how to stabilize the entire structure of falling down with my skillset.... But doing things for the second time (yeah right, try a different number...) has it's benefits. It goes a lot faster and with less error! Here you can see that CL4P-TP body is taking more shape. The position of the Pi remains the same. The idea is to cover the ports when out of use ( as allowed) by a sliding frame (next to come). CL4P-TP needs some kind of wheelbase or this entire build would loose it's identity. So I created part of a wheel out of MDF. It will also be used to suport the body of CL4P-TP, wich can be taken off. I could say that I was aiming for the slight tilt of the body by the wheelbase, but then I am lying. You learn so much in pratice! Still it has a nice effect and I am happy with it. On the next photo (sorry for that) you can see the sliding frame, wich goes on to the back of the case. The first layer of paint is applied. The original CL4P-TP has a different colour scheme, but I had some paint lying around from an other project. Hope you like it. I've got the blues baby! On this photo you can see that a extra piece of MDF on top is used from stopping the sliding frame to drop off. I grant its not the best solution, but he! time is ticking (and I ran out of creative solutions at this point). Too stay close with the original CL4P-TP, I painted the white stripe on my CL4P-TP. Since it's not all blurry or messy I call it a succes! Time too think ahead (read: missed that way back in the proces) and positioned the template for the mounting holes. Here you can see in what position the Pi will be. Now with the main body and the stand done, its time for some details. Found a piece of neon acrylic of wich I made the housing for the eye of CL4P-TP. The eye itself came from a old webcam and was inserted in a piece of PVC pipe wich was painted black. And this is how it comes together. Then a moment of true horror came to me: what about those nice looking arms? I pushed this problem out of the way and on the shelf until I got that far. Which is now.... Thank god for best friends! My best friend came to my rescue by constructing these beautiful turning arms What are friends for right? Indeed cannon fodder in games, but this is pretty good too. You can see the mountingbase of the arms applied on the main body. My daughter never misses a Kodak moment and the opportunity to pet the CL4P-TP! My wife and daughter have been really helpfull by letting me do my thing and spend so much time on this project. And by petting CL4P-TP offcourse. Arms finally attached! Wave! Here you can see the mounting screws at the back of CL4P-TP Finally I made it! Here are the final pictures! A better photo to explain where the Pi is sitting internal: And a piece it together yourself one: So the Pi will be mounted inside on the backplate of CL4P-TP wich allows the upper ports (RCA etc) accessible from above when the sliding frame comes off. On the left in the picture the USB and ethernet ports will be accessible through the opening in the side and on the right the PSU and the card will be accessible through the opening in the side. The HDMI port can also be used by connecting the cable internally and ran the cable through the roof. I later realized that the HDMI cable can run internal too the bottom of the main body and exit by means of a hole in the wheelbase or backplate. That is a far better solution than the current state of the build but I have no time left for that. So please imagine that being on the pictures. I have learned a lot of this build and if was to do it again at least 10,000 things would go different ( I hope), but I'm pleased with the results and I had a lot of fun in the process. A short list of things I've learned: -Builplan detailled -Time planning -Photo's of everything ( I'm sure you missed some) -Lesson "How to create a project log" -Lesson in alien language -Planning ahead -How to use tools the right way -Have fun - 9992 other things Time to contemplate on my mistakes CL4P-TP
