vGULFamf - Raspberry Pi 4 Case compatible with Argon Mini Fan HAT (or not)

Description

I am uploading things to Printables, where it's easy to format the description and show pictures relevant to particular text. https://www.printables.com/social/273738-jispal01/models BASIC INFORMATION: The Argon Mini Fan (Amazon # B08HLX9WRV) is a pretty decent little cooling solution for the Raspberry Pi 4. Especially if you're not overclocking and don't need maximum cooling. They're low profile and low cost ($10USD for two of them on Amazon at the time of this writing). It has a PWM function so it only runs as needed and remains quiet the rest of the time. It has a built-in heatsink/heatblock. The biggest compaint I have seen about them is that they are not securely mounted to the Pi. They only attach via the GPIO pins, there's no provision for a standoff or a screw. So I've made a STABILIZER part that will brace the Mini Fan, to prevent it from rising off of the heatsink. The stabilizer attaches to the Pi with two m2.5 screws. The case is assembled with m3 screws. Most of them can be as long as 8mm. But the one on the TOP that is above the USB ports must be no longer than 6mm. There are 9 total m3 screws. THE PARTS WITH STRIPES There are printer sides and there are also SVGs to laser cut the TOP, BOTTOM, GPIO, and HDMI sides. There are printable USB and SD and TOP sides, with or without stripes. The stripes are intended to be as easy to print as possible. All the models above were printed on 100% stock Ende 3 V1 (not even the Pro model). The stripes are done as three prints, printed one after another, without removing the previous prints from the bed. Print the part #1, then print #2 right over top of it, then print #3 (which is the case side) over top of that. Try not to let the bed cool between prints. If you look closely you can see a silver outline to the stripes. I did this by using Silk Silver PLA for the second stripe color. It also gives the base stripe color a metallic sheen. Many PLA filaments are too translucent to make a good solid stripe color with only one layer thickness. This is the point of the second stripe. Shortly I will upload a, sort of, practice part for these stripes. A little three color Raspberry Pi logo. Which is printed using the same techniques, but prints in a fraction of the time. So you can experiment with colors and print settings before committing to the larger case project. These striped sides have registration dots around the part. These help your slicer properly center the parts, which makes them align when printed. I personally also like to print the registration marks because it helps me ensure that the parts are printing with perfect alignment. So that way I don't the whole thing only to find that the stripes were out of alignment by a mm. Some printing tips for these parts. DO NOT use support or a brim. DO enable Z hop and make the Z hop height at least 1mm. DO NOT let the bed cool down between prints. For very sharp stripes, print one of my Raspberry Pi purges between each stripe color. https://www.printables.com/model/223347-pi-purge-block WHAT IS WITH THE NOsacLAYER parts? What's a Sacrifical Layer? There are HDMI, SD, and HDMIrecess parts have Sacrificial Layers to make the holes in the case for the ports and for the SD card slot print cleaner. These layers should print one layer thick. They must be removed with an X-Acto knife before assembly of the case. There are parts labeled NOsacLAYER which lack these parts, but the holes in those parts do not print as well. THAT'S A LOT OF PARTS! HOW DO I PICK WHAT I NEED? A completed case consists of: 1 USB side 1 SD side 1 HDMI side 1 GPIO side 1 TOP side 1 BOTTOM side 1 MINIfanSTABILIZER If you're going to do the stripes then there will be three parts per side with stripe. STRIPE1, STRIPE2, and STRIPE3 - STRIPE3 being the actual side of the case. If you are not going to do the stripe, then pick the regularly named parts, not the STRIPE3 parts. If you laser cut your HDMI side, then you will also need an HDMIrecess part. Pick the HDMI, HDMIrecess, and SD according to whether you want to use the sacrifical layer or not. If you do the versions with the Sacrifical Layer, then you don't need support. OTHER NOTES: I have some other cases with similar designs and similar features such as stripes, but that fit other Raspberry Pi hardware. This is a good practice design (for me, to hone the designing process) and also for printing. At some point I may upload a version of this case that fits a full size Ice Tower and X862 m.2 SSD board. This case would be good practice before taking on one of those larger projects. I highly recommend tapping the screw holes with appropriate taps. m3 for most of the screws, m2.5 for the holes in the MINIfanSTABILIZER part. I tap all of the screw holes in the cases I build, by hand, with a little tap set like [amazon # B077HTXVR1]. And my m2.5 tap comes from [amazon # B078KHKTVG]. I'm not recommending those things in particular, but just to give you an idea of what I am working with. If you want laser cut acrylic sides but don't have access to a laser cutter, send me a message. I sell completed cases through my Etsy store and I'd be happy to sell just the laser cuts sides if someone wants to buy them like that.

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