(Mostly) Drop-In Replacement - The Quick Kit Case

When I started making the original Recovery Kit (and admittedly the Recovery Kit 2) I went for the coolest parts and features that I thought fit with the projects. As some of you realize, that also means the build of materials can exceed the cost of a new, boring laptop. A few years back I went about making the simplest possible kit for a Raspberry Pi and created the Quick Kit.

I still really like the Quick Kit, and still have a couple of them here in the lab, however I am not romantic about them. Despite it showing its age, even the original Recovery Kit is for sale (email me). With the more recent Quick Kit design last year, I simplified the part that needs 3D printing to a single frame, inserted into a Pelican 1150 case. I like Pelican cases, they are strong, durable, and for the most part the colors work with my designs. They are also made here in the US (Los Angeles) and I think that's cool. It's part of why I've never offered a design for "cheaper" cases like the Harbor Freight ones. I've often seen cheeky references to how inexpensive their stuff is, and from what I understand about their design approach, I am not a fan. You will not see a design from me using those cases.

Unfortunately, the Pelican cases have gotten really expensive recently, as have many other things. Cases that were once $35 are now $55, and the ones that were once $50 here in the US are close to double that outside the US. Given that my subscribers are just as likely to be inside the US as abroad, I wanted to see if I could make a case. The first thing I tried was a simple shell and lid similar to the components in a typical waterproof case, and this led to a ton of supports, and a risky all-or-nothing print that could take days. Yes, days. Instead, I figured I could take a page from woodworking and use panels, just like people have been making wood boxes for a while now.

The panels are simple, I am using pressure-fit M3 holes scaled down to 2.8mm to allow friction to bind the screws. The project uses just a bag of M3x8mm socket screws along with some M3x12mm flat head screws. While you can just drop in an existing Quick Kit project into this case, you need a little better friction fit, so there are M3 holes on the side of this new case to mount the Quick Kit frame. You can drill 4 small holes at around 2mm to mount the Quick Kit frame, using the mounting part from the new Quick Kit Case as a jig to spot the holes.

Each panel has an orientation designed to print flat on a Bambu X1C or similar printer- although it might be possible to chop up the design for a smaller mini printer, that's a challenge for another day. All in all it takes about a single 1KG spool to make this case, and I used non-Bambu Overture Matte PLA at around $18 for the spool. I wanted to make sure there was no Bambu-only lock in here, although one of my test spools of the Overture got a little bound once the cardboard spool got a little bent.

Finally there are some neat things I did with this case that are either inconvenient, impossible, or expensive with the original commercial case:

• I made a vented top that I am really happy with. This easily solves the waste heat issue that the NVME Quick Kit generates with a Raspberry Pi 5 and two NVME drives running. I am still on the hunt for a reasonably priced panel mount USB C connector that can handle the current from this setup.
• Once I do find a new panel mount, I don't have to print the whole thing again- some of these panels (like the side panels) only take about 45 minutes to print. While PLA will wear out pretty quickly with constant re-assembly, the convenience here is pretty great.
• I had a chance to lower my standards again! Seriously though, if you don't really need a waterproof case, this is an awesome option for a desk or a decoration of an otherwise ungainly Pi setup in your space. If I wanted to, 4 screws removed let me drop this in a Pelican case and get on my way.
• More control over the aesthetics. I love sci-fi just a bit more than tacticool, so it's fun showing something that just may one day iterate to look like a sci-fi prop.
• Accessibility really needs to be mentioned one last time- this means that if you're reading this, the files are free! You do need a 3D printer, and you do need it dialed in.

Finally, as you may notice here, the files are free to download and released under the Creative Commons Attribution + Non-Commercial license. This means that the files are free to modify, but if you share the modifications, you need to link back here and attribute me for the original. This license also means you can't sell or make money off my design.

If you have a chance to support me through a donation or a membership, it helps me a ton- these projects take a significant amount of time, and your support goes a long way. Thank you!

Parts List

• Quick Kit - doscher.com
• Overture Matte Black PLA (Bambu is fine too) - Amazon
• Rubber Bands - Amazon