3D Printer Enclosure - Wood With Acrylic Windows

This enclosure reduces noise levels and allows for easily lighting the 3D print area. It also limits the amount of gas emitted during printing while also providing a dust free environment for the printer.

The size was a result of minimizing the number of cuts to the acrylic - the windows will be exactly 24 in. tall. The length and width matched an existing table that had been previously built. This was ample space for the Ender 3 currently residing there. The final exterior dimensions are L: 24¼" × W: 23" × H: 26½"

Materials

• 1" × 2" × 8' Board × 5 (actual dimensions ¾" × 1½" × 8')
• 24" × 48" × .220" Acrylic Sheet
• 15/32" × 4' × 4' Sanded Plywood

Woodworking Supplies

• Saws
• Table Saw and/or Circular Saw
• Miter Saw
• Jigsaw
• Oscillating Multi-Tool
• Drill and screw driver
• Sand paper and orbital sander
• Clamps and square
• Pocket jig
• Wood glue
• 80T+ saw blade for cutting acrylic
• Paint
• Fire resistant paint additive
• Step drill bit for wiring

Hardware

• Pocket screws, 1" and 1¼"
• Wood Screws, #8 or #6, 1"
• Cabinet Glass Door Hinge
• Magnetic Cabinet Door Catch
• Seal Foam Tape,1/2 Inch W x 1/16 Inch T Weather Stripping
• LED Light strips

3D Printed Pieces

• Mouse Cursor Door Handle
• 3D Enclosure Extractor Fan with HEPA Carbon filters v2
• MEAN WELL LRS-350-24 PSU Wall Mount

This project assumes some woodworking tools and skills. Please ask or search for instructional videos on any of the cuts or assembly steps. Some of the pieces are symmetric to others, keep this in mind while planning and cutting. Also, plan out pocket screw locations and pre-drill their holes with the jig before assembly. The cuts are included in each step along with assembly for clarity as to how they are used, but while building, most of the cuts were done before assembly. Examine the diagrams for how the pieces should appear when completed.

In hindsight, thinner paneling could have been used, however it ended up feeling quite sturdy!

1. Cut three 26 ½” boards for the back and front right vertical parts of the frame.
2. Cut two 26” boards - used for hinge support - with half Lap at 1” and 1 ½”
3. Glue together two of the vertical support boards with the hinge supports, with the 1 ½” lap aligned flush at the bottom, making sure they are symmetric to each other.

1. Cut two 21⅝” boards for the right horizontal
2. Use pocket screws to attach these to one of the glued vertical hinge support boards and the one unglued vertical board.
3. Pocket screws can be placed to minimize visibility in the final design. Either on the underside or backside, or where they will be covered by one of the panels are good choices. Wood putty or pocket screw fillers can be used too.
4. Cut two 21” boards for the back horizontal
5. Use pocket screws to attach these perpendicular to the unglued vertical board and one of the glued vertical hinge support boards

1. Cut two 26½” boards
2. Miter them at 45° on the short edge
3. Cut a ½” rabbet on the opposite side, make sure two boards are cut symmetric to each other
4. Glue them together on the angle.
5. Cut a 26" board, and cut this to be ¾" square lengthwise
6. Glue this to the angle cut boards, flush with the bottom.

1. Cut two 20” boards for front horizontal pieces of frame
2. Cut two 21⅜” boards for left horizontal pieces of frame
3. Symmetric rabbet and lap cuts, see diagrams:
4. Rabbet ½" from edge
5. Lap cut ¼” opposite of the rabbet, ½” depth from edge
6. Pocket screw on short edge into the Vertical Front Left board for the bottom front and left horizontal boards.
7. This required using a long clamp lengthwise and smaller clamps around the joint. The pockets were drilled on the short-edge into the bottom going through the lap cut. It was unsure if this would require gluing, but it held together adequately without, your mileage may vary.
8. Repeat steps for the top front and left horizontal boards.

1. Pocket screw together the Back Right frame section with the Front Left frame section
2. Cut 21" board and 22⅜" for top support. Measure workpieces values against frame for precise measurement
3. Dado cut 1½” in center of each
4. Cut 21" × 22⅜" panel for top
5. Attach top panel by flipping frame on top and placing top support boards, clamp a speed square edges to ensure squareness while attaching
6. Pocket screw top boards into top back, and right boards.
7. Recommend using right angle brackets to connect top boards into the front and left boards. Even the 1" pocket screws popped slightly though the rabbet on those sides.
8. Wood screw center of top boards into top panel
9. Pocket screw vertical boards into top panel - use 1" pocket screws for these.
10. Ended up adding a right angle bracket to connect the vertical back right board to the top panel.

1. Cut 23⅞” × 26½” panel for right side.
2. Cut 23” × 26 ½” panel for back side.
3. Measure these against work pieces
4. If using a vent, jigsaw hole into right side - see sizing directions with that project
5. Attach the back panel first, using 1" wood screws through the panel to the frame, clamping to ensure squareness
6. Attach right panel likewise.

If desired, now is a good time to paint. Semi-gloss was used here, mixed with a fire-resistant additive. Cover the sections that will be used for weather stripping around the windows.

After painting, add the weather seal around the window edges.

1. Carefully measure cuts for acrylic windows. Window should be flush against the hinge-support vertical boards and have ¼" clearance on each other side.
2. Cut acrylic with 80T saw blade and finish edges.
3. Test where hinges will be attached - attach them to the window and place them sitting on the location where they'll be mounted. Windows should be flush with the weather strip. Hinges were mounted to be flush against the horizontal boards.
4. Use a Oscillating Multi-Tool to notch out a small inset for the hinge. See photo.

This is a good job for a step drill bit, use your discretion.

Mount LED lighting and filament as desired.

Attach magnetic door catches to the windows to keep them secure, and check out the Mouse Cursor Door Handle seen in the photos.