Rushtp #1 - Nextion 7” Display DIY Enclosure/Case

Background

The Nextion displays suffer from a physical weakness. Continued handling can, and in my case has, resulted in a tear in one of the ribbon cables at the side of the screen. So after buying a new, and updated, display I determined to get a suitable enclosure. Not a simple task. They didn’t appear to be available. Hence this project…

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Step 1:    Tools

Step 2:    Nextion Screen and Hammond Box

Step 3:    Mark Out the Opening

Step 4:    Mark Off the Positions of 10mm Holes in Each Corner

Step 5:    Drill the Holes

Step 6:    Cutting Out Using Either a Jig Saw or a Fret Saw

Step 7:    Use a File Expand the Cut Out to the Lines

Step 8:    Protecting the Ribbon Cables

Step 9:    ‘First Fix’ of the Screen

Step 10: ‘Second Fix’ of the Screen

Step 11: Enclosure Cut-outs

Step 12: Finished

1. Nextion Intelligent 7" Touch Screen (e.g. NX8048P070-011C) - or any Nextion 7" Display
2. Hammond 1599KSGY Hand-held ABS Box 220 x 140 x 40 Grey
3. M3 Brass Spacer Standoff Screw Nut Assortment Kit

1. Pencil and ruler
2. 3.5mm and 10mm Drill Bits
3. Centre punch
4. Drill
5. Jig saw or Fret Saw
6. 8" half round file
7. 4 Row Engineers Wire Brush
8. Black permanent marker pen
9. Junior hack saw
10. Garage vacuum cleaner

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I eventually discovered the “Hammond 1599KSGY Hand-held ABS Box 220 x 140 x 40 Grey” at a reasonable price that looked to be a great match for enclosing the Nextion 7” Displays. The case itself is inverted. The lid is the base of the box and the top face has a neat recess.

Internally there are a number of 5mm high fixed stand-offs which in practice have no effect on the final result.

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Centre the glass part of the screen on the box face and mark out the cut out in pencil.

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Mark out the centre of a 10mm hole in each corner 5mm from each side line (ignore the diagonal lines in the photo). Use a centre punch to make a drill guide.

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Drill in the marked corners first with the 3.5mm drill and then the 10mm drill. The hole should just touch the cut out guide lines.

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If you are using a Jig saw or Fret saw cut to the just inside the cut out guide. I have made a stand to invert my Jig saw so I had to mark out the cut out on the inside of the box. There are a number of tutorials on the internet for DIY stands to invert Jig saws.

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Clamp the enclosure as best you can and file the cut out to the guide lines. The clogged file can be cleaned with a wire brush. A garage vacuum cleaner is great for clearing up the mess (especially from your clothes and shoes).

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BEFORE ATTEMPTING TO FIT THE SCREEN the following modification must be carried out.

Note the positions of the two ribbon cables where they attach to the glass screen. Because the glass is thinner than the enclosure the cut out edges need to be chamfered to a thickness less than that of the glass.

Use a pencil to draw the location of the chamfers. Then use a file to make the chamfers. I used a permanent marker pen to highlight the chamfered edges to make them clearly visible.

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Ensure the screen fits without forcing it. Then carefully drill out 3.5mm holes for the mounting points in each corner. Use a larger drill deburr the holes. Rub out the pencil lines and clean up the dust.

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Attach the screen using M3 5mm standoff spacers ( Assortment Kit). The 4 remaining fixed standoffs on the enclosure are 5mm high and are clear of the screen components.

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I use the same Nextion screen for developing various projects and need access to the 4p Serial Connector and the SD Card Slot. Therefore I marked out and cut two openings in the sides of the case.

REMOVE THE SCREEN BEFORE CUTTING THE HOLES!

The sticky delivery note on the inside of the enclosure was to remind me where I purchased it from.

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