Ultimate Lego Raspberry Pi Case

Lego has to be one of the greatest inventions of the 20th century and the Raspberry Pi has to be one of the greatest of the 21st so I thought I would mheld them together and make my own customisable case for my 2B. By making my own I can adapt it according to whatever peripherals I needed at the time.

So what makes this the Ultimate Lego Raspberry Pi Case?

1) It doesn't rattle.

2) You can access all the ports/card slots easily.

3) It's got a fan and blue LEDs.

4) There are multiple attachment points for add-ons/peripherals.

5) You can take the Pi out easily without having to take the case apart.

6) It doesn't rattle (I hear this is twice as important as the other features).

7) It looks tres cool.

I have kept mine skeletal but you can easily fill in the spaces if you need to give your Pi more protection. This layout blocks access to the pins on the top of the board but using a smaller fan or no fan would avoid this. Some of the cheaper fans are so noisy you need hearing protection to stop yourself going deaf. It's worth getting a decent one to reduce noise.

The video demonstrates how to mount the Pi in the case. If you don't like the music, please buy some of my moulded ear plugs, they are very comfortable and effective at blocking out noise of the sort you will find in my YouTube video. They are molded individually to your ears from a kit and I developed them myself because I found most ear plugs lacking in some way. They are antibacterial and are great for sleeping, swimming, surfing and whenever you need a reliable pair of ear plugs.

Each stage has a picture of the parts you need. I have included links to each item on Amazon, in case you need stock.

Parts list;

Raspberry Pi 2B https://amzn.to/2KDHtIe

Small USB computer fan with built-in LED. I cannibalised a cheap laptop stand for mine, see step 'Choosing A Fan' for more information. https://amzn.to/2Nd6CeQ

2 * 4495932 https://amzn.to/33H9whu

1 * 4297202 https://amzn.to/2KUF2Qr

26 * 4121715 https://amzn.to/2Z9J5hc

4* 4198367 (not currently available on Amazon.)2 * 4296059 (not currently available on Amazon.)1 * 4225033 https://amzn.to/2NdKb9k

6 * 4211651 https://amzn.to/2KPIdsY

4 * 4508664 https://amzn.to/2TFJ3fG

8 * 4206482 https://amzn.to/2YXkeSd

4 * 4210753 https://amzn.to/2Z5PSZa

2 * 4210667 https://amzn.to/33IEgP6

It's always essential to prepare for any important task. You will need supplies and victuals to keep you going. Plan ahead so you have everything you need. Make sure you get a good night's sleep. I wore my ear plugs.

I hear it is best to start with the hardest part of a project first as this is when enthusiasm and energy are at a peak. You are more likely to succeed in solving the problem and less likely to give up. Because of this, I decided to start with the Pi mounting. Unfortunately the proportions of Lego and the RPi do not match and so fitting them together tightly so they don't rattle is difficult. I hunted through my Mindstorms 2.0 and found the rubber links used for the robot fingers, these are ideal for making a mount as they are conformable.

Find the pieces shown and fit them together to make the mount in the picture.

Collect the parts shown in the first photograph and make 3 more mounts. Please note that there are two left-handed and two right-handed mounts. The black parts of the mounts rotate, allowing you to put the Pi in the case easily.

Here is the Pi with the mounts in place. They fit snugly enough that they don't fall off when you pick it up. They are also gentle enough not to damage the board.

Find the pieces shown in the photographs and assemble them to make the end of the case. I have included the Pi in the pictures but you might find it easier to put it to one side whilst you are building the case and fit it at the end.

I love this fan, it looks great running with the two blue LEDs on. It came with these already fitted, saving me the trouble. You can see it in the video. It was one of three fans on a £10 laptop stand from China. I unscrewed it, shorted the lead and cut two of the mounts off with a saw to get it to fit. I chose a quiet one; you don't want noise.

If you want a fan I would suggest finding one a bit smaller so you don't need to cut it down, although then it would need a mount also, unless you don't mind it rattling! The Pi is 56mm and a fan of the same diameter would be ideal. My fan is 60mm which makes it fit tightly. I have included the fan in the pictures but, again, you might find it easier to fit it at the end.

Collect the parts shown in the photograph and assemble as shown to make the end and top of the case. The top has holes where add-ons can be connected later.

Collect the parts shown in the pictures and assemble as shown. You're done!

The Amazon links I have used here are Affiliate links. This means I get a few pence if you buy something! Please help support my Instructables by using the links to buy anything you need, it won't cost you any extra. Thank you!