CHAPTER
4

Picking a Case

In This Chapter

One of the first things you’ll notice when you open up the box your Raspberry Pi came in is that it’s a bit, well, naked. To keep cost down, the Raspberry Pi doesn’t come with a case, so when you first open it up, you’re greeted with a bare-bones circuit board.

Thankfully, cases for the Raspberry Pi are plentiful online—and often inexpensive. The size of the Raspberry Pi makes it so you can enclose it in just about anything, so it’s very easy to find cases. Even better, you can make your own case very easily with stuff you probably have sitting around the house already.

Because the Raspberry Pi has been embraced by the DIY community, you can find all kinds of options for cases you can make. If you’re into woodworking, you can make a wood case. If you’re into LEGOs, you even can make a LEGO case. Make your Raspberry Pi your own. After all, you’re basically building a computer from scratch here, so gussy it up with a case you like.

In this chapter, we take a look at a few of the many different styles of cases available and help you pick the right one for whatever type of project you’re working on. In addition, I share a few great DIY options if you’d prefer to make your own Raspberry Pi case.

PI POINTER

No official case for the Raspberry Pi exists because the creators wanted to keep the Raspberry Pi as open as possible. That means you have a ton of different options when it comes to cases.

Project-Based Cases

Every Raspberry Pi project is a little different. As a result, oftentimes, the style of case you need depends on what you plan on building.

In some instances, a simple plastic case will do the job, while other projects might require something more rugged and appropriate for outdoor use. Often, you won’t actually touch the Raspberry Pi after you set it up, so a simple little cardboard case does the trick.

You’ll likely have a few different cases you use for different projects, so let’s take a look at some of the best options.

With all these cases, keep in mind the model of Raspberry Pi you have. The size and shape of each is a little different, so these cases aren’t universal. Always double-check which model of the Raspberry Pi a case is made for before you purchase it.

The Best All-Purpose Cases

Many of the Raspberry Pi cases you find online are just fine for general use, but a few tend to get better reviews than others. For the most part, if you’re just looking for a generic case, it’s just about aesthetics, so pick whichever case you think looks best. That said, let’s run through a few of the more popular cases to give you an idea where to start.

The Pibow is a Raspberry Pi case designed by Paul Beech—the same person who designed the official Raspberry Pi logo. While there isn’t an official Raspberry Pi case, this is probably the closest option.

The Pibow comes in a few color variations, but each is essentially a block of acrylic plastic that tightly houses the Raspberry Pi while still giving you access to its components. This means your Raspberry Pi is protected, but you can still plug in all your accessories. The Pibow tends to retail for around $19.95.

The Pibow Raspberry Pi case.

If $20 is a little steep for you, DIY website Adafruit (adafruit.com) offers a simple plastic case for $10. The Raspberry Pi securely snaps into the bottom portion of the case, and a clear plastic enclosure snaps onto the top. This is similar to most generic plastic cases you’ll find online but is built a little better than most.

HARDWARE HELPER

The Pibow, Adafruit Pi case/enclosure, and most other cases are available in multiple sizes to fit the different Raspberry Pi models so you can choose the correct version for your Raspberry Pi.

All-in-One Computer Cases

If you want to use your Raspberry Pi as an all-in-one computer, there are cases built just for that purpose.

If you’re looking to snap your Raspberry Pi onto the back of a computer monitor, opt for a VESA mount case. These tend to retail for around $10 and include screws so you can mount it to the back of a monitor for an all-in-one computer.

If you’re feeling adventurous, you can get a case that also adds a touch screen to the Raspberry Pi. The PiTFT Pibow kit is a case that also includes a place to snap on a small, 2.8-inch touchscreen display so you can use the Raspberry Pi as a tiny handheld machine.

Cases for Outdoor Use

If you plan on using your Raspberry Pi outdoors, you’ll want a more rugged and weatherproof case. You have a couple good options here, depending on what you need.

Waterproofing is a big part of using a Raspberry Pi outdoors, but you don’t need to spend too much to do so. The 2000 Series Waterproof and Crushproof Case made by Calculator Source is technically made for a calculator, but fits the Raspberry Pi perfectly and only costs $15.

PI POINTER

Regardless of what type of case you’re looking for, it’s a good idea to buy from the same authorized retailers who sell the Raspberry Pi instead of buying a generic case from a major retailer. The generic cases sometimes fit poorly, which makes them pretty useless. And remember to always read the reviews before you buy a case.

If rugged is more your style, the UniPi Unibody case is made of solid aluminum and can withstand a heavy beating—including a car backing over it. It’s costly at $50, but its durability makes it worth it if you need it.

DIY Cases

When all is said and done, the Raspberry Pi is all about DIY, so it shouldn’t be surprising that making your own case is pretty easy to do. You can make these cases out of just about anything you want.

And with the Raspberry Pi’s small footprint, you can put it inside just about anything. People have made Raspberry Pi cases out of old Nintendos, old computers, and even old stereos.

Let’s take a look at three of the easier cases you can build at home.

LEGO Cases

Making a Raspberry Pi case from LEGOs is a fan-favorite option and was one of the first real DIY case solutions to come about. Cases made of LEGOs can be customized in all sorts of ways. All you need to do is grab some LEGOs and build a structure the Raspberry Pi can sit inside of.

You’ll need your own LEGOs to make one of these cases, but otherwise, these cases tend to be built from readily available parts. Far too many variations of these cases exist to list, but if you’re looking for inspiration, the DIY website Instructables (instructables.com) features several. User darrennie, in particular, has made one of the more popular cases. You can find the instructions at instructables.com/id/Lego-Raspberry-Pi-Case.

Wood Cases

LEGOs are great, but they’re not for everyone. If you’re a bit of a woodworker, you can put your skills to use making a wood case for your Raspberry Pi.

You don’t need expert-level woodworking skills to do this, though. One of the more popular wooden case designs just uses two pieces of wood mounted together with four nuts and bolts. This creates a solid enclosure and only costs about $10 to make. It also doesn’t require advanced skills or tools. You can get the whole guide to make it for yourself on Instructables at instructables.com/id/Oak-Raspberry-Pi-case-for-under-10.

Cardboard Cases

Finally, if you really don’t feel like building anything, you can make a Raspberry Pi case from either humble cardboard or cardstock by simply printing out folding instructions and making some folds.

PI POINTER

The Raspberry Pi doesn’t output much heat, so you don’t need to worry about enclosing the board in a case. Still, if you decide to build your own case, be careful to leave some room for airflow so your Raspberry Pi remains cool.

A few different variations of cardboard cases exist, but one of the more popular ones is the Punnet case Mk 1. Download a printable PDF file with folding instructions from squareitround.co.uk/Resources/Punnet_net_Mk1.pdf, and print it onto a sheet of cardboard or card stock. Cut out the case diagram, fold it as directed, and you have a quick and easy case for your Raspberry Pi. You can also use a sheet of thin plastic if you prefer.

If you’re not a fan of the design of the Punnet, authorized Raspberry Pi retailer MCM also has a cardboard option available at s3.amazonaws.com/mcmelectronics/misc/Build-A-Raspberry-Pi-Case.pdf. Like the Punnet case, all you need to do is print it out on a piece of cardstock paper, cut it out, and fold it up. Easy.

Really, what you end up using for a case is completely up to you. The Raspberry Pi is all about DIYing and ingenuity, so if you can come up with a case design that works for you and your needs, then go with it!

The Least You Need to Know