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Designing a 3D Printable Case for the Khadas Tone Board

Headphonaholic

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Here is it sitting on top of Massdrop THX AAA... It is tiny...

View attachment 18359
That looks really good! Did you do anything to the finish of the plastic? Also if you don't mind me asking a few questions... I seem to have missed what design you were using? If I were to have this design printed what material should be used to stay close to the look you achieved? I don't know much about 3d printing... an area I wish to learn more about since it's pretty amazing to have the ability to make stuff like this.
 

JohsonChou

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That looks really good! Did you do anything to the finish of the plastic? Also if you don't mind me asking a few questions... I seem to have missed what design you were using? If I were to have this design printed what material should be used to stay close to the look you achieved? I don't know much about 3d printing... an area I wish to learn more about since it's pretty amazing to have the ability to make stuff like this.

This is the design: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3230306
No plastic finishing, I did file the usb port a little to make a good fit.
I am using like the cheapest PLA to print it, (Inland PLA). I don't think material choice would matter in this design.
The good finish comes from the 3D printer I am using, the Ultimaker 2+, which usually gives a superior finish than other 3D printers.
 

Headphonaholic

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This is the design: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3230306
No plastic finishing, I did file the usb port a little to make a good fit.
I am using like the cheapest PLA to print it, (Inland PLA). I don't think material choice would matter in this design.
The good finish comes from the 3D printer I am using, the Ultimaker 2+, which usually gives a superior finish than other 3D printers.
Thank you very much for the explanation! I imagine that the printing services are using good printers too.. or so I hope because the finish yours has is really good. I've seen some 3d printed things that need sanding to achieve an even surface, guess that is just the result of cheaper printers.
 

jackenhack

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I whipped up a quick case before I got the Khadas DAC delivered using the excellent dimensions drawing I found on this forum.

IMG_2764.jpg


Printed at low resolution, just to test it.

IMG_2765.jpg


I did the model with the RCA holes too high up so the screws on the PCB can't be used. But it works without them, so I can't be bothered. Naturally, I had to add some shielding. Time to whip out the aluminium tape.

IMG_2766.jpg


I made the top easy to take off, because there's going to be a lot of soldering and experiments on the board, so I might as well make it easy to get to. Time to sniff the I2C bus this weekend!
 

Frost

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@Frost - Do you have cad file (step,stp,iges,fusion360, solidworks etc) for the case?
I'm trying to purchase one online and the maker says it is too thin for his machine in the USB connection and the LED groove, so he needs to fix it. It will be very appreciated. Thanks! (or upload a version without the USB dent\LED groove)

In the order it says "100 μm layer height"



lol, too thin? The uploaded version should be the one designed it for 0.2mm layer height and 0.4mm nozzle width, so the dudes completely off if he calls that too thin, considering "100 μm layer height" = 0.1mm layer height. I'm pretty sure I didn't upload any of the case designs where I played with 0.04 layer height to the link at all, but sure, I'll upload a version without the led groove and replace the version in the link with the one I just finished playing around with that lets the onboard led indicator shine through on more opaque plastics.
IMG_20181205_164110.jpg
 

JohsonChou

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lol, too thin? The uploaded version should be the one designed it for 0.2mm layer height and 0.4mm nozzle width, so the dudes completely off if he calls that too thin, considering "100 μm layer height" = 0.1mm layer height. I'm pretty sure I didn't upload any of the case designs where I played with 0.04 layer height to the link at all, but sure, I'll upload a version without the led groove and replace the version in the link with the one I just finished playing around with that lets the onboard led indicator shine through on more opaque plastics.

Totally agrees... I think you better off using a different guy to print you case...
 

lleewwiiss

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Really liking that last design in black. Another option which might be useful to have is a model for the backplate for the metal case, so if people want to use the metal case from the other tutorial, but don't have tools to build it, they can just connect it to the back plate and screw it on.
 

Jave

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lol, too thin? The uploaded version should be the one designed it for 0.2mm layer height and 0.4mm nozzle width, so the dudes completely off if he calls that too thin, considering "100 μm layer height" = 0.1mm layer height. I'm pretty sure I didn't upload any of the case designs where I played with 0.04 layer height to the link at all, but sure, I'll upload a version without the led groove and replace the version in the link with the one I just finished playing around with that lets the onboard led indicator shine through on more opaque plastics.View attachment 18456
He meant it will be very brittle at these points and it might break in the future, or something of the sort, not that he can't execute it as in the file. And thanks!
 

snip3r77

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Apart from buying the board and of course printing the case, how do you "complete" it?
 

JohsonChou

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were we suppose to? didn't feel quite necessary on mine, lol

just added rubber feet and a bit of sanding for the sake of it

My back panel isn't tight enough so I hot glued it... There isn't any problem with the design, just different printer is ... you know... different.
 

JohsonChou

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RCA posts are provided too?

Yes... you don't need anything more than the case and the board... I would consider it as the most value for the money DAC on the planet at the moment.

This + JDS Labs Atom is probably gonna be the trend for a while, like when O2 + ODAC was the trend.
 

JohsonChou

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Frost

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Because it cost like just $1 and you can print it yourselves?

adding to this, it's like $3-$4 if you printed it in some really high quality metal fill filament and a bit of elbow grease if all you wanted was the look and feel
 

LiLThuG

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lol, too thin? The uploaded version should be the one designed it for 0.2mm layer height and 0.4mm nozzle width, so the dudes completely off if he calls that too thin, considering "100 μm layer height" = 0.1mm layer height. I'm pretty sure I didn't upload any of the case designs where I played with 0.04 layer height to the link at all, but sure, I'll upload a version without the led groove and replace the version in the link with the one I just finished playing around with that lets the onboard led indicator shine through on more opaque plastics.

Why are there 2 holes at the bottom side of the case?
 

sometimes_ramen

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Why are there 2 holes at the bottom side of the case?
Two holes to screw in the back stand offs on the Khadas board. We found they aren't really necessary because the RCA screw on parts hold the board to the front plate pretty well anyway.
 
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