Parts

This enclosure is four pieces that are fasten together with machine screws. These parts are optimized to print on FDM based machines with no support material.

File

Settings

Print Time

servoTail-bot.stl

220c
2 shells
15% infill
0.2 layer height
40 speed

about 15 minutes

servoTail-box.stl

-

about 35 minutes

servoTail-clip.stl

-

about 25 minutes

servoTail-top.stl

-

about 10 minutes

servoTail-attachment.stl

-

about 5 minutes

Hardware

The holes in the parts are sized for #4-40 3/8 flat phillips machine screws. You'll need six screws for this project and a screw driver.

Secure Clip to Bot

Insert the clip.stl part into the bot.stl part with the ledge part fitting into the slit. They should snap fit tolerance. Insert a single #4-40 screw into the tab so it threads through both parts. Fasten the screw only until the tip of the screw thread peeps through the other side.

Mounting Servo

Position the top part over the micro servo and line up the standoffs on the cover with the holes in micro servos tabs. Insert and fasten two #4-40 machine screws into the top part. The screws and micro servo should be flush with the surface of the top enclosure part.

Mounting Trinket

Insert the Trinket into the box.stl part with the USB and JST port facing the cut out. It should be oriented up right with the mounting holes over the standoffs. Insert and fasten two machine screws into the box.stl. The screw heads should be flush with the enclosure. 

Installing Top

Position the top.stl part over the box.stl part where the lip inserts to the frame. Press it down into place. Insert and fasten a #4-40 machine screw into the mounting hole near the bottom center of the top.stl part.

Install Clip and Bot into Box

Place the bot.stl part over the box.stl part and press it into the part. Fasten the screw all the way through until the screw head is flush with the part. 

Secure servo horn to tail

The large hole in the attachment is meant to snap fit onto the nub of the servo. The part with the slit is suppose to clip onto the zip tie. You'll want to get this attachment secured to the zip tie before pressing it into the servo tooth. It's a tight fit so you'll need to do a bit of "hard but too hard" type of thing to clip it on.

Install attachment to servo

Get the servo teeth in the center with the orientation relative to your clips position. You'll want to test fit this to see which way you need to install the attachment. Once you figure out what's up and down, press the attachment into the servo tooth. Insert and fasten a #2-56 machine screw into the hole of the attachment to secure it to the servo.

Install Ziptie

The slit in the servo horn is sized for a ziptie that's 4.5mm wide by thick 1.4mm. Find the center of the ziptie and gently fit it inside the slit of the servo horn. The ziptie is held in place with friction - apply adhesives for a perminent hold. 

Tie the Tail

The tail we used in this project has an hoop near the top. It came with a small bead chain that was threaded through the hoop. It's a great pace to thread the ziptie. String it through and tie it however tight you'd like. 

When you run the software presented on the next page, you might find the tail is off-balance. Easily fixed! Just wait for the tail to come to rest, disconnect power, then unscrew the servo horn (the little piece to which our tail is tied) and reinstall it in a neutral (centered) position.

This guide was first published on May 10, 2015. It was last updated on May 10, 2015.

This page (3D Printing and Assembly) was last updated on Apr 22, 2015.

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