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8bitjunkie is on “vacation”

I’ve got a bunch of things I need to get done over the next couple of weeks so I’m not going to be able to take new orders for a bit.

If you’d like to place a large bezel order (say 20+), contact me so I can get the 3d printer working on it, but note that I won’t be shipping anything for at least a week or two.

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Pi Cart Zero Kit Installation Notes

The USB and HDMI ports must be glued into the bezel.

Preparation:

Optional but recommended: lightly sand the outside surfaces of the ports to help ensure a strong adhesive bond.

Clean the ports and inside of the bezel with isopropyl alcohol (isopropanol) to ensure the surfaces are completely clean. Don’t use “rubbing alcohol”. All alcohol labeled as “rubbing” in the United States contains additives which will leave a residue. Also, do not use acetone which will attack/soften the plastic.

Let the alcohol dry completely before proceeding.

Insert the ports into the bezel.  Make sure the orientation is correct before applying adhesive.  You don’t want one USB port to be rotated differently than the others. The orientation of the HDMI port isn’t as important and, due to the short length of the cable, it may be difficult to rotate it anyway.

Apply adhesive/glue:

We have two recommended options –

1. Super glue (Cyanoacrylate): Get glue between the bezel plastic and the port on all four sides. You can apply glue around the edges of the holes and tilt the part around to get it to flow under the bezel plastic. You should also apply glue from the back on all four sides.

Make sure the port is pushed down all the way into the bezel before applying super glue. The glue sets fairly rapidly and it will be difficult or impossible to reposition things once it does.

If the ports on the hubs you have are much smaller than the bezel was designed for (like there’s a significant gap on three or more sides), you can use baking soda to fill the gaps. Super glue reacts quite actively (gets really hot, be careful) with baking soda, sets almost instantly, and acts like a cement. It’s a good way to fill gaps as super glue on its own requires a tight fit to bond.

You could also try an expanding glue like Gorilla Glue, but we haven’t tested it – could be problematic.

2. Hot glue: Apply hot glue in the holes. Don’t add so much that it increases the height of the part because it might not fit into the cart. You may also add some to the back, but it might not be necessary.

Other adhesive options:

Other types of adhesives may also work, but we haven’t tested them. Obviously, the glue you use must adhere to plastic to be effective. A two-part epoxy that’s labeled for plastic would probably work great. Contact cement or a PVA based adhesive may also work.

With any type of glue you may use, the most important aspect is to maximize the amount of surface area where the two parts are bonded together. Cleaning and/or sanding the plastic around the ports will help ensure the bond is strong.

 

Note: we will update this page with some photos showing some of the steps soon.