Microbit Neckbolts

youmagine

So, I love my new microbits, and not just because I get to say I have a BBC-branded computer. However, those pins and contacts are not anywhere near as convenient as they should be. Yes, banana plugs fit, but unless you only stick them in halfway, they just sort of wiggle about. Alligator clips are fine for testing, but I don't like how they bite into the PCB if you try to hook them through the holes, and if you simply apply them to the contacts, they can shift around and scratch things up, if not cause shorts across other contacts. I went looking for cases or some other solutions apart from those breakout boards that Sparkfun and Monkmakes have produced, and came across this "neckbolt" cover. I do really like it, but there's a few parts of the design that personally irk me. That's not knocking @Vlastimil3 it's just he clearly has more confidence in his printers than I do. I like to avoid overhangs that require support. I also was a bit leery of using countersunk screws, because if the heads are a little too big, they may overlap with other pins, and that's what i wanted to avoid. So, I've made two variations on it. Both involve an all-important backplate, protecting the contacts on both sides. This frees up the type of bolts you can use along with any additional hardware like nuts and washers. Still, be cautious about the surface you place it on, as metal will definitely create shorts. Maybe I'll make some protective caps depending on what type of bolts I settle on. One forgoes the text labeling the ground and analog pins, but the other keeps it while adding the backplate. This allows you to print without supports while keeping the contacts covered. I didn't print an example of this one; the M3D is fine on simple shapes, but chokes on text when it comes to the rubbery filament I use.