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Start by choosing whether you want a costume prop, a phone holder, or a working wearable computer. Then measure the exact screen, electronics, battery, controls, connectors, and arm placement before editing a model or printing a full enclosure. Pip-Boy designs use different dimensions and fasteners, so a model that fits a phone—or one computer build—will not automatically fit your hardware.
Choose the kind of Pip-Boy you’re making
Your build type determines what the enclosure needs to hold and how much CAD work to expect.
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| Build path | Compute and display | Fit and customization | Main trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prop or phone shell | No computer required; a phone may provide the display. | Adapt an existing printable model to the phone and wearer. | Less electronics work, but interior space may not fit a computer. |
| Raspberry Pi Pip-Boy 3000 | The Adafruit guide uses a Raspberry Pi Model B+ and a 3.5-inch PiTFT. | Its CAD includes cutouts for most Raspberry Pi I/O ports. | A detailed functional example with more components and integration work. The guide’s hardware is specific to its design and should not be assumed compatible with newer parts. |
| Pip-Boy 2040 | A compact wrist-mounted RP2040 build. | A three-part case with specified fasteners and strap options. | Documented print and assembly details, but still tied to its own parts and dimensions. |
| Custom computer enclosure | Your chosen board, screen, and power system. | Build openings and internal mounts around the measured components. | Most adaptable, and the most demanding to design and test. |
For a phone-sized starting point, Ytec’s classic Pip-Boy 3000 design lists internal dimensions of 139 × 75 × 16 mm. That is the design’s stated interior size, not a guarantee that a particular phone will fit. Ytec also lists 100%, 108%, and 115% variants for its Mark IV design, but cautions that arbitrary scaling can make tapped screw holes too large. Its “accurate” edition is described as unfinished, so treat it as a source for adaptation rather than a completed plug-and-play computer case.
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Prioritize the silhouette, arm fit, closure, and finish. If decorative controls do not operate electronics, present them as cosmetic rather than functional.
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Phone holder
Check your phone’s width, height, thickness, camera and button positions, and how it enters and leaves the case. A model’s nominal interior dimensions alone do not confirm that the phone’s controls, camera, or charging port will remain accessible.
Functional wearable computer
Choose the display, board, battery, switches, and connectors before laying out the case. The Raspberry Pi Foundation’s March 24, 2020 feature describes a Pi Zero W wearable with a GPIO-connected display and custom Python interface, and calls it “not what we’d call a beginner’s project.” It is an example of the software and electronics work involved, not a 3D enclosure tutorial.
Measure your parts and wearer before editing CAD
For a working build, make a component list and record the dimensions of every part that must fit inside or pass through the shell.
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- Measure the display’s visible area and its full board or bezel; mark where the screen opening and mounting holes must go.
- Measure the board, battery, switches, knobs, and any other controls, including the space required to reach them.
- Locate connectors and note the clearance needed for plugs, cables, and wire bends. Check USB-C alignment rather than relying on a case outline alone.
- Plan wire paths, standoffs, screw locations, and how the case will open for installation and servicing.
- Measure the wearer’s arm over the sleeve or costume layer you intend to wear. Position the strap or closure so it can adjust and does not obstruct controls or ports.
Use calipers for components and leave practical clearance for connectors, wiring, print variation, and assembly. Check that the screen can be installed and removed, ports remain reachable, and the enclosure can be opened for service. Use source CAD files when possible: changing the internal layout is usually safer than scaling the entire model, which also changes mating surfaces and hole sizes.
Choose and adapt a model
Existing designs are useful starting points, but their interiors and hardware are not interchangeable. The classic Ytec Pip-Boy 3000 is described as a smartphone holder; its author says fitting a full Raspberry Pi requires changes. The Adafruit Raspberry Pi case, by contrast, was designed around a Model B+ and 3.5-inch PiTFT, with cutouts for most Pi I/O ports. Adafruit’s separate 2040 case is built for an RP2040 project and calls out USB-C alignment.
Before committing to a model, verify that its files, dimensions, and construction match your parts. Make a model-specific bill of materials and check the license attached to the current files before remixing or redistributing them. Ytec states that its classic design is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike. Adafruit describes its Raspberry Pi CAD as open source and offers several CAD formats; check the license on the current downloadable files rather than assuming the terms for every file or project are identical.
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Print a fit test before the full enclosure
Inspect the slicer preview for unsupported overhangs and areas where support material could become trapped. A small screen bezel, standoff, or screw-hole test can reveal a poor fit before it wastes a full print.
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Use settings tied to the selected design
Adafruit’s Pip-Boy 2040 guide, last edited April 18, 2025, specifies a 0.2 mm layer height and 18% infill for its case. Those are settings for those files, not universal Pip-Boy or printer settings. Check the model, printer, material, and strength needs before changing them.
For its Raspberry Pi Pip-Boy 3000, Adafruit recommends PLA to reduce warping and splitting and identifies the base-main and rotary-case parts as requiring support. It says localized support areas are sufficient on the base-main. Follow the preview and the instructions for the particular parts you are printing rather than applying those support directions to another model.
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Estimate material from the model, not a generic build
Ytec lists 500 g of PLA or ABS for its classic Pip-Boy 3000 design. That quantity belongs to that model’s materials list; your filament needs will depend on the selected files, slicer settings, and printer. Adafruit recommends PLA for its Raspberry Pi enclosure, but neither figure establishes a universal material requirement.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Clean and assemble the parts using the matching hardware
Remove supports carefully and clean strings or rough edges before fitting electronics. Adafruit lists flat pliers and flush diagonal snips for cleanup. Keep assembly instructions and hardware tied to the exact design: the two Adafruit cases use different fasteners and methods.
Adafruit Raspberry Pi Pip-Boy 3000
The guide uses a #4-40 tap or machine screw to tap the printed standoffs, and says to go only about halfway through. Its armband and base-main have magnet pockets; check polarity and pocket fit before gluing magnets in place.
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Adafruit Pip-Boy 2040
The case sections use four M4 × 0.7 brass heat-set inserts and M4 × 30 mm socket-head screws. The display and board assembly use M2.5 × 10 mm screws and nuts. Carefully heat and sink the inserts, and align the USB-C opening as you assemble the case. The guide supports either a nylon watch strap or hook-and-loop fastening.
Ytec classic Pip-Boy 3000
Use the screw sizes and other hardware specified for that model; do not substitute the Adafruit case’s fasteners. Ytec lists glue, magnets, and Velcro straps among the supplies for its classic design.
Finish the case and check it on your arm
Paint and decorative finishing are easiest after the case opens correctly and the controls, connectors, and display have been checked. Assemble the electronics, confirm that ports and switches work, and secure the strap before wearing the enclosure over the intended costume sleeve. Check for pressure points, movement, and whether the closure stays put during normal arm movement. The cited designs do not establish a universal fit or safety specification; this is a practical fit check, not a certification.
Plan for a parts-specific build
There is no single set of dimensions, print settings, or fasteners that fits every Pip-Boy enclosure. The older Raspberry Pi 3000 guide uses a Pi B+ and PiTFT; the 2040 guide is a separate compact build, and Ytec’s classic model is phone-sized. Treat each design’s measurements and assembly directions as model-specific, then validate your own fit with a small test print before producing the full shell.
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