Hi there
I want to mount a Nano inside an ABS plastic case (it's an old games controller).
I need some bolts, screws, risers or spacers to hold the Nano in place (through the four holes in the corner of the Nano's PCB).
Does anyone have a neat solution or product for this? If you could point me towards some products that would help, I'd really appreciate it.
Thanks for reading
Dave
Hi Dave
Looking at the Nano manual it shows mounting holes 0.07 inches diameter. That's 1.77mm which means a M1.6 machine screw (metric type) would suit. I know these are stocked by many locations - depending where you are located a distributor of Pololu (link to their machine screw page) is one option. Spacers and/or standoffs to suit will be stocked at similar locations.
Cheers ! Geoff
Thanks Geoff. Miniature screws seem irritatingly expensive over here (UK) - I'll keep looking on eBay, but I might see if I can get hold of a glue gun and experiment with that too...
Yes go with hot glue gun. It won't need much and if the box is not in a vibrating environment will be there forever
museumoftechno:
Thanks Geoff. Miniature screws seem irritatingly expensive over here (UK) - I'll keep looking on eBay, but I might see if I can get hold of a glue gun and experiment with that too...
I agree, and the fewer you buy the worse it gets. If you're in the UK try larger electronics distributors like Newark - I typically add mixed bags of of M3's of various lengths to my orders with their sibling Element 14 here and that works out pretty cost effective. Of course the hot glue gun should never be far from reach in my view too 
Geoff
Permanent mounting?
— Sugru
— Hot glue
— Clear Silicon Caulk (I have used this...works.)
A more 'professional' solution?
— Probably standoffs. Either screwed or glued to controller case...depending on shape of it (curved, lat, etc....).
Post a photo.
There's an opportunity here for someone to market a laser-cut mounting brackets to fit the Nano, Mini, Mini Pro etc...
Or for someone else to get his reprap to do some useful job.
museumoftechno:
Thanks Geoff. Miniature screws seem irritatingly expensive over here (UK)
Depends where you are. There's an old fashioned hardware shop near me (East London) that sells screws, bolts, nuts, washers, etc. loose. Earlier this week, I bought 20 * M4 15mm long bolts and 20 * M4 nuts for £1.56. I know they have 10BA bolts (small enough for you?) of various types (cheesehead, roundhead, countersunk, brass or steel, etc.) and lengths at about 50p for 10 for the bolts and less for the nuts.
They stock anything from 10BA up to about 1/2" Whitworth and wood screws from 1/4" No. 2 to 6" No. 12 (and bigger) all at reasonable prices. The smaller items sell in lots of 10 (counted by hand), the larger ones are sold individually.
They have an ecclectic mix of stuff. I'm going again next week to try to get some 6BA stand-offs. (I've got some, but they're too short). If they don't have them, I don't know who does.
It's the pre-packaged stuff that's expensive.
To mount a Nano -
M1.6 socket head cap screws (the only fixing with a small enough head).
M1.6 knurled insert nut (available on Ebay) 2.5mm od 4mm long.
Copper clad board.
Cut 2 pieces of copper clad board 22x7mm.
Drill 2 holes 2.5 dia at 15.24mm (0.6") crs.
Drill 1 centre hole and countersink the copper side to suit an M3 screw (countersunk because screw head is close to Nano).
Fit insert nut in each small hole, protruding proud of copper side, solder in place.
Voila - compact mounting feet for a Nano and not a 3d printer in sight.
Ensure pins do not come into contact with copper clad board.
museumoftechno:
Thanks Geoff. Miniature screws seem irritatingly expensive over here (UK) - I'll keep looking on eBay, but I might see if I can get hold of a glue gun and experiment with that too...
10 BA screws are 1.7 mm diameter and can be obtained cheaply from any model engineering supplier in the UK. I use EKP Supplies (google them).
Russell.
3M double sided foam tape. - Scotty
My vote is for the hot-melt glue.
(Quick, cheap and easy.)
strykeroz:
I agree, and the fewer you buy the worse it gets.Geoff
Maplins do a mixed kit that is fairly good value, of course its easy to use up one size screw quickly but cheap crimp pliers have a handy shear to cut the long ones down.
Henry_Best:
Depends where you are. There's an old fashioned hardware shop near me (East London) that sells screws,
Clerkenwell ?
Is it safe to actually glue a nano to something?
won't i run the risk of connecting something on the back inadvertantly?
So long as the glue is non conducting or corrosive i do not see a problem.
Use too much in the wrong place though could give you a problem if you have to modify or replace components.
I would advise against silicone bath sealer type though.
ryuujin87:
Is it safe to actually glue a nano to something?won't i run the risk of connecting something on the back inadvertantly?
I've used hot-melt glue without problems.
Edit: I just realised I also said this in an earlier reply.
OldSteve:
I've used hot-melt glue without problems.
Just use the smallest dobs on the corners to do the job. You may want to get it off again for service/ modifications.
By the way, flooding with meths and occluding with a piece of plastic wrap for an hour or so, does soften the adhesion of Hot Melt to surfaces.
