HDZero BoxPro Rehousing - Big Head Edition

A rehousing for the HDZero BoxPro, with some 3d print optimisations, and most importantly: space for my big head and glasses.

Modifications

The original models for the BoxPro case/housing are available at: https://github.com/hd-zero/hdzero-tooling

For fitting my glasses in:

• Widened the portion of the faceplate that lets glasses in to add a couple cm either side
• Widened the face plate to allow comfortable fitting of glasses
• Thinned walls to fit things in
• Modified the top plate to make it fit around the new face plate

For making the existing models 3d printable and effective (rather than the moulding method used by the OEM):

• Thickened areas of walls to ensure a minimum wall thickness
• Thickened the screw standoffs to ensure a minimum thickness and strength in fdm printed parts.
• Thickened and strengthened the strap mounts
• Widened some holes to increase slop/clearance between 3d printed parts and orignal manufactured parts
• Cut the fan housing into a separate part from the top plate
  • tldr; Printing the top plate flat on the bed makes for a really nice clean part, but the fan housing made that a challenge.
• Test printed a bunch of times in different orientations to ensure the cleanest print orientation.
• Removed helpers/artifacts for plastic-moulding manufacturing processes.

Printing

I strongly suggest using PETG for the housing, at the least for the “face plate” as it has to hold the weight and tension of the goggles on your face.

The rest can be a strong/solid PLA, but use PETG if you're at all worried about strength.

Print in the orientation in the 3mf. There's no nice answer to 3d printing the face plate; you're always going to get support mess. So, I aimed to make it printable in an orientation where the support mess is minimal. It's also key that the strap mounts are printed in this orientation to avoid breaking.

Take care in the support removal for the face plate; There are screw standoffs that can look a bit like tree-supports if you're not careful.

Rehousing Tips

You can use all original parts from the HDZero BoxPros for a successfuly rehousing.

If want to continue to mount the prescription insert in the goggles you need some 2m threaded inserts for the face plate.

The original foams are also fine. I did in my experience find that the velcro and adhesive degraded over multiple rehousings while refining this model; you may want to buy some extra velcro and some velcro-backed foam (amazon, etc.) to cut your own foam. You may want more foam in the extended parts where glasses fit if you want to avoid light leak.

Rehousing is reversable, the only component that degrades is the adhesive on the velcro for the foams.

Rehousing Process

1) Go and watch the teardown portion of Mads Tech's video on the BoxPros.

  - Make a mental note of how to take apart and put them back together.

2) Test-fit the printed parts together and post-process (sand, file, clip) any parts that keep it from being clean.

 - Optionally; glue or plastic weld the fan housing into the top plate.

2) Take apart your boxpros

3) Move the electronics to the rehousing

4) Put it all back together

History

I posted about these on reddit about a year ago. And, obviously had interest from others who have similar issues with the HDZeros. I reached out to hdz and asked “am I cool to post these with your blessing?” and they got back to me in due course with an emphatic “fuck yeah”.

Since then I get a message or a comment every month or so to ask; when you gonna do that bro? hook me up. Legit af; I said I would.

My apologies to the community for posting some cool stuff and not following up on it; I got the ADHD real bad, and today is my 2nd day medicated (party time).

I moved on to using mostly DJI gear not long after running the BoxPros. However, they make amazing sim goggles. So, I currently run the BoxPros in sim and for analogue, and my DJIs for my every day throwabouts.

Caveats, Warnings, etc.

I have to be very honest: one of the forces that kept me from posting these sooner is they're not my best work. I usually knock out 3d models and real world objects through a fairly solid process; idea, draft, rough print, refine, live with it, re-evaluate, (finally) publish. This was a very different project.

For me, I bought the HDZeros and was a little gutted that the sizing was just off to stop my glasses fitting. I did buy a prescription insert, but I prefer to wear my glasses inside my goggles.

So; this project was; “woop, thank you hdzero for posting the model files, lets see what I need to do to rehouse the electronics and make it work for me”.

HDZero boxpros are expensive; please be careful, and don't take my success in this endeavour as proof it'll go off without a hitch for you.

This model currently comes without a guide on rehousing; this also put me off publishing. I don't have the ability or time to create a decent guide right now. There is however, a great Teardown Video by Mads Tech, which I used to understand how to successfully take them apart and rehouse them. It's an easy enough process; the goggles and their electronics are beautifully designed, props to HDZero for a great job on them.

Credits and Source

This wouldn't be possible without HDZero's great work, and their ethos of open-sourcing their work. What struck me about the goggles while working on this project is just how well designed they are; out of my league. Cudos.

You can find the original source of the (unmodified) goggles here: https://github.com/hd-zero/hdzero-tooling
If you're thinking of doing something similar, but better, I'd encourage it!

And you can find the source for the modifications I made, and some backups and mess here: https://github.com/jamescodesthings/hdzero

All rights and licenses beyond my work on the modifications are held by HDZero.

Thanks u/Qube42 for your interest in, and responses to the reddit posts.