Meshtastic is an open-source mesh networking platform designed for long-range, decentralized communication using LoRa radios, suitable for areas without reliable communications infrastructure.

Wireless Paper is a LoRa device with e-paper display, manufactured by Heltec, originally designed as a remotely programmable price tag, but gaining popularity in the Meshtastic community - as capable as other ESP32 devices, relatively cheap, and comes with a large, good contrast display with considerably lower power requirements than the LCD/OLED alternatives.

This project is a case for Heltec Wireless Paper, for use as a regular Meshtastic node, Swivel antenna, a large battery, on/off switch, viewport to see the on-board LEDs, access door in case you need to use the Boot button or replace the battery.

"Artifacts" list:

• Heltec Wireless Paper

• a 72x30x2 acrylic sheet (comes with Wireless Paper kit)

• a SMA-J male to IPEX RF coaxial cable (comes with Wireless Paper kit)

• antenna (black comes with Wireless Paper kit, gotta buy white yourself)

• a battery socket plug with a pair of wires (comes with Wireless Paper kit)

• A LiPo/LiIon battery, up to 30mm wide, up to 60mm long, up to 10mm thick you can edit the FreeCAD file to adapt to thicker or reduce the box height if you have thinner. The one I'm using is Akyga 1700mAh, LP103058 but anything that fits in the 30x60x10 volume will work.

• A shard of an old CD / DVD / CD-R disk, for use as lightguide to make the LEDs visible from outside, about 3x25mm. Cut a wedge-shaped strip off the CD using snips, cut tip off so that the end is slightly less than 3mm wide, cut the other end to length so it overhangs the LEDs on the PCB

• a piece of two-sided "sponge" sticky tape or something similar, to put between the battery and the board so the battery won't get pierced on corners of chips.

• a slider switch. The project accepts a switch with body sized 12x6x5.5mm. Edit the project spreadsheet to adapt to other sizes.

Minimal soldering required - black from battery to black from plug, red from battery to a side of switch, red from plug to center of switch.

Assembly:

• Get it all to work without the case. Consult Meshtastic.org for instructions.
• Mount the coaxial cable in the swivel, attach the antenna. Thread the IPEX plug through a hole in the antenna groove of the case, pull most of the cable through, then mount the swivel squeezing two side nubs into two notches in the antenna groove. May require some force.
• Clean and insert the acrylic cover.
• Affix a piece of sponge tape to the battery, the side that will go towards the PCB.
• Plug the battery-switch-plug combo into the Wireless Paper board. (the socket is too fiddly to do this later)
• Clean the e-paper display, and insert the PCB into the case, observing where USB-C is and trying not to trap the IPEX cable underneath.
• Plug the IPEX plug into the SBC, make a single loop of the cable so it doesn't wander all over the place.
• Push the CD shard into the LED slot on the side, leaving the other end over the LEDs on the PCB. Optionally hot-glue.
• Insert the slider switch into its mount, slider side first then down to latch on the mount.
• Pack the battery into the box.
• Insert one side of the door tabs into notches on one side. Bend the door lightly along the thinning through middle of its length and insert the tabs on the other side into their notches. Enjoy.

FreeCAD project with spreadsheet attached to customize for your needs.

Affiliate links:

• Wireless Paper
• 868MHz (EU) 5cm white antenna
• 433MHz (US) 5cm white antenna
• Slider switch
• 103050 battery

Longer

Longer LK5 Pro

No

Yes

20%

Print front face down (rotate 180 degrees from normal position). Use normal supports build plate only to support the bottom of the antenna notch, the rest doesn't require supports. Door flat face down. Swivel the circular hole down.