The Appalachian Gothic aesthetic of the ForestFrames project demands more than a 3D-printed enclosure. To bridge the gap between high-performance firmware and physical artifact, I have begun fabricating a custom housing using a “Make Market” basswood box with a brass hinge. Like many of my projects, I want the presentation to be as much art as the software. It should cultivate a vibe and an experience.

1. The Chassis: Basswood Selection

The choice of basswood was intentional. It is soft enough to carve with high precision but maintains a classic, organic texture that fits the “Folk Horror” vibe of the camera’s software filters.

The Basswood Box Base

While the internals are all functional, they definitely are not organized yet. I am waiting on some mounting screws to come in to secure the screen before mounting the remaining components.

2. The Through-Port: USB-C Integration

The core of the internal hardware is the XIAO ESP32S3 Sense. To ensure the device is field-serviceable, I measured and carved a dedicated through-port for a USB-C connection.

  • Process: I used a Dremel to route a circular opening that matches the profile of a Flexible Printed Cable (FPC) flush-mounted port, allowing the USB-C cable to be secure for plugging in, charging, and flashing updates through XIAO’s port without internal stress or risking unseating the camera.

USB-C Port Cutout

3. The Viewfinder: ST7789 Display Opening

The most critical physical interface is the viewport for the 1.47” ST7789 LCD.

  • Measurement: The opening was measured specifically to expose only the active pixel area, hiding the ribbon cables and PCB edges within the grain of the wood.
  • Execution: After marking the boundaries, I carved the display window with the Dremel. The brass hinges allow the box to open for internal hardware debugging while remaining a sealed unit during capture.

There is a good degree of extra cable meterage coming from the ports the LCD screen came with, so I may want to trim those down in the future to clean up the internal wiring, but for the version 1 this is more than workable.

Screen Viewport Carving

Next: Final assembly and mounting the OV2640 sensor.

Related Project: ForestFrames