[GUIDE] Stripping a Raspberry Pi3

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Eccho
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[GUIDE] Stripping a Raspberry Pi3

Post by Eccho » Sun Jul 30, 2017 8:46 am

ForewordShow
Dear Sudomod community,

Lately, Game Boy Zero (GBZ) builds rely more and more on integrating a Raspberry Pi 3 (RPi3) instead of the very famous, and author to the name, Raspberry Pi Zero (RPZ). Due to Kite's Super All-In-One (SAIO) board increased popularity, building a GBZ was made more beginner-friendly along with freeing space in the Game Boy case. Altogether, this lead to an increased demand in stripped RPi3.

I offer here a detailed and illustrated guide on how to strip a RPi3 using basic tools. This method has been mentioned several times before on the forum and in Kite's guide on his SAIO. I am not the author of the idea.

Also, I would like to add that I am not to be held responsible for any damage on your RPi3, do it at your own risk. This guide is meant to increase your chances of success. I can not emphasize enough how important it is to just take your time.

Also, using this method, you will NOT be able to recover the ports as it will literally end in thousand pieces.

Now let's start.
Raspberry Pi 3 model B and final resultShow
Here is the Raspberry Pi 3 model that I am going to use an example to strip off its components.
Illustr1a.png
Illustr1a.png (1.1 MiB) Viewed 11633 times


We aim at removing the following parts:
  • the two USB ports
  • the Ethernet port
  • the composite video/audio jack
  • the Display DSI and Camera CSI
Illustr1b.png
Illustr1b.png (983.44 KiB) Viewed 11633 times


The final stripped Raspberry Pi 3 should look as follows:
Illustr1c.png
Illustr1c.png (1.07 MiB) Viewed 11633 times
Removing the USB portsShow
1. To remove the metal case, identify the opening.
2. Flip it gently open with a blade.
3. Bend the metal in the corner ONLY to avoid damaging the nearby capacitor.
4. Lift the back side of the metal case. You can make it brake by bending it on the sides repetitively with your hands.
5. Make a small cut on the front of the USB port. Do it on both sides.
6. Open the metal case.
7. Make a clean cut with a cutting plier. Apply some strength.
8. Remove the top of the metal casing, again, by repetitively bending the metal on the side with your hands. It will break by itself.
9. Trim the plastic inside with the cutting plier. It is very soft plastic and will break easily.
10. Trim further the metal separator.
11. Remove gently any loose piece.
12. End result. Proceed to second USB port.
Illustr2.png
Illustr2.png (2.54 MiB) Viewed 11633 times
Removing the Ethernet portShow
1. To remove the metal case, identify the opening.
2. Flip it gently open with a blade.
3. Lift the back side of the metal case. You can make it brake by bending it on the sides repetitively with your hands.
4. Remove the upper side of the metal case.
5. Remove the sides of the metal case.
6. Make some horizontal cuts with a cutting plier in front of the port.
7. Remove the plastic above the cuts.
8. Remove the plastic on the back.
9. Trim down the plastic as far as possible, do not hesitate to cut in the metal pieces inside.
10. End result.
Illustr3.png
Illustr3.png (2.39 MiB) Viewed 11633 times
Removing the composite video/audio jackShow
1. Start by the side of the jack and identify the opening.
2. Gently apply a cut with a cutting plier.
3. Bend the metal piece open.
4. Trim the plastic inside gently.
5. Remaining metal piece can be removed by gently bending it to the side.
6. End result.
Illustr4.png
Illustr4.png (1.32 MiB) Viewed 11633 times
Removing the Display DSI and Camera CSIShow
1. Example is taken on the Camera CSI.
2. The is the frontal view because I want to insist on cutting the plastic by bending to the sides, left and right. VERY GENTLY, DO NOT RIP OFF.
3. Grab with a long nose plier.
4. Start bending it left and right. Do not apply any force until you have bent it 20 times on each side. No joke. You should feel that the plastic is getting looser.
5. The plastic now being loser, it can be trimmed. Gently. Be careful with the little metal pieces inside, if you rip it of you bring with you the whole wire inside the board.
6. VERY GENTLY break the metal pieces from the board.
7. End result.
Illustr5.png
Illustr5.png (1.73 MiB) Viewed 11633 times
Bonus pictureShow
Illustr6.JPG
Illustr6.JPG (2.66 MiB) Viewed 11633 times

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Re: [GUIDE] Stripping a Raspberry Pi3

Post by Eccho » Sun Jul 30, 2017 8:46 am

Slot saving.

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dryja123
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Re: [GUIDE] Stripping a Raspberry Pi3

Post by dryja123 » Fri Aug 11, 2017 7:19 pm

Look what you made me do!

I used chipquik and the whole process literally took 3 minutes. I was inspired by your guide. :)
20170811_210201.jpg
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20170811_210204.jpg
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20170811_210211.jpg
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Re: [GUIDE] Stripping a Raspberry Pi3

Post by Eccho » Sun Aug 13, 2017 12:03 pm

Oh, that looks super clean! Glad the guide helped. I was indeed struggling removing the solder from the USB ports but didn't bother to much since I wanted to cut most of it anyway. I will give it a try as well!

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Re: [GUIDE] Stripping a Raspberry Pi3

Post by dryja123 » Sat Aug 19, 2017 3:07 pm

Echo, thanks for guiding me to the result that I wanted!
20170819_165521.jpg
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Re: [GUIDE] Stripping a Raspberry Pi3

Post by Eccho » Sun Aug 20, 2017 3:52 am

Nice looking cut! Funny how it really looks identical to my Kite build as well ;)

Thanks for sharing, it motivates me to detail even more the stripping!

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Re: [GUIDE] Stripping a Raspberry Pi3

Post by firestw152 » Fri Sep 29, 2017 8:02 pm

dryja123 wrote:
Fri Aug 11, 2017 7:19 pm
Look what you made me do!

I used chipquik and the whole process literally took 3 minutes. I was inspired by your guide. :)
20170811_210201.jpg
20170811_210204.jpg
20170811_210211.jpg
I tried chipquik I put a bunch on made sure it was melted real good and nothing would budge still ended up ripping up a ton of traces. Not a big deal to me since im not gonna re-use theses ports but still I feel like I wasted money on the chipquick since it didn't work right.

What brand did you buy and how did you use it? I was hoping it would take 3 minute like you but here I am 1 hour in and still have to get rid of the USB ports. AHHHHHHHHHH

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Re: [GUIDE] Stripping a Raspberry Pi3

Post by dryja123 » Fri Sep 29, 2017 8:14 pm

firestw152 wrote:
Fri Sep 29, 2017 8:02 pm

I tried chipquik I put a bunch on made sure it was melted real good and nothing would budge still ended up ripping up a ton of traces. Not a big deal to me since im not gonna re-use theses ports but still I feel like I wasted money on the chipquick since it didn't work right.

What brand did you buy and how did you use it? I was hoping it would take 3 minute like you but here I am 1 hour in and still have to get rid of the USB ports. AHHHHHHHHHH
It was a generic brand called SMD chipquik. Did you use copious amounts of the flux that it came with? The flux helps keep the alloy melted. A lot of flux, a little alloy, some heat and it should stay melted for like 10 seconds. Plenty of time to pull the parts loose.

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Re: [GUIDE] Stripping a Raspberry Pi3

Post by firestw152 » Fri Sep 29, 2017 9:07 pm

dryja123 wrote:
Fri Sep 29, 2017 8:14 pm
firestw152 wrote:
Fri Sep 29, 2017 8:02 pm

I tried chipquik I put a bunch on made sure it was melted real good and nothing would budge still ended up ripping up a ton of traces. Not a big deal to me since im not gonna re-use theses ports but still I feel like I wasted money on the chipquick since it didn't work right.

What brand did you buy and how did you use it? I was hoping it would take 3 minute like you but here I am 1 hour in and still have to get rid of the USB ports. AHHHHHHHHHH
It was a generic brand called SMD chipquik. Did you use copious amounts of the flux that it came with? The flux helps keep the alloy melted. A lot of flux, a little alloy, some heat and it should stay melted for like 10 seconds. Plenty of time to pull the parts loose.
Guess that was the problem. Just used enough flux to cover the pins I did not put a lot of it on. Still tho when the Ethernet port was melted I tried with all my might to take it out but I still had to destroy it by cutting it out piece by piece.

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Re: [GUIDE] Stripping a Raspberry Pi3

Post by dryja123 » Fri Sep 29, 2017 9:25 pm

Rule #1: don't force anything.

When properly applied you can wiggle the component back and forth and it will come out. If it's giving you too much resistance it will break.

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