Hope this is the place for this.

I'm looking to combine the case and power supply of a dead powerbook 540c, plus a large case fan (I think its about 15cm across), to create a cooling system and stand for my 12" ibook which will make it easier to use on a desk with an external keyboard. I think it will require me to prop open the lid slightly and I'm not sure how I'm going to go about doing that.

If I'm feeling adventurous I might add a USB hub too.

Anyway, just looking for ideas on this...

can't really visualize where you are going with this. Sounds interesting though, I would def include a usb hub. Make sure to document and post as a guide if you decide to go through. Maybe a rough sketch of it would help, so people can provide some feedback.

Cheers.

Have you ever seen one of those podium coolpads(I think thats what they're called), or an iCurve? Those things seem like a cool idea but they're really expensive for what they are...

I thought I could make one by turning the case of an old powerbook around (hinge at the front), propping it open a little and placing my ibook on top.

I think it would be so much better tho if I could put this old fan I have lying around in the cavity left by the screen of the powerbook and drill some holes (or somehow else make a vent) in the top of the case to blow air on to the bottom of the ibook. The biggest problem with that is, how to cut a hole in the top case of a powerbook...

I think I could place a USB hub inside the guts of the old powerbook and build a new back cover where the SCSI and ADB etc ports were so I could have my external keyboard, joystick, camera etc. attached permanently, halving wear on the ibooks USB ports (plus adding a few more ports)

Anyway, sketches are coming when I figure out how to upload images

well I am working on a personal file management system for each user. Please bare with us until we get this put in place. At the moment you can only use url image insertion, meaning that it has to be posted somewhere else. If you really wanted, you could go to submit mod guide and upload an image there and get its url, copy and paste. But I realize that this is a bit of work.

As for the stand, I think that this might be alright. I see what you are talking about now. Turning it around backwards was the key. I don't think that cutting a hole would be that difficult and you could take a computer fan guard and put it on top to make it look nice.. The only thing that you are going to have to worry about is getting the laptop to sit on the other laptop evenly without being wobbly. You may also, have to put something on the back side to hold it open. The hinge won't support the weight of the laptop and your hands.

What laptop are you planning on using for this project? You could rig it up maybe so that you can use the usb ports in that laptop as the hub?

Cheers.

Was planning on using a Powerbook 540c as the stand, so no luck using on-board USB ports. Unfortunately it has all its ports on the back so the power supply would stick out the front after the mod...

I use an external keyboard (and the 540 is VERY solidly built so hopefully the hinge will cut it. I am currently using a powerbook 150 in a similar way with a stapler propping it open. Unfortunately it still goes so I can't use it for the mod

See what you mean about images, I might see if I can find somewhere to upload them...
In the meantime, if you're a spymac member, I think you can look at this pic which might give you a better idea of what I mean

http://www.spymac.com/gallery/show_photo.php?picid=202796

Post edited by: MarMightyGood, at: 2004/07/20 10:22

sorry, I boycotted that site. Don't like their idea of a community. But anyway. Don't know what else to tell ya about the stand. I think you have a pretty good idea about what you need to do. Looks are of my main concern. But I am sure you can make it look good. Await the finished product.

Cheers.

well, for a stand, i'd stay away from using an old laptop like that. i'd suggest going to the office supply store and pickup a clear acrylic stand. go to a computer store, pickup a variable speed 80mm fan. then take a drill and a saw to make a hole in part of the acrylic stand, so you can mount the fan to it. go to radio shack, pick up a nicer looking switch, and BLAM! you've got yourself an acrylic stand.

and if you want the ibook/ipod look, just paint the other side of the acrylic white. thats my suggestion.

total cost: <$15

I like that idea, although I probably wouldn't bother with painting it. If I used a clear fan it woulld definately look better than the old powerbook. Guess the only pproblem is finding a stand like the one you describe, I've not seen one for less than the iCurve,

iCurve

Post edited by: MarMightyGood, at: 2004/07/22 06:40

I agree with Whitlock, that is the approach that I would take on the matter. I would hit up the local harware store and find some cool stuff to make one out of. I think that some silver pipe with ruber feet with a piece of plexiglass mounted on top of the feet with a simple bolt and ruber stoppers over the top of that would look really cool. Just make sure that the front feet are slightly smaller than the rear and that you have to cut them at the right angle. but you can put a rubber divider/o-ring between the silver pipe and the plexiglass. Make sure that you go with a brush alluminum look if you can, or a polished solver look. I think that this I you can include the fan below this just as easily too. Thats my idea, if you are going to go away from the old powerbook for the stand.

Cheers.

PLUS

[img]http://store4.yimg.com/I/xoxide_1802_1919842[/img]

You may need 2 of the plastic sign holders to provide the right strength and just stack them. Also, notice the fan has a speed control which you can also attach to your stand. I think this is the best solution and its cheap. You will be able to set up this whole configuration for less than 15 bucks if you search in the right places.

I like the idea of the sign holder. Not sure if it would provide one of the things I want, which is to lift the ibook up off the desk quite a lot. although I suppose this could be fixed by adding feet.

yeah. it's a good idea depending on how comfortable you are working with fiberglass/plexiglass/acrylic. i figured that the pre-molded acrylic stand may be one of the easiest. though some clear acrylic pegs and some chrome accent metal (thats been brushed with a sponge for an hour) would look really nice. as for the variable fan speed, i'd go for one that just has a loose cable on it that you have to adjust with a screwdriver. it's adjustable and you can add any switch you want with ease.

these ideas are way cheaper than an iCurve

I like the idea of the clear picture frame- but i was also thinking of possibly using a document tray. I just figured I'd put in my 2 cents.

i guess it really depends on the picture frame width. they are not really tested for strength, but i would suppose atleast a 4mm thickness would support it.

now i'm more for the painting of the inside white now. that would give it the iCurve look and you could even use black decals to put your name in it, such as "iWhitlock" if it was going to be mine. for the cable that leads for the fan, get some shrink tube wrap around it, white preff, so the cable is not so obvious. you could also paint the wires. have it follow on one side of the base and attatch it with an epoxy. from there, you drop it into a converter with some resistors on it so the 5 volt fan connection won't blow. if you have an old a/c adapter, this would work very well.

Just another thought. If you have a home depot around, they usually carry plastic like acrylic and plexi. One product they carry that I swear by is lexan. You cand ben lexan on up to a 90 degree angle without it snapping, and it wont bend back, its gotta be pretty tough stuff, considering its nasa's choice for shuttle windows. No to mention its cheap about $3 for a 12x12 sheet. you can get in 2' by 3' sheets too. also, you can cut it without it melting, it s melting/burning temp is 800 degrees f.

another thought would be molding one. if you could make one out of cardboard, the cast it in plaster, when it dries you would have your mold. nex just get some liquid acrylic plastic, and let it dry in the mold, add a fan, and there you go.

my third and final idea involves getting some cheap aluminium flat rods, and bending two of them in a slightly angled box shape and have 2 cross beams., then you would get a sheet of lexan or plexi and put that on top with some metal boaring screws , drill your fan hole and voila.

Post edited by: ubergeek89, at: 2004/07/23 02:19

I would kill for someone to show me how to do plastic mold. I've seen the ford explorer ipod mod and ever since then I've been keen on understanding the process of creating a custom plastic piece by using a mold. If anyone could post up a technique guide that would be amazing

Meybe its easier and cheaper to buy a pre-made one after all!!!

http://store.4linkcomm.com/byalnoco.html

[img]http://store4.yimg.com/I/linkcomm_1796_11389773[/img]

yea, I would really like to see someone do a guide for making a mold and pouring plastic or fiberglass or whatever. That would be truly great. I got an idea on how to do it, but never have so I don't think that I could provide the right advise on certain things. Anyone who knows how to do this care to write a guide? Could definitely put it on the homepage!

ubergeek89 wrote:


Wow! 3 bucks?
My Home Depot carries a bunch of different grades of plastic, and the only polycarbonated one is GE Lexan XL10 ( http://stonewallcs.com/~jon/bellslabs/ddrpad/P1010040.jpg http://stonewallcs.com/~jon/xl10.pdf ). It was 6 dollars for a 12" square! And according to http://www.geplastics.com/resins/materials/lexan.html, LEXAN-PC (What you will find at a store) is good till 125°C (257°F). 800°F is crazy. LEXAN-PC is used by NASA for space helmets ( http://www.gelexan.com/gelexan/timeline.html ) but not for the windows on the space shuttle.

Edit:
Forgot to mention.
The entire point is that it *will* bend back to its original form.

Also, I think it was more like $8-10

Post edited by: tutangeek, at: 2004/07/25 04:31

I made a prototype out of legos for one. I'm using a delta silentek fan running 6 volts instead of 12 to keep noise down. I just used a spare ac-dc adaper I had laying around. It brought my laptop down about 8-10 degrees (f) Also, I know this site isnt complete, I'm working on it.

http://homepage.mac.com/jtsconsulting/PhotoAlbum3.html

hmmm...you could just stick with the legos

i'm with oojacoboo here. i want to see someone put a really kick butt laptop stand from scratch. it would look really cool, and it would have your touch. hey, imagine the laptop stand like this:

the fan on the bottom, of the top piece, two bumps to keep it elevated, and the stand itself. hopefully, my thought will come through properly through a rough artist sketch done in a couple minutes.

lol, two bumps to keep it elevated? In those positions? This I would like to see.

For that you might as well buy an Icurve, put a fan on it and get the iBook slider pads, which would be your "bumps"

oojacoboo wrote:


Here is a little rendering that I did for the stand. O yea, the blue things are the rubber stopers that I am talking about, bumps, if you will. To protect the laptop and the stand from scratches of course.

Post edited by: oojacoboo, at: 2004/07/31 02:19

Sorry, I didn't understand exactly what he meant. That would definatly look good. Just a suggestion if you go with that. Sand te top and the edges of that plexi (which should be 1/4" if you like this idea), and drill 2 holes in the plexi's back edge. Then insert LED's into those holes and it would have a nice glow effect.

This idea would be similar to the "Glowpad" at http://www.metku.net



The full details on that can be found at http://www.metku.net/index.html?sect=view&n=1&path=mods/glowpad/index_eng

ubergeek, this is my rendering, not whitlock's. I just agree with him about doing a custom design of the stand, rather than using an old powerbook for it. The one I drew was my design, not to be confused. I think it would turn out really nice.

we are both on the same wavelength. my non-descreptive "bumps" could have been anything, just something to keep the actual ibook from slipping from the base.

anyway, isn't this place called macmod? i thought this was supposed to be a place that encouraged mods.

I was just messing with the fact that you said two bumps, instead of 4. Just thought that it would be funny and interesting to see a laptop positioned on 2 bumps in the layout as you drew, thats all. I understood what you meant.

very true, very true. well, it's a 2d design from a 2d mind

I am making a Smoked Acrylic stand for a coworker/friend of mine who has a powerbook. He likes the iCurve, but wants something different. I'll post some pictures once I get it made.

Oh, I'm using my homemade Acrylic Bender. If anyone is interested, I can post a guide on how to build your own plastic bender? Total project cost is about $50, considering commercial benders cost $199, it saves you a bunch of cash.

javadog deserves a promotion for it. javadog!




this post was edited, by whitlock, because his use of the english language was improper. the content was not altered in any way. A very stupid mistake, probably due to a trackpad accident, occured and needed to be corrected.

Post edited by: whitlock, at: 2004/08/04 02:03

Javadog, that would be a great mod if you could get some pics and write up a mod guide. I am sure that everyone on this site would love to have that!

Cheers.

Wow, i havent said anything to this mod in like... awile... Yeah sounds like a really cool mod. Infact use it in the chalenge. And make it do sound fx too that would rule... ok stupid idea, but yeah...

-Knife

i suppose sound effects would be okay if it only put out white noise

lol, well i spose, but i was thinking along the lines of... Car crash, the moter speeding up too fast, maybe rammstine... idk white noise sounds so... blan

-Knife

if you want to get a cheap stand, you should just look for an irac. its a stand made for apple portables and doubles as a keyboard holder for the flat-screen imac.

If someone just bought a couple feet of acrylic and bent it, they would get most o the iBooks stands ever made..

Post edited by: whitlock, at: 2005/01/05 11:22