Cased.tableTop

[AJ@PR]

Hello everyone

Here's a wierd project, I hope we can build together.
There's this laptop by the side of the xBox... it's a decent machine.

It has seen better days

But everything works.

Now, the other day... browsing through Home Depot... we stumbled upon... an interesting """tool""" case.

Which looked just about right for our transplant...

Here's the girl placed on top... as we can observe, it fits quite well... and we will still be taking out the tool-case's guts (organizing dividers) out.

So, initial plans suggest to modify ((WHO?! WE??? No way!!!)) the laptop's case... she gets too hot for comfort... plus, we know we can improve the cooling of her internals.

It'd be cool to have the laptop installed in the case, with her power supply brick neatly stored inside (just a 110v cable comes out?).
It'd also be cool to have some external speakers... to blow most other "laptops" out of the water regarding sound volume.
An external USB hdd would be cool, also neatly packaged inside the case.
Maybe some flush USB hub...
In fact, the other day there was a UPS in CompUSA that was sort of a "brick"... THAT would be cool for this thing.

A wireless optical mouse and keyboard?
USB WiFi antenna smartly attached to the inside of the case.
Hmmm...

So many possibilities.

Any ideas?!

The specs:::
ProStar 8080
1GB RAM
3.2 P4
80GB hdd
CDburner/DVDplayer (external DVD burner?! )
big LCD screen (16"? something like that).


One shot of the undies :p

Please post ideas and suggestions!!!!

[progbuddy]

Dude that laptop must have been bashed, battered, tattered, spilled upon, etc. Wow.

For ideas, I vote for a neat plexi window on either side of the ""case"" with lighting. Also, replace the fans from the laptop with quieter 120 mm fans. Bigger heatsink, ext. speakers, and a wireless mouse would also work.

[.Maleficus.]

Hmmm...

You'll definitely need to have a black trench coat and black sunglasses when you take that places. I mean, you can't have a badass laptop steel case without the badass trenchcoat/sunglasses, right?

[Omega]

Hmmm...

You'll definitely need to have a black trench coat and black sunglasses when you take that places. I mean, you can't have a badass laptop steel case without the badass trenchcoat/sunglasses, right?

xD

This mod would suit ME perfectly, then. I have said badass trenchcoat and glasses.

Maybe I'll post a picture sometime. xD

[xmastree]

Lots of potential there, for a few extras. I like the built-in power supply idea, also the hub. I would use a powered one.
Can you extend the PC card slots? or relocate them?
Heh, carry a wifi card round your neck on a chain, then plug it in like a key to use it, like some sort of nuclear missile launcher.

That really needs a big radioactive symbol on the lid too.

[AJ@PR]

Dude that laptop must have been bashed, battered, tattered, spilled upon, etc. Wow.

For ideas, I vote for a neat plexi window on either side of the ""case"" with lighting. Also, replace the fans from the laptop with quieter 120 mm fans. Bigger heatsink, ext. speakers, and a wireless mouse would also work.

hAHAHHA....
It was the personal laptop... and although I don't do "stupid" stuff with it, I never treated her like a Queen either.
Sometimes it got bashed... and battered... probably tattered... but I don't think it got spilled upon.
WAIT!
Yes... that's why half of the keyboard doesn't work... it was by the window, when it started raining and I wasn't @ home...
So it definitely got spilled on.

THANKS for the ideas!!!
I hadn't even thought of using plexi... the side windows are a definite posibility. Upgraded fans are a definitive. As is bigger speakers

Thanks for posting ProgBuddy

You'll definitely need to have a black trench coat and black sunglasses when you take that places. I mean, you can't have a badass laptop steel case without the badass trenchcoat/sunglasses, right?

Hahah... that sounds cool.
Maybe paint it all black... flat black?
Gloss?

Hmm.... thinking... thinking...

xD

This mod would suit ME perfectly, then. I have said badass trenchcoat and glasses.

Maybe I'll post a picture sometime. xD

Pictures are always good!
When she's done, you can have her whenever you want... to go hack into the Matrix or something. Hahhaa...


Thanks guys... modifications will start this weekend...
In FACT!, a trip to Sears or HomeDepot is warranted... as we're in need of the cutting discs, and the routing bits.

w00t w00t w00t

EDIT:::

Lots of potential there, for a few extras. I like the built-in power supply idea, also the hub. I would use a powered one.
Can you extend the PC card slots? or relocate them?
Heh, carry a wifi card round your neck on a chain, then plug it in like a key to use it, like some sort of nuclear missile launcher.

That really needs a big radioactive symbol on the lid too.

God! I hadn't thought of that...
As the "built-in power supply"... I think it'd be really cool if two or four 110v 3-pronged plugs where present on the inside...
So the case can get one cable connected to the wall, and all other stuff powered out of the electrical multi-plug.

As to the "powered one"... you refer to the USB hub?

RELOCATING the PC card slots...
We're talking about the PCMCIA cards, right?
She has two on the.. left side.
We need to crack open the case to see what we have...
Hehehe

[xmastree]

As to the "powered one"... you refer to the USB hub?

Yeah, something like the one I bought here. You could fit the small psu for that inside the case too. Alternatively, tap into the 5V supply somewhere.

RELOCATING the PC card slots...
We're talking about the PCMCIA cards, right?

Yep. I think that'll be very tricky though. Even if you could do it, the extra cable length involved may cause problems.

Edit: Looks like extenders are available, but at a price:
http://www.alliedelec.com/Search/Pro...p?SKU=977-0031

It would look cool though, and that's what it's all about.

[AJ@PR]

Aight... well, looooong times laters....
We're back on track! w00t w00t!

I took apart the computer today...

Now, I need to figure out how I'm attaching the thing to the case.
I was thinking of laying a piece of acrylic down on the case... then using 'risers' to hold the motherboard in place.
What you guys think?

[SgtM]

Looks like an exciting project! +rep.

[Scotty]

Make sure you remember what bits plug in where, i sort of had that problem wih mine... plug the touchpad connector into the leds and power switch didn't go too well, in fact i fried the touch pad as it died a poor death

I reckon just for the hell of it you should watercool it ^^ lol that would own.