Been pondering this for a while, but it seems that the parts themselves have surfaced on eBay over time, making them much more affordable to the closet Genius with a weekend to burn.
Compiled list so far:
Logic Board:
link
Case w/ power supply and processor cage:
link
Processor & memory tray (sans RAM)
link
Total: $1,100 - $1,250+shipping, depending on Buy It Now or auctions
I know that there are (most likely many) things I haven't yet considered, such as the front I/O and bluetooth boards. The HDDs, RAM, and GPUs are all sitting in my closet from past 2009 models I've tinkered with, so I didn't include them in this list.
Some things of concern:
1. I know that I am missing parts, and this disassembly (only one available short of service manual) leaves much to the imagination: disassembly
2. The logic board pictured is the correct model, but it looks as though it doesn't include the connection pins for the CPU tray. Anyone care to shed some light on this?
3. What happens if (and when) all of the parts aren't available to assemble a complete machine? Will Apple sell them to you individually, or can the machine function without certain parts?
Certainly an interesting idea to consider, especially because the end result is a (mostly) legitimate Mac Pro. I will continue looking for a DP CPU tray, but they are very hard to come across for cheap. Thoughts?
Compiled list so far:
Logic Board:
link
Case w/ power supply and processor cage:
link
Processor & memory tray (sans RAM)
link
Total: $1,100 - $1,250+shipping, depending on Buy It Now or auctions
I know that there are (most likely many) things I haven't yet considered, such as the front I/O and bluetooth boards. The HDDs, RAM, and GPUs are all sitting in my closet from past 2009 models I've tinkered with, so I didn't include them in this list.
Some things of concern:
1. I know that I am missing parts, and this disassembly (only one available short of service manual) leaves much to the imagination: disassembly
2. The logic board pictured is the correct model, but it looks as though it doesn't include the connection pins for the CPU tray. Anyone care to shed some light on this?
3. What happens if (and when) all of the parts aren't available to assemble a complete machine? Will Apple sell them to you individually, or can the machine function without certain parts?
Certainly an interesting idea to consider, especially because the end result is a (mostly) legitimate Mac Pro. I will continue looking for a DP CPU tray, but they are very hard to come across for cheap. Thoughts?
