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iMac Art

MultiFinder17

MultiFinder17

macrumors 68030
Original poster
Jan 8, 2008
2,772
2,135
Tampa, Florida
I'm a long-time Mac user, and middle school computer science and robotics teacher. For years, I had a 2010 21" iMac here as my main computer, but upgraded from it finally last year. I've been looking for a new home and use for my aging 2010, and I've finally decided on a new purpose for it.

A display piece!

I took out the LCD, popped the cover off an old dead HDD, took the covers off the ODD and wifi card, and put the glass back on the front to make a baller-looking shadowbox. I thought y'all would appreciate this, as it worked out even better than I'd hoped :)

Yes the iMac could still work fine; all I'd need to do is put a new HDD in it and it would boot right up.

IMG_2721.jpg
 
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MultiFinder17 said:
I'm a long-time Mac user, and middle school computer science and robotics teacher. For years, I had a 2010 21" iMac here as my main computer, but upgraded from it finally last year. I've been looking for a new home and use for my aging 2010, and I've finally decided on a new purpose for it.

A display piece!

I took out the LCD, popped the cover off an old dead HDD, took the covers off the ODD and wifi card, and put the glass back on the front to make a baller-looking shadowbox. I thought y'all would appreciate this, as it worked out even better than I'd hoped :)

Yes the iMac could still work fine; all I'd need to do is put a new HDD in it and it would boot right up.

View attachment 2066980
Click to expand...
Well done. This totally feeds my fantasy of a clear Mac.
 
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MultiFinder17 said:
I'm a long-time Mac user, and middle school computer science and robotics teacher. For years, I had a 2010 21" iMac here as my main computer, but upgraded from it finally last year. I've been looking for a new home and use for my aging 2010, and I've finally decided on a new purpose for it.

A display piece!

Yes the iMac could still work fine; all I'd need to d:)
o is put a new HDD in it and it would boot right up.

View attachment 2066980
Click to expand...

It would be more attractive if you could add some LED strips inside...
 
Nguyen Duc Hieu said:
It would be more attractive if you could add some LED strips inside...
Click to expand...
Not a bad idea - I may look into that at some point. I’d need to figure out how to run power to it up there, and where to add the so that I could slap it together again easily enough if need be, but that may be something to look into :)
 
redheeler said:
I like this idea a lot. Reminds me of being a kid and fascinated by what computers look like on the inside!
Click to expand...
That’s the idea! In my coding classes I spend a day building a computer with them, discussing what all the components do. This just feeds off that same nerdy energy from my kiddos!
 
MultiFinder17 said:
It sure is! I have one last old RCX set, a handful of NXTs that still work, about 70 EV3s, and now about 25 Spike Primes. Slowly migrating from the EV3 to the Spike since they released them last year :)
Click to expand...
I've only ever used an RCX. I (well, technically my brother, but it's in my garage) still have one but I have no idea whether it still works: I don't have a Win 95/98 machine to connect it to!
 
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Nermal said:
I've only ever used an RCX. I (well, technically my brother, but it's in my garage) still have one but I have no idea whether it still works: I don't have a Win 95/98 machine to connect it to!
Click to expand...
Haha, I feel you - I had to bring in my Power Mac 6500/225 in order to use it!
 
MultiFinder17 said:
Not a bad idea - I may look into that at some point. I’d need to figure out how to run power to it up there, and where to add the so that I could slap it together again easily enough if need be, but that may be something to look into :)
Click to expand...

Easy, just take the power from the wire connected to the PSU. Tap new wires to the black wires before the black plastic junction. Ground wire should be bolted the same spot of the green wire. From there it will just be the same as common home wall sockets. Of course you will need to plug the power in your iMac, too.
 
I've found a better way to display it for now - next to the 2009 iMac that I use to display my seating charts and announcements! That way the kiddos get to see a functional machine next to what's inside that same computer. They really enjoy comparing the two to each other :)
Note: Seating chart not shown due to student privacy. Enjoy some Namazu instead!

IMG_2923.png
 
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Some dude on YouTube did something similar but he painted the interior white.
The backlight in the panel failed so he used led strip. Looked really cool 😎
EDIT: found it -
 
This has inspired me. I went out today and bought a 2011 iMac for $40. It works fine but I am going to make a shadow box/ desk lamp out of it. Will post some pictures when it is completed.
 
IMG_7293.jpeg
Here is my version with a 2011 iMac I got for $40. Was hoping to find a Snow Leopard disk but didn't have one. I replaced the working hard drive with a dead 2TB drive I had laying around. Now I am planning to add an LED light strip to the inside. Does anyone have a recommendation on how to do this? I have never worked with LED light strips before. Thanks.
 
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VegetarianNachos said:
View attachment 2119722Here is my version with a 2011 iMac I got for $40. Was hoping to find a Snow Leopard disk but didn't have one. I replaced the working hard drive with a dead 2TB drive I had laying around. Now I am planning to add an LED light strip to the inside. Does anyone have a recommendation on how to do this? I have never worked with LED light strips before. Thanks.
Click to expand...

You can stick 2 LED strips on the top and bottom edge of the aluminum case using double-side tape.
Check the voltage of the LED strips: 12V DC (separate adapter) or 120V~240V AC (integrated adapter). You can get the AC power from the jack inside the iMac. (Need to remove the logic board first.) From the outside, just plug in the normal power cable.
Choose the multi-mod LED strips with remote control.
If you can find the RGB LED strips, buy them. It would be more colorful using the RGB LED type.
 
Nguyen Duc Hieu said:
You can stick 2 LED strips on the top and bottom edge of the aluminum case using double-side tape.
Check the voltage of the LED strips: 12V DC (separate adapter) or 120V~240V AC (integrated adapter). You can get the AC power from the jack inside the iMac. (Need to remove the logic board first.) From the outside, just plug in the normal power cable.
Choose the multi-mod LED strips with remote control.
If you can find the RGB LED strips, buy them. It would be more colorful using the RGB LED type.
Click to expand...
Thanks, I was hoping to use the 12V from the power supply. I will have to look into the integrated adapter type. Not familiar with those. Having everything inside the computer would make it perfect. Will start looking for LED strips that will work. Thanks for the info.
 
If the iMac are still working, then it's quite easy to use the internal PSU. Just get the voltage you need from the SATA power cable.

To draw 12V electric current from the PSU without actually running the iMac is quite complicated.
Comparing with that, a small 12V adapter is much easier to get. Where I live it comes with the LED bulb, or can be purchased separately at 1~2$ a piece.
 
Nguyen Duc Hieu said:
If the iMac are still working, then it's quite easy to use the internal PSU. Just get the voltage you need from the SATA power cable.
Click to expand...
Yes, the iMac is still working fine. The SATA power connector is disconnected from the hard drive, so I could presumably use that connector to power the strips since the SATA power connector has 12V right? edit: Just re-read your post. I will get power from the SATA power cable.
 
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VegetarianNachos said:
Yes, the iMac is still working fine. The SATA power connector is disconnected from the hard drive, so I could presumably use that connector to power the strips since the SATA power connector has 12V right? edit: Just re-read your post. I will get power from the SATA power cable.
Click to expand...

The SATA power cable has 4 wires, take 2 outer wires like in the below image, Yellow cable = 12V+, Black cable = Ground. In the iMac the cable are all black so you need to measure carefully the positive wire, or else you might fry the LED (they are quite cheap, though)
PP-SATA-P-Y-RT-SATA-Power-Y-Cable-2x-Right-Angle-15p-to-AT-4p-Male-003.jpg
 
Yesterday, when I checked on my local online store, I found out there were RGB LED strips that use 5V USB power.
So be careful with the power supply.
I would recommend this type of LED strip, as you can re-use your phone charger (2A type) to power it.
 
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