My xMac Project

[Schtumple]

Ok so, some of you may have already seen this in the "mac mods" thread.

Simply, I am making an xMac, I'm making a compact PC, with desktop parts, in about 40% of the size of a standard PC case.

The intial idea I had was to have an white iMac like front and sides, with a brushed alluminium top:

But someone quite rightly pointed out, airflow would be horrible, so a mac pro like grill was in order:

I spent a good half hour figuring out the best possible hardware placement, laid out all the hardware, took a photo, then made some hardware transparent so you can see underneath:

I spent just under 3 hours today sawing through the PC case, I can't understand why they're so easy to bend, but near impossible to saw , this is so far:

I will be using a small form factor PSU to fit in the bottom 3 PCI slots by the way:
http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?ModuleNo=218608&doy=18m1#overview

I plan to get the sides and tops cut later tonight, I shall keep you all posted

 

[optimus prime]

nice. that's pretty cool

 

[Schtumple]

Thank you

Ok, finished another side panel, took a bit longer than I thought, think the saw is getting blunt, here's a photo to show the size difference between my xMac and a regular PC.

 

[Markleshark]

Good Luck my friend, kudos to you for giving it a go.

 

[eric55lv]

Anyways that post that you did on the Mac Mods inspired me to build a computer any that looks really cool probally took you long to make it

 

[Schtumple]

Anyways that post that you did on the Mac Mods inspired me to build a computer any that looks really cool probally took you long to make it

It's taken 4 hours so far to cut the PC case down, it's actually alot easier than people think, you've just gotta be determined.

 

[iDAG]

That seems like a neat idea, a headless iMac. I still don't see Apple ever making one of these though. Can't wait to see what the final product looks like Schtumple!

 

[lofight]

very nice!! ,but there's a reason why apple doesn't make computers with white and aluminium.. they don't look nice together, i would make it black with aluminium..

 

[Schtumple]

Mac mini? the keyboards? the white imacs (the stand was aluminum )

I hate the black and silver look.

Seriously, hate it...

 

[lofight]

Mac mini? the keyboards? the white imacs (the stand was aluminum )

I hate the black and silver look.

Seriously, hate it...

sorry i forgot about thoose... but in my opinion black looks better with aluminium..

 

[Schtumple]

sorry i forgot about thoose... but in my opinion black looks better with aluminium..

The only thing I hate about black and alluminium, is the black on the back of the iMac, I think it looks horrible, the front is lovely, but just the back, and I know I know, you never see it, BUT, I know it's there

 

[lofight]

The only thing I hate about black and alluminium, is the black on the back of the iMac, I think it looks horrible, the front is lovely, but just the back, and I know I know, you never see it, BUT, I know it's there

people could agree and disagree with that.. but i think the "white" period of apple is over.. just my thought ey..

 

[Schtumple]

people could agree and disagree with that.. but i think the "white" period of apple is over.. just my thought ey..

Oh yeah the white period is obviously over, but, it's a period I like, it's the period which I joined, so I'm kinda attached to it.

 

[queshy]

Pssttt...I know someone who might be able to help you along your journey. He can be reached at jonathan.ive@mac.com.

Good luck with your attempt! It seems as though you're on the right track.

 

[Schtumple]

I'm sure if Ive was on board it would end up about 1 inch thick

My dad bought me some screws that'll go flush against the casing, just realised how difficult it is to mount all the hardware, I've got monday off, so I can begin the mammoth task tommorow and hopefully finish it by monday.

Had a idea about the apple logo on the top...

My dad's going to cut it out of the metal casing, if I placed white acrylic over that, then mounted LEDs underneath, huzzah, the apple logo will light up (and be visible) when the computers turned on, and disappear when the computers turned off

Actually can't wait to finish this...

 

[digitalnicotine]

I like the grill cuts. Good job.

 

[lofight]

Oh yeah the white period is obviously over, but, it's a period I like, it's the period which I joined, so I'm kinda attached to it.

i can't agree more.. when the new alu imac came out, my sister said: "why isn't it white?? white is like the trademark of apple.."

 

[lost eden]

I spent a good half hour figuring out the best possible hardware placement, laid out all the hardware, took a photo, then made some hardware transparent so you can see underneath:

'Best possible hardware placement' involved blocking all of the expansion slots? Oh but then again if it's going to be a Mac, you're hardly going to have any upgrade/expandability options anyway!

 

[Schtumple]

'Best possible hardware placement' involved blocking all of the expansion slots? Oh but then again if it's going to be a Mac, you're hardly going to have any upgrade/expandability options anyway!

See, I've said this already, although not in this thread, the hard drives are mounted ABOVE the PCI slots, here's a very rough (and not perspectively correct) image of the hardware layout, looking from the front.

 

[Much Ado]

Just chiming in to say this is an awesome project. Don't stop with the pics as things develop

 

[lost eden]

See, I've said this already, although not in this thread, the hard drives are mounted ABOVE the PCI slots, here's a very rough (and not perspectively correct) image of the hardware layout, looking from the front.

Oh right okay, from the original pictures it looked as though the drives were infringing into the card space.

 

[Schtumple]

Just chiming in to say this is an awesome project. Don't stop with the pics as things develop

Thanks, it's gunna be at a stand still for a while now, gotta rely on my dad to fine down the edges and make the front slab, could be weeks before he'll do it, if it were his project, it would be done yesterday...

Oh right okay, from the original pictures it looked as though the drives were infringing into the card space.

Yeah it is a bit confusing, but no, the drives will be mounted on a tray above the pci slots.

 

[livingfortoday]

Look, not to be a party-pooper or anything - but why is this thread on MR? Isn't building a Mac with PC parts illegal? I mean, if you were talking about moving the innards of a G4 or something into a smaller case and working for there - awesome, more power to ya. But you're talking about doing something illegal, and usually these threads get shut down right-quick on MR.

 

[lofight]

Look, not to be a party-pooper or anything - but why is this thread on MR? Isn't building a Mac with PC parts illegal? I mean, if you were talking about moving the innards of a G4 or something into a smaller case and working for there - awesome, more power to ya. But you're talking about doing something illegal, and usually these threads get shut down right-quick on MR.

building isn't illegal, but putting mac os x on a pc is..

 

[GoCubsGo]

Look, not to be a party-pooper or anything - but why is this thread on MR? Isn't building a Mac with PC parts illegal? I mean, if you were talking about moving the innards of a G4 or something into a smaller case and working for there - awesome, more power to ya. But you're talking about doing something illegal, and usually these threads get shut down right-quick on MR.

Seriously? It is illegal to take a computer you own and build another computer from it?

building isn't illegal, but putting mac os x on a pc is..

I didn't know putting OSX on a PC was "illegal".