I wish 🙁
Duh, it's not even close to being finished, and how exactly can I mod the back easily?
I'm trying to build this out of things I already have, rather than going out and un-necessarily outsourcing materials...
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My xMac Project
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I wish 🙁
Duh, it's not even close to being finished, and how exactly can I mod the back easily?
I'm trying to build this out of things I already have, rather than going out and un-necessarily outsourcing materials...
You should take a look at some average PC cases; you'll notice that most have absolutely no vents or fans in the top whatsoever. Heat transfer through the metal of the top panel probably accounts for less than 1% of overall cooling. A single fan at the back (or even just the PSU, which is usually mounted at the top at the back) is enough to expel any hot air that rises that far.
Shaduu
macrumors 6502a
We'll see how it goes then, but if what you've said is true, I shouldn't have any problems. 😀
Ok so, to carry on with my "not oursourcing materials" view on this project, I'll be using the 6mm thick sheet of alluminium that my dad found, hole sizes I guess will be about 2mm diameter, spaced 5 mm apart.
Didn't have a chance to buy the LEDs i wanted to get today, might find an old torch and use the inside shiney dome (bit thingy) to house the LEDs to even out the light a little better.
Slow but steady progress. If I can get this finished before the end of this month I will be very happy.
EDIT: Also, the DVDRW tray bezel(??) will be white acrylic, I plan on taking the main bezel off before it goes in, leaving just the tray bezel on, I'll post full specs on all the hardware tommorow evening.
Didn't have a chance to buy the LEDs i wanted to get today, might find an old torch and use the inside shiney dome (bit thingy) to house the LEDs to even out the light a little better.
Slow but steady progress. If I can get this finished before the end of this month I will be very happy.
EDIT: Also, the DVDRW tray bezel(??) will be white acrylic, I plan on taking the main bezel off before it goes in, leaving just the tray bezel on, I'll post full specs on all the hardware tommorow evening.
RedTomato
macrumors 601
Good luck with this. I'd like to see more of this kind of modding work-in-progress threads too.
I guess if you want a mid or mini-tower mac, this is the best way to go about it - build one yourself.
If you wanted all-apple hardware, you could buy a cheap macbook with a broken screen / bust keyboard / bust casing / dead HD, and mount the mobo in a mini tower. You'd get 2 RAM slots (1 more than the mac mini), and 2 mini-SATA connections, which with the right cable can be connected to a cheap SATA port multipler like this one to connect as many drives as you want.
http://www.span.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=15709
The wifi and bluetooth should still work, or you can attach an internal usb to one of the mobo usb ports. Ditto for adding extra firewire ports.
The extra SATA drives / full size optical drives will need their own power supply from a standard PSU as the macbook psu can't supply that much.
Damn, I'm tempted now...
I guess if you want a mid or mini-tower mac, this is the best way to go about it - build one yourself.
If you wanted all-apple hardware, you could buy a cheap macbook with a broken screen / bust keyboard / bust casing / dead HD, and mount the mobo in a mini tower. You'd get 2 RAM slots (1 more than the mac mini), and 2 mini-SATA connections, which with the right cable can be connected to a cheap SATA port multipler like this one to connect as many drives as you want.
http://www.span.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=15709
The wifi and bluetooth should still work, or you can attach an internal usb to one of the mobo usb ports. Ditto for adding extra firewire ports.
The extra SATA drives / full size optical drives will need their own power supply from a standard PSU as the macbook psu can't supply that much.
Damn, I'm tempted now...
Where? the CD tray? that's going to be white now, I only put it as black temporarily when photoshopping it together, didn't get around to sorting it.
PSU came today, to show the size, I put it next to a can of Lynx Africa, or Axe Kilo for our american counterparts 😛
Attachments
Rhosfelt
macrumors 65816
no no no, the part where as to help you get the case off. (see the pic I attached). For me that would bother me, because it is possible to get the cover off without it, and I am more for looks of the case instead of the ease to open it. Really when will you open it once you have built the thing fully? That is the only thing I do not like right now, everything else is perfect!
Attachments
Ohhhhhhhhhhh, that's being covered in, ok, I really need to explain this a bit better, the top and side parts are going to be covered by clear acrylic board, the side that faces the casing, will be spray painted white, so you will never see the pc casing 😀
Rhosfelt
macrumors 65816
Very good then! I cannot wait to see more of this especially the visual work progress! I hope you can get a lot of it done in the upcoming days, I will be waiting to see more. 😀
The Mac mini has 2 RAM slots, in fact it is basically a MacBook without the screen & battery. The only advantage of using a MacBook would be 802.11n, or the santa rosa platform if you use the very latest MacBook. You are getting confused it with the G4 mini, which only had one RAM slot.
Adokimus
macrumors 6502a
I just read this thread and it looks like an awesome project. It's coming together nicely too (more pics please). I don't know your budget, but it might be worth it to buy an old powerbook or macbook pro lid ( http://www.powerbookmedic.com/Aluminum-G4-Display-Rear-Housing-15-New-p-16575.html ) for about $100 so you get that professional anodized aluminum look for the top of your mod. You might be able to find cheaper parts on craigslist as well. For the sides, a white powdercoat base and high gloss second coat would make it pop. Just an idea.
-Ado
-Ado
velocityg4
macrumors 604
Very interesting project. Now I know that you are trying to keep costs down. However, on the panel you are cutting for the Apple Logo LED I noticed that the panel has one of those hand grips that some cases have. Have you considered getting a thin sheet of Aluminum to replace it with? Then in would be completely flat, a la Mac. I did not notice if it was mentioned but for the glowing logo you might be apple to pick up a replacement one being sold for iBook's etc.
I have always thought it would be neat to gut a dead IIci/IIcx, widen the floppy slit for a slot loading DVD, and make one of these OSX machines.
I have always thought it would be neat to gut a dead IIci/IIcx, widen the floppy slit for a slot loading DVD, and make one of these OSX machines.
tominated
macrumors 68000
Smaller true, but 120W probably wouldn't be sufficient for his build.you think that's small, check this out:
i got one for a car pc i am making.
RedTomato
macrumors 601
Oh right, thanks for the correction. I also found that the optical drive in my MacBook is still ATA, not SATA, as it is listed under ATA in my System Profile.
I guess it comes down to whatever you can find cheaper on Ebay - a damaged macbook or a working mac mini.
A dropped macbook with broken screen will still be suitable for building a mini-tower or Shuttle, but a broken mac mini is likely to be terminal.
Mines 300W and even that I think might be pushing it...
EDIT: I wanted to show the size because some people said I couldn't fit a PSU in 3 PCI slots 🙄
Ordered the final parts that I'll need last night:
CPU Heatsink with a sideways fan, should help blow the air a little better.
2 super quiet fans for the front, for obvious reasons 😛
and 1 fan with white led lights, which will be extended to where the apple logo hole will be 😀
techlover828
macrumors 68020
No, not even close. As a matter of fact 120W would probably suffice for continued operation, but the spin-up draw from the hard drives when you turned the machine one might go over a bit.
If it is a efficient power supply you will be fine but if it is a cheap pos you probably will run into problems. A decent 550watt psu can easily power a quad core 8800 series card so if it is a decent power supply you will be fine.
PowerFullMac
macrumors 601
It has the logo on top, that counts as being Apple branded, right? 😀
Sorry, couldnt resist! Very nice project, looking forward to seeing the finished project!
