Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Old Mac Pro Metal Case - What to turn it into?

Totally

Totally

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Feb 22, 2012
744
261
West Coast = Best Coast
I was given one of those metal Mac Pro cases when a friend moved, since it is a large and heavy item he felt he didn't want anymore and it wasn't worth moving across the country.

I want to use it for something, but I don't know what. Anyone have any ideas for a DIY project turning it into something else? I've done some googling but it hasn't really helped.

Cheers
 
Hackintosh? You can get small enough components that will give you some good power which can be hidden or hot glued into the case without the hassle of trying to make them fit all the original mounts.
 
Twimfy said:
Hackintosh? You can get small enough components that will give you some good power which can be hidden or hot glued into the case without the hassle of trying to make them fit all the original mounts.
Click to expand...

Yeah that's one of the ideas I'm considering. I was just curious if anyone else had done anything more creative like turning it into something other than a computer. I saw a picture of one that was turned into a beer tap for example. Wasn't sure what other good ideas people had.
 
I think someone posted awhile back about making a barbeque grill out of one. There was also a coffee table using a pair of them as the support legs.

Is it just an empty case ... or does it still have the Mac inside (working or not)?
 
Totally said:
I was given one of those metal Mac Pro cases when a friend moved, since it is a large and heavy item he felt he didn't want anymore and it wasn't worth moving across the country.

I want to use it for something, but I don't know what. Anyone have any ideas for a DIY project turning it into something else? I've done some googling but it hasn't really helped.

Cheers
Click to expand...

Blindingly obvious answer: The world's most awesome industrial strength cheese grater!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Totally and SoyCapitanSoyCapitan
hfg said:
I think someone posted awhile back about making a barbeque grill out of one. There was also a coffee table using a pair of them as the support legs.

Is it just an empty case ... or does it still have the Mac inside (working or not)?
Click to expand...

Empty Case.

jimj740 said:
Blindingly obvious answer: The world's most awesome industrial strength cheese grater!
Click to expand...

Obviously this is what I should do!
 
Totally said:
I was given one of those metal Mac Pro cases when a friend moved, since it is a large and heavy item he felt he didn't want anymore and it wasn't worth moving across the country.

I want to use it for something, but I don't know what. Anyone have any ideas for a DIY project turning it into something else? I've done some googling but it hasn't really helped.

Cheers
Click to expand...
My repair guy (a former Apple Genius repair technician, who has set up shop himself) has two of them in his store, about 6-7ft apart with a plank across both of them, as a bench for people to sit on while waiting for minor repair work to be completed on their equipment.

Having only one, maybe you could somehow make a stool out of yours?
 
CPIGyCvWsAAdves.png
 
  • Like
Reactions: h9826790
for shock value you could put an old 286 board in it and freak out your friends hehe
 
Last edited:
I would do something completely different: I do not how deep your computing hobby goes but if you do UNIX well, then this might be fun and stable to boot. Take 4 mini boards and a large power supply and, using some JB weld to mount the screen where you need them, mount them in the case. Interconnect them all with PCIe based network cards and you can use several methods to make the cluster behave as one machine. The simplest is Heartbeat but AFAIK that works with only two (anyone know if it can do 4?). There is an add-on to BSDs and LINUX distros that will distribute the work all over the cluster but the name escapes me. Aluminum is a great conductor of heat and it may be possible to pass the heat out to the outside wall though I have not been able to conceptually (this began as a thought experiment) overcome the potential for static electricity to travel back in and short everything out --I was thinking aluminum block shaped like a C with the high part touching the processor with thermal paste and the low TIG welded to the outside of the box. Still, the box is exceptionally well ventilated and a sealed water cooler system could pass the heat directly from the radiator to the box so there is room for a very large PS and a lot of heat.

True, you would have to gut it almost totally but 4 miniPC boards should fit comfortably.
 
  • Like
Reactions: VAGDesign
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back