Removing Mac Pro Handles

[EHVio]

What software are you going to be running? And through what kind of interface? I'm in the process of putting together an apartment-style recording studio as well. Gonna have to plan around these kids stomping around upstairs, but... Honestly, I'd try to find another spot to put it.... beside the desk or in a closet maybe? Closet seems like the best option honestly... Are you trying to use the closet as a booth or something? Or is it just too far away from where you're planning on having the desk?

I could care less what you do with the case. I'm not a fanboy, I'm just buying in for audio purposes... But think of this practically. Overheating can cause stability issues. I don't know if this is a personal studio or if you're having other musicians through, but the last thing you want is to be recording vocals for a track, and just as the vocalist gets 2/3 of the way through a perfect take, Protools crashes, taking that great take with it. I'm just saying. What happens if you do end up having stability issues? You'll have to take it out of the desk and just put it in the open or something... Possibly with sharp edges where you cut? Could be cable shredders...

But it's your computer. Do with it as you will...

 

[UltraNEO*]

I could care less what you do with the case. I'm not a fanboy, I'm just buying in for audio purposes...

It's not really about fanboy-ism.. If his MacPro ever failed, Apple will probably refuse to service the machine due to physical alternations. I know it's stupid.. but that's Apple.

 

[Apple Corps]

Ultra - how in the world can you say it would be stupid for Apple not to cover the MP under warranty after it has been hacked on with some type of saw that creates vibrations and metal particles that the MP was not designed to be subjected to.

I would applaud Apple for NOT HONORING any warranty after such an alteration.

If the OP wants to hack away on it - so be it. I suspect the relevant points have been covered here several times by now.

 

[MacHamster68]

Actually they should like him, he's obviously not the sort of fashion computing permavirgin who'll refuse to buy an Apple product because they make a physical design change he doesn't agree with. One less person they have to worry about when they're designing.

Did you cry when the bad people from the internet smashed an iPad, too?

no but i was furious and cried out for the death penalty when these kids destroyed a imac g3 and if i would catch them i would not care and take the next rope and hang them myself ....surly would teach them a lesson

 

[UltraNEO*]

Ultra - how in the world can you say it would be stupid for Apple not to cover the MP under warranty after it has been hacked on with some type of saw that creates vibrations and metal particles that the MP was not designed to be subjected to.

I would applaud Apple for NOT HONORING any warranty after such an alteration.

If the OP wants to hack away on it - so be it. I suspect the relevant points have been covered here several times by now.

Yeah you're right... I should of said it'll be unfair for Apple to honour his/her warranty after making such alterations but at the end of the day, we can't stop him/her from doing so, only make them aware of what their actions can lead to should the hardware fail.

Personally I don't give two hoots if the OP decides to shave off all the right-angles and make it into a doughnut - what I will say though is this... if your MacPro is seriously important, have the hardware insured, them make all the mods after.. just don't inform the insurance company (ok that's being dishonest...)

Anyway with all that's said and done, we're all here to offer our advice and opinions... isn't that what the OP is seeking? Why else post a thread of his/her intentions???

 

[UltraNEO*]

I've got a desk that has a 16 + 7/8" tall space for a computer (that's 42.75 cm for the rest of the world). I want to fit a mac pro in there.

For Mac Pro owners:
What is the height of your mac pro without the handles?

For handypeople:
What kind of tools would I need for this job? I would be willing to bring it to someone with the tools and knowhow, but I would still like to know what you believe to be the best route to achieving a functional and aesthetically pleasing handle chop.

A couple of people have done it, but there are really no step-by-step guides, or detailed pictures.
See here and here.

BTW... I don't know did you read the FULL article on your first link. The owners didn't end up hacking the tops of their MacPro

Solution · Lauren, who’s much more mechanically inclined than me, figured out that the space was big enough, there was just a lip around the front keeping us from squeezing the Mac in. So she got a saw that wasn’t a hacksaw, and opened up the flimsy plywood back of the desk. There was already a hole there for wires and ventilation; now it’s much bigger. The Mac slipped right in.

But you can hack yours!!!
I believe an angle grinder will be perfect!!

 

[Capt Underpants]

What software are you going to be running? And through what kind of interface? I'm in the process of putting together an apartment-style recording studio as well. Gonna have to plan around these kids stomping around upstairs, but... Honestly, I'd try to find another spot to put it.... beside the desk or in a closet maybe? Closet seems like the best option honestly... Are you trying to use the closet as a booth or something? Or is it just too far away from where you're planning on having the desk?

I could care less what you do with the case. I'm not a fanboy, I'm just buying in for audio purposes... But think of this practically. Overheating can cause stability issues. I don't know if this is a personal studio or if you're having other musicians through, but the last thing you want is to be recording vocals for a track, and just as the vocalist gets 2/3 of the way through a perfect take, Protools crashes, taking that great take with it. I'm just saying. What happens if you do end up having stability issues? You'll have to take it out of the desk and just put it in the open or something... Possibly with sharp edges where you cut? Could be cable shredders...

But it's your computer. Do with it as you will...

I've got Logic 9, a Fireface 800, some Adam A7's, and a decently treated (but small) space. I'm thinking about getting some ribbon mics, as my vocals have been overly sibilant in the past -- and instrument recordings have been generally sterile. I'm hoping they'll give me a little more mojo. The only downside is that their figure 8 pattern will pick up more of the sound of my space.

I really don't foresee having to send the thing back to Apple. I've never had to send a computer back to Apple for repairs -- certainly not a desktop that just sits in one spot. I'm getting the single CPU mac pro with one hard drive. Since I'm doing audio recording could care less about a nice graphics card -- so heat from that will be negligible.

Maybe I'm underestimating the cooling requirements of a mac pro. Maybe not. We'll see.

 

[Transporteur]

I really don't foresee having to send the thing back to Apple. I've never had to send a computer back to Apple for repairs -- certainly not a desktop that just sits in one spot. I'm getting the single CPU mac pro with one hard drive. Since I'm doing audio recording could care less about a nice graphics card -- so heat from that will be negligible.

Maybe I'm underestimating the cooling requirements of a mac pro. Maybe not. We'll see.

You certainly do!
Even the single CPU versions with only a single hard drive and graphics card consume a lot of power, hence produce masses of heat.
Encapsulating the computer really is a bad idea. It makes the fans speed up, which consequently produces noise, and from what I've understood, you want a silent machine.

The other very important thing is the warranty. You're very lucky that you didn't have a single failure of your Apple machines till now, but that does not mean that your new Pro will run flawless for whatever time you intend to use it.
The moment you cut of the handles, you simply wasted $3000. The machine is totally worthless after that and you don't have ANY warranty coverage. If the PSU or Logic Board fails (most common failures in a Mac Pro) you can buy a new machine.
Personally, I'd buy a decent rack for the Pro and your other equipment.
Might be more expensive in the first place, but might be well cheaper than buying a completely new computer after a few month, or a year...

 

[rajbonham]

This thread is three pages long and he still wants to chop off the handles. I say screw it, just let him saw off the handles. It's obviously what he wants to do. It's going to be a real slap to the face when he tries to honor his warranty after something goes wrong.

 

[snberk103]

All kidding aside (and I did kid you a few pages back)....

Ventilation will be big issue. I had an old PC tower that I put into a desk similar to what I think you are thinking of doing. It got really hot in there, and this was not a big, modern, PC. I ended up cutting out most of the back of that part of the desk - essentially when I pulled the desk out from the wall most of the back of the PC tower was accessible - and allowed good air flow. As well, I cut a bunch of aprox. 1 inch holes in the bottom of the desk shelf so that cool air could enter the space from below, and then I figured the PC would blow the hot air out the back. My desk was on legs so that there was good airflow below it.

Recently I put a DSL modem and wireless router into a small box (to visually hide them). These weren't anything special - just plain consumer models.... Anyway, I thought I had cut enough holes in the box to allow them to breathe. A few days later I had to reset the router, and I realized it had gotten really toasty in that box. I had to cut the entire back and top off the box to allow enough air to flow. My point is.... even after you have cut enough holes for ventilation, check your temperatures carefully.... there are some free utilities that will monitor things.

It might be more helpful at this point to post pictures of the desk, front, back and inside. Perhaps we can help with the desk modifications?

One last point.... the bottom handles minimizes the dust the system sucks up from the floor. I read something way back in the dark ages, that lifting a system up even an inch or two from the floor eliminates something like 80% of the dust that accumulates inside. I know that inside a desk will be relatively dust free, but since the system will be sucking in air from the outside, some dust will be coming in with it.

 

[EHVio]

I've got Logic 9, a Fireface 800, some Adam A7's, and a decently treated (but small) space. I'm thinking about getting some ribbon mics, as my vocals have been overly sibilant in the past -- and instrument recordings have been generally sterile. I'm hoping they'll give me a little more mojo. The only downside is that their figure 8 pattern will pick up more of the sound of my space.

I really don't foresee having to send the thing back to Apple. I've never had to send a computer back to Apple for repairs -- certainly not a desktop that just sits in one spot. I'm getting the single CPU mac pro with one hard drive. Since I'm doing audio recording could care less about a nice graphics card -- so heat from that will be negligible.

Maybe I'm underestimating the cooling requirements of a mac pro. Maybe not. We'll see.

The ribbon mic might do well to add some timbre to the instrument recordings... May I suggest looking at something like the Rode NT2a though? It's a pretty affordable large capsule condenser that does quite well with vocals and serves plenty of other purposes. Gives you multiple High-Pass Filter settings (which is a godsend in an apartment and allows you to cut out a lot of strange apartment noises), it's got 3 pattern settings(omni, cardiod, and figure 8), and 3 position PAD (0db, -5db, -10db). Don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan of ribbon mics (I'm a violinist) but for a small setup, you'll want versatile as well, and the NT2a will give you just that AND it sounds great for vocals to boot. *shrug* What mics are you currently using?

As for the heat, let me put it this way. I'm typing this on an old Windows XP laptop with a Pentium M (read, lowwww power draw). If the cooling path is obstructed AT ALL, I start to have stability issues/crash within 10 minutes. You're talking about putting it in an enclosure that will have it recycling hot air. Hot air does not cool well, and there's a high likelihood that it will just get hotter and hotter and hotter until you crash. The computer will USUALLY shut itself off before things get TOO hot to avoid damage, but be aware that today's lead-free solders aren't the greatest at dealing with repeated deep heat cycles, and you're at the very least looking at potential stability issues. When you're mixing a track and loading up plug-ins and EQ's and sorts, you're going to be running that CPU hard. I realize that your MP is nothing but an appliance, but it's quite a pricey appliance. Hell, I baby the hell out of my audio cables because I don't want to go out and have to re-purchase them, much less my computer... I just see this as quite a gamble... If you do it, make SURE you cover EVERY opening very well... The griding job WILL get dusty. Make sure you read this a couple times: Conductive dust... electricity... bad idea.... You know how dust tends to get EVERYWHERE? Yeah...

But post pics when you're done if you do it And post the story when it fries

 

[Apple Corps]

"One last point.... the bottom handles minimizes the dust the system sucks up from the floor. I read something way back in the dark ages, that lifting a system up even an inch or two from the floor eliminates something like 80% of the dust that accumulates inside. I know that inside a desk will be relatively dust free, but since the system will be sucking in air from the outside, some dust will be coming in with it."[/QUOTE]

I'll echo that from experience this week. We live in a VERY DUSTY AREA - dust bunnies rule the house despite routine efforts to control them. I decided to dust my MP - been about 18 months since I last did that. The MP sits on two books to keep it about 2" above the carpet.

Inside was almost dust free - amazing.

 

[Capt Underpants]

The ribbon mic might do well to add some timbre to the instrument recordings... May I suggest looking at something like the Rode NT2a though? It's a pretty affordable large capsule condenser that does quite well with vocals and serves plenty of other purposes. Gives you multiple High-Pass Filter settings (which is a godsend in an apartment and allows you to cut out a lot of strange apartment noises), it's got 3 pattern settings(omni, cardiod, and figure 8), and 3 position PAD (0db, -5db, -10db). Don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan of ribbon mics (I'm a violinist) but for a small setup, you'll want versatile as well, and the NT2a will give you just that AND it sounds great for vocals to boot. *shrug* What mics are you currently using?

I've got a well-respected multi-pattern condenser -- an AKG C414. The "sound" of condensers just doesn't do it for me -- at least the very few that I've tried. They have a harsh/brittle high end that doesn't lend itself very well to my recording tasks.

I've also got a pair of Oktava MK12's that I mostly use for stereo micing my acoustic guitar and glockenspiel. I've tried these on my vox and they're sibilant as well. I just have harsh S's, I suppose.

As for ribbon mics, I'll probably go with a Shinybox 46 or a modded Cascade Fathead. May need to get a new preamp, as I'm not sure the Fireface will have enough clean gain for them. We'll see.

 

[oilfighter]

Capt Underpants: It's your Mac Pro, if you really want to hack off the handles, by all means, go for it.

BUT, putting your Mac Pro inside a confined, small space is just not going to work! There is a reason why there are 3 large fans blowing air in the case. If you put the computer into a small cabinet, it's going to get hotter and hotter.

Here's my experience, and you can take it or leave it. Once I was having vibration issues with one of my PC fans. So I disconnected 2 of the 3 fans that was in the case, trying to isolate the fan that was having the issue. Within 5 minutes, I can hear the CPU fan ramp up it's RPM, b/ it wasn't getting enough cool air, and this is with the side panel open. I can't imagine what the fan would be doing sitting inside a tiny cabinet. You'll probably end up with a broken, and sad looking Mac Pro in the end...

 

[jjahshik32]

The desk is more important than the mac pro?!? Is it a desk made of solid gold??

I wouldnt hack off the handles on the mac pro to be able to fit in a desk!

Think about how ugly that'll make the mac pro look, not to mention dramatically reduce the resale value.

Unless the desk costs $3000+, I'd understand but if the desk doesnt cost as much as the mac pro, your crazy.

 

[you39]

http://www.ikea.com/

 

[wordoflife]

Users should be able to alter their computer how they please.
I just suggest you don't do it. If something happens, and AppleCare doesn't cover it your investment will go down the drain. From what you say, you seem like you want to put the computer in the case so it makes less sound. In all honesty, it is only going to be louder. The fans are going to have to work harder to push/pull air. So when your Mac Pro dies from overheating, you won't be able to get it fixed from Apple.

To me, it's a dumb idea. Move your Mac Pro somewhere else.

 

[nanofrog]

Users should be able to alter their computer how they please.
I just suggest you don't do it. If something happens, and AppleCare doesn't cover it your investment will go down the drain. From what you say, you seem like you want to put the computer in the case so it makes less sound. In all honesty, it is only going to be louder. The fans are going to have to work harder to push/pull air. So when your Mac Pro dies from overheating, you won't be able to get it fixed from Apple.

To me, it's a dumb idea. Move your Mac Pro somewhere else.

In this instance, it's not an issue of choice, but practicality over financial matters (warranty support) and environmental concerns (noise and heat).

The easiest solution would be to run longer cables IMO, as there's no modifications to either the desk or system, leaving the warranty in tact, and prevent the system from overheating and ramping up the fans.

There are also sound dampened cases (i.e. racks), but they do have a cooling system that can handle the system (can handle up to 2kW of heat). Of course, they're close to, or more expensive than the computer's base MSRP, depending on the specific MP model and options (24u version is a bit over $3700USD from what I'm seeing for pricing).

 

[Icaras]

http://www.ikea.com/

+1

 

[sparkie1984]

The ribbon mic might do well to add some timbre to the instrument recordings... May I suggest looking at something like the Rode NT2a though? It's a pretty affordable large capsule condenser that does quite well with vocals and serves plenty of other purposes. Gives you multiple High-Pass Filter settings (which is a godsend in an apartment and allows you to cut out a lot of strange apartment noises), it's got 3 pattern settings(omni, cardiod, and figure 8), and 3 position PAD (0db, -5db, -10db). Don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan of ribbon mics (I'm a violinist) but for a small setup, you'll want versatile as well, and the NT2a will give you just that AND it sounds great for vocals to boot. *shrug* What mics are you currently using?

As for the heat, let me put it this way. I'm typing this on an old Windows XP laptop with a Pentium M (read, lowwww power draw). If the cooling path is obstructed AT ALL, I start to have stability issues/crash within 10 minutes. You're talking about putting it in an enclosure that will have it recycling hot air. Hot air does not cool well, and there's a high likelihood that it will just get hotter and hotter and hotter until you crash. The computer will USUALLY shut itself off before things get TOO hot to avoid damage, but be aware that today's lead-free solders aren't the greatest at dealing with repeated deep heat cycles, and you're at the very least looking at potential stability issues. When you're mixing a track and loading up plug-ins and EQ's and sorts, you're going to be running that CPU hard. I realize that your MP is nothing but an appliance, but it's quite a pricey appliance. Hell, I baby the hell out of my audio cables because I don't want to go out and have to re-purchase them, much less my computer... I just see this as quite a gamble... If you do it, make SURE you cover EVERY opening very well... The griding job WILL get dusty. Make sure you read this a couple times: Conductive dust... electricity... bad idea.... You know how dust tends to get EVERYWHERE? Yeah...

But post pics when you're done if you do it And post the story when it fries

wear a mask too, i cant imagine its healthy breathing it in!!!!!

 

[seclusion]

I have my Mac Pro (1,1) in my control room.
As I sound proofed and worked on my acoustics I could hear my (then PC) a mile away. (My room isn't that big)!
I bought a Mac Pro soon after because I had the $$ and now I hear nothing.
I record vox and acoustic guitar with AT and Rode's condenser mics, close and distant.
I've spent approx $2000 doing sound proofing and acoustics and still the loudest thing in my room is (the rest of my house).
I can not hear the fans recorded from my Mac Pro.
One of my recordings earlier, before room treatment, I could hear the hard drives working. But not now.
A secret is to have the Mac somewhere away from you mics.
Have your mics aimed away from gear.
After that I would say we're getting too anal about the recording, cause most of what you record will have noise as well, breathing, pick noise, the cat running in, kids, the laundry room.
Wrecking the Mac Pro will also ruin your resale value.
How many times have we said "this is the last computer I will ever need"?
Well my 06 Mac Pro is running awesome, but I could get $1200-$1400 for a trade-in value when I see the next release. Hopefully I can spend $1500 or so and get the 2010 model in the next few months!

Later
Brian

 

[Sharky II]

not only is it not an issue unless you're recording REALLY close (<2 meters) to the computer and are pointing the mic in the direction of the computer - you especially won't notice it with a ribbon mic

just put it next to the desk and stop being ridiculous

 

[reberto]

You must come from a world where good desks are cheap and abundant, and storage space to keep them in (and a means to get the desks there) is as well. I do not live in this world.

You must also be completely ignorant about audio recording and its hardware requirements.

My computers are tools. They are not eye-candy.

I live in a one bedroom apartment, so my recording space and my computer space are one in the same. It's just my situation right now...

You can't afford a new desk but you can afford a Mac Pro? You can afford to destroy the structural integrity of the case? You can afford to buy a new logic board/CPU/power supply/GPU when they all burn out because you're a fool and shoved it into a desk that can't even keep a Macbook Pro cool? And its been said time and time again that even without the handles the Mac Pro is STILL TOO TALL TO FIT.

Kid, get your priorities in order. Go to monoprice.com, get some long cables, move it farrrr away from where you do your "recording" and call it a day.

 

[Icaras]

You can't afford a new desk but you can afford a Mac Pro? You can afford to destroy the structural integrity of the case? You can afford to buy a new logic board/CPU/power supply/GPU when they all burn out because you're a fool and shoved it into a desk that can't even keep a Macbook Pro cool? And its been said time and time again that even without the handles the Mac Pro is STILL TOO TALL TO FIT.

Kid, get your priorities in order. Go to monoprice.com, get some long cables, move it farrrr away from where you do your "recording" and call it a day.

To be fair, there are recording desks out there that cost several thousand dollars (http://www.argosyconsole.com for example).

But then again, I highly doubt hes housing one of these bad boys in his one room apartment.

 

[Inconsequential]

I have to echo what some people say in here.

If money is an issue then the *last* thing you want is to void the warranty just so it will fit in a desk.

Long cables, stick it by the desk or something, don't cut the handles off.