Modding Need Some help (Motherboard as mouse mat)!!!

Im planning on taking a knackered motherboard and removing all the components off it and using it as a mouse mat. Whats the easiest way to remove them without burning or damaging the traces.....

 

Well if your only going to see one side of it you could just use a propane torch like I do. Just dont get the board too hot or it will catch on fire and always use gloves!!! I have 6 or 7 burns on my hands from when i did this last. Hope this helps.

 

That has helped a lot....never thought of that..thanx....hopefully it will look sweet when its finished

Got a few more ideas for it but will wait and c if they will look ok or not once i have all the components off

 

Sweet. Glad I could help you. Just dont forget the pics when your done

 

already got a few of m/b untouched and some with the northbridge/zif and caps removed....will post them when i get to a decent point worth posting

 

Yeah, show a picture when youre done because I have a few fried boards that I might try that with

 

Thats a class idea, but how about tracing the lines on the circut board (what they called?) with a UV pen (i know its been done before).

The placing a piece of perspex/plexi whatever over the top and lighting it.

Would the lines glow?????

edit: idea 2, hows about leaving compenents on (chips, resistors ect but removing the ide/pci slots ect) and fitting the plexi slightly higher?

 

You could use a piece of UV plexi and light it up for a nice effect! This sounds good, pics soon!

 

wack the mobo in the oven upside down, all the componets will fall off when the solder melts (between 100 and 250 degrees centergrade and depending on the type of solder).

i do suggest you wait till any women folk who may be in the house to leave befor commiting such a crime against there cooking equipment.

 

Ive actually got a mate whose got an old pcb for a mousemate - it looks really slick, but me thinks it was paid for (very professional job, and the place where the pcb manufacturers name ould have been was drilled out).

 

LOL does this actually work??

I'd Be willing to give it a go if i had an old motherboard!!

Matt

 

Im sure they get sent through 400 degree ovens in the manufacturing process.

youd have to remove everyhtig, because when you remove the pci slots the metal pins are stil there, ans the same for a lot of other components.

 

If you do that, keep in mind that the motherboard may release some nasty fumes into the oven.

 

Need Some help (Motherboard as mouse mat)!!! (update)

Well ive found out the the mobo can take quite a bit of heat...

Dont have a propane torch or the like but found the the gas ring on the cooker works just as well.....and yes u do get some wonderful oders off the mobo too....

will be posting some pics prob tomorrow with components removed

I am quite pleased with the way that it is going...alot easier then I first expected

christophergreen--very interested in the idea of tracing the traces with uv pen but that can wait till mouse mat 2 i think

Never thought of putting plexi over the top...that would solve the problem of the screw holes in the mobo and may look quite sweet lit up from underneath...thanx for that idea chris

mattt.....not to worry no females here...married to the PC....If only it could have my children.....

Hope thats everyone....well my bedtime....will attack the board again tomorrow and get some more pics and post whats dun so far...l8rz all

 

I wish i had kept it to myself now, if your search the progect logs or even the modding section im sure there are loads of examples of the lines covered in uv pen.

I had another thought about the mat 2, you could use the little stoppers which are used on new kitchen cupboard doors to space the plexi off the mobo, stick it to the plexi then a dab of glue on the other side and placed on the mobo. Depending on the size of the mobo used though you should use a few though to stop it bending in the middle.

or just stick the plexi to the back of the mobo ince all the solder has been removed.

 

Hey, just signed up to say this

I bought a mousemat made from a motherboard, and while it's great to look at, I can't use it. All the silver reflects, and the optical sensor has a little fit every time it goes over a silver bit - of which there are plenty!

If you use a Razer ball mouse or something it'd work fine, but I wouldn't hold my breath if you use an optical mouse, because neither my MS optical mouse or my MX700 work properly on it

 

Welcome to bit,

I would never thought the sensor going nuts because of the silver lines. Hmmm i may not try this mod now.

 

Neither did I, it just didn't occur to me. I've thought about putting something over the top of it though, maybe a bit of smoked perspex cut to shape, but have never gotten round to doing it.

 

I have a cheap and nasty optical mouse at the mo and it dont seem to mind wot surface i use it on

If all else fails then i'll just use a ball mouse til i can figure out a way of coating the mobo so opticals work!!!

 

Well i was going to post some pics but it would appear that i am currently un able to post them at this present time.....

Never mind as soon as i can i willl