Project: Sexy G3 - Updates and Tons of Pictures!

1/16 inch plexi here is 5-8 for a 24 x 18 sheet... interesting

 

Well, try pricing out 1/2in Translucent Blue 2424 Plexi...
That's what I was looking at that was soo $$$.

 

love the idea of modding that wonderful machine
been planning one modding one of my MACs but because of money and time or lack of it i haven't been able to.
glad to see that some one else out there also thinks that the MAC is worth modding and i hope that it turns out as nice as you hope it will.

 

Yeah, it's too bad more Mac users wouldn't get creative and mod their machines. Such a good base to work off of (as long as you aren't a gamer). It's just the proprietary hardware in the new ones that keeps modders away, IMHO...

I would love to have the money to get a G5 and a 17in FP-iMac to mod - I have some awesome ideas for those...

 

Yay!! The weather broke and it's now 70*F here...so I've started sanding and ordering more parts that I need.

Now, some of my Lighting and Plexi-Work was/is going to be blue (the whole Apple/Aqua thing) - but - seeing how overdone Blue is on case mods, I'm not 100% sure I want to go that route now or not. Then again, like I said, the OS is very clean and bluish ( ) so I dunno!

What do you guys think??

 

To make you feel a bit better about the price of plexi... here the smoked stuff that i use in the project baby bliss is 42 dollars for a 48 x 24 inch 1/8 peice. Not cheep either

 

Well, I get really good pricing from my local dealer. The high-volume guys keep prices low for the small-time buyers like me. I actually have a 24" x 24" sheet of 1/4" smoked plexi - cost me $13. It's just that there is very little demand for the colored 1/2" material, thus it's expensive.

No biggie, I figured out a way to work around it.

 

are you going to take 2 1/4" pieces and glue them together to equal 1/2".

 

Crafty AND Cunning, eh?

Well, that's what I was planning on doing. But my clear Weld*On still leaves a "wet spot" sandwiched in-between the two sheets. So, it's back to the drawing board...

 

Ok, well...the Clear 1/2in Plexi is pretty cheap. So, I am going to try one of two methods to get it the color I want.

1) Spray-Can Transparent Bulb Coating - For coating lightbulbs with a transparent colored film to make it the color of choice. Might work great...

2) Soaking a 1/2in Sheet of Clear Plexi in a Permanent Color-Dye - My plastics guy said it should work, but would require maybe two to four weeks of soaking!?!? Not so sure about this method...

 

Alright, awesome news. Matrix-Orbital directed me to one of their customers in New Zealand who has made a custom USB controller for the Matrix Orbital Displays. This guy is great, and has been VERY helpful and MORE than willing to share his knowledge!

So, I'm going to be building one as well! I'm using a Parralax Javelin Stamp to parse command from the USB controller to the LCD. Everything is going to be coded in C++ and the guy from New Zealand was kind enough to list a class file in C++ that I can modify for the 4x20 LCD I am getting. I'm still not sure what functionality I am going to program into the software to controll the LCD. At first, it might just be a simply "Digital Badge" with an Animation, then later I would like to code a polished LCDC-Type application for Mac OS-X that I will distribute under a GNU Public License for anyone who wants to play.

Also, I have all my plans laid out and ordered all the parts I need, so hopefully (supposed to be 60+*F outside!) this weekend will see some REAL work done!!

 

I addition - I have decided NOT to paint, and instead will be doing the case with high-quality Vinyl-Dye (the WHOLE outside is plastic - yay!!).

I have two questions though:
1) I want to finish the case with a High-Gloss Clearcoat over the Vinyl-Dye - But I'm not sure how well that will work out...any ideas?

2) Also, anyone know how Vinyl-Dye reacts to being sprayed over Bondo??

 

Aaah
did anyone see the passive cooler on the proc?
That reminds me of 'The Days'
Nice work Post some pics soon

 

It uses active cooling.... well sortof. Mac always mounts the fan about 2 cm or so away from the procvessor so it indirectly blows on the processor so it is active in a way... kind of like the G5...

 

Hmm...no one has any ideas on the two questions I asked?

 

Why would you spray vinyl dye over bondo?

I would use normal car paint or something. Also bondo needs to be primed before it is painted.

 

Heh, yeah, I know Bondo needs to be primered to be painted. Problem is, I may not paint this case and may instead use Vinyl-Dye (since the whole case is plastic and Vinyl-Dye gives a nice look). I plan on doing some redesigning of the front of the case, which will require using a body filler.

So, it is fairly important that the Vinyl Dye would work the same on the filler areas as on the normal case plastic (which I have a sneaking suspicion that it will NOT). So, now you see my dillema, and my request for anyone that has seen/done this and the results...

 

where are you getting your from? every place that i have checked gives me prices 6-8x the cost of 1/4" plexi. its kinda ridiculous.

 

Vinyl dye won't go over bondo

 

Opus - A local plexi company. Great Lakes Plastic. Do any of the local (to you) places have a low-cost scrap pile?? That's how I buy most of mine...