Amiga.org
Amiga computer related discussion => General chat about Amiga topics => Topic started by: motorollin on July 27, 2008, 12:02:24 PM
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Ok, I was going to wait until this was finished to post anything but I'm excited :-) I am building a custom case out of Lego for my EFIKA. So far I have used about 320 Lego bricks.
The case was originally going to be a cube but it doesn't need to be that tall, so it is now square and will probably be about half as tall as it is wide/deep. However, I had already settled on the name "EFIKube" so it's staying, even if it's not geometrically accurate ;-)
Here is the case so far, which shows the basic design:
Link (http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm244/motorollin/EFIKube/SANY0308.jpg)
The three small holes in the front will be for the power, reset and eject buttons. These will be made of coloured lego bricks with the pegs removed from the top, and the bricks at the bottoms of the holes will also have the pegs removed from the tops. This will allow the buttons to sit in the holes and operate switches behind.
The slit on the right hand side is obviously for the CD tray. This will be hidden by this piece:
Link (http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm244/motorollin/EFIKube/SANY0310.jpg)
The pegs will also be removed from the top of the bricks on this piece, and from the bricks at the top of the slot in to which it fits. The whole piece will then be attached to the front of the CD tray and will (hopefully) be completely flush so the tray will be invisible.
Here's what is inside so far:
Link (http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm244/motorollin/EFIKube/SANY0309.jpg)
The gadget in the top left corner is an IDE->USB adapter to allow the CD drive to be connected to the EFIKA. The black towers around the CD drive will hold it in place (but will need padding) and will also support a shelf above the CD drive for the motherboard. The tower in the bottom left of that photo will support the power/reset/eject switches. The wire running along the right edge of the CD drive is soldered to the eject switch to allow the drive to be ejected with an external button.
I need to go to the Lego shop and get the bricks for the switches, then to Maplin and find some suitable switches. Then I need to get my dremel out and try removing the pins from the bricks :nervous:
I'm also looking for suggestions on how to mount the ports in the back of the case. These will be extended away from the board so I don't need to mount the whole backplate. Ideas please! :-)
More updates (hopefully) soon!
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moto
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Instead of removing the pegs, you could just use the smooth topped caps that Lego also makes.
There's a Lego "shop"? You in Denmark or something?
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weirdami wrote:
Instead of removing the pegs, you could just use the smooth topped caps that Lego also makes.
I don't think they make them in the same dimensions as normal bricks. They do them in pieces 1/3 of the height, so I could stack up two of the ones which have pegs and one on top which doesn't, but I think you would see that they weren't normal bricks and the CD tray would be visible, which would defeat the object.
weirdami wrote:
There's a Lego "shop"? You in Denmark or something?
Nope, England.
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moto
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Hehehe... Weirdami beat me to it. The 'smooth' stones should prevent you from taking the dremel.
I saw some USB-memorystick-inside-Lego-bricks on the net the otherday. What type of connectors do you need? I can only think of USB and VGA.
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amiga_3k wrote:
Hehehe... Weirdami beat me to it. The 'smooth' stones should prevent you from taking the dremel.
As I said above, I can't find them in the same dimensions as normal bricks, only the thin ones. I would love to be proven wrong though! :-)
amiga_3k wrote:
I saw some USB-memorystick-inside-Lego-bricks on the net the otherday. What type of connectors do you need? I can only think of USB and VGA.
Exactly, USB and VGA. Power will be easy as it's 12v in to the mini PSU, so I can just make a hole in a brick. VGA and USB will be harder...
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moto
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Moto,
You can cheat a bit by running a 'thin' layer (so, one layer of 1/3 bricks) across the whole case, probably in some contrasting color like grey. It's a trick used by most of the designers.
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amiga_3k wrote:
You can cheat a bit by running a 'thin' layer (so, one layer of 1/3 bricks) across the whole case, probably in some contrasting color like grey. It's a trick used by most of the designers.
Good idea! I'll definitely consider that! Cheers :pint:
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moto
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@Moto:
Glad to be of help. Interested in how this project will grow.
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Interested in how this project will grow.
Brick by brick. :-P
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No 'chicken lips' lego errrrr I mean logo? :lol:
/shakes head and slowly walks away
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You should have some kind of lego battle scene going on the top of the case when your done.
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Or something like this would be nice...
Its PC but still nice and adaptable for a miggy project.
Outside:
(http://blog.makezine.com/legopc-1.jpg)
Inside:
(http://blog.makezine.com/pcstage09.jpg)
*ADDENDUM*
/me sneaks off and buys shares in Lego ... :-)
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spihunter wrote:
You should have some kind of lego battle scene going on the top of the case when your done.
Yeah, blue vs. red :-D
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For inspiration, here's (http://infolab.stanford.edu/pub/voy/museum/pictures/display/0-4-Google.htm) the original Google storage tower.
Hans
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@> Moto
How cool!
Love it!
:-D
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weirdami wrote:
Interested in how this project will grow.
Brick by brick. :-P
You beat me to it! :-D
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moto
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ZeBeeDee wrote:
No 'chicken lips' lego errrrr I mean logo? :lol:
/shakes head and slowly walks away
I am actually considering building an Amiga tick in to the side of the case, but I would have to use very small bricks for that and I'm not sure what effect it would have on stability. I'll experiment and if it's stable enough I'll leave it in.
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moto
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ZeBeeDee wrote:
Or something like this would be nice...
Its PC but still nice and adaptable for a miggy project.
That's pretty good. But I think mine looks a bit more classy ;-)
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moto
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LOL! Freaking Awesome. You need some little lego people inside too, you know the 'System Operator' A little couch in there, you know make the place real nice.
Danes build the best dams, Danes build the best Lego computers. Cheers!
:lol:
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TheGoose wrote:
LOL! Freaking Awesome. You need some little lego people inside too, you know the 'System Operator' A little couch in there, you know make the place real nice.
:lol: With a nice window with little curtains in it. :lol:
Or make it look like a spaceship :lol:
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TheGoose wrote:
LOL! Freaking Awesome. You need some little lego people inside too, you know the 'System Operator'
I intend to :-)
TheGoose wrote:
A little couch in there, you know make the place real nice.
If there's space I will do it just for you :-D
TheGoose wrote:
Danes build the best Lego computers.
We'll see about that!
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moto
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Speelgoedmannetje wrote:
With a nice window with little curtains in it. :lol:
I'll leave the soft furnishings to you, Speel ;-)
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moto
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motorollin wrote:
I am actually considering building an Amiga tick in to the side of the case, but I would have to use very small bricks for that and I'm not sure what effect it would have on stability. I'll experiment and if it's stable enough I'll leave it in.
moto
I think a simple case badge would be better if stability becomes an issue :-)
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I am actually considering building an Amiga tick in to the side of the case, but I would have to use very small bricks for that and I'm not sure what effect it would have on stability. I'll experiment and if it's stable enough I'll leave it in.
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moto
If stability is becoming a problem you could consider going the other way around, where the tick stands out from the casing instead. It won't be the same as the original though.
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Speelgoedmannetje wrote:
TheGoose wrote:
LOL! Freaking Awesome. You need some little lego people inside too, you know the 'System Operator' A little couch in there, you know make the place real nice.
:lol: With a nice window with little curtains in it. :lol:
Or make it look like a spaceship :lol:
:lol: :lol:
you guys crack me up!
I LOVE legos (ok, who doesn't?). I have a bunch of space ships made from legos. they are just Adorable!!!
I think should have lots of cases with all sorts of Amiga-related tableaus on the top and sides.
- Amiga Lands on the moon!
- representations of Amiga Conventions :-o
- what some people would do if they could get their hands on "The Bills"
the possibilities are endless!! :devildance:
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cecilia wrote:
I LOVE legos (ok, who doesn't?).
I've 'played' with legos at my study. (robotics)
Last year I suggested that SunSPOTs (http://www.sunspotworld.com/) should be more like legos. (sensors and chips as lego bricks)
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cecilia wrote:
- Amiga Lands on the moon!
- representations of Amiga Conventions :-o
- what some people would do if they could get their hands on "The Bills"
the possibilities are endless!! :devildance:
:lol:
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motorollin wrote:
Speelgoedmannetje wrote:
With a nice window with little curtains in it. :lol:
I'll leave the soft furnishings to you, Speel ;-)
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moto
I suggest a confronting yet subtle mixture between baroque and minimalism, where the curly frivolity is being mercilessly shattered by straight lines and primary colours. :lol:
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TheGoose wrote:
Danes build the best dams, Danes build the best Lego computers. Cheers!
:lol:
I live in Denmark, but my mom gave away my lego several years ago, because sho thought that I was to old to use it anymore :cry:
Stupid parents :madashell:
Anyway, I really like your projekt :-)
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Speelgoedmannetje wrote:
I suggest a confronting yet subtle mixture between baroque and minimalism, where the curly frivolity is being mercilessly shattered by straight lines and primary colours. :lol:
:lol: Where do you get this stuff? BTW I read that message to my other half and he now thinks you're mad ;-)
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moto
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taunusand wrote:
I live in Denmark, but my mom gave away my lego several years ago, because sho thought that I was to old to use it anymore :cry:
Stupid parents :madashell:
Anyway, I really like your projekt :-)
Thanks! My mum did the same. Shame as I now have to buy lots of lego for this project :roll: Buying it from Lego directly is so expensive, so I'm really glad I found this web site:
BrickLink (http://www.bricklink.com)
It's great! I bought just over 300 2x4 black bricks for £15 including postage. Lego charge 11 pence per brick which would have made that £33 plus postage! I've bought more bricks since then, so I've saved a LOT!
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moto
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@ weirdami
You get Lego shops in most european cities. Certainly seen lots in UK and in germany when I was there
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motorollin wrote:
Speelgoedmannetje wrote:
I suggest a confronting yet subtle mixture between baroque and minimalism, where the curly frivolity is being mercilessly shattered by straight lines and primary colours. :lol:
:lol: Where do you get this stuff? BTW I read that message to my other half and he now thinks you're mad ;-)
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moto
You're other half is quite right. :lol:
It's very warm here in NL. Thankfully I'm atm at one of the coastal islands of NL, so I'm swimming alot in a lovely sea.
Btw. I write poems (in Dutch) so every now and then.
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taunusand wrote:
TheGoose wrote:
Danes build the best dams, Danes build the best Lego computers. Cheers!
:lol:
I live in Denmark, but my mom gave away my lego several years ago, because sho thought that I was to old to use it anymore :cry:
Stupid parents :madashell:
Hm, my parents still have it all. In case I or my sis get kids.
Anyway, I really like your projekt :-)
And he says that I am mad :lol:
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Hans_ wrote:
For inspiration, here's (http://infolab.stanford.edu/pub/voy/museum/pictures/display/0-4-Google.htm) the original Google storage tower.
Hans
Duplo!
And, behind that pane of bathroom window privacy glass, ten sexy 4 gigabyte hard drives doing it their own way. MMMMmmmHHHmmm. Yeah. Crawl that WWW. What? Oh, nothing baby, that's just my Digital Library card. :oops:
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I have had a delivery of Lego! :-D
Hidden CD panel in place:
Link (http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm244/motorollin/EFIKube/SANY0314.jpg)
From the front:
Link (http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm244/motorollin/EFIKube/SANY0312.jpg)
And removed to show how it was done:
Link (http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm244/motorollin/EFIKube/SANY0313.jpg)
Thanks a lot to amiga_3k for the suggestion of running the thin contrasting lines around the case to help hide the CD drawer. Initially I was reluctant as I thought it would spoil the design, but did it anyway as I couldn't think of any other way to do it. But in the end I think the two white lines look really smart!
The hidden drawer is a bit of a tight fit in the front of the case so I'll have to be really careful when attaching it to the front of the CD-ROM. It will have to be perfectly in alignment otherwise it won't eject properly. This will be tricky!
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moto
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Another update!
Filed the studs off of the bottoms of the holes which the buttons will go in:
Link (http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm244/motorollin/EFIKube/SANY0315.jpg)
Made some buttons from two 2x4 plates sandwiched together with a 2x2 tile on top:
Link (http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm244/motorollin/EFIKube/SANY0316.jpg)
The buttons will eventually be red, yellow and green (power, reset and CD-ROM eject respectively) but I need to go to the Lego shop and try to blag three bricks for them.
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moto
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motorollin wrote:
I need to go to the Lego shop and try to blag three bricks for them.
In 2008, a crack Danish military unit promptly escaped from a maximum security factory to the toy underground. Today, still wanted by the Danish government, they survive as soldiers of fortune. If you have a problem, if no-one else can help, and if you can find them, maybe you can hire the Lego-Team.
(http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y116/zebeedee/imgp3474.jpg)
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Brilliant :-D :-D
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motorollin wrote:
:lol: Where do you get this stuff? BTW I read that message to my other half and he now thinks you're mad ;-)
Are you sure that comment was directed solely at Speel? :crazy:
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uncharted wrote:
Are you sure that comment was directed solely at Speel? :crazy:
Well, his exact words were "he's mad". So he was either talking to me and referring to Speel, or talking to himself and referring either to me, to Speel, or to some unidentified referent ;-)
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moto
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Some windows and a pitched roof would look a treat on that.
Good job.
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RMK305 wrote:
Some windows and a pitched roof would look a treat on that.
Not forgetting of course, the chimney :-D
@ Moto
I see by the pictures, there is an empty grey expanse surrounding the case ... a good area for some flowers and perhaps a few lego bushes? :lol: :lol: :lol:
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Damn, what a great idea! It looks good.
It takes me back to the days when I had a VIC-20 and C-64 set up together and I made a multi-level case/stand out of lego so the VIC sat over the back vents of the C64 and my TV sat ontop of the VIC. Hey, if it works then what the hell.
I think my kids would kill me if I dismantled their lego Millenium Falcon to make an Efika case though.
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ZeBeeDee wrote:
I see by the pictures, there is an empty grey expanse surrounding the case ... a good area for some flowers and perhaps a few lego bushes? :lol: :lol: :lol:
Haha, maybe! I was actually planning to cut the surplus base away, leaving the case looking like a pure black box. But if you insist, I'll make a little lego garden ;-)
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moto
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motorollin wrote:
Haha, maybe! I was actually planning to cut the surplus base away, leaving the case looking like a pure black box. But if you insist, I'll make a little lego garden ;-)
lol!!!!!
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I don't know if you're aware of this, but the Lego website has free "builder" software where you can design a project in 3D on your computer and it will generate the building instrcuions and allow you to order the pieces if you want to make your own mini-production run. ;-)
It's called "Lego Digital Designer". If you feed your finished case into it then the building instuctions part is free and you can distribute the file to others so they can copy it.
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The future's bright ... the future's Lego :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
@ Moto
New avatar too maybe? (sorry, couldn't resist) :-D
(http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y116/zebeedee/avatar.jpg)
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@Darrin
I have heard about the digital designer and was thinking of using it to design my Lego case, but I don't think I could do it. I need the bricks in front of me to experiment with to get it right. I just wish Lego had an undo function for when I need to dismantle big parts ;-)
I hadn't though of reproducing the finished case in the digital designer for other people to build. I'll think about it!
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moto
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ZeBeeDee wrote:
The future's bright ... the future's Lego :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
@ Moto
New avatar too maybe? (sorry, couldn't resist) :-D
(http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y116/zebeedee/avatar.jpg)
Let's see how the case turns out first ;-)
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moto
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Switches are installed (but not connected):
Link (http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm244/motorollin/EFIKube/SANY0325.jpg)
The two white and one black bricks to the left of the switches are the bricks which go through the wall of the case and are exposed to the outside to act as buttons. The springs inside the switches are strong enough to push the buttons back out to be flush with the front of the case.
Lego plate glued to the top of the CD-ROM:
Link (http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm244/motorollin/EFIKube/SANY0326.jpg)
This allows the EFIKA motherboard, with self-adhesive PCB standoffs attached to lego tiles, to attach to the top of the drive.
Link (http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm244/motorollin/EFIKube/SANY0327.jpg)
Next job is the worst part: attaching the CD-ROM facia to the front of the drive and attaching the CD-ROM to the bottom of the case. If I don't get it perfectly lined up then the drive won't eject :nervous:
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moto
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@Moto
It's looking good so far, especially the switches :-)
I would have thought that small Lego plate sections glued in the right places for the standoff's would have been better than a whole plate.
Potential heat issues? maybe, but good clearance between the board and drive should all but eliminate that :-)
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@ZeBeeDee
If there are heat issues then I would rather elevate the board and/or put in a fan anyway, since the heat could affect the CD-ROM. I considered using smaller pieces, but since the glue is permanent (No More Nails) I decided a plate would be better as it would allow me to mount different things if I decide to reconfigure the case. It would be simple to elevate the board if I needed to, simply by inserted bricks between the plate on the CD-ROM and the tiles under the spacers.
Don't tell the guys on bricklink.com that I'm using glue... For some reason it's considered Lego heresy :roll:
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moto
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I won't tell if you won't lol
Just remember ...
(http://www.garmentdistrict.com/store/popculture/montypython/spanish_sm.jpg)
:lol:
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Moto,
Glad you found BrickLink. I have been a member there since way back.
Filed the studs off of the bottoms of the holes which the buttons will go in:
Some Lego enthusiasts consider cutting, filing or otherwise modifying Lego to be blasphemous!!! You could have easily done the same sort of thing (without filing) by using two plates and a tile.
Pete :-)
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motorollin wrote:
@Darrin
I have heard about the digital designer and was thinking of using it to design my Lego case, but I don't think I could do it. I need the bricks in front of me to experiment with to get it right. I just wish Lego had an undo function for when I need to dismantle big parts ;-)
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moto
You just want to play with Legos like good old times, now don't you? :-P ;-)
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AmigaPete wrote:
Glad you found BrickLink. I have been a member there since way back.
It's a brilliant site actually. It's amazingly complex and yet simple to use.
AmigaPete wrote:
Some Lego enthusiasts consider cutting, filing or otherwise modifying Lego to be blasphemous!!!
Maybe they're worried we'll run out of Lego... despite approximately 19 billion Lego parts being manufactured each year ;-)
AmigaPete wrote:
You could have easily done the same sort of thing (without filing) by using two plates and a tile.
Yes I know. But for my design it was important for the front panel to look as clean as possible. That's why I went to great lengths to hide the CD-ROM drive. If I had used two plates and a tile under the switches, then it would have been obvious as you would have seen that they weren't bricks. The alternative would be to make the whole thing out of plates and tiles, but that would be far too expensive!
The mechanism of the switches works well as it is, so I'm happy with filing the studs off a few bricks.
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moto
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Speelgoedmannetje wrote:
You just want to play with Legos like good old times, now don't you? :-P ;-)
Yep! I make no attempt to hide the fact that I am re-living my youth. Though my Lego play is more complex and organised this time ;-)
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moto
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USB backplate clamped in place while the glue dries. Here's hoping it holds! Once it's dry tomorrow I'll build it in to the case.
Link (http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm244/motorollin/EFIKube/photo.jpg)
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moto
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USB ports mounted in the side of the case:
Link (http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm244/motorollin/ports.jpg)
I need the replace the tiles at the bottom of the gap for the ports with black ones, but I haven't got any yet.
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moto
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Hidden CD tray finally installed! I'm extremely happy with how well this works. I used No More Nails to attach the CD drive to the bottom of the case (with bricks in between in case I want to re-position it). While the glue was still wet I put double-sided sticky pads on the front of the tray and then pushed the hidden panel into place. This meant everything was pretty much square, and I could make minor adjustments to get the tray ejecting smoothly before the glue set. Here's a video showing it working:
Link (1.4MB QuickTime file) (http://www.mashley.net/tray.mov)
:-D
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moto
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motorollin wrote:
Hidden CD tray finally installed! I'm extremely happy with how well this works. I used No More Nails to attach the CD drive to the bottom of the case (with bricks in between in case I want to re-position it). While the glue was still wet I put double-sided sticky pads on the front of the tray and then pushed the hidden panel into place. This meant everything was pretty much square, and I could make minor adjustments to get the tray ejecting smoothly before the glue set. Here's a video showing it working:
Link (1.4MB QuickTime file) (http://www.mashley.net/tray.mov)
:-D
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moto
Whoa! That is cool! Very slick. Can't even tell where the drive is until it comes out. Then when it goes back in it matches up perfect. Good work!
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AmigaHeretic wrote:
Whoa! That is cool! Very slick. Can't even tell where the drive is until it comes out. Then when it goes back in it matches up perfect.
That was the idea :-)
AmigaHeretic wrote:
Good work!
Thanks! :-D
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moto
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Video was awesome! Tray looks like it fits just perfect.
:pint:
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Nice video, the tray looks perfect :-)
Just too bad Action would not play the .mov file, I actually had to download this to my peecee.. :cry:
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Well done. Truly a work of art.
(http://www.33smiley.com/smiley4/animals/3.gif)
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@Moto:
Brilliant case! :-) Lego makes it possible. Just imagine Lego turning this idea into a commercial product....
The white lines seem to work quite well.
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Thanks for the compliments guys :pint: Now that the hard parts are over, I'm looking forward to getting this finished!
amiga_3k wrote:
Just imagine Lego turning this idea into a commercial product....
I'm actually surprised they haven't, or at least updated their range to make things like this easier, for example bricks with embedded LEDs or switches, and bricks without studs on the top.
amiga_3k wrote:
The white lines seem to work quite well.
Yes, they not only work functionally but are a great design too. Thanks for the tip :-D
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EDIT