FROG's Macintosh Professional Workbench ProtoMacHack

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

CelGen's Awesome Absolutely Apple Macintosh IIfx restoration project has inspired another pie in the sky/over the top hack of dreams notion . . .

The Macintosh Professional Workbench

Add a fitted version of . . .

. . . these peripherals to the left side, move the scanner to one side of a U-Shaped workstation on the left with a tombstone shaped co-worker/client interface peninsula on the left and it would almost match what CelGen has assembled in terms of function.

In 1983, the technology didn't exist to make this concept study a reality, but now it all does!

00__9500 MoBo, I've got (9600 if I can find one, getting my PEx MoBo to work would be even better! :approve: )

01__USB card to use two wireless KBDs/Controllers to achieve the modular approach for chicklety/Mac/ubuntu/windows compatible input

02__re-casing a wireless mouse to update FROG's concept mouse would be way [8D]

03__re-casing a bluetooth headset (with a send button) into the phone module makes that a practical/functional peripheral in today's world

04__re-casing a modern color inkjet with the lower fronts-piece being the flip-down feeder tray is definitely do-able, just gotta find the right inkjet with top output

05__re-casing two modern speakers for stereo output would be a piece of cake

06__switching to a 1080p LCD works a lot better in terms of the modernization theme and overall usefulness

07__Recasing USB peripherals for the left end is a no-brainer

08__KVMing several MoBos in that Looong-n-DEEP@$$ sucker will save room overall for a modern workstation/collectors playtoy

09__Switching to a BlackSnow Design Language is also a no-brainer for color-matching the updated parts

Frog's Jonathan Design Study

 

[beachycove]

I have also thought over the past year or so about trying to construct one of the Frog Design concepts. The one pictured does not happen to be one of my favourites, but you go for it.

What would you use for casing?

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

The other one I'm designing will be clear plexi, I may go the same route with this one because of the fit-n-fitting aspects of the process, but it will be painted black, if I ever get a-O-2it. I've got a LOT of experience in fabbing displays and trick signage using plexi. All I need to do is get some vacuum forming experience under my belt. I've already played around with making hardwood bucks (20 years ago) for forming custom letters and logos with a buddy in the sign business.

The other one needs to at least be roughed out and boxed in, it'll have the guts of one of my 12" RGB Pizza-toppers mounted into a 180 degree pivoting turret . . .

. . . with clear plexi ball bearings, of course!

This way I can feel OK with the notion of gutting a working peripheral in order to do a 1400c makeover of the RGB's case. [}] ]'>

 

[Gorgonops]

The "expand a computer by adding slices" concept wasn't exactly an original one when the FROGpeople were playing with it, and several designs (involving both horizontal and vertical stacking) actually went to market. This picture probably best sums up why people came to their senses regarding sidecar-based modular expansion:

Look at the IBM PCjr for another horizontal example. Using IBM-branded sidecars to add 512k and a parallel port would nearly double the width of the system, making it occupy more desk space than its older brother PC which could hold all that plus a second disk drive internally. Yay?

 

[trag]

Venus made a SCSI hard drive enclosure which looked a lot like those Frog boxes. IIRC, they had the ribbed pattern on top and bottom which is visible in the photo of the black version but they had the white/beige color.

I don't seem to have a photo handy. I think I still have one in the attic. I gave several of them to Goodwill. The enclosures (when new) came with both a solid bezel and a bezel with an opening for a 1/2 height 5.25" drive (e.g. CDROM drive).

Anyway, if you could find five or six of those, you'd be well on your way, and they each come with a 5/12V power supply. However, I don't think that they are big enough for any of the 68K logic board, except, maybe one of the Color Classic form factor.

Ah, here we go: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Venus-Series-CF-751-5-25-SCSI-External-Enclosure-/120820405127?pt=PCC_Drives_Storage_Internal&hash=item1c21751387

Probably a little pricey for your project at the Ebay price. If you could find the ones I gave to Goodwill... Heck, maybe those are them.

 

[Cosmo]

I have atleast one those Venus SCSI boxes. Might have two, but i think it had an button on the corner.

Interesting idea, go for it!

 

[Bunsen]

Once upon a time, there was this:

but alas, OWC has sold out of them now. They may be findable on the bay of e.

 

[chuzzum]

I really like that "Black Snow" type design. I think I may repaint one of my old Macintoshes in all black to see how it looks.

 

[tt]

JT, where is a good resource to find more information on these and other frog design prototypes? Do you know more about the concept behind the Mac Professional?

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

I just googled "Snow White Design Language" because I was curious. I found some interesting pictures and mock-ups/prototypes. I'd guess the (uber-expensive) AppleDesign would be the place to get the real scoop, but I don't have that kind of money for a used book.

I always loved the "future of Mac Design" articles in the Mac Press back in the '90s. Somewhere in the fora, there's a link to a Study in Macintosh Design.

BTW, I made up the "Black Snow Design Language" phrase for descriptive purposes, sort of the "Dark Side" of what FROG was doing. Taking the opposite extreme for a more contemporary take on "Snow White"which they seem to have experimented with a bit of as well.

Painting peripherals that will see use seems a bit much. Since many are already available in black finishes that match fairly-very well in terms of color/texture/gloss. "Black Snow" is a lazy waay out . . .

. . . not to mention the irresistible play on words between ""Snow White," White Snow," and "Yellow Snow." )

 

[olePigeon]

Shouldn't it be called Evil Queen Design Language?

 

[techfury90]

I'd guess the (uber-expensive) AppleDesign would be the place to get the real scoop, but I don't have that kind of money for a used book.

NCSU Design Library. It's in there. While you're at it, DH Hill (the 10-story one off of Hillsborough Street) is a GOLD MINE of vintage computing books.

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

THX! I also forgot to mention FROG's website as the source of many pics, including the one above.

 

[tt]

Some cool designs of what I have seen so far. I recently went to a trade show and saw some examples of 3D prints on a scale that is relevant to prototyping cases. The technology seems to be getting close to making reproductions and I'm guessing in a few years they will make really good functional parts for that purpose. Hopefully the cost will also come down more. I could see it become a thing where people take vintage hardware and make far-out functional prototypes kind of like in the vintage car scene.

 

[LCGuy]

Not only that, but also make new reproduction parts to restore old machines. Things such as bezels, drive carriers, and other things that are easily broken (and usually made from Spindler plastic )

 

[olePigeon]

I recently went to a trade show and saw some examples of 3D prints on a scale that is relevant to prototyping cases. The technology seems to be getting close to making reproductions and I'm guessing in a few years they will make really good functional parts for that purpose.

Both ZCorp and HP make an unbelievably cool color 3D printer. The resin is infused with CMYK ink as it prints. It even has a built in inkjet with a special film that you can apply to finished products to mimic things like LCD screens or control panels. Hop onto YouTube and search for zcorp or hp color 3d printer, lots of cool videos.

 

[olePigeon]

I thought I'd mention that the school for which I work is putting together a proposal for our PTA and NPEF to update our Technology Lab class curriculum. Included in the proposal is 30 copies of Windows 7, SolidWorks, and most importantly, a $10,000 3-axis CNC router. If we get the router, I could mill some parts for people for a nominal fee.

If the proposal gets accepted, the first thing on my list is to take a small sheet of thick plexiglass, and mill a transparent duplicate of my IIci top cover. That way I can see the cool custom ROM that dougg3 made.

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

Sounds like a great first project! Will you need to input everything manually or are you getting a side of 3D-Scanner with the main course?

 

[olePigeon]

No 3D scanner. What'll probably happen is I'll just have to to make hand measurements and recreate the top cover from scratch in SolidWorks. I'll see if someone has a precision measuring tool I can borrow so I can get it down to a fraction of a millimeter.