Laser-Cut Enclosure for Floppy Emu

[bigmessowires]

After a lot of false starts, I finally came up with a decent case for Floppy Emu, using laser-cut acrylic instead of 3D printing. With the Apple Garamond font, and the familiar happy mac logo, I think it looks pretty good!





Build details are on my blog at http://www.bigmessowires.com/2014/10/16/designing-a-laser-cut-enclosure/

 

[uniserver]

I LOVE IT..  and i am glad you got rid of the direct floppy connection...  it was causing too much stress on the pcb.

 

[3583Bytes]

Wow very nice

 

[MJ313]

That's awesome man, nice job!!

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

A thing of beauty!

 

[techknight]

oooo... purdy. 

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

Sorry, can't help myself . . . next rev of your board & case make provision to solder the legs of a Derby Hat Power LED so it pops up into a hole in the case on the right hand side. That way your markings will be edge-lit.

 

[bigmessowires]

I'm looking into getting a bunch of these made, either in clear like this photo, or iPhone-style solid black. Clear is kind of cool, but the etching on a clear case can be difficult to see, and the final result with its exposed internals looks more like a science fair project than a professional product. What do you think - any strong color preferences?

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

Clear is the BOMBE! Looks professional as hell to me.

Change the PCB to black and it will set off the silver and red LCD board, matching the black buttons on it.

.

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

I meant silver card cage.

I think a graphic of an external FDD would look much more appropriate than Susan Kare's happy face, but that's just me. It would also get the point across more succinctly, avoiding any possible repercussions copyright wise.

To this sign and graphic design guy, subtle graphics are definitely a plus. Clear plex will show wear and tear a lot less prominently than black plex would. I'm still diggin the edge lit graphics notion.

Got HiRes pics showing the button details?

.

 

[bigmessowires]

Clear acrylic is tough to photograph! Here's a side view photo of the button plunger thingies, as well as a diagram.

 

[mac512]

This is awesome!
 
As for color, I think i'd prefer a color that matches my Mac 512k. So Pantone 453 (PMS 453) would be my choice.
 
Great work!

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

ex-Sign Painter's (old school, pre-Gerber guy) input:

Since it's clear plex, there are myriad opportunities for personal expression available for the case as is.

You can back paint it in any color imaginable on any side you choose and leave other sides or masked areas on any given side clear. The clear plexi gives you a clear finish that's scratch resistant and a deep color, clear-coat look. The only trickery involved would be masking the finger joints.

Use spray paint and you can do blends, speckling, etc. or using a brush granite: wood grain treatments.

Masking a digiflage pattern in pristine '435, platinum and yellowed versions of both would have it match any 68k Mac case in any condition.

A narrow, six-color racing stripe terminating in a familiar right side profile comes to mind. ;D

p.s. a near-match-miss in color ALWAYS looks really wrong, go for complimentary or accent colors, take that advice to heart from this ex-Kitchen-Bath Designer, if you choose.

.

 

[bigmessowires]

You're going to have to paint your own for Pantone 453. The acrylic comes in about a dozen different colors, the closest match is "ivory". But even if the color match were perfect, it still wouldn't match the Mac very well, since it's smooth acrylic and the Mac is textured ABS (I think). Acrylic has a shiny appearance that's different from ABS. 

I think I'll get a couple made in black acrylic as well as wood, just for fun. But "clear" will probably be the default color going forward, since most people seem to prefer it, and it's also cheaper and simpler. Any other color would still require me to cut a clear sheet too, just for the light pipes.

I'm wishing I had a laser cutter down in the basement now. The 1-week delay every time I submit a new order for cutting is getting old.

 

[techknight]

Couldnt you build your very own CNC table? Tons of open source stuff out there.

Use a dremel router for your Z axis. Once you get something nailed then send it off

 

[wilykat]

How about leaving it clear and engrave logo? Fill in the groove with colored paint?  Like these:



or

 

[markyb86]

Does the acrylic come in a color like the zip drive? That would be cool to see.

That, or the radioactive neon green color some prototypes came in was awesome too.

 

[Paralel]

How about leaving it clear and engrave logo? Fill in the groove with colored paint?  Like these:

mac_picasso_logo.gif

I like this idea.

 

[bigmessowires]

I've got some Floppy Emu enclosures available now at http://www.bigmessowires.com/macintosh-floppy-emu/ . I ended up going with both clear acrylic and brown hardboard. No classic rainbow paint job, but you could try adding that yourself if you're artistic.

For Christmas I'm hoping Santa brings a home laser cutter!