Mac-o-lantern

[lastmile77]

OK, sorry if this is a repost but a search on Mac-o-lantern didn't bring anything up.

Still plenty of time before Halloween!

 

[wanderingjew]

>

You shouldn't do that to working macs!!!

Well, maybe a Classic, but not, for the love of god, a Classic II.

 

[JDW]

I've never been able to comprehend this nutty "it's old, so let's destroy it" mentality. This hardly differs from buying a new iPhone and spraying it orange, only to put a funny face on the screen for a silly holiday.

The concept isn't all bad, however. But don't be an idiot and harm a good working Mac in the process. Follow the steps, but instead of paint, use your common horse sense and put a bright orange cloth around the Mac, making sure you can still see the screen. Then make whatever funny faces you like and have those graphics fill the screen. Makes for a fun holiday without epoxy or paint (i.e., you're Macs integrity is retained).

 

[Mac128]

I've never been able to comprehend this nutty "it's old, so let's destroy it" mentality. This hardly differs from buying a new iPhone and spraying it orange, only to put a funny face on the screen for a silly holiday.

At the risk of starting a debate ... simply painting an old Mac is not necessarily destroying it, especially if the case is badly yellowed, scratched, cracked or otherwise in poor shape, as many, many of them are thanks to poor storage conditions since they fell into disuse. It's not really any different than painting an old black Mustang in need of a new paint-job orange when restoring it.

That said, painting for taste is certainly not destructive. It's not for everyone, but if having an orange Compact makes something more useful or fun to you, then go for it. Back in the day, cases were routinely modified with things like security bolts, chemical adhesives, like epoxy and used on property tags and serial numbers, mouse holders, anti-glare screens, etc. At least painting them can make them look nice.

Since the iMac, most people today expect a choice of color in almost anything they buy, including electronics. Even today, the idea of painting the iPhone is not only desired, but commands a premium for the option.

http://www.colorwarepc.com/p-103-iphone.aspx

In the end, I would have to argue that the only destructive aspect of painting an old Mac is if it could otherwise be restored to factory condition, a very rare find in any event (in which case sell it and use the profit to buy one in poor cosmetic shape), or if the paint job is of poor quality. Certainly one would not want to just buy any old can of spray-paint and have at any plastic case.

 

[equant]

I agree with Mac128 about the issue 100%.

 

[benjgvps]

At least paint it a DECENT color!

 

[Bunsen]

Use the cord from the keyboard and cut it into vine and leaf sections.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!! 8-o 8-o

 

[JDW]

Mac128, as you know by reading that article, it also suggests permanently fixing key components of the Mac with epoxy in such a manner than the machine could not be used normally. If that is not "destruction" I don't know what is, and I was referring to that as well, even if I did not specifically mention it in my "iPhone" analogy. Simply painting a machine is not what I was ranting about (even though I would never paint a classic Mac, and certainly not orange if I did -- I'd rather get my hands on a non-yellowed case than paint a yellowed one).

 

[equant]

I'd rather get my hands on a non-yellowed case than paint a yellowed one).

...and I'd rather win a gold medal than a silver, but it doesn't mean a silver isn't better than a bronze.

Reading Mac128's post, and trying to understand the spirit of what he's saying, I don't think he's advocating you *not* try to get a non-yellowed case, but more, the value of very yellowed cases (with serial numbers riveted or engraved) are low. I think we all want to protect pieces in good condition, and if finding new uses for poor examples makes them worth something to someone, well, better than the landfill.

This is no different than the debate among classic car collectors and hot-roders. The majority of the bell curve falls in the "don't fuck up nice examples of classic cars" and "feel free to hot-rod something with flaws" camps.

 

[LCGuy]

Use the cord from the keyboard and cut it into vine and leaf sections.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!! 8-o 8-o

I could think of much worse things than that - Apple ADB keyboard cables are not at all hard to find - they are physically and electrically identical to S-Video cables. Might not look the same, but they get the job done just as well.

 

[JDW]

equant, fact is that I have equipment like that. It's true. Not yellow hardly at all, as evidenced by comparing the top and sides to the color of the bottom (dark side) of the case. I have a Mac 128k/512k like that, an HD20SC case, a 400k external floppy drive, mouse, keyboard. And my 512k HyperDrive unit is largely unyellowed -- it just had a coating of dirt that the previous owner never cleaned off through the years. A spray of 409 and wipe restored it to its former glory! My HD20 is only a tad bit yellowed. I ordered all these parts separately though various EBAY auctions and through Herb Johnson. I paid $400 for the Mac, including shipping to Japan. I paid Herb about $65 shipped for the HD20SC case only (no drive inside). The Hyperdrive Mac (full system) cost me $75 plus I paid another $75 to get it shipped here.

In other words, I didn't pay $10 for all this stuff, but I didn't pay $750 to Dan the Apple Mac Man for it either.

I know not everyone is not like me. Some of you couldn't care less so long as the Mac is a classic Mac and it still functions well. And good for you if you feel that way. There's nothing wrong with that at all. But for myself, I wanted something in as original a condition as possible. It took a long while to located these Macs and parts, and I must say that some of the equipment was only won by using an EBAY sniper service, but it worked for me. I am here to say that perseverance pays off.

Anyway, you can see what kind of Mac lover I am by reading the above. I spend a lot of time finding quality old Macs and peripherals. I therefore (and this is just me, mind you) cringe a bit when someone paints or epoxies an old Mac. If it's in bad condition, so be it. I just hope none of these mods are being done on largely unyellowed Macs.

 

[Dennis Nedry]

Comparing to the bottom doesn't always work because sometimes plastic turns yellow even in absence of any light. All that's required is oxygen.

 

[equant]

I just hope none of these mods are being done on largely unyellowed Macs.

Me too.

 

[Mac128]

Mac128, as you know by reading that article, it also suggests permanently fixing key components of the Mac with epoxy in such a manner than the machine could not be used normally.

Ah, I missed that part. Had to go to Flickr to see it. I would certainly choose a less destructive method to attach the mouse and coiled cords.

Since you more or less gavethis paint-joba thumbs up, I was surprised you had any issues with the painting. Though I think we agree any painting should be done sparingly and only if the case is in poor condition, beyond restoration, which may or may not have been the case with respect to the CC you weighed in on. That said, I think taste plays a big part in determining what is acceptable. I would be quite happy to have an orange compact just like many people opted for the tangerine iBook and orange iMac. While, on the other hand I liked the CC mod, but not the final paint-job and stickers. This makes painting it a particular color neither right or wrong.

We are in agreement that permanent changes to the case are not acceptable. Gluing anything to the case or cutting holes in it should not be tolerated unless the case is already in disrepair and is being converted for a specific productive reason. The CC mod mentioned above is well done and serves a purpose to extend the life of this classic Mac in the spirit of the original. Gluing a mouse onto the top of a Mac serves no preservational purpose and could indeed be accomplished by other less destructive means. I put these types of approaches to any Mac into the same category as those who would stuff a CD-ROM into a compact without giving any thought to the finished aesthetic or history of Apple's design.

The only exception to this rule is if the hardware is completely dead and the case is also damaged and in poor shape. Let's face it, this 20+ year old hardware is failing to the point it cannot be easily repaired and all of it will eventually reach a point where it cannot be satisfactorily repaired. Eventually all there will be are cases and most of those yellowed. In this case, I would still limit my mods only to those in poor condition. So make speakers out of them, or MacQuariums, or whatever. Frankly, the Mac-O-Lantern could easily have been made out of a damaged case and just for the holiday, slide some working hardware into it.

In the end, I guess it is far better someone finds a use for them at all, no matter what modifications they perform, rather than dumping them into a landfill, regardless of what the members of this forum would prefer.

 

[JDW]

Since you more or less gavethis paint-joba thumbs up, I was surprised you had any issues with the painting.

Sorry. Again, it was the epoxy that I was referring to when I spoke of "damage." But I still stand behind my comments in that other thread. I think THAT paint job is pretty impressive, for a paint job (which I myself would never do on my own Macs). So if you're going to paint a Mac, compared to the orange paint job, yes the Japanese job looks "spiffier" to my eyes. But again, I prefer a more purist approach to my own Macs. Also, I never really liked the body design of the CC, so perhaps my eyes were distorted when I looked at the paint job. Sorry.

quote="Dennis Nedry"]Comparing to the bottom doesn't always work because sometimes plastic turns yellow even in absence of any light. All that's required is oxygen.

I had a feeling someone was going to say that! 8-o

While that may be true, I know full well what the originally beige looked like. Part of my job is graphic design, and I know color. Therefore, I know if the bottom of a given case is yellowed. Of course, if you want to split hairs, no I cannot tell if there is only 1% increased yellowing or some similar scientific approach to determining color. But by knowing the actual color and comparing that with the bottom of the case and then all other sides, it's easy for me to determine if a case is yellowed or not.

But I will add something else. Despite the fact that case bottoms can and do yellow, the rate is not the same for all other sides unless you had the Mac sitting atop a transparent glass table. Therefore you know you've got a really yellowed case if the other sides are noticeably yellow versus the bottom.

Finally, I also know why my Mac 128/512 (I received both logic boards when I purchased it) is almost in pristine condition. The original owner died and the unit was sold by the family lawyer. The lawyer knew quite a bit about the machine, perhaps because he knew the previous owner quite well. The previous owner hardly used the machine, and I found evidence of that because the two little protruding tables on the bottom of the mouse were NOT WORN AT ALL! But I was also told this machine was used in a rather dark room, where sunlight hardly ever intered. And the owner never smoked either. The unit was used only for a short time and then put in storage, inside a soft-side Mac case. It stayed that way until it was sold to me. So it makes sense why this particular Mac looks so good. And again, I didn't pay top dollar for this. I just was persistent until I found a machine that satisfied my discerning tastes. I would therefore encourage all of you to do the same.

If you like the Mac-o-lantern, do it! Just don't epoxy anything like that article says, and I still recommend an orange cloth over painting (which allows one to change his mind later about the color). But hey, it's your Mac!

 

[Mike Richardson]

n/m

 

[JDW]

Mike, I must apologize for my ignorance of these things, but I tend to write things out long-hand. Not knowing the meaning of "n/m" I Googled and found these:

N/M Nevermind

N/M No Message

N/M Not Meaningful

N/M Nuthin' Much

But since all four of those meanings are not the same, what meaning applies to your use of "n/m"?

Thanks.

 

[Bunsen]

Use the cord from the keyboard and cut it into vine and leaf sections.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!! 8-o 8-o

I could think of much worse things than that - Apple ADB keyboard cables are not at all hard to find.

Yes, but someone might get the idea to do that to a 128, 512 or Plus!!

 

[Mac128]

If you like the Mac-o-lantern, do it! Just don't epoxy anything like that article says, and I still recommend an orange cloth over painting (which allows one to change his mind later about the color).

If the case is in bad shape (which is the only condition I am advocating), it doesn't much matter whether one paints it or not should one later decide to change one's mind. Once painted it's far easier to sand and re-paint. Cloth sounds a bit like wallpaper versus painting your walls. Wallpaper being a far bigger pain in the butt. That said, I think a cloth covered Mac would be a very interesting and stylish texture. Leather would be an interesting treatment as well.

Yes, but someone might get the idea to do that to a 128, 512 or Plus!!

That is exactly right Bunsen. Well said ... it is a bad idea in any event and one that promotes these machines as mere novelties which can serve no other useful purpose. The entire project aspires to utilize all of the Mac's parts in the design. Though clever, what I think is truly ironic is that the mouse, keyboard and cables are necessary to install and set up the software that makes the face. If that's the only mouse, then gluing it to the case is just stupid. And if that is the only keyboard cable, it too is rendered useless. I'm actually surprised the guy didn't find a way to hack up the keyboard and glue its parts onto the case. A much more elegant approach is to attach the mouse with velcro so that it remains functional. And friggin go to Radio Shack and buy phone cables to make the vines if you want them. I maintain painting them is OK, so long as the case is not restorable, even a 128K or 512K, many of which are brittle and yellowed beyond restoration.

While I said earlier I would rather someone cleaning out their garage turn their old compact into a Mac-O-Lantern than throw it into a landfill with their broken skis, I think this kind of thread really defines the mission of 68K MLA, which is to make sure that same person who stumbled across the Mac-O-Lantern on a blog somewhere, instead gets the message that they may have something of value in their garage and not to be so hasty to judge its worth as useless. By that same token, these unscrupulous vendors on eBay as well as those same novices at home, should equally be aware that even if that Mac in their garage is in poor condition and therefore incapable of fetching top dollar, projects like the Mac-O-Lantern is one way to rejuvenate them and again keeping them out of the landfill.

Then there's this, for when the case is beyond even painting:

http://blog.makezine.com/pic19.jpg