G4 Cube Laptop Optical Drive Bracket

[metta]

Hi Everyone,

 

I'm looking to replace my G4 Cube's optical drive with a laptop-style SuperDrive and before I take a stab at designing one myself, I was hoping somebody out there had an .stl file for the bracket to fit it into the Cube's optical drive area. With cubeowner now defunct, I can no longer access the forum posts discussing this. I've attached a picture showing this bracket which I found on: http://www.atpm.com/12.03/cube.shtml

 

If I can't find one, I'll be sure to post my own version of it for anyone else looking to do the same thing. Thanks in advance!

 

The bracket in question:

Edited August 21, 2020 by spicybeef

[metta]

http://www.atpm.com/12.03/cube.shtml is the correct link, there's a period in the URL - sorry.

[nottomhanks]

A friend of mine just successfully printed one of these, and with a slim SATA to SATA adapter, IDE to SATA adapter board, and SATA extension cable, I’m successfully running a laptop drive from 2010 and watching DVDs with VLC in 10.4.  It’s a bit of a tight fit, but it’s all working!  Just need to try booting to an Apple DVD and try burning a DVD to see what happens.

[Daniël]

4 hours ago, nottomhanks said:

A friend of mine just successfully printed one of these, and with a slim SATA to SATA adapter, IDE to SATA adapter board, and SATA extension cable, I’m successfully running a laptop drive from 2010 and watching DVDs with VLC in 10.4.  It’s a bit of a tight fit, but it’s all working!  Just need to try booting to an Apple DVD and try burning a DVD to see what happens.

 

Is there any chance you could share the STL? I'm now the owner of a Cube that also has an entirely weak optical drive, and would love to have printed one as well to be able to swap it out entirely.

[Stephen]

There's some anecdotal success of restoring normal ejection to the original G4 Cube drives by boiling the rubber belts; it shrinks them back to a diameter which is closer to the original diameter. I haven't tried it myself.

[metta]

On 2/16/2021 at 8:51 AM, nottomhanks said:

A friend of mine just successfully printed one of these, and with a slim SATA to SATA adapter, IDE to SATA adapter board, and SATA extension cable, I’m successfully running a laptop drive from 2010 and watching DVDs with VLC in 10.4.  It’s a bit of a tight fit, but it’s all working!  Just need to try booting to an Apple DVD and try burning a DVD to see what happens.

 

I'd love those STLs as well if your friend still has them.

[nottomhanks]

I will ask him and find out.  Thanks!

[Treeblopez]

Is this what you're looking for?

 

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4269649

[metta]

@Treeblopez thank you so much! Fit isn't perfect, but it's 95% there.  I really appreciate you digging that up for us. Here are some pictures. Some things to note: The slimline optical drive is mounted via M2 screws. The model provided in that link is made for M2 screws with a flat top. I only had socket heads on hand so I used my soldering iron to melt the screws further in so that they sit flush into the plastic.