Recently I broke the circuit board on the keyboard trying to thread the flex through a bootlace, and as Maplin don't make it any more I had to buy a new one. (I'll probably go looking for a replacement on the Bay of E sometime soon, because for some reason this new one just isn't as nice to type on...) As I already had the keys all made up it was a ( Read more... )

I have this cheap and cheerful laundry basket from Argos. It worked fine until a couple of months ago when the wood split, and wrapping elastic bands around it no longer works. Now I could just buy a new one. Maybe a metal one would be nicer. But I'm me, and have never been too good at this "doing logical things" business. I have monitors covered ( Read more... )

Well for now. I'm pretty much out of things to modify.

I wasn't entirely happy with the buttons on the 15" monitor, so I bought some nice buttons, filed off the loops at the back and glued them on.

( Monitor 1 )

Today I went to see the Orchids over at Kew Gardens, and discovered another reason why 2009 is the year of real science. Its Kew Garden's 250th birthday, so raise glass of something nice and botanical to them sometime.

I also picked up the bits of copper pipe and angles that Dad had, so after getting hope I cut some pipes up and finished off this.

( Read more... )

Last time I painted the plastic parts, and covered it in wood-effect sticky-backed-plastic. At the time I didn't really know what I was going to do for the support. Building a new base, while still using parts of the existing stand turned out to be impractical- I don't have access to a drillbit the right size. Having seen these lamps from Professor ( Read more... )

I've done a computer, a trackball, a keyboard and a card reader.

Now for the biggie. The monitor. Currently I have two, a Samsung which might not be too difficult- build a frame attach a stand, like the vonslatt version, and all will be well, and a smaller 15" I bought at the same time as the original HP that until recently provided the guts of the Xion ( Read more... )

One of the things I like most about Steampunk is the clothes. But I haven't got much to wear, and what I do have doesn't have a very high mad science quotient. Well now I've done something about that.

( The Godfrey & Partners Air Cooled Glove. Pat. Pending. )

More computer case modding. I'm sure one of the flaws in my art is that I don't know when to leave a picture. If I was painting the Mona Lisa, Brian Sewell would be saying:

Had David been a genius he would have stopped with a single Pteranodon, however the flock he chose to include overwhelms the viewer, and one is left ultimately unsatisfied.
( See what I mean... )

OK, so you've seen the Von Slatt masterpiece and Datamancer's beautiful variants on the theme of keyboards. There are other other versions too, mbarrick  has made a version out of a considerably cheaper keyboard. Given I too am on a budget this is the plan I've followed.
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I have however made a truckload of mistakes, so you don't have to. I' ( Read more... )

A minor tweak to largely finish off the computer, and some serious progress on the keyboard. I'm not sure I want to start on a monitor yet, they just look to much like hard work.

( One mod down, one progressing nicely. )