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Wooden-Cased Computers, Small and Extra-Large

DCPete writes "Some guy made a pretty nice mahogany computer table; apparently he does this as a hobby. I've seen lots of stuff like this before, but this one is actually nice and would be fun in a kitchen or studio apartment." On the smaller end of things, LoSmilzo writes "This guy made a real wooden laptop ... totally stunning! Not a wooden-covered laptop, but a real wooden one, made by hand, fully portable and usable, lighter than his original plastic shell."

14 of 282 comments (clear)

  1. fire by kevinx · · Score: 3, Informative

    overclockers beware

  2. Hrm. by Tuxedo+Jack · · Score: 2, Informative

    From the look of the mouse buttons, the old case was for a Dell Inspiron - I'm going to hazard a guess in the 8xxx series.

    Very nice work, I have to admit.

    --

    Striking fear in the authors of godawful fanfiction, I am here, appearing in darkness, Tuxedo Jack!
  3. Re:already been done? by dmf415 · · Score: 5, Informative

    Maybe he got the idea from this company, that already makes wood computer cases.

    site here:
    http://www.exoticwoodcrafts.com/

  4. /.ed mirror by demon411 · · Score: 2, Informative
  5. Better looking wood computers by jerometremblay · · Score: 5, Informative

    Holzkontor makes incredibely nice keyboards/monitors/mices in wood and stone.

    If only they weren't so fucking expensive.

  6. Apple I had wooden case by peter303 · · Score: 2, Informative

    I was at the Homebrew computer meeting in 1976 when the Two Steves introduced the Apple prototype. It was in a wooden box because they didnt have metal or plastic molding expertise. For production models, the FCC required a metal frame to block spurious radio signals.

  7. Re:False Advertising by LearnToSpell · · Score: 3, Informative

    I remember Wired (?) doing a thing on a wooden computer a few years ago. Basically, everything that could be wood, was, including the keyboard. It looked amazing. 20 thousand bucks, IIRC.

  8. Re:Some engineering problems... by Malc · · Score: 2, Informative

    From the first paragraph of page 3 of the story:

    "While the frame is mahogany, the panels are quarter-inch cherry veneered plywood. The paneled design allows for very tight tolerances around the face hardware, as plywood is dimensionally stable (meaning it doesn't expand and contract as moisture levels vary)."

    This from the Google cache page somebody else submitted here.

  9. Re:already been done? by Red+Leader. · · Score: 4, Informative

    As Christopher Horn, I can safely say that I did not get my idea from those people - in fact, I only have only recently become aware of those cases that you linked to; I recently started a Google AdWords campaign to sell my case and they appear to be my primary competitors.

    Though I have to run home now and see what you all did to my poor server (aka desktop computer), my website will tell you that the case is for sale. If you want to purcahse it, message me at this account, or wait for my little cable modem connection to recover and send me an email through my online form. I'm asking US$1,800 and can deliver within a good distance from Washington, DC (including NYC), or can arrange to ship the case.

  10. Re:Jokes by EMH_Mark3 · · Score: 3, Informative

    The old 'printer on fire' message wasn't actually an easter egg. Read this for the full story.

    --
    Burn the land and boil the sea, you can't take the sky from me
  11. Re:False Advertising by cloudmaster · · Score: 2, Informative

    Bringing back old shit that's not in any way better than what's current - except that it has more dust and fond memories - does not a renaissance man make. That descriptor is reserved for someone with a broad knowledge, largely because at the time, there was little knowledge and it was therefore possible to nearly know it all. This guy appearently just likes outdated electronics (mostly electronic sound stuff). Call him old-school, antique, a "collector", or a luddite, but not a renaissance man.

    FYI. :)

  12. Re:already been done? by mOoZik · · Score: 2, Informative

    Those are not wood, but veneer. There is a difference.

  13. And here is a wooden Desktop by StimpyPimp · · Score: 2, Informative

    http://www.directron.com/contest1win.html (scroll down) I can't believe it only got 3rd place. It had inspired me to make my own... eventually. I wouldn't butcher a laptop, but anyone with a combo of wood-working and computer skills should consider making a classy desktop. Grounding might be a bit of a pain, but style has a cost.

    --
    This signature is part of a balanced post.
  14. Re:False Advertising by cloudmaster · · Score: 2, Informative

    Yeah, 44.1KHz is certainly not enough to accurately reproduce the ~18KHz audible range of a human. What? Nyquist says that 44.1KHz is enough to accurately sample 22.05KHz, which is more than a human can hear?

    Yes, I know that some people can hear time delay differences down to around 5 milliseconds (most people are in the 15ms range), which is less than the sampling period in 44.1KHz (23ms) or 48KHz (21ms) samples. That "nearly" 2ms gain is less than amazing, and still inadequate using the stereo imaging criteria.

    Besides, who said anything about CDs? The DVD Audio format specification allows for up to 96KHz for 6 channels, or up to 192KHz for 2 channels. 192KHz is a 5ms sample, which should theoretically appease even those with exceptional hearing. I've heard that DVD is a format that's even catching on with the public, and that we might be able to buy DVDs someday. ;)

    Tell me again that DAT's not obsolete. They were undeniably cool in their day, and are still cool for nostalgia's sake, but I can get a new DVD burner for under $50 now, and I can get a car, home, or portable DVD player most anywhere. DAT players aren't commonly available, and trade convenience and durability for a very modest gain in sound quality. A DAT deck would be great next to a MD player and Betamax deck - a whole accumulation of good ideas that have long since been surpassed.