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Machining a TI-89 Out of Aluminum

Posted by timothy on from the fully-weaponized dept.

TangoMargarine writes "Sometimes, expensive calculators hit the floor. It's happened to almost anyone with a graphing calculator from TI or HP. Sadly, they don't always bounce. After this happened to [Howard C.], an Industrial Engineering student from U. of Iowa, he decided to spend $50 on milling his own replacement case out of aluminum rather than trashing the device over a broken battery compartment."

2 of 148 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Why not... by Bing+Tsher+E · · Score: 5, Funny

    If he were to glue the battery cover on, how's he going to change the batteries?

    He can throw on a black turtleneck, cop an attitude, and pretend it's an iPod.

    Extra bonus points for throwing it away and buying a new one when the batteries wear out.

  2. Re:ok but by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    I know this guy personally. The durability thing was mostly just the spin HackADay put on it. As I recall, he milled this thing out mostly because it was a good way to get more experience milling complex items out of aluminum. And because the final product is seriously cool.