Re: Snip your way to an easier closing GS case

[dalloff@freenet.columbus.oh.us (Dave Althoff)]

Rubywand (rubywand@swbell.net) wrote:
: Labelas Enoreth writes ...
: > 
: > I can't help but wonder how many other people out there want to beat a
: > IIgs sensless when trying to install several cards that just don't want to
: > coexist together (like a HS SCSI, PCT, this one CP/M card I have...)
: > Certain slots, obviously, you don't want to take up is you want to use
: > ports, and the PCT and SCSI card have to play twister to get to the
: > cutouts in the rear with their skimpy cables, and...well...you know what I
: > mean...<sigh>
: > If only you could use the ports _and_ the cards, and the rear had some
: > sort of multi-use cutouts rather than small where you need big and big
: > where you need small...

:      For sure, it can be a hassle. Like, the regular-size case opening
: works fine for mounting the little Hyperstudio sound digitizer card and
: the RamFAST Dsub socket. But, the openings are too small for easily
: passing through some cables.

:      One mod that helps a lot is to get rid of the rear metal shield.
: (If you live in an apartment or dorm, you may need to be concerned about
: increased TV/radio interference when you do this.)  It is much easier to
: route cables and plugs when you are not concerned about having the
: shield edges cut into insulation and cause a short.

:      If you remove the rear shielding, you can easily modify the size of
: openings in the back. A Dremel hand tool cutting disc cuts through the
: plastic like butter. (Be sure to wear goggles. BTW, the little discs are
: fairly delicate and routinely shatter when snagged.)

:      So far, cutting new or bigger rear openings has not been necessary
: on our IIgs; but, we have done it on our trusty II+. Having larger
: openings in a few spots definitely helps when the alternative is having
: everything squished together.

Interesting that you would need to cut larger holes in the back of a ][+;
the ][+ is the one that has the great big vertical slots!  

Anyway, I was looking at a IIgs case recently and noticed the projection
you sliced off.  As nearly as I can tell, it has something to do with an
option to allow you to screw the lid shut...notice that it lines up with a
round hole in the back panel.  But unless the option involves a nut of
some kind that attaches to that projection, I have no idea how it would
work, as the hole in the projection is open on the bottom...so the end of
a screw would slide right out!

Remember, Apple sold a lot of computers to schools.  Accordingly, the ][e
and the IIgs both have fittings in the lid so that tamper-resistant screws
can be added to make them hard to open.  Incidentally, I notice the new
blue G3's also have a gizmo to let the owner lock them closed.  In fact,
all the dealers around here have padlocks on the cases.  So much for
showing off that easy-open feature... 8-(

--Dave Althoff, ][.
-- 
    /^\        _       _            *** Closed for the season 8-( ***
   /XXX\      /X\     /X\_      _     /X\__      _     _        _____  
  /XXXXX\    /XXX\  _/XXXX\_   /X\   /XXXXX\    /X\   /X\      /XXXXX
_/XXXXXXX\__/XXXXX\/XXXXXXXX\_/XXX\_/XXXXXXX\__/XXX\_/XXX\_/\_/XXXXXX