What to do with old External HD Cases - Mini Toolkit

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Psi_Co_killa
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Posts: 39
Joined: 04 Jan 2010, 15:42

What to do with old External HD Cases - Mini Toolkit

Post by Psi_Co_killa »

Hi all

recently i got my hands on a few External HD cases that werent working anymore
(mostly due to the electronics being blown...)

some of the cases were quite nice and i couldnt bare just throwing them away
so i started digging thru my tools for all the really small tools that i had.(that would b usefull for pc work)

using cardboard from a fruit box (peaches i think) - layers stuck ontop of one-another - i have made a rough "lining" for the Case Toolkit - cutting out the shapes with a box-cutter
i am still toying with the layout - actually not happy with the 1 in the pics (pen-screwdrivers in the wrong place...)

Heres some shots of it open and half-closed : (with ruler for scale) :

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My question is this : can anyone recommend a good lining to use (i was thinking maybe high density foam / maybe even Plastic of sum kind - but then how do i cut the shapes out...can any1 recommend a company in Cape Town ?) I wish i had Reprap - this would be a piece of cake...

Not all Ext HD cases are good as toolkits , cause u want 1 that opens with a clip-mechanism or something similar
If it opens with a screw - its probably not gonna work 2 well....use ur own discretion
some are also thicker than others - meaning u can put different tools in
also , I used a 2.5 inch case , if u use a 3.5 inch case u can put even larger /more tools
it really depends on what u do + what u'll need in it (i was aiming for a light IT / Elect use)
The case i used ( vantec nexstar lite) has a nice sliding + locking access mechanism

The cardboard - free
The screwdriver pen (holds 3 bits internally) + small clipper + plier cost R 50.00 (Pick+Pay Hyper)
The small aluminium torch comes off a R 25.00 Multitool (leatherman rip-off) i got at "The Crazy Store"
The Nanopaste is left over from a Heatsink Upgrade (so its free) - i chopped it a bit to fit better
The case was Probably R 300.00 , but as it was being thrown away (a component had snapped off the board + was gone) technically its free

total cost of "mod" R 75.00 - it cost me nothing as i already had all the small tools i needed
tools used : a box cutter , ruler , pencil , scissors, glue (super-contact)

The linings prolly gonna set me back some money if i want it to look good tho...
Gonna look FRIKKIN SNAZZY when its done!!

Thanx + have fun
Psi_
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Prime
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Re: What to do with old External HD Cases - Mini Toolkit

Post by Prime »

you could buy a maker bot through netram.
Psi_Co_killa
Registered User
Posts: 39
Joined: 04 Jan 2010, 15:42

Re: What to do with old External HD Cases - Mini Toolkit

Post by Psi_Co_killa »

ja-spending upwards of R 5000 is a bit improbable right now (im between jobs...ie :unemployed.... :| )
but i have found something thats gonna look good when its done + is easy to work with.
mousepads - the answer was right under my mouse
easy 2 cut - easier than the cardboard actually
easy to layer
nice designs available
pliable - more so than the cardboard actually
cheap ish...(what do they go for nowadays? R 50.00?)

i just need 1 more...its just not big enuf to get everything from a single mousepad
in the case of my case (haha) because of the part of the image on the pad that i want

regards
Psi_
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