Making frosted acrylic transparent for my hamster!

[splodgecat]

Hello everyone, new member, first post.

I'm hoping that someone experienced in using acrylic on their case mods can help me with this problem.

For reasons that are probably beyond explanation I'm converting a Powermac G4 computer tower into a hamster cage. Naturally one of the objectives here is for the hamster to be visible in his new cage.

The structure of a G4 is a metal inner case with plastic sidepanels that bolt on outside this. I've cut a large square hole in the metal, which has been half the battle. The remaining task is the plastic side panel.

I don't know if anyone has any experience with a G4; the panels are see through plastic but the inside of the panels are painted with silver paint, and appear to have been roughened prior to the painting process. I've successfully stripped the paint using 99% ispropyl alcohol and it's left a see-through panel which is translucent but not transparent. From a distance it's difficult to make out an clear details of an object through the side panels.

My ultimate question is: is there something I can do to the inner surface of the side panels to make them closer to transparent acrylic?

I'm thinking:

Polishing? I have a dremel. any advice on which head to use?

Something chemical to smooth the surface? I really have no idea. Any other suggestions?
Can an expert point my in the right direction? Many thanks in advance.

[Pob255]

Hello welcome to Hexus.

I love the idea, please get enough post to be able to post links&images and start a project log, I for one would love to see it

On to the problems at hand.
You've hit a bit of a problem as it's harder to make it clear than to etch/frost it.
The dremel will probably be of little use here as you need to polish evenly over a large flat area.
An orbital sander and/or by hand is probably best, what you'd need is a polishing cloth and some compound. (maybe some very fine grit wet&dry paper if the frosting is a rough surface.)
edit: orbital sander will probably not help, I forgot these sides are curved not flat.

I do hope you've considered air/ventilation so the little one can breath, might be an idea to cut a hole in the top and fit some mesh to it.

One other word of warning, form my past experiences with small rodents of many types, they can and will knore there way through metal if it's thin/soft enough.
Also becarefull of small holes, as you will know if you've ever bathed a hamster they are actually very thin under all that fur and can squeeze themselves through holes you'd think they'd never get through.

There's some suff about makeing a g4 clear case mod, but the main mod seems to have gone
I found these
http://resourcefork.com/WWWserver/te...d1/index.shtml
http://www.mac-forums.com/forums/app...ce-g4-mod.html

Trick seems to be soaking in alcohol

[splodgecat]

Many thanks for your reply Pob255.

If you're interested, this is the 2nd Hamster home I've made from an old mac.

(Just realised I have to have 5 posts to post URLs - search and add me on Facebook - 'Nathan TM' and check out one of my albums to see my other mac hamster home).

I made it from one of the old translucent CRT studio displays from about 2000. Ripped all the innards out, installed an acrylic floor and acrylic front screen and made a great home from our 2 Campbells dwarf hamsters. Sadly, they had a falling out a few months back and now live apart - and I had the brainwave of making another home from a G4 tower, to go with the display and sit on the desk to look like a computer

So the current state of affairs is:

I've used alcohol to get the paint off. The side panels are well and truly frosted. Another forum suggested brasso and then a fine silver polish (both applied either by hand or with a wide polishing head for a dremel). Another chap suggested transparent varnish (to smooth the roughened surface - maybe worth a try on a small testing area).

I'll try both I think.

If anyone else has any ideas please let me know.

My last resort would be to cut a square window in the side panel, and replace it with my own acrylic. Difficulties would be cutting straight, neatly, and fitting flat acrylic window into curved side panel. And i'd lose the apple logo.

As for your other concerns Pob255, I've removed almost the entire back (where the PCI cards or whatever they're called are accessible) and the I/O panel. So there is large holes, hopefully to be covered with some sort of mesh or holed acrylic. So hammy will be able to breath! and I want another level installed above her wheel with an tube for access. Hopefully it'll be a masterpiece!

[Pob255]

Sorry no facebook

brasso and elbow grease is probably going to be you're best bet.

[GoNz0]

its nice to see an apple mac having a purpose

[splodgecat]

Hey pob255, i've put the photos on Flickr - if you search for 'splodgecat' under people, it should find me, and 32 photos of the hamsters in their home

[GoNz0]

2 more posts and you can put links up "hurry now"

[moogle]

its nice to see an apple mac having a purpose

Yes

Toilet Paper holder now Hamster cage! Whatever next

[Pob255]

The head of science at the school I work in uses an mac classic as a weight to keep doors open

[GoNz0]

a 3rd use, yeh i thought of the loo roll holder when i read this

[Pob255]

Arrrrr dwarf hamsters are so amazingly cute

Here's some of splodgecats pics







You know if you connected up that wheel you could probably power the bits that came out of that case


So Cute

[Sputnik]

That looks really good. You might be better off starting with a very fine wet and dry say 1500 grit or finer then some car cutting compound that is fine like 3M's finesse it.