Project: Kitchen Utensil+ (Mk II in progress 22/09/10)

[Rob_B]

Well a couple of good nights on this & I'm pretty much done. It's currently running fullscreen iPlayer with Speedfan monitoring temps to check the airflow is ok (which I think it will be) 64C after a while which is warm but within spec

Decided to avoid the hinge idea as it was proving too complicated, used a couple of brackets from an Ikea flat-pack screwed to the box to mount the screen. Covered the box in the stuff I got from B&Q designed to be blackboard vinyl which works well.

So...installed with the front off



Bit of a close up..



To get a sense of positioning



I've covered a cardboard sheet in the covering to match the box & cover the internals, on the below pic it looks wonky/ribbed (ooh-err) but that's just the flash picking it up, when looking at it under normal light you can't see any of that The cutout is for the power button.



Another side shot



A final shot in all it's glory!



I kinda lost track of costs but here goes...

1st Laptop - FREE - Scrapped
Final Laptop - £45
HDD - Swapped an Xbox for it. Scrapped
Frame - £8.50 Scrapped
New Aluminium Frame - £24
Dremel - £10
Dremel bits - £17
Black 'seals' - £2.50 Scrapped
Black mesh tray - £5.61 (Too small, waste of Amazon credit that was!)
Acrylic sheet for screen - £4.30 Scrapped
USB Hub - £1
Tape - £1
Wood - FREE
Screws - £1
Hole drills - £1 Never even used
Black covering - £5
Assorted nuts/bolts/brackets - £3

= £128.91

Of course I've still got the Dremel/bits & bobs so it's not exactly the 'real' cost but it's not bad

[razer121]

mate that looks really good, was you not just able to use some laptop hinges? either way looks real smart, i would consider doing it myself if i spent enough time in the kitchen that is!

[richy19]

you scraped a laptop :O
could of used that in a build i want to test
nice build

[Rob_B]

mate that looks really good, was you not just able to use some laptop hinges? either way looks real smart, i would consider doing it myself if i spent enough time in the kitchen that is!

I threw away one of the hinges & couldn't get the other out of the casing The problem was mostly due to the box used, the hinges needed to sit on the edge where the MDF was thinnest meaning it split badly if you tried to screw anything into it. Also if you imagine how the hinge would fold up towards the box, when you add a screw/nut to hold it together they would hit the bottom of the box before the frame was horizontal, other than removing a portion of the box (which would weaken it at the worst possible point) I coudn't think of a solution.

you scraped a laptop :O
could of used that in a build i want to test
nice build

Well, it was just far too slow & was in a hundred pieces by the time I'd finished with it!

The first full programme watched while making tea (homemade pizza with mozzarella, sundried tomatoes & ham...yummy!) was 'Snog, Marry, Avoid?' - Brilliant piece of TV that is

EDIT: CPU reached 70C - hmmm..higher than I'd like, anyone got any 60mm fan grills going spare?!

[mycarsavw]

Love it!

If you changed the orientation of your IKEA fixings you could use the bolts as "hinges" and make the screen fold up - a magnetic (?) catch on the backside of the bottom of the screen could then keep it help up under the cupboard.

(it works in my head but I'll break out MSPaint if my explanation sucks)

[Rob_B]

MSPaint away, you've confused me!

I did have the idea for magnetic catches (I think I mentioned it somewhere?) Also I'd need one on top as the hinges are at a level where the screens resting position is not vertical when unfolded, more like 30degrees or so.

[psu1]

Nice project mate.

[mycarsavw]

MSPaint away, you've confused me!

I did have the idea for magnetic catches (I think I mentioned it somewhere?) Also I'd need one on top as the hinges are at a level where the screens resting position is not vertical when unfolded, more like 30degrees or so.

In my head, if you simply (hah!) swapped the orientation of the catches/brackets, the bolt (now in yellow in my awesome diagram) itself would act as a hinge. You'd have to use two nuts/washers to stop it unthreading itself but

It probably isn't as simple as that in reality though...right?

[Rob_B]

Hmmm...good idea but I'd have to think how the brackets would attach to the box as they'd be touching it on the thin edge only. Also the brackets on the frame can't move position (I'd have to bend them 90 degrees)

Maybe something to think about when I get bored & want to change it again!

Already thinking of:

- Replacing front cover. As I mentioned you can't actually see the 'ripples' from the cardboard but I know they're there so want it fixed!

- Adding ventilation, I will drill a hole in the bottom below the CPU HSF & possibly the HDD then cover with 60mm fan grills.

[nibbler]

Really nice job mate. I am jealous of that kitchen

[Speed]

Great work! Looks very professional and didn't cost a whole lot, perfect lol!

[Tattysnuc]

This has given me a teremendous idea how to re-use a dead laptop I have. Top stuff! Thanks for sharing your worklog!

[PeterStoba]

Adding ventilation, I will drill a hole in the bottom below the CPU HSF & possibly the HDD then cover with 60mm fan grills.

Still looking for some? I've got one here...

[Rob_B]

Very kind offer thanks but I got one off a bloke at work a while ago & forgot to update the thread

Brings the temps right down which is nice & it was definately needed!

[razer121]

man this is a great worklog, very orginal this is! well done mate i cant say it enough, i want one in my kitchen lol

[Rob_B]

Yay, realised I had put some pics on facebook so some shots now back up after my accidental deletion of all my pics!