Retro Computer Enclosure Without The Sacrifice

The unique glimpse of early desktop computer system devices continues to be preferred with a selected phase of geekdom, so it’s no fantastic shock when we once in a while see a fashionable hacker or maker unceremoniously chuck 40+ 12 months aged electronics from a vintage machine just to reuse its plastic carcass. We check out not to pass judgement, but it does sting to see literal museum items turned into glorified Raspberry Pi enclosures.

But with a tiny luck, potentially the Retro Wedge Laptop situation built by [AndyMt] will be capable to help you save a number of of those veteran desktops from an unnecessary lobotomy. As the identify indicates, this 3D printable design is developed to resemble “wedge” desktop desktops this sort of as the Atari ST, TI-994A, and Commodore 128. But do not be set off by its sizeable size — the model has been chopped up so no piece is larger than what can fit on a fairly standard 230 x 230 mm print mattress.

Somewhat than tailor the design to 1 certain established of internals, [AndyMt] has correctly still left that up to the stop-person. There are no committed mounting points inside of, nor is there a rear-panel. When you figure out which solitary-board computer system you want to place into this faux-retro box, designing those past components will be up to you.

That said, the keyboard part is more particular, with the design focusing on a XTRFY K4 TKL RGB RETRO. When it’s not the most affordable mechanical keyboard we have ever observed, it does characteristic an period-suitable colour scheme which can make it uniquely very well suited to this venture.

Like attempts to recreate other types of basic computer systems, it will naturally get more time and work to print this situation out than it would to look all-around on eBay for a donor Commodore C64 C. But given that those common machines are only getting extra uncommon and useful as time goes on, making it you will virtually definitely be the less expensive solution.