Question Best Way To make Part of a Case? Using The Majority of a Laptop!

[ackley14]

So I'm working on a wii laptop! The problem is that the current base plate cover is really not good for what I need. It's got a ton of holes and a big dent for the keyboard to sit in. I'm looking to make something smooth and simple. Any suggestions on how i could modify what i currently have? or possibly make an entirely new one from scratch? I've never done anything like this before so i'm at your mercy!

Thanks for any help/suggestions!

 

[pengy]

If you can fit everything in there and have a screen that will fit in your old laptop she'll then you should be able to make it work. Note that it's quite difficult or often not plausible to get laptop LCDs to work off of the kind of signals game consoles output. For the cover you could just go to any hardware store and get some sheet lexan, then cut it out and put it over whatever the laptop has going on now.

Alternatively if you want to make something all new I've seen a wii laptop built in two ZN cases from polycase and that seemed like a pretty good setup.

 

[cheese]

You can always buy a driver board on ebay that accepts the composite/component signals the Wii will put out. Also, the ZN Wii was made by @ShockSlayer , you can see the video here (note, this was made in 2013, back when trimming a Wii had not been explored enough to make a portable):

 

[pengy]

Do those lcd driver boards work now? Back when I used to be in the game they were just coming out and they were expensive.

That laptop has to be the best looking thing SS ever made lol. Anyone know how he did the hinges? Ackley, you should put some pics up!

 

[cheese]

They work alright as far as I know, I've never personally used one, so I can't say for sure, but they aren't too bad anymore. As for the hinges, I'm pretty sure he just got some black friction hinges from like Home Depot or something.

 

[ShockSlayer]

Hailrazer gave me the hinges, I don't have any information on them, but I think he got them from McMaster somewhere online. Been years.

 

[ackley14]

Will post pics soon. Still waiting on a few things to fall in place before i begin working (need a few extra things that i cant afford)

still debating on weather or not to suck it up and just buy a black wii for this rather than using my original wii i got in 2006 when i was a kid XD. (yes i still have it and it works perfectly :') ) additionally, i've completely disassembled the laptop so at this point i just need to get the controller board (composite composite composite!!!) and then i have to get some batteries and learn how batteries and battery circuts work (charging/protection circuits and what not)

additionally, i intend to create a separate video out for displaying to a tv so it still functions like a wii console when it needs too!

so sheet lexan! got it! can that be heat formed at all? i'd like the top of the case to be rounded if possible. i want to keep as much of the origninal shape of the laptop as possible. I may even just use it to cover the current cover :O

 

[pengy]

You can bend or curve lexan with a heat gun, but don't expect to get compound curves from it :p good luck!