I drilled a couple of holes in my 3.5 drive...

[khaz]

...to make space for two switches.

I was fed up with having to fiddle with tiny switches on the cable, and I thought I should find a more integrated solution. I thought long and hard about making an enclosure for the drive, but I realised it would just be redundant, as I would have to duplicate the data and power connectors, make a board, etc. So instead, I simply used the original aluminium case to hold the two switches.

[attach=2] [attach=3]

During normal use, switches facing away, the left switch is drive select (left/0/default is B, right/1 is A), and the middle switch is side select (left/0/default/ is 1, right/1 is 2). I thought a lot about having A/B instead of B/A, but I felt it would be better thought as default/superseding. What do you think?

I'm considering painting it all black now, to mask the "internal" look, but I'm still not sure what to do with the stickers. I'd like to keep a reference of what the drive is, but they are just ugly.

[Bryce]

Very neat. I'm suprised there's enough space in there.

Bryce.

[khaz]

Very neat. I'm suprised there's enough space in there.

Bryce.

There almost wasn't. I had to cut the legs of the switches to half length, else they wouldn't have fit. But every drive has at least the width of the data connector in spare space between the outer case and the drive mechanism proper, and these switches are quite small already.
LOT 20 Interrupteur À Bascule 117s 250V3A 125V6A ON OFF Plastique Noir SPDT 3P

[Bryce]

I used these: http://media.digikey.com/photos/E-Switch%20Photos/EG1390B.JPG on my drive, soldered directly onto the PCB pads and poking through the metal case. A bit more fiddly to switch, but I raley use them, I just wanted to have access without opening the razor sharp case every time.

Bryce.

[khaz]

Hey that's nice too! there are definitely more than one way to do it

[Bryce]

I've since then installed it one of these cases: Floppy2 Photo by fitzsteve | Photobucket (metal Amiga external drive) which I intend cutting down to the length of the drive, so I may use your solution to move the switches to the back.

Bryce.

P.s. Thanks Steve for involuntarily donating the picture link.

[||C|-|E||]

I really like your approach, it looks clean, professional and very robust 

[khaz]

Thanks man, drilling square holes is a PITA.

[Gryzor]

Thanks man, drilling square holes is a PITA.

Nahhh...

In all seriousness though, that's very neat. If it were me I wouldn't care so much about the label - just take a photo, remove them paint, and attach a printout at the bottom if you can't remove them intact...

[TFM]

Für sowas gibt's ne Feile. Whatever the english word is for that.

[MacDeath]

I drilled a couple of holes in my 3.5 drive

I also drilled a couple of holes in my 205 Peugeot drive... during my vigorous younger adulthood.




oops... sorry was too tempting to not do.

[khaz]

Right, I'm now considering my paint options I have a couple of questions for you guys:

- What is the colour of the 6128 dark grey? If someone has an idea in terms of RGB colour space or whatever I can give to a paint maker? I'm not sure of the options I'm given in the shop and I don't want to carry the computer with me to check the tints. I don't want go go completely black either, that would just be... well, too black.

- There is a big circular hole under one of the sticker, about 5mm in diameter. Anyone know how I could fill it? I'm looking at some resins but I don't know if it would be solid enough, given that after polishing it would stick only to the sides, which are like 1/10mm thick, probably less. I have to close it somehow, it's an invitation to kill all my discs with dirt.

[||C|-|E||]

I do not have a 6128 here to take a proper picture with a good color calibration card, that would be the best option. Since you know the real RGB values in the card, you can actually know the 6128 ones. However, looking at it, I would dare to say that it is close to a RGB value of 55/55/55. Sadly, I can only tell you this based on internet pictures... 

[attachimg=1]

P.D: I forgot to tell you that this around 79% grey considering the withe 100%.

[Munchausen]

Hmm I wonder if the pantone colour calibration sensor on my laptop can be used to accurately measure the colour of a CPC case.

About the sticker, why not have a transparent sticker printed with the same data on, in a cool shade to contrast nicely with the colour of the drive?

EDIT: can't see a way to do it. But I guess since my monitor is colour calibrated with the sensor, if I hold a 6128 next to it I should be able to get my better half to tell me when the colour on screen matches the 6128 case (she is better at colours than me).

[Bryce]

Nahhh...

In all seriousness though, that's very neat. If it were me I wouldn't care so much about the label - just take a photo, remove them paint, and attach a printout at the bottom if you can't remove them intact...

I'd like to see you use that drill bit with a handheld drill!

Bryce.

[||C|-|E||]

It looks kinda amazing, but the vibration seems crazy indeed...

[Bryce]

The point of rotation is off centre, so it would only work if both the drill and the part are bolted down.

Bryce.

[Gryzor]

...or you get square holes on your body. Either way, you get holes.

[khaz]

I'm still undecided for the coat of paint, but in the mean time, I just received these
20pcs Black Self Adhesive Rubber Feet Slip Free 0 31"X0 1" 8x2 5mm Mit | eBay
so that the bottom case stops scratching the colour sticker! They were smaller than expected[nb]Even though the dimensions were right there in the title, silly[/nb], but do their job pretty well! The rubber is quite non-slippery so the drive doesn't move when manipulated any more, and none of the aluminium case touches the CPC case. I'm quite pleased with it.