Metal Case

Bob Ebophalus · Newbie Joined: 23 Mar 2005 Posts: 3

Would there be any major problems with replacing a TI-83+ SE case with a metal one? I was thinking cast aluminum or maybe milled out of billet or something. I'm mainly worried about interference with all the metal so close to so much electronical stuff.

DigiTan · Posted: 14 Jun 2005 12:01:16 am Post subject:

Normally since aluminum doesn't magnetize well, it's helpful for stopping RF from getting in or out. But there may still be some leakage though the LCD opening.

shadowing · Posted: 14 Jun 2005 01:03:58 am Post subject:

It'd be pretty cool to have an aluminum casing. Better than that, go carbon fiber. :D

I should try this one out. Btw, are there any dimensions on it?

Bob Ebophalus · Newbie Joined: 23 Mar 2005 Posts: 3

There aren't really any dimensions yet. I haven't been terribly serious about this so far, I've been waiting to see if it would be a viable replacement for the plastic case. I'd also want to try it out on an extra calc first, just in case (hehe) something goes wrong. Anyone want to send me their calc?

Brazucs · Posted: 14 Jun 2005 10:12:01 am Post subject:

I have an old calculator with a screwed up screen you could use. PM/email me if you're interested.

alexrudd · Posted: 14 Jun 2005 12:15:52 pm Post subject:

Are you going to replace the entire case or just the slide cover? If you were trying for the whole case, maybe trying the slide cover first might give you an idea of the difficulty.

thecheatscalc · Newbie Joined: 08 Jun 2005 Posts: 29

getting those curves dow would be hard...
possile problems:
1. aluminum is pretty rough and there is no real way to smooth it... so if it was a AL (AU? as in AL=aluminum) case on an AL cover it might scratch them both up pretty bad...
2. and why AL and titanium?
3. what if you drop the calculator? I'm pretty sure if it landed wrong the aluminum would bend, and aluminum is notoriously bad at snapping when you try to bent it back in shape.
4. wouldn't short circuting be a problem? I remember when I was making my hovercraft that making and mounting a cut off switch on the grating around the engine caused a continuous short circut*.

just to let you know I'm not really sure if it would be a problem using aluminum or not. also I DO know that titanum is expensive.

* the grating on the hovercraft kept hands from 3,000+rpm propeller blades and touched the engine. also the cutoff switch was connected to the sparkplug and engine/grating touching the engine, this was a switch mounted on a circut board and I had put the bottom of the circut board on the grating, so push the button and... well... guess the rest.

aforsy · Posted: 14 Jun 2005 01:37:01 pm Post subject:

in the periodic table of elements (i'm assuming that's what you're referring to), Aluminum is Al. Au is gold.

Periodic table

EDIT: changed large picture to a link

thecheatscalc · Newbie Joined: 08 Jun 2005 Posts: 29

oh oops at least I got it right and I forgot to mention that I DON'T want to discourage you to make something like this

Brazucs · Posted: 14 Jun 2005 02:46:34 pm Post subject:

Which kind would be best for molding? You know, make a mold out of something then drop the metal in liquid form in... heating it up would be pretty tough, eh?

alexrudd · Posted: 14 Jun 2005 02:52:16 pm Post subject:

If you're going to be pouring into a mold, good luck with titianium or steel.
Aluminum — Melting Point: 660.37 °C (933.52 °K, 1220.666 °F)
Titanium — Melting Point: 1660.0 °C (1933.15 °K, 3020.0 °F)
Steel -- Melting point: ~1510.0 °C (2500 °F)

Hmm Google should know that Kelvin is a unit in itself, no degree sign is used.

Brazucs · Posted: 14 Jun 2005 02:55:48 pm Post subject:

Yeah, I guess you'd need a professional to do that, eh? Never mind my idea...

thecheatscalc · Newbie Joined: 08 Jun 2005 Posts: 29

maybe a few of the hottest welding torches and some clay would do it you just push the clay around the case then let it dry ON the case (a week at least). makesure there are no air bubbles in the clay then fire it with the case STILL in the mold then LIGHT THAT SUCKER UP!!!! (in a kiln WITH the case still in it) let it cool enough to pour the plastic out then let it cool the rest of the way. now yougots your mold to put the molten aluminum in the mold (make sure it's hot too)

problems
1. aluminum likes to disapear when heated... :confused: dont ask me
2. you have to do this the first time because the plastic case is now a molten lump
3. molten aluminum makes nice third degree burns
4. I'm pretty sure that the ceramic won't melt but it might...
5. you're gonna have to break the mold which might not be good...

if all goes well well have fun polishing your new metal case!

*thecheat is not responsible for any actions that cause you harm*

aforsy · Posted: 14 Jun 2005 05:22:14 pm Post subject:

just use lead! low melting temp. AND shields your calc from radiation!!

thecheatscalc · Newbie Joined: 08 Jun 2005 Posts: 29

so would other metals ok I know this is off topic but....
maderial needed to stop the rays

alpha rays sheet of paper
beta rays sheet of steel
gamma rays 7foot thick lead wall (that's right is it not?)

aforsy · Posted: 14 Jun 2005 05:59:37 pm Post subject:

well...i was just joking...but whatever.

Bob Ebophalus · Newbie Joined: 23 Mar 2005 Posts: 3

alexrudd: I was going to do the slide cover first, then the case if that went well.

elfprince13 · Posted: 14 Jun 2005 06:11:31 pm Post subject:

you could start a calculator case-mod business!!! no..seriously, it's not hat hard to make a vacuum-forming machine for making customized molds (just use google to find a website on making stormtrooper armor)

thecheatscalc · Newbie Joined: 08 Jun 2005 Posts: 29

err the 2 question came out wrong it was meant to be why aluminum and not titanum

you should use some nickel or magnisum or look here for some lower temperature alloys that would be easy to melt but would require a flame TO melt them ka-click the bismuth is DIAMAGNETIC so it repels magnets....or you could use pirolytic grapghite which will FLOAT over supermagnets.

just some ideas and these would be great prizes for some certain contests....

shadowing · Posted: 14 Jun 2005 11:30:35 pm Post subject:

Hmm... I think I'll attempt to build one over ths summer for real. If I get around to it... might as well use aluminum. Btw, how in the world do you protect the circuit board from short circuiting on contact with the aluminum?

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