- Peeling Back the Mac
- Adding More Logos
- Filling in the Holes
- Applying Some Color
- The Results
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Adding More Logos
In this example, I wanted to add the Windows and Linux icons. In particular, I chose the Windows flag and the Linux penguin—who is affectionately known as Tux (see Figure 1). I found a couple of logos using the Google image search engine (for example, http://images.google.com/images?q=linux+logo). I then copied these logos right out of the browser, opened Photoshop, hit Ctrl+N (new image) and Ctrl+V (paste) to get the images into the photo editing program and tweaked their sizes so they would match the existing apple-shaped logo. Once done, I pressed Print to create a stencil.
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At this point, you need to collect a few tools. In particular, you have to obtain a dremel from your local hardware store and a few extra small grinding bits that you can use to shape out the holes in the lid. In all, you shouldn’t have to pay more than $40 for these parts, plus you will have them in your tool collection from here on out. You should also pick up a small triangle file that is needed for the tight corners of the Windows logo.
Using the stencil and a pen, flip the lid upside down so you are working on the inside and draw a copy of the logo on the plastic. At this point, you are ready to cut. Locate and insert the small grinding wheel (a.k.a. the chain-saw sharpening bit) into the dremel and carefully create a small hole in the middle of the penguin-shaped drawing. I recommend that you start on this logo just to get a feel for how the cutter works and how the lid plastic reacts to your cutting efforts.
One lesson I learned very quickly is that the plastic of the Mac lid can melt if you cut/grind in an area for too long. This can damage the ascetics of the lid in an unrecoverable way, so be careful and move slowly with a slow rotation around the lid to avoid constant grinding in one area. Also, it is better to do the cutting/grinding in two stages: a rough cut and a final detail-oriented cut. Finally, make sure that the outside of the lid looks like the inside. Due to the angling of the dremel, the outside of the hole will probably not match the inside.
The Windows flag logo was a bit more challenging because it is actually four different holes. Also, each flag piece has at least one tight angle corner that needs to be shaped by using the triangle file. Figure 2 and Figure 3 provide a few shots of the work in progress.
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Figure 2 Working the Windows logo
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Figure 3 Finishing the rough cut
In addition to cutting the lid, I also had to cut holes in the tin shield to allow the light from the LCD to come out through the new additions. To keep it simple, I simply used a pair of scissors to cut squarish holes that were roughly the same size of the logo. Keep in mind to treat the tin piece with some TLC. You do not want to bend the edges, or else reinstalling the shield will be very difficult. I also cut out a rectangle piece of a firm yet opaque piece of thin plastic and glued it to the tin piece. (I found it in the sewing section at Wal-Mart.) This piece was included to prevent the sharp edges of the new cut in the tin shield from scratching up the LCD display (see Figure 4).
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Figure 4 Tin shield