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First Billyjackintosh Build w/G3 case mod

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Joined
Aug 12, 2012
Messages
57
Motherboard
G3 Billyjackintosh
CPU
i7 4790k
Graphics
Galaxy 670 4gb
Mac
  1. 0
Classic Mac
  1. Power Mac
Mobile Phone
  1. iOS
June 2021 Update!!

Wow Team! 42K!!!

There are so many awesome case mods on this site. I am honored to have so many views on this project. I am over 42k views!!! So many folks are having conversations about vintage modding these days and to be part of that culture is amazing. I say dream on and mod on Team... One thing that has totally changed the modding scene is the rise of 3d printing and lazer cutting. These units can fit on the desk of any modding workshop. Although, I wouldnt change the hands on experience i had and collaborating with modders from this community and using the feedback from them. Not to mention custom pcbs are cheap these days i could have implemented some of the great ideas i had for this case. Over all the Billyjackintosh G3 build is standing the test of time and im utilizing this build as you read this. Its a beautiful case that apple made, and i tried to stick with the original concept.

Enjoy and feel free to ask questions as i check from time to time so message me or ask on one of the threads.

Thanks so much to this great community!! Mod ya later!,

Billyjack

Sept 2019 Update!

Hello All! Thank You all for Viewing my Project! 35,000 Times!!

Its been a few years since completed and I am still using this Rig for My You Tube editing. I might be Upgrading hardware once again next year, as the case has seen a few hardware revisions since inception. Hopefully, this page still helps folks going into the future. I had so much fun creating this and posting it on Tonymac's Website!! This is truly a great place for creative people and such a great community. Please feel free to ask questions as i do check this every so often and enjoy helping people. Send me a PM anytime.

Much love to the Community and Thanks Again!

Billyjack


Do i shoot my self now or later? lol i love building computers and modding out cases but i do believe this is the greatest challenge i have faced thus far lol

saw this on someones post its a famous Quote:

"Old Chinese Proverb: Make Hackintosh take great patience"

Does anyone know a good free web place to put photos so i can post them on this site for you guys to critique?


So about several months ago i decided to look in to building a hackintosh, at this point i was just going to get some parts toss them in a case and call it good. But some where along the line i remembered how cool those apple cases were in my freshman computer lab (Fall 2000) when i was taking intro in to engineering classes and walked by the art department (because the hottest chicks were there) and chatting with the girls in the new high end computer lab they got all Apple G4's and i was tripping on how sweet these computers were. They made my compaq presario from high school seem so bland (even with all the sticker mods i added).

So my Jealously and Hatred of Apple began, mainly because i was to poor to even think about owning one.

My hatred and Jealously have diminished over the years i have even purchased some apple gear for my niece and brother, i still officially own no fruity products...... until this project started this past month.

I started out surfing forums and websites to figure out what i needed and to find my start point. Thanks to This website i really only need to surf this wave so to speak all i need is here. Thanks in advance...

On to the Good Stuff about my build

Finish this post a bit later after i get the pic's

1. First off i Found a case off ebay for around 50$ shipped a fully functional g3 w/450 mhz ppc

2. Reviewed tonymacx86 buying guide ordered some shizzel from new egg, lots of accessories not pictured

3. Started disassembling the G3 (i hate tearing apart working computers... its kind of like murder) but in this case i am thinking of it as a upgrade so this g3 can run ML.

4. Found a "donor" dell laying around with a m-atx board. going to use this for lining things up and hole placement.

5. Busted out the Dremmel (sp?)(with this a normal person becomes a Modding God)

6. Awesome metal burning smell and three cutting plates later a m-atx templete.

Break time and More photos to come! Went by Lowes and Home Depot to pick up some more supplies today with a long weekend coming up hopefully some good progress will be made.

Cheers all!
 

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Well the day started out very productive:

I got the back plate managed and adapted to receive a m-atx, sometimes it pays off to be a computer hoarder lol... well its not that bad but i have my fair share of parts laying around.

so i started creating a motherboard tray, oh btw even though you want to check out the hot chick at Lowes while she cuts your plexiglass, it might be better to let a not so hot chick cut it so it will be straight lol

I finished the logic board mounts and test mounted the actual board and after some tweaking it fits great

also the factory lock still works with my board because i just trimmed down the mac mounts to where they barely cleared the plastic door lock so all of that is fully functional.

So now it was time for a test close fit to see what i was working with inside the case.....

:banghead::banghead::banghead::beachball::banghead::banghead::banghead:

Guess what now im having to find a solution for the CD drive its a hare to long and will hit the Ram slots when the ram is installed and prolly wont clear the power cable eather..

Any ideas? am i going to have to scrap the CD drive.. im thinking about a ultra thin drive or doing away with the drive and installing accessory ports (usb, audio, ect)

while I am :beachball:

Enjoy the pics and comment with your ideas about the CD drive, its not like they are used much now days with the usb storage being what i use 99.98% of the time
 

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Nice start for your project. I can't wait to see the finished project (that is if a project is ever finished, more like finished for now..... LOL)
 
How about the best of both worlds. Buy both products and put the thin optical drive in a case like this: http://www.ebay.ca/itm/300694584288?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649#ht_2531wt_919

I have one for my laptop.

I guess it just depends how "original" you want the front face to appear.

One question; Are you using the original optical drive or a new SATA one? Some (all?) of the new SATA ones are up to an inch and a half shorter than the original optical drives.

Excellent mod so far, I'm inspired; except I want to come over there and clean up the edges of your plexiglas tray!
 
I have a new SATA drive cd it is a inch or two shorter but still hits the board....

i could use that case and mount it on top of the inner cd carriage and just have to cut a slit in the case for a CD to pass threw, shouldn't be to much trouble. with the usb/audio ports in the 5.25 " tray..

just not sure good news is im almost done with test fitting the major components and almost ready to go into the the phase three of the build lol

Thanks for the thoughts, i appreciate all ideas tossed my way!
 
Nice start, but I do not think you will be able to use a full sized drive in the machine. If you want to go with a drive I'd go with a laptop drive and mount it with a bracket of some type. There are other builds out there that have done that. On my Sawtooth Build I had to cut the tray where the original drive carrier sat to make room for the power to the Logic Board. Which you will have to do too because I can see that it is touching the plug. Also find a 120mm fan to go in the same place as the original. Temps in the G4 cases without that fan run into the danger zone. have it so it exhausts the air out like in the original config as well. Another reason for going without a DVD Drive is you can out an 60-80mm fan on that shelf to blow air over the board and add circulation to the inside of the case.

Definitely check out other G4 builds on here to get an idea for cooling before firing it up. The last thing you want to do is kill something you put a ton of work into.
 
Progress update

I. Patched some holes with good ol JB weild

II. Took off the blue and white shell to wash off all the nastiness from the previous owner

III. Prepped the case and accessories for paint

IV. Scavenged some parts from some old computers to work on the front panel connections

-I.-a (last week ordered two G4 front panel switch cards from ebay like 2$ each)
I will post a pic of the g3 front panel, its just a little to messy for me.. and i think you will see why i chose the g4 panel

V. Prepped the g4 front panel for surgery
- multimeter
- soldering iron
- clamp hands

VI. Tested and Success!


Till next time!
 

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