Outdid yourself once again Matt, damn! Ever since getting into 3D printing I’ve wondered how viable it would be to recreate laptop screen bezels and related parts, especially related to flexibility when in everyday use. Fantastic work, loved seeing the results!
Thanks so much man! 3D printing is just getting so much better. The quality and speed of even the filament machines is nuts. Knowing that if something breaks you can just fabricate a new part is quite the feeling.
@@polymatt with all the time you have put into it, i think it deserves a mjf print. i have been drawing hard to find car parts and printing with mjf; strength, durability and surface quality are all amazing with it.
i was prepared to be like wtf is with the keyboard until i saw it collapse into the shell. amazing job. a lifetime of skill went into this and it shows.
We live in very interesting times. I remember when the idea of a custom (or re-production) plastic case for a project was pretty unattainable but these days the hobbyist can do pretty much anything they want. Obviously you still need to be very skilled and this was genuinely impressive but it even being possible for a hobbyist is really cool.
With 3D printing, I almost wonder if that could be used as a stepping stool for potentially making something that could be used for homebrew injection molding. Or maybe through the use of a CNC or something.
Man, this is peak design. A foldable keyboard, LED indicators, an asymmetrical monitor frame, different style hinges, nice chunkiness... If Lenovo releases such a laptop with modern internals, I’ll buy it in a heartbeat. Especially if it had a clear casing or different color options like your blue and purple. Very impressive work on the casing - mad respect.
I'm really glad UA-cam recommended you to me. I would have missed this gem otherwise. This inspires the creator in me and reminds me I need to go finish a few projects I've left behind!
This video is flawlessly translated to German. I don't know if you were to blame, but kudos to who created the translation. Just description and chapters. I had no need for close captions. I subscribed right away.
Haven't watched your content in a while, and then I saw this video on the Framework 701c Brain Transplant thread and I almost couldn't believe it. It seems you've kickstarted the conversation there again and now there's talk of completely re-modeling they keyboard with 3d printing and, in the far future, creating Framework 701c units without having to cannibalize an existing 701c for parts (don't know how practical that'd be, but one can only dream!) Thanks for all the good work, Matt! I hope you can figure out some sort of an avenue for that injection molding magic in the future.
Very inspiring. I’m in the early process of creating a pocket computer. Thinking of the vintage/retro esthetic and features. I love your dedication and attention to detail you put into this.
given the historical importance of the 701c with the coolness factor it has i'd say this is beyond amazing. really glad to see people do such wonderfull projects
@@polymatt i will definitely give it a read. the design of this machine is always on my mind. so sad that ibm didn't found an excuse to reuse in another model
Hi! You probably know this already, but one of PETG's features is being soft and flexible even when imbued with fiber. Most printers that can print PETG can also print Nylon (with minor heating or enclosure upgrades), which tends to be stiffer, stronger, and available with higher CF content.
Hey thanks for the tip! I had known one of its properties was being flexible, but I was trying to counteract going to other direction which would have been stiff but brittle. Still trying to find a happy medium :). Unfortunately I’m still working on getting reliable nylon prints. I’ve got all the kit for it, now it’s just a lot more learning on my part.
Note that sintered nylon is more flexible than injection moulded ABS or other common plastics. A few years back I ran in the [Redacted] Tech Challenge, there our robot had a nylon sintered 3D printed frame. Which was very cool, but flexed significantly despite being rather solid. The texture is also rather rough and it's porous, not ideal for a laptop case unless sealed with some paint or lacquer.
Very cool to see someone else do this - I'd been looking into billet UHMW parts for my 701C restorations. CADed the chassis but never got around to making them.
All I can think while watching this video is that this case adjusted to fit a Framework motherboard, and some adaptations made to make the collapsing keyboard and all that work on modern hardware, Framework motherboards make this uniquely possible, and *man* do I want it now
I have a lot of laptop hinge that I use for a wide variety of projects : usually for plastic hinge, the forces are not in the hinges screws themselves but are more than often in a lever part that is either screw to the hinge is the hinge itself (usually for newer model). If that's not present here by original design, try improving it by fixing long parts that are in direct contact with the case and screen case to your hinges to distribute the load. If that's not clear, just check other laptop hinge designs.
Great suggestions. I'm thinking of making a metal frame that sits behind the display and is threaded right into the hinge screws on the display side. The laptop body seems less of an issue.
This is so cool! I think the options to make it stiffer are using a stiffer material like 3DXtech EZ PC-CF, or maybe you can use a 3d print service to SLS print it. Or you live only once, just make it in metal with SLM! Honestly a metal Thinkpad 701c would be the coolest laptop ever made!
I also have this laptop with the same exact symptoms. I never got around to fixing it but your idea (not to mention the provided designs), made me want to restore it again.
Great work and thanks for sharing the designs with the community! Pretty sure this will be useful to many people. Lots of great ideas in the comments so let's see how this evolves.
If you could add something like grooves which can be used to fill them with fiber glass reinforced putty, you could make it as stiff as metal. Like, a zig-zag groove along a too flexible piece.
Really love this more explanatory type of video! I love your usual videos too - it’s why I subbed. But I hope you do some more like this every so often. Super valuable for those of us trying to learn.
This is awesome! I love how it snowballed, and I love that you talked as much as you did about the design process. So fun. Also that moment of victory at the end looked like a good time, haha. :D
Incredible work, thank you SO much. I have a 701cs that I am terrified to try and repair because every time I touch the damn thing another piece chips off. This will bring it back around. Absolute legend.
@@polymatt Small update. I opened up the machine, fixed the motherboard, replaced the dead CCFL backlight, and overall it's working now. There is unfortunately a memory error for one of the onboard chips but regardless I feel it's alive enough to try printing the case. I'll likely try it in PLA, perhaps CF-reinforced, as it seems a lot stiffer than the PETG you chose. It's gonna be a while before I get to it but I'll let you know how it goes.
So much interest in the Librettos! I've never had one myself but would definitely be open to modeling them. I'll have to look into it. Do all the versions have the same case/body?
@@polymatt They look similar but each generation is different. I believe 20/30 50/70 and 100/110 share the bodies. I only have 20 and 100 and they are much different, 100 is considerably bigger.
Phenom! Amazing. Two directions 1) making it as chunky as it needs to be for the material, full new 3dprinted case design. The other direction would be doing a compression mold for carbon fiber. Not for the whole thing, but just the bottom and the back hinge.
Would love to do a carbon fiber mold, but it'd be SUPER difficult to get all the details needed for the bottom case. To your point, maybe just a separate piece for the back hinge.
As for materials, PETG is more flexible than other materials and it has a low carbon fibre content, less than 10 %. Engineering filaments with carbon or glass fibre tend to be upwards of 15 %. With carbon fibre filaments with a high percentage of carbon fibre they can't have them any other colour than black due to the carbon fibre in it. Glass fibre filaments can be coloured though because the fibres are clear. You should have a look at the datasheets for the materials, the key thing for you here will be the bending modulus, the higher the bending modulus the stiffer the material. Bambu lab now have PA6 with glass fibre but I would not recommend PA6 unless you seal it well because after printing it absorbs lots of moisture and the material properties change, it becomes more flexible. The glass fibre filled ABS might be good, but still isn't very stiff. For very stiff filament there is the PET-CF but you would maybe be better going for a different manufacturer or just redesigning the parts to make them thicker or print them thicker. I would not recommend using carbon fibre filament on electronics enclosures though, carbon fibre filament can be conductive and it is very random whether it is or not, it depends on the specific fibre orientation within the print, with the low carbon fibre content PETG you are using it may be fine but definitely be careful with it if you use high carbon fibre content filament. Glass fibre filled is better for this because the glass and plastic both insulate very well. Some other alternatives for composite filament is glass microspheres and ceramic microspheres.
This is a great solution for a common problem with these 701C's and that is the rubberized covering tends to get gummy. For what its worth, there is a 701c up for auction at this years VCFMW19 Vintage Auction if anyone is looking to build a new case using Matt's STL files. It has a completely functional keyboard, just no power supply or hard drive. Looking forward to seeing Matt at VCFMW this year on the UA-cam panel!
That awesome! Hopefully someone will walk away with a fun project. Really looking forward to the new venue this year and the panel - make sure to come over and say hi!
PETG has relatively low stiffness compared to other polymers, even with CF particles. ASA/ABS may fare a bit better, and for the tough bits, polycarbonate is also another filament option.
Sick! Thanks for L-Door. This battery is really pain the ass. And can you please provide link to aliexpress offer with screws (i guess screws are only part bought extra)? Just like you described, they are pesky (and they heads turned round like a sand with no resistance since they were corroded as hell so i gotta drill them). And if injection molding machine method will make casing stronger, i am ready to pay for it! Also i remember few months/years ago someone putting frame.work into his 701CS. Thanks to your modelling we are steps from producing own 701C which can be used for actual work.
It shouldn't be too difficult to put that hinge area on the lid into double shear, or at the very least add some screws joining them. Retain the size/shape, just join them to transfer the load. Alternatively internal strengthening ribs might not be visible and yet still interface with the original parts.
Thanks for the informative video, and thanks for showing results! I'm in the process of designing my own laptop, i decided i would use a mixture of carbon fiber sheets, aluminum/brass U channels, and some 3D printed parts. I really like the idea of 3D printing the whole chassis, but i would need to make the design much thicker to make it sturdy enough, and the plastic won't be durable.
I love seeing 3D printing being used to keep old tech alive. People are building new SpaceWar arcade machines, classic laptop cases are remade and even improving the original design.
This is pretty awesome. I would just be concerned about the silicon heating up causing stuff to warp/distort/deform being printed from relatively low temperature thermoplastics. I'm stoked on this regardless :]
Thanks! Yeah the hottest thing in the laptop would be the CPU which has an operating temp of around 85c at the high end. PETG melts at around 250-260c so lots of room!
I see a lot of folks recommending other materials, however none have mentioned anything related to materials engineering which is arguably the most important aspect of choosing a material. Since the original case was probably made out of ABS, (or not, but for examples sake, lets go with it) you'd want to look at the stress strain curve for ABS and choose a material (assuming you aren't going with ABS, although the stress strain relationship would be different with a 3d printed part vs injection molded) that is similar to it, to replace it without having to make major modifications to the geometry.
I wonder how difficult it would be to make it out of sheet metal and perhaps weld bead for the tiny bumps here and there. The back panel and sides could just be welded together from cut up sheet metal and sanded. The ridges all throughout could be made with weld bead and CNC refined. It'd be cool to make a completely new laptop that way too.
Wow!!! This is so incredible!! I can’t even imagine the hours you put into designing and adjusting these models to get them to work so perfectly together! Now I’m thinking I may want to just replace the bezel and top cover on my 701C since it’s currently JB Welded together. :-) Also, I’d be game to support an injection molded effort as well!
this is amasing when i was learning AUTO CAD in High School to draw a line i needed to literally input multiple lines of text to draw s straight bloody line! amazing to see where it has gone but yeah back then i also somehow was able to get the AUTO CAD programm we used at school on my home computer this was in the early early 2000's so yeah ! this is amazing i wish i kept up with it but seeing as how the thing your using looks super user friendly maybe ill try doing so more stuff with it
If I could create my own butterfly keyboard - or even buy one... Gateron low profile switches, and custom keycaps, would make a fine addition to any tablet.
13:40 Yeah, im doing a similar thing with framework laptop parts, including a hinge, but since it will be a fully custom shell, I dont have existing case constraints, im gonna be beefing up those walls. My original olan was to put it in an 80s laptop shell, but that thing is soooo heavy.
You're better off using PC, ABS or ASA. PETG is known to flex much more than those, even CF mixed ones. In fact in practice CF does near nothing in reinforcement, the chemicals of the filament's colour pigment does more to effect material qualities. I would recommend black PC, ABS or even ASA.
I am sure you thought about this, but the heat resistance of PETG is a little low for a CPU that technically can go up to 100°C before shutting down. I would think that heat resisting Nylon-CF or maybe ASA/ABS would be enough. Furthermore, I imagine the original case was out of ABS. Maybe I am just paranoid and this is no issue at all.
Great job! I have often though about putting modern computing equipment inside of classic computer style plastics but I don't want to ruin a running piece of history. This seems like it could bridge that gap. I wish others would publish designs like this so that others could turn a lattepanda into something like a 701c. Albeit this may not be the best example due to the keyboard, it does spark the imagination. Thanks for doing this!
I know a guy who actually went that route and took a non-functional 701C and put a Framework laptop into one and actually kept the keyboard! community.frame.work/t/thinkpad-701c-with-a-framework-brain-transplant-work-in-progress/27409
Nice work. I've been working on a custom laptop made of bits and bobs, and really loved seeing this. I know you worked hard because I have also spent hours in CAD. Thank you for open sourcing your models as well, I hate to see these sorts of things behind paywalls that inevitably mean they languish. You still deserve to get paid for your efforts though! Have you tried printing in a nylon or a CF material to help with stiffness? PEEK may also work?
Hey, thank you so much! It's very much appreciated. I did actually do some test prints with Bambu Lab PAHT-CF nylon and it wasn't that it wasn't better than the PETG, but I couldn't get a reliable print with these models. The best I got was a display bezel. It's something I want to continue to play with. I haven't tried PEEK (or heard of it for that matter) but after a quick google it looks super promising. Have you had any experience printing with it?
@@polymattI am yet to try printing PEEK because the requirements are intense. I am surprised you can't get good results from the nylon. For me plain nylon has printed more reliably than PLA, but I'm using a PA6 nylon which is usually easier than the higher temp PA12 nylon, iirc. The CF PA6-nylon parts I tried needed an enclosure heater, however. Never tried a PA12-nylon blend. Each machine has its own quirks and it makes 3d printing so fiddly and non-repeatable lol. For reference on my experiences: using an ender 5 + mosquito hotend + direct drive mod
@@mobiusfanblade I think I’ll go back and try straight PA6. I was trying PA6-CF and getting plate adhesion problems on the parts with large surface areas like the back case. Even with magigoo PA and an engineering plate. Once I decompress I know I’ll go back to it :)
You haven't mentioned what type of laminate were you using. Was it pla/abs/peg, something else? Have you tried a carbon fibre mixed filaments for the enforcement required places? Thanks
Awesome work, beautiful. I can only imagine how much time it must have taken. I have heard that there are hybrid filaments like PETG with a Polycarbonate core to make it stiffer and more durable but I have not tried any myself. PLA seems generally stiffer than PETG but can not handle any heat so probably would not be an option for this. Designing in or glueing metal plates to increase rigidity where needed is probably the easiest option.
This actually gives a lot of ideas for building a homebrew ARM-based or similar laptops, though the biggest problem becomes figuring out the screen and a keyboard. Though, it would be also a pretty interesting question to ponder if this keyboard itself can be reproduced too.
You could try PC, or PC-CF, polycarb filament would be a good fit for that, you will need enclosed printer, hotend that can hit 280c and bed heater that can get to 100c. PCCF will be easier to print then pure PC, Prusa has a PC-CF blend that is fairly easy to print that you could try.
Fantastic work. This take a lot of time and dedication, especially to get everything just right. I begun cloning a bezel for another laptop but never finished, albeit got very close. You should get this injection molded and sell it.
Amazing. I wonder if it could be done with ThinkPad X2xx series or even T4xx, improving thermal design and making them compatible with larger panels (see the X330 by XY Tech) would be absolutely astonishing for modern usage!
There are USB converters for Thinkpad keyboards, the Lenovo SK-8855 has an official made converter inside of the keyboard, while I personally own a Chinese made keyboard with an X220 keyboard inside with their own converter, that I bought on Superbuy. I really like the idea of having a laptop with that keyboard in it one day, I have a non-working Thinkpad T410 I got for £18 thats pretty much unsalvageable that I thought of using to make a case for the keyboard + USB hub, but it could be a cool idea to make a working laptop out of it.
Amazing job, wanted to do this for some time too. I was wondering if you could inverse models and make molds for carbon fiber? That would be probably as stiff as you can get
you can make 3d printed molds to do carbon fiber or fiberglass parts, or you can even resin print diy injection molds and get a diy machine injection kit for pretty cheap
you could always go the other direction with it, instead of adding thickness thin out the material and coat the areas that at most likely to warp and bend with a wire mesh and a thin coating of epoxy resin?
Thanks so much! I used the free version for quite some time and ended up switching to the paid. I needed the unlimited projects and lots of different high resolution export capabilities. Well worth it for my use!
Brilliant presentation of a really complex topic! I had a similar idea for a couple of Toshiba Libretto 100CT's I own. Every time I attempt to use them, more plastic breaks. So, having used it before for similar things, I started modelling the 100CT case... in Blender. I've got about 80% of the lower case done, then I'll move onto the keyboard cover, then the screen. I don't have a 3D printer, but I am modelling it right down to the half mm in some cases. Once it is all done, I'll figure out changes needed during testing. But! I started that project months ago, and life happened...
@@polymatt I agree! First thing I thought of when 3D printers starting popping up. I have a strange imagination 😁 I have 3D modelled a number of other computer systems as well, using the method you mentioned. My two most favourite are the IBM AT Model 5170 (with an IBM 5153 CGA monitor), and an Intel System 310 Multibus computer. I have modelled most of that last systems interior and components. It's a long, laborious hobby, but I think that is just part of vintage tech!
Could be wrong, but I think those aluminum pieces you reused are actually a magnesium alloy. To be sure I'd have to drop it on the ground a few times though, but there's probably better ways to tell. Also not even sure if I could judge by sound for a more solid piece like that, since I was usually checking the thin frames.
This is really amazing. I collect various retro gadgets (apple ii, msx, thinkpad, pc, mac.. and.. others), and do some very “simple” level repairs.. but your video showed me another possibility. I have several TPs, starting with the TP 240x, but I feel strongly that I should learn 3d printing. thanks for the great video, and I will watch the rest of your videos!
@@polymatt Where are you traveling down the rabbit hole? (Joking) The retro community in Korea, where I frequent, is all applauding your work. I hope to see your fun travelogues from time to time.
Fantastic work. I'd love to do something similar, but for a Pi build using 95%+ of the 701C's frame design. Hijacking the keyboard from a broken Thinkpad, possibly the display, etc. Tangential, but your modeling/prototyping skills have motivated me to learn. I haven't touched a modeling program since I was a teenager attempting to mod for HL2.
Thank so much! You should check out the work Karl Buchka is doing on the Framework forums. He’s already created an interface from the Butterfly keyboard to the Framework laptop and I believe it’s via USB. That’s awesome that you got into modeling from modding. I originally learned CAD from DoomEd back in the day creating custom maps for Doom. Whatever the reason is a lot of fun and a great skill to know!
I don't know much 3d printing, but aren't nylon or ABS/ASA a better fit that PETG for your parts ? You seem to have an enclosed printer which should do the trick. But I don't know if there is something I am missing. Please fill free to correct me.
Outdid yourself once again Matt, damn! Ever since getting into 3D printing I’ve wondered how viable it would be to recreate laptop screen bezels and related parts, especially related to flexibility when in everyday use. Fantastic work, loved seeing the results!
Thanks so much man! 3D printing is just getting so much better. The quality and speed of even the filament machines is nuts. Knowing that if something breaks you can just fabricate a new part is quite the feeling.
@@polymatt with all the time you have put into it, i think it deserves a mjf print. i have been drawing hard to find car parts and printing with mjf; strength, durability and surface quality are all amazing with it.
hola lgr soy tu fan
@0x0fffff siii, esta bien bonita
i was prepared to be like wtf is with the keyboard until i saw it collapse into the shell. amazing job. a lifetime of skill went into this and it shows.
It’s a super cool machine with one super unique keyboard. Thanks so much and glad you enjoyed it!
I would have missed the last 3 seconds of the video if not for this comment
I'm sad they only ever used that on the one laptop because it was such a neat idea to squeeze a larger keyboard into a smaller laptop.
Thats amazing. Just enjoyed it! 11:16
Just to be clear the keyboard was designed by IBM not him
We live in very interesting times. I remember when the idea of a custom (or re-production) plastic case for a project was pretty unattainable but these days the hobbyist can do pretty much anything they want.
Obviously you still need to be very skilled and this was genuinely impressive but it even being possible for a hobbyist is really cool.
Don’t get me wrong. I’d still love a run of an injection molded case, but to me this is 90% there.
With 3D printing, I almost wonder if that could be used as a stepping stool for potentially making something that could be used for homebrew injection molding. Or maybe through the use of a CNC or something.
What is crazy is that the idea of a 3D printer is not even wild. They were just waiting to happen.
Man, this is peak design. A foldable keyboard, LED indicators, an asymmetrical monitor frame, different style hinges, nice chunkiness... If Lenovo releases such a laptop with modern internals, I’ll buy it in a heartbeat. Especially if it had a clear casing or different color options like your blue and purple. Very impressive work on the casing - mad respect.
Thanks so much and totally agree. Absolutely love the design on these things.
I'm really glad UA-cam recommended you to me. I would have missed this gem otherwise. This inspires the creator in me and reminds me I need to go finish a few projects I've left behind!
Really glad you enjoyed it and that it helped rekindle a project :)
Well that's beautiful. I love the dark pastel colour choice.
It’s great. Reminds me of SGI machines
Thanks so much! I love that blue but also going to print a violet one that looks fantastic as well.
This video is flawlessly translated to German. I don't know if you were to blame, but kudos to who created the translation. Just description and chapters. I had no need for close captions. I subscribed right away.
That's great to hear! Google Translate must be getting much better :)
Haven't watched your content in a while, and then I saw this video on the Framework 701c Brain Transplant thread and I almost couldn't believe it. It seems you've kickstarted the conversation there again and now there's talk of completely re-modeling they keyboard with 3d printing and, in the far future, creating Framework 701c units without having to cannibalize an existing 701c for parts (don't know how practical that'd be, but one can only dream!)
Thanks for all the good work, Matt! I hope you can figure out some sort of an avenue for that injection molding magic in the future.
Hey thanks so much! And who knows? Maybe an injection molded case is in the cards at some point? :)
Very inspiring. I’m in the early process of creating a pocket computer. Thinking of the vintage/retro esthetic and features. I love your dedication and attention to detail you put into this.
given the historical importance of the 701c with the coolness factor it has i'd say this is beyond amazing. really glad to see people do such wonderfull projects
Really glad you enjoyed it! There’s a lot more I’ve published on 701c.org if you’re interested.
@@polymatt i will definitely give it a read. the design of this machine is always on my mind. so sad that ibm didn't found an excuse to reuse in another model
Not only the project was executed flawlessy, the music, the shots, everything about this video is great. You deserve 100x the subs you have man.
Hi! You probably know this already, but one of PETG's features is being soft and flexible even when imbued with fiber. Most printers that can print PETG can also print Nylon (with minor heating or enclosure upgrades), which tends to be stiffer, stronger, and available with higher CF content.
Hey thanks for the tip! I had known one of its properties was being flexible, but I was trying to counteract going to other direction which would have been stiff but brittle. Still trying to find a happy medium :). Unfortunately I’m still working on getting reliable nylon prints. I’ve got all the kit for it, now it’s just a lot more learning on my part.
Note that sintered nylon is more flexible than injection moulded ABS or other common plastics.
A few years back I ran in the [Redacted] Tech Challenge, there our robot had a nylon sintered 3D printed frame.
Which was very cool, but flexed significantly despite being rather solid.
The texture is also rather rough and it's porous, not ideal for a laptop case unless sealed with some paint or lacquer.
That's really good to know. Doesn't seem like theres much comparison for good old injection molded ABS...
@@polymatt Try using PC filament. It's very stiff. PETG even with CF is a little flexible in comparison.
OMG, that color is AMAZING
Right? There’s a violet color that’s just as good that I started with but unfortunately I ran out while filming.
Fun colors is something I'm looking forward for my custom laptop build 😀
I think you are the NO.1 in the world to play this butterfly laptop. Thanks so much for sharing.😜
Haha, thanks so much!
Very cool to see someone else do this - I'd been looking into billet UHMW parts for my 701C restorations. CADed the chassis but never got around to making them.
Now that sounds like an awesome direction. I’d love to see it when it’s done. Feel free to reach out to me at 701c.org
All I can think while watching this video is that this case adjusted to fit a Framework motherboard, and some adaptations made to make the collapsing keyboard and all that work on modern hardware, Framework motherboards make this uniquely possible, and *man* do I want it now
Check out Karl Buchka's post on the Framework forum :)
@@polymatt ahhhh man glad to see I’m not the only one!
Very cool! Petg is far more flexible than pla, or abs. Pla would likely warp from the laptops heat, so abs would likely work well for a stiffer parts
I have a lot of laptop hinge that I use for a wide variety of projects : usually for plastic hinge, the forces are not in the hinges screws themselves but are more than often in a lever part that is either screw to the hinge is the hinge itself (usually for newer model). If that's not present here by original design, try improving it by fixing long parts that are in direct contact with the case and screen case to your hinges to distribute the load. If that's not clear, just check other laptop hinge designs.
Great suggestions. I'm thinking of making a metal frame that sits behind the display and is threaded right into the hinge screws on the display side. The laptop body seems less of an issue.
This is the future for all the brittle plastics in PCs and macs!
This is so cool! I think the options to make it stiffer are using a stiffer material like 3DXtech EZ PC-CF, or maybe you can use a 3d print service to SLS print it. Or you live only once, just make it in metal with SLM! Honestly a metal Thinkpad 701c would be the coolest laptop ever made!
thank you for sharing this model for free,you're the true hero
I also have this laptop with the same exact symptoms. I never got around to fixing it but your idea (not to mention the provided designs), made me want to restore it again.
I am once again wondering how you do not have a million subs already. Fantastic work, I can't wait for what you come up with next!
Haha thanks so much. Until then I’m just going to keep making things :)
Great work and thanks for sharing the designs with the community! Pretty sure this will be useful to many people. Lots of great ideas in the comments so let's see how this evolves.
If you could add something like grooves which can be used to fill them with fiber glass reinforced putty, you could make it as stiff as metal. Like, a zig-zag groove along a too flexible piece.
Sounds like a great idea. I’ll try that out!
I like the color you used. It kind of looks like if Silicon Graphics had made laptops.
Really love this more explanatory type of video! I love your usual videos too - it’s why I subbed. But I hope you do some more like this every so often. Super valuable for those of us trying to learn.
Thank you so much for the feedback and I plan on doing these from here on out. I really appreciate your sub!
This is really awesome. I have plans to 3D print some of my old favorite set top boxes and this was the EXACT video I needed. Thanks bro ❤
That seems like a super cool project!
This is a high league of creating.
All I want to say is imagine this 3d printed case in metal 3d printing! I don't know why but that idea really makes me think on the possibilites
That would be absolutely metal! 🤘
Very satisfying video. You have a clear presentation style, good narration and tone that's easy for a non-native to listen to.
That's really great to hear. Thanks so much and glad you enjoyed the video!
You always go above and beyond for your videos.
This is awesome! I love how it snowballed, and I love that you talked as much as you did about the design process. So fun. Also that moment of victory at the end looked like a good time, haha. :D
Fellow shapr3d and carbon x1 user here - nice to see content specific to my tools! Subbed.
This thing is so killer, thanks a million for releasing the models too.
your attention to detail is inspiring
My hat is off to you once more, sir. An amazing project beautifully shot, narrated and edited. Top work.
Thanks so much man! 🙏
Incredible work, thank you SO much. I have a 701cs that I am terrified to try and repair because every time I touch the damn thing another piece chips off. This will bring it back around. Absolute legend.
Awesome to hear! Hope this helps with the restoration. Would love to see pics as well. You can reach out to me on 701c.org.
@@polymatt Small update. I opened up the machine, fixed the motherboard, replaced the dead CCFL backlight, and overall it's working now. There is unfortunately a memory error for one of the onboard chips but regardless I feel it's alive enough to try printing the case. I'll likely try it in PLA, perhaps CF-reinforced, as it seems a lot stiffer than the PETG you chose. It's gonna be a while before I get to it but I'll let you know how it goes.
@@kelvinhall3174 that’s amazing! Definitely let me know how the prints come out.
Your dedication to this machine is an inspiration
very nice!!! please do old grey librettos next. (20CT, 50CT, 70CT, 100CT and 110CT) their plastics disintegrate when you just look at them wrong ;-)
So much interest in the Librettos! I've never had one myself but would definitely be open to modeling them. I'll have to look into it. Do all the versions have the same case/body?
@@polymatt They look similar but each generation is different. I believe 20/30 50/70 and 100/110 share the bodies. I only have 20 and 100 and they are much different, 100 is considerably bigger.
I must say you did a great job Matt
Superb presentation, excellent break down of why decisions were made and what exactly was going on. I dig it
🙏
Phenom! Amazing. Two directions 1) making it as chunky as it needs to be for the material, full new 3dprinted case design. The other direction would be doing a compression mold for carbon fiber. Not for the whole thing, but just the bottom and the back hinge.
Would love to do a carbon fiber mold, but it'd be SUPER difficult to get all the details needed for the bottom case. To your point, maybe just a separate piece for the back hinge.
As for materials, PETG is more flexible than other materials and it has a low carbon fibre content, less than 10 %. Engineering filaments with carbon or glass fibre tend to be upwards of 15 %. With carbon fibre filaments with a high percentage of carbon fibre they can't have them any other colour than black due to the carbon fibre in it. Glass fibre filaments can be coloured though because the fibres are clear.
You should have a look at the datasheets for the materials, the key thing for you here will be the bending modulus, the higher the bending modulus the stiffer the material. Bambu lab now have PA6 with glass fibre but I would not recommend PA6 unless you seal it well because after printing it absorbs lots of moisture and the material properties change, it becomes more flexible. The glass fibre filled ABS might be good, but still isn't very stiff.
For very stiff filament there is the PET-CF but you would maybe be better going for a different manufacturer or just redesigning the parts to make them thicker or print them thicker.
I would not recommend using carbon fibre filament on electronics enclosures though, carbon fibre filament can be conductive and it is very random whether it is or not, it depends on the specific fibre orientation within the print, with the low carbon fibre content PETG you are using it may be fine but definitely be careful with it if you use high carbon fibre content filament. Glass fibre filled is better for this because the glass and plastic both insulate very well. Some other alternatives for composite filament is glass microspheres and ceramic microspheres.
This is a great solution for a common problem with these 701C's and that is the rubberized covering tends to get gummy. For what its worth, there is a 701c up for auction at this years VCFMW19 Vintage Auction if anyone is looking to build a new case using Matt's STL files. It has a completely functional keyboard, just no power supply or hard drive. Looking forward to seeing Matt at VCFMW this year on the UA-cam panel!
That awesome! Hopefully someone will walk away with a fun project. Really looking forward to the new venue this year and the panel - make sure to come over and say hi!
@@polymatt I sure will! I am hosting a talk at Noon on How to Rescue Vintage Equipment from E-Waste Recyclers. Can't wait!
I too finished my acrylic cut water cooled msi laptop some days ago, cheers brother!
Awesome! Bet that turned out really nice.
PETG has relatively low stiffness compared to other polymers, even with CF particles. ASA/ABS may fare a bit better, and for the tough bits, polycarbonate is also another filament option.
Sick! Thanks for L-Door. This battery is really pain the ass. And can you please provide link to aliexpress offer with screws (i guess screws are only part bought extra)? Just like you described, they are pesky (and they heads turned round like a sand with no resistance since they were corroded as hell so i gotta drill them).
And if injection molding machine method will make casing stronger, i am ready to pay for it!
Also i remember few months/years ago someone putting frame.work into his 701CS. Thanks to your modelling we are steps from producing own 701C which can be used for actual work.
It shouldn't be too difficult to put that hinge area on the lid into double shear, or at the very least add some screws joining them. Retain the size/shape, just join them to transfer the load. Alternatively internal strengthening ribs might not be visible and yet still interface with the original parts.
Good call. I wanted to get the true-to-life version out, but now its time to mod it to make it tougher when 3D printing.
Thanks for the informative video, and thanks for showing results! I'm in the process of designing my own laptop, i decided i would use a mixture of carbon fiber sheets, aluminum/brass U channels, and some 3D printed parts. I really like the idea of 3D printing the whole chassis, but i would need to make the design much thicker to make it sturdy enough, and the plastic won't be durable.
Nice job. The 701c is a legend!
I love seeing 3D printing being used to keep old tech alive. People are building new SpaceWar arcade machines, classic laptop cases are remade and even improving the original design.
💯- it’s such a cool time right now to have all of this available at a makers fingertips.
This is pretty awesome. I would just be concerned about the silicon heating up causing stuff to warp/distort/deform being printed from relatively low temperature thermoplastics. I'm stoked on this regardless :]
Thanks! Yeah the hottest thing in the laptop would be the CPU which has an operating temp of around 85c at the high end. PETG melts at around 250-260c so lots of room!
I see a lot of folks recommending other materials, however none have mentioned anything related to materials engineering which is arguably the most important aspect of choosing a material. Since the original case was probably made out of ABS, (or not, but for examples sake, lets go with it) you'd want to look at the stress strain curve for ABS and choose a material (assuming you aren't going with ABS, although the stress strain relationship would be different with a 3d printed part vs injection molded) that is similar to it, to replace it without having to make major modifications to the geometry.
I wonder how difficult it would be to make it out of sheet metal and perhaps weld bead for the tiny bumps here and there. The back panel and sides could just be welded together from cut up sheet metal and sanded. The ridges all throughout could be made with weld bead and CNC refined. It'd be cool to make a completely new laptop that way too.
Wow!!! This is so incredible!! I can’t even imagine the hours you put into designing and adjusting these models to get them to work so perfectly together! Now I’m thinking I may want to just replace the bezel and top cover on my 701C since it’s currently JB Welded together. :-) Also, I’d be game to support an injection molded effort as well!
Amazing work. I would love to see a modern laptop using this folding keyboard
You are real master sir! Great project.
You can add a lot of small ribs (1-2mm thick and wide) in crucial parts, instead of thickening walls.
This is super cool, this opens the doors to Thakepads.
this is amasing when i was learning AUTO CAD in High School to draw a line i needed to literally input multiple lines of text to draw s straight bloody line! amazing to see where it has gone but yeah back then i also somehow was able to get the AUTO CAD programm we used at school on my home computer this was in the early early 2000's so yeah ! this is amazing i wish i kept up with it but seeing as how the thing your using looks super user friendly maybe ill try doing so more stuff with it
If I could create my own butterfly keyboard - or even buy one...
Gateron low profile switches, and custom keycaps, would make a fine addition to any tablet.
Big Blue Thinkpad
13:40 Yeah, im doing a similar thing with framework laptop parts, including a hinge, but since it will be a fully custom shell, I dont have existing case constraints, im gonna be beefing up those walls.
My original olan was to put it in an 80s laptop shell, but that thing is soooo heavy.
Beyond amazing work Matt!
Thanks so much Thomas! Knew you may have an interest in this one 😁
You're better off using PC, ABS or ASA. PETG is known to flex much more than those, even CF mixed ones. In fact in practice CF does near nothing in reinforcement, the chemicals of the filament's colour pigment does more to effect material qualities. I would recommend black PC, ABS or even ASA.
I am sure you thought about this, but the heat resistance of PETG is a little low for a CPU that technically can go up to 100°C before shutting down.
I would think that heat resisting Nylon-CF or maybe ASA/ABS would be enough. Furthermore, I imagine the original case was out of ABS.
Maybe I am just paranoid and this is no issue at all.
Great job! I have often though about putting modern computing equipment inside of classic computer style plastics but I don't want to ruin a running piece of history. This seems like it could bridge that gap. I wish others would publish designs like this so that others could turn a lattepanda into something like a 701c. Albeit this may not be the best example due to the keyboard, it does spark the imagination. Thanks for doing this!
I know a guy who actually went that route and took a non-functional 701C and put a Framework laptop into one and actually kept the keyboard!
community.frame.work/t/thinkpad-701c-with-a-framework-brain-transplant-work-in-progress/27409
you might be able to melt in some metal spines to up the stiffness in problem areas. this is a lot of work; good video!
Thanks! Yeah I’m thinking of modifying it so it will be a lot better when 3D printed.
now imagine a clear (or even translucent ) resin print of this
Dude, you're an artist. Holy f.
Nice work. I've been working on a custom laptop made of bits and bobs, and really loved seeing this. I know you worked hard because I have also spent hours in CAD.
Thank you for open sourcing your models as well, I hate to see these sorts of things behind paywalls that inevitably mean they languish. You still deserve to get paid for your efforts though!
Have you tried printing in a nylon or a CF material to help with stiffness? PEEK may also work?
Hey, thank you so much! It's very much appreciated. I did actually do some test prints with Bambu Lab PAHT-CF nylon and it wasn't that it wasn't better than the PETG, but I couldn't get a reliable print with these models. The best I got was a display bezel. It's something I want to continue to play with. I haven't tried PEEK (or heard of it for that matter) but after a quick google it looks super promising. Have you had any experience printing with it?
@@polymattI am yet to try printing PEEK because the requirements are intense.
I am surprised you can't get good results from the nylon. For me plain nylon has printed more reliably than PLA, but I'm using a PA6 nylon which is usually easier than the higher temp PA12 nylon, iirc. The CF PA6-nylon parts I tried needed an enclosure heater, however. Never tried a PA12-nylon blend.
Each machine has its own quirks and it makes 3d printing so fiddly and non-repeatable lol. For reference on my experiences: using an ender 5 + mosquito hotend + direct drive mod
@@mobiusfanblade I think I’ll go back and try straight PA6. I was trying PA6-CF and getting plate adhesion problems on the parts with large surface areas like the back case. Even with magigoo PA and an engineering plate. Once I decompress I know I’ll go back to it :)
@@polymatt please don't ask how many glue sticks I use hahaha
@@mobiusfanblade 🤣
You haven't mentioned what type of laminate were you using. Was it pla/abs/peg, something else? Have you tried a carbon fibre mixed filaments for the enforcement required places? Thanks
I ended up gong with PETG-CF
Awesome work, beautiful. I can only imagine how much time it must have taken. I have heard that there are hybrid filaments like PETG with a Polycarbonate core to make it stiffer and more durable but I have not tried any myself. PLA seems generally stiffer than PETG but can not handle any heat so probably would not be an option for this. Designing in or glueing metal plates to increase rigidity where needed is probably the easiest option.
Yeah totally agree. I’m going to be trying out a range of things to try to make this better. Thanks for the thoughts!
you should try injection molding, i would be very interested in that
This actually gives a lot of ideas for building a homebrew ARM-based or similar laptops, though the biggest problem becomes figuring out the screen and a keyboard.
Though, it would be also a pretty interesting question to ponder if this keyboard itself can be reproduced too.
You could try PC, or PC-CF, polycarb filament would be a good fit for that, you will need enclosed printer, hotend that can hit 280c and bed heater that can get to 100c. PCCF will be easier to print then pure PC, Prusa has a PC-CF blend that is fairly easy to print that you could try.
I’ve got a hot end and enclosed printer that can handle it, I’ll have to give it a shot!
12:18 Would glass-filled nylon, or just nylon in general instead of PETG, be closer to the original injection molded plastic in terms of stiffness?
That’s a great question. I definitely have exhausted all of the filaments I could try. Building up a list based on the comments :)
petg is pretty flexible, carbon probably helps, but you should try some other more ridgid material like ABS carbon fiber
Fantastic work. This take a lot of time and dedication, especially to get everything just right. I begun cloning a bezel for another laptop but never finished, albeit got very close. You should get this injection molded and sell it.
🙏 thank so much. If I get enough interest I’d love to go down the injection molded route.
Amazing. I wonder if it could be done with ThinkPad X2xx series or even T4xx, improving thermal design and making them compatible with larger panels (see the X330 by XY Tech) would be absolutely astonishing for modern usage!
There are USB converters for Thinkpad keyboards, the Lenovo SK-8855 has an official made converter inside of the keyboard, while I personally own a Chinese made keyboard with an X220 keyboard inside with their own converter, that I bought on Superbuy.
I really like the idea of having a laptop with that keyboard in it one day, I have a non-working Thinkpad T410 I got for £18 thats pretty much unsalvageable that I thought of using to make a case for the keyboard + USB hub, but it could be a cool idea to make a working laptop out of it.
Amazing job, wanted to do this for some time too. I was wondering if you could inverse models and make molds for carbon fiber? That would be probably as stiff as you can get
I definitely want to try to do this at some point.
This is super cool. I would love to make a tablet, phone, rasp pi laptop shell out of this.
you can make 3d printed molds to do carbon fiber or fiberglass parts, or you can even resin print diy injection molds and get a diy machine injection kit for pretty cheap
you could always go the other direction with it, instead of adding thickness thin out the material and coat the areas that at most likely to warp and bend with a wire mesh and a thin coating of epoxy resin?
What a great video and very well done modeling and printing! I’m curious, are you using the free or paid version of Shapr3D?
Thanks so much! I used the free version for quite some time and ended up switching to the paid. I needed the unlimited projects and lots of different high resolution export capabilities. Well worth it for my use!
Brilliant presentation of a really complex topic!
I had a similar idea for a couple of Toshiba Libretto 100CT's I own. Every time I attempt to use them, more plastic breaks. So, having used it before for similar things, I started modelling the 100CT case... in Blender. I've got about 80% of the lower case done, then I'll move onto the keyboard cover, then the screen. I don't have a 3D printer, but I am modelling it right down to the half mm in some cases. Once it is all done, I'll figure out changes needed during testing.
But! I started that project months ago, and life happened...
Love it! We need more modelers focusing on vintage tech. It’s a great way to preserve them.
@@polymatt I agree! First thing I thought of when 3D printers starting popping up. I have a strange imagination 😁
I have 3D modelled a number of other computer systems as well, using the method you mentioned. My two most favourite are the IBM AT Model 5170 (with an IBM 5153 CGA monitor), and an Intel System 310 Multibus computer. I have modelled most of that last systems interior and components. It's a long, laborious hobby, but I think that is just part of vintage tech!
INCREIBLE TRABAJO! LARGA VIDA A LOS THINKPADS IBMs!!!
Could be wrong, but I think those aluminum pieces you reused are actually a magnesium alloy. To be sure I'd have to drop it on the ground a few times though, but there's probably better ways to tell. Also not even sure if I could judge by sound for a more solid piece like that, since I was usually checking the thin frames.
Interesting. I'll definitely have to check that out.
This is really amazing. I collect various retro gadgets (apple ii, msx, thinkpad, pc, mac.. and.. others), and do some very “simple” level repairs.. but your video showed me another possibility.
I have several TPs, starting with the TP 240x, but I feel strongly that I should learn 3d printing. thanks for the great video, and I will watch the rest of your videos!
Glad you enjoyed it! Thats how I started too - simple repairs here and there and then, just as with everything, I kinda went down the rabbit hole :)
@@polymatt Where are you traveling down the rabbit hole? (Joking) The retro community in Korea, where I frequent, is all applauding your work. I hope to see your fun travelogues from time to time.
very interesting project!!! thank you from Seoul, Korea
Thanks so much and glad you enjoyed it!
wow dude you CAD wizard
Fantastic work. I'd love to do something similar, but for a Pi build using 95%+ of the 701C's frame design. Hijacking the keyboard from a broken Thinkpad, possibly the display, etc.
Tangential, but your modeling/prototyping skills have motivated me to learn. I haven't touched a modeling program since I was a teenager attempting to mod for HL2.
Thank so much! You should check out the work Karl Buchka is doing on the Framework forums. He’s already created an interface from the Butterfly keyboard to the Framework laptop and I believe it’s via USB.
That’s awesome that you got into modeling from modding. I originally learned CAD from DoomEd back in the day creating custom maps for Doom. Whatever the reason is a lot of fun and a great skill to know!
I like how it shows 10.1 subs. But you do deserve more :D
Thank you! 🙏
Hey good video man! I was also thinking of 3d printing my laptop to make it more lighter. Your video is a blessing. Cheers Mate!
Thanks! Yeah it definitely makes it a LOT lighter. Too bad my 3D printer is too small for any of my larger laptops ;)
Very impressive. I hope to gather the patience to do this for my Toshiba one day.
I don't know much 3d printing, but aren't nylon or ABS/ASA a better fit that PETG for your parts ?
You seem to have an enclosed printer which should do the trick.
But I don't know if there is something I am missing. Please fill free to correct me.
11:10 I got physically shook when the keyboard split and retracted