Mini Metal Pandora

[Grench]

^ I would laugh so hard if mine arrived with a Mega Man etching somewhere on it.

I have access to a laser cutter, so if you want it, I can engrave for you after the fact ..

Could you also use that laser cutter to cut a case in actual size to use as a replacement? ^^

This same thought sprang to my mind as well...


How about it? A solid metal Titanium Pandora case? OK, so Aluminum (Aluminium)?


Could be sold for $$$ as an upgrade to new purchases too without creating a 'two Pandora' ecosystem.


The true art of segmentation: Ensuring that those who are able or willing to pay more for your product or service have an opportunity or reason to do so.


Grench

 

[Darkknight512]

You would not use a laser cutter to cut a Pandora case, you would probably use a CNC mill or if you are super skilled and don't have access to one, a manual mill.


I'm pretty sure it could be done because I think some of the early pre-production Pandora cases were made with a CNC machine.


It would probably need quite a bit of polishing, I'm not experienced with it, but I think? sand blasting will work on aluminum.

 

[Emnasut]

So... anyone got a CNC mill lying around?

 

[Thorium]

So... anyone got a CNC mill lying around?

I work with one. It's actualy a realy big one, it can work on workpieces with dimensions up to 12x4x2 meter. ^^

 

[ibisum]

I've got access to a CNC. All I need is the files and the material. I'd *LOVE* to make an aircraft-aluminium/billet case replacement for my Pandoras ..

 

[Hoodoo]

Do want. Along with little wheels and little Gatling gun!

 

[Grench]

You would not use a laser cutter to cut a Pandora case, you would probably use a CNC mill or if you are super skilled and don't have access to one, a manual mill.


I'm pretty sure it could be done because I think some of the early pre-production Pandora cases were made with a CNC machine.

I thought the prototypes were printed on a 3d printer - either is possible I suppose.

 

[hedwards]

I've got access to a CNC.  All I need is the files and the material.  I'd *LOVE* to make an aircraft-aluminium/billet case replacement for my Pandoras ..

If they need to raise money, I wonder how many folks out there would be willing to pay for an upgraded case. Probably not enough to make it worthwhile, but then again, perhaps they could put the case up for auction and see.

 

[ibisum]

If only someone had the time to come up with a CNC'able design, I'd go get it done tonight ..

 

[Emnasut]

So... anyone got a CNC mill lying around?

I work with one. It's actualy a realy big one, it can work on workpieces with dimensions up to 12x4x2 meter. ^^

Wow, now that would be a huge Pandora... ^^


So the files for the case aren't open source then? And would we need eveything (hinge etc.) or just the external case?


Also, does anyone have an idea what such a case would propably cost, a lot more than say a hundred bucks?

 

[Morn]

I'm a total noob when it comes to materials and CNC stuff, but I think such metal case would require many manual micro-adjustments since metal is less tolerant than plastic (imagine just the infamous lid bezel).

 

[milkshake]

theoretically it could be metal on the outside and still plastic on the inside retaining the platics tolerance.

 

[Emnasut]

theoretically it could be metal on the outside and still plastic on the inside retaining the platics tolerance.

Isn't that a lot more complicated than solid metal? It sounds like an interesting idea.

 

[ibisum]

If only we had a plan of the case that we could use to start building a new one ..

 

[DaMummy]

if only people would realize that this would cost around $2000 per case

 

[fusion_power]

If only we had a plan of the case that we could use to start building a new one ..

It can't be full out of metal. At least a spot for the WIFI Antenna has to lead outside of the Pandora. But so or so, a Metal Pandora is a distant future dream.

 

[Emnasut]

if only people would realize that this would cost around $2000 per case

What is the expensive thing here, the material or the manufacturing?

If only we had a plan of the case that we could use to start building a new one ..

It can't be full out of metal. At least a spot for the WIFI Antenna has to lead outside of the Pandora. But so or so, a Metal Pandora is a distant future dream.

Hm good point, we wouldn't want to end up with a nice case with no WIFI...

 

[MarioPandio]

^^ Router dependant in some peoples cases, whats the difference? (j/k)

 

[Darkknight512]

if only people would realize that this would cost around $2000 per case

What is the expensive thing here, the material or the manufacturing?


*snip*

first, a solid block of aluminum for you to carve up is not cheap, My guess is a Pandora sized block would be somwhere between 250 - 1000 bucks. Then machining it, if someone was part of the project and just did it on spare time with the CNC then it would not be that expensive, but if someone was being paid to do it it would probably be quite a bit.

 

[slaeshjag]

What would be needed isn't really a *block*, there's plates in the required thickness. For example, just some quick searching presented me with a 8ft×4ft×1inch, enouch for about 192 pandora-sized blocks. At ~$1850 per block, that would be around $10 per pandora-sized block. Not cheap, but not anywhere near $250-$1000. The next problem would be to find a metal shop that can handle those massive plates, but that's another problem. A 1ft×1tf×1inch plate from the same place is ~$106, at around 6 pandora-sized block from that it lands on ~$17 each. Doable, but plastic will probably still be a lot cheaper.