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Making a pretty case out of PCB panels

A project log for Replica of the PDP-1: PiDP-1

Blinkenlights and vectordot graphics from 1959

oscarvOscarv 08/08/2025 at 06:280 Comments

I think this little video is interesting for more than just vintage computer fans: it shows how we made a very complex-shaped case out of just PCB panels. It took a lot of experimentation (see earlier log posts) but it works extremely well. The end result is a case that is so strong, you can drop it from 5 feet on a concrete floor. We tested that, although not on purpose.

Here is the video:

...And look further down in the log posts for technical details. Perfecting this trick saved us a small fortune (which the budget actually did not allow for) compared to other case-building techniques like injection molding (yuck).

Meanwhile, we're busy packing up the first 200 kits :-)

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