|
|
|
|
| The Proquarium |
| Written by Justin Granger | ||||
| Monday, 04 September 2006 | ||||
 Supplies:
 Components:
Inspired by a set of broken Apple Pro speakers and a hunk of black granite, I produced my latest mod: the Proquarium. My initial concept required two colors of automated lighting, feet reminiscent of the G5 tower enclosure, and a water-tight design. It must turn on only when picked up, and the lighting must be unobtrusive, yet bright. This artwork repurposes Apple parts from a wide range of sources, including an Apple Pro Speaker, an iBook, an iMac, and a graphite Base Station.   I cut a circle of Lexan to fit inside the front part of the speaker, with a centered hole for the mounting screw. I affixed it with aquarium sealant. The speaker’s own gasket would form a water-tight seal when the globe was pressed into place. Three red LED’s fit into the holes left by the screws that originally held the speaker, and were wired into place with an appropriate resistor and a length of vintage Apple modem cable. A block of granite rejected from a trophy factory became the body of the work. After a frustrating hour trying to dent the granite, I realized that the two existing holes would have to be used for both physical and electrical connections. Fortuitously, the nut at the back of the Apple Pro Speaker pressure fit into the center hole, and I was able to mount the upper globe to the granite body with an aptly sized screw and a rubber washer.  The Lexan bottom plate was cut and drilled. Polishing the cut edges with a file took a while but the results were worth it.  Filed-down blue LEDs were pressed into holes in the Lexan. These were wired together point-to-point with a resistor. Two trimmed iBook clutch covers attached with their original screws and elevated it slightly. But how to attach this flat plate of plastic to the impervious granite?  I found my answer in the humble expansion nut. They work much like a hollow wall anchor. As you tighten the hex bolt, they expand outwards and grip the sides of the hole firmly. I used them not only to attach the plate, but also to hold the crimp-on connectors that suspend the switch below it. The center bolt does triple duty as the positive battery contact.  
The key to making this work was the discovery of a 12 volt 1/2 AAA cell battery that fit inside the center hole of the trophy bottom. It provided enough power to run the LED’s without requiring an inelegant external battery or the further hollowing of the granite. These batteries are readily available.The switch is wired normally closed and is actuated when the piece sits on a hard, flat surface. In its resting state it’s off, preserving the battery. The addition of spring clips from a graphite Airport Base Station to power-carrying screws resolved initially intermittent operation.  It is possible to change the battery with a simple allen wrench. The globe on top can be popped off for cleaning or screwed off for repair, yet holds tightly enough to support the whole. To echo the origins of the globe as an Apple Pro Speaker, I stuck a mirrored Apple logo from the display of a G4 iMac to the front. The complete piece sits demurely on a speaker in the corner, only to surprise and delight those who pick it up with a multicolored light show. For display, propping up one corner with a nickel is enough to make it light. The only question remaining: Fish or Flowers?     This artwork includes components from 4 Apple products: An Apple Pro Speaker, an iBook, a G4 iMac, and a graphite Airport Base Station. Many additional photos are available of both the construction and the final product. If you would like to know more, just let me know. justin.granger [[at]] mac [[dot]] com
Write Comment |
||||
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
|
|