SpiderMac
Written by Pablo Suarez
| SpiderMac | |
| Another of the characters I framework in childhood, if it can be said somehow or Spiderman is better known for speaking like, "Spider Man". What better than to dedicate this mod this hero of children that we are delighted with its series and comics and continues to do so even with his films. | ![]() |
Overview
ArgOs is a hard core modder from Argentina. This is just one of his latest works.
*Editor's Note : The mod guide was a translation, I have attempted to clean up the translation as best I could to benefit the readers. You can find the original documentation at Arg0s' website, argosmod.com.ar/SpiderMac.htm. -- Chris
Specs
Apple PowerMac G4 667MHz
Supplies
Acrylic
Termocontraible
Wire
Tin
Electrical Tape
Glue (thin)
Alcohol
Black, Silver and Red Spray Paint
Permanent markers for white and silver metals
Aluminium plate (pizza;)
Silicone
Tic-Tac box
11 blue LEDs high luminescence
11 resistors 330 omh
Process
Part 1 - Cover Removal
As a first step was to let the computer free of all plastic cover.
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Part 2 - More Removal
For the side, remove the paint and the Apple Logo, a more detailed guide is here.
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Part 3 - Fan Exchange
We changed the ventilation (interior) fan to another of the same size (120mm) with 4 translucent blue LED lighting, then attach the connector from the old to the new fan.
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I also changed the 80mm PSU fan from the original to another with 4 translucent blue LEDs.
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Part 4 - Cut the web
One of the important points of the mod was the draught-shaped spider web on one side. The design was marked out with permanent marker, then cut out.
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Part 5 - Handle Illumination
Next is the handle illumination, original guide here (needs translation). With the handles already disassembled, we drill wholes into the top side, be careful while drilling as errors may cause the handle to not re-attach correctly.
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Using double sided tape, set the LED lights into a line, ready to be attached to the case.
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Remove the protection of the tape and paste it into place.
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Cut the end of the LED as to not concentrate the light so much. Then cover with the glue to help fix the lights and produce an effect of scattering of light. Use a wrench to turn the LEDs. The key is to make all the cables positive and hence negatives will direct.
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Below you can see the outline by whether they have any doubt as making connections, remember that LEDs are welded resistance of 330ohm and van connected to the 5V molex connector.

The key location in a place accessible but discreet at the rear of the cabinet.

A sneak peak at the final product.
Part 6 - More Illumination
To reinforce the luminosity, at the bottom of the case were placed three high luminescence blue LEDs. One pointing down and the other two in the legs. They are isolated with termocontraible, they are covered silicone and are encapsulated in a translucent blue box (Tic-Tac Box), to achieve a better effect.
It was fixed to the case and the tips of LEDs to which were welded a male pin, which is the inner side of the cabinet which by two female connectors could easily connect and disconnect. The wiring came from a referral of feeding the LEDs handles, and thus are switched on and off everything as a whole.
Part 7- Graphic Mounting
On the exterior side without the lock, remove all the components and clean the metal with isopropyl alcohol. Get the poster sticker and cut it to shape with 1cm bleed (over), for bending. Cut the poster so the the mounting brackets can go through. Put the poster back on to make sure it will fit.
Once the metail is clean and poster is read, rest one of the edges of the poster on the case and remove the protection. Slowly remove the rest of te protection and place the sticker on the metal. If there are any air bubbles, use a pin or the ;
Once ready surface and the poster, rests one of the edges of the poster, after withdrawal of protection. is slowly withdrawing the rest of protecting and supporting the poster on the surface. When we're done, if there were any air bubbles will drop with the help of a pin or the tip of the cutter, double the edges inward.
Part 8 - Front Logo
On the front panel, make the number three in aluminum, and attach it to the reader in the top bay.
Part 9 - Top Spider
Next we cut a spider emblem out of aluminum and attach it to the top of the case.
Part 10 - Case Painting
The plastic coverings were painted in black colour and make a spider web design on them, first white then above this in silver color. We used some special permanent markers, then made a splash on the surface with the silver. (as seen in some previous pictures)
Part 11 - Optical Drive Coloring
The reader is painted red and underwent the dithering of the web following the exterior design. The reason for this change of color is to show that the duality is shown in the film Spiderman 3.
Part 12 - More Lights
There is a cathode blue bulg to highlight the inside better. The instensity controller is in a transparent brackelt.
Part 13 - USB Hub
There is a custom USB hub on the SpiderMac, giving it a USB port up front, next to the optical drive bay. The full tutorial is available here.
Part 13 - Step 1 - Disassemble an external USB hub.
Remove the hub from the casing and remove the weld from some of the ports.
Part 13 - Step 2 - Create your own USB board
Weld and wire your own USB board, with connections from the original USB hub.
Part 13 - Step 3 - Attach pieces to bracket.
Once you have the two boards, join them together and then place them on a custom PCI bracket.
Part 13 - Step 4 - Rewire the feed and 4th USB port
You'll want USB access from the front, so make a custom USB wire to go from the hub to the front of the case (with a whole drilled to accept the female USB port).
Run the USB hub's wire from the back of the Mac to the new PCI bracket.
Final Images

A sneak peak at the final product.
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Part 6 - More Illumination
To reinforce the luminosity, at the bottom of the case were placed three high luminescence blue LEDs. One pointing down and the other two in the legs. They are isolated with termocontraible, they are covered silicone and are encapsulated in a translucent blue box (Tic-Tac Box), to achieve a better effect.
It was fixed to the case and the tips of LEDs to which were welded a male pin, which is the inner side of the cabinet which by two female connectors could easily connect and disconnect. The wiring came from a referral of feeding the LEDs handles, and thus are switched on and off everything as a whole.
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Part 7- Graphic Mounting
On the exterior side without the lock, remove all the components and clean the metal with isopropyl alcohol. Get the poster sticker and cut it to shape with 1cm bleed (over), for bending. Cut the poster so the the mounting brackets can go through. Put the poster back on to make sure it will fit.
Once the metail is clean and poster is read, rest one of the edges of the poster on the case and remove the protection. Slowly remove the rest of te protection and place the sticker on the metal. If there are any air bubbles, use a pin or the ;
Once ready surface and the poster, rests one of the edges of the poster, after withdrawal of protection. is slowly withdrawing the rest of protecting and supporting the poster on the surface. When we're done, if there were any air bubbles will drop with the help of a pin or the tip of the cutter, double the edges inward.
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Part 8 - Front Logo
On the front panel, make the number three in aluminum, and attach it to the reader in the top bay.
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Part 9 - Top Spider
Next we cut a spider emblem out of aluminum and attach it to the top of the case.
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Part 10 - Case Painting
The plastic coverings were painted in black colour and make a spider web design on them, first white then above this in silver color. We used some special permanent markers, then made a splash on the surface with the silver. (as seen in some previous pictures)
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Part 11 - Optical Drive Coloring
The reader is painted red and underwent the dithering of the web following the exterior design. The reason for this change of color is to show that the duality is shown in the film Spiderman 3.
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Part 12 - More Lights
There is a cathode blue bulg to highlight the inside better. The instensity controller is in a transparent brackelt.
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There is a custom USB hub on the SpiderMac, giving it a USB port up front, next to the optical drive bay. The full tutorial is available here.
Part 13 - Step 1 - Disassemble an external USB hub.
Remove the hub from the casing and remove the weld from some of the ports.
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Part 13 - Step 2 - Create your own USB board
Weld and wire your own USB board, with connections from the original USB hub.
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Part 13 - Step 3 - Attach pieces to bracket.
Once you have the two boards, join them together and then place them on a custom PCI bracket.
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Part 13 - Step 4 - Rewire the feed and 4th USB port
You'll want USB access from the front, so make a custom USB wire to go from the hub to the front of the case (with a whole drilled to accept the female USB port).
Run the USB hub's wire from the back of the Mac to the new PCI bracket.
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Final Images
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Comments (5)
Nice mac mod! I agree with Kasm279, it makes the all-metallic G5 look bad. I feel sorry for it too. I want to mod my G4 Graphite tower just to add the blue lights on the tower and nothing else. I need help on that because i don't want to ruin my perfectly good G4 (i had it for a while now and i consider it my "lucky" mac computer. It has a 400Mhz powerPC G4, Mac OS X 10.5.8 Leopard (i used leoparda*sist), 2GB (yes 2GB!) of pc100 SDRAM and 2 40GB hard drives i don't want to do anything to it but just adding the lights. Also, if you ever come across a G4 cube, i would really like to see that get modded like that, with all of those nice blue lighting.
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