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Not really a mod specifically for the Eee but I thought maybe someone in the boards could use one so I posted this nonetheless.
Not that I'm a cheapskate or something, but since the likelihood of getting one of these is almost impossible at the moment, e.g., not yet released, won't ship in our corner of the earth, etc., I decided to make one myself out of available materials.
For the casing, I thought of using Lego. I didn't expect the connectors would fit the Lego piece. It's a perfect fit! The usb connectors were the ones I removed from the flash drives and hub I used to mod my Eee.
Materials:
1 2x4 Lego piece (I know either white or black is better but this is the only color I have 
)
1 male usb plug
1 female usb connector
Tools:
1. sharp wire cutter
2. hobby knife
Procedures:
(see pictures below)
I knew I could make use of those connectors someday! 
Later I'll add the wires and fix the connectors to the casing using epoxy putty/clay.
Last edited by adrktemplar (2008-02-23 1:00:49 pm)
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very ingenious! And with the Lego's popularity, I bet there are a lot of people that would buy it as well!
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Thanks gospeed. Those Lego bricks are really very useful. I've used them more than a couple times already as materials for projects which they're not intended for! LOL!
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Love it
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thats so awesome. I vote for the most cheap and innovative mod yet!
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thats so awesome. I vote for the most cheap and innovative mod yet!
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tadada wrote:
I would like to see the wiring too.
And the great thing is that its easy to build.
(I got the legos... now I gotta find the plugs. wanna make one because I can.)
Great Job.
Agreed!
Nice looking, unique & very functional!
Really streamlines it somewhat.
Now you've got me wondering how to make it even thinner! Great idea & a wonderful execution!
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Thanks guys!
@last
I checked on the piece and I thought of shaving off the pegs (or whatever they call it) to make it thinner. But judging from the construction of the Lego piece, holes would show up if I shave it off. Definitely uglier than how it looks now.
More in-progress pics...
With the wires soldered:
Placed back inside the Lego housing:
It works!
Now, I'm off for some pearl white spraypaint...
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Excellent Idea! I wish I had come up with this idea first. I'm gonna make one too now though mine will go on the left side and will point in the opposite direction (covering the modem and lan ports since I don't use them anyway). On the right side it interferes with the card reader and it appears to cover the other USB port (or maybe my eyes are deceiving me). Is it plugged into the USB beside the VGA port? And if so, is it because the EEE gets thinner closer to the card reader and the USB cable doesn't sit flush with the bottom of the EEE? That's what I'm thinking but please correct me if I'm wrong.
Last edited by deftone (2008-02-24 2:12:44 am)
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adrktemplar wrote:
Thanks guys!
@last
I checked on the piece and I thought of shaving off the pegs (or whatever they call it) to make it thinner. But judging from the construction of the Lego piece, holes would show up if I shave it off. Definitely uglier than how it looks now.
Why would you want to make it look like anything other than a lego brick? Part of what makes this mod so cool is that it involves Lego!
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Yes deftone, you are absolutely right. The connector, with this orientation, when attached to the left side will point towards the back of the Eee, effectively covering the modem and LAN ports. I find that I use the earphone jack more often than getting the SD card in/out so this orientation is best for me. That's the beauty of this elbow connector design -- you get to customize yours.
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deftone wrote:
adrktemplar wrote:
Thanks guys!
@last
I checked on the piece and I thought of shaving off the pegs (or whatever they call it) to make it thinner. But judging from the construction of the Lego piece, holes would show up if I shave it off. Definitely uglier than how it looks now.Why would you want to make it look like anything other than a lego brick? Part of what makes this mod so cool is that it involves Lego!
If you ask me, I'll leave it that way. I only answered atlast's post.
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Nice work adrktemplar, very innovative. Lego rules
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It's nice that the USB female (socket) is exactly the right width to fit inside a LEGO brick.
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I agree the Lego itself is a novel idea!
Was only wondering how it could be made slimmer, but after reviewing the pics again more closely, I wouldn't change a thing!
I said it before & I'll say it again. Most Excellent Mod!
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@adrktemplar
man thats reeeeallly cool and megacute ... you can even stick some lego figures on is 
if you plan on expanding this hack, you'd better get the patent for the adrktemplar-lego-hub
imagine a hub where you can expand as many ports as you like, just by legoing another brick on it ... no more mess, just one lego usb bar at the size you want
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Hmmmm..
<---- calls patent office 
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spray paint the lego white (or use a white one) and its perfect!!
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this is such a cool idea, just made one for my eeepc 
filled up the empty space of the lego block with cement glue and then cut a piece of plastic to cover it all up, very happy with the results, once again great idea
Last edited by enterprise (2008-02-25 4:02:36 am)
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metachuh wrote:
if you plan on expanding this hack, you'd better get the patent for the adrktemplar-lego-hub
imagine a hub where you can expand as many ports as you like, just by legoing another brick on it ... no more mess, just one lego usb bar at the size you want
Actually, I'm expanding this idea to a Lego hub. I'm still in the conceptualization phase. (wow sounded like a true designer LOL!) My roadblock is the Lego brick's limited space itself. I can't cram a USB chip and PCB in it. But that's for another thread and perhaps another forum.
@enterprise
I see this is your post! This thread not only urged you to do your own Lego elbow connector but sign-up and post to the boards as well. I'm glad I helped somehow. Welcome to boards!
BTW, nice job on your connector! I'm still in the hunt for a matching pearl white paint for mine.
Last edited by adrktemplar (2008-02-25 4:38:26 am)
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@enterprise
(verybiggrin) .... that's also a form of sticking some lego figures on it
nice work (i mean the figures, not the plug .. hehehe)
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For the parts, if anyone cares,
You can either buy a USB Type A extender cable, and cut the connectors off.
Ebay has some for under $2
Or buy the male/female plugs seperatly.
Female: http://search.digikey.com/scripts/DkSea … 51-1123-ND
Going to try it with a a white lego brick...have to buy some bricks first.
My own lego's have long been gone
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This idea of combining Lego and a USB hub to make an expandable hub, is pure genius!
I wonder how long until some company steals that idea and runs with it... A patent isn't such a bad idea.
Gord
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