Added a window to my router. Update: DONE!!!

[Josho]

I have a spare Sky Netgear router, and I'm thinking of Dremmeling out a shape and placing some CD case plexiglas in it. Then maybe some LEDs. Just bored LOL.

Probably Orange LEDs, cuz I have loads spare and don't really use them. What do you guys think?

I've got grinding cut off wheels and a metal saw blade, what would be best used on plastic? Which would give a nice finish, afterward I'm going to sand it obviously. Should I go over it once, indenting it then pierce, or pierce then cut?

What do you think?

Thanks, Josh.

Look below for the pics, post directly below was process a few posts after is some process some pics of the final piece.

[Josho]

**UPDATE**

I used a "Rotary tool" with a mini sawblade to start. I pierced and sortof half cut half scored it then went all round.

I had a little trouble with melting, but it was fine, I decided to go in the opposite direction of the cutting, I.E the blade is spinning clockwise to the right, and I was cutting to the left, so it didn't spin out.

Pics:

The router, marked out:



"Rotary tool" LOL fake Dremel (can't afford + buy DS) with saw blade (a little blurred, sorry):



Router taken apart:



FIRST CUT! (notice I'm not going to the edge):



Cutting:




Other side:



Out!:



File I'm using to smooth:



I knocked the fake Dremel on while it was on the floor and grabbed the grinding tip I put in it, burned my hand and then it was spinning out and dropped, snapped a useless clip and caught the router with the griding tip, it's marked, not too bad:



That's how far I got. I'm smoothing it with a file, I'm going to use a bigger one for smoother results.

Anyone know a better way? I'll try sandpaper in the morning, I'll carry on filing it in bed.

[l0rdnic0]

Have you seen this? https://www.acidmods.com/forum/index.php?topic=13064.msg99740#msg99740

As far as sanding, I would suggest you take a piece of wood about an inch in width and wrap sand paper around it, or your file for that matter and then sand away.  I would have suggested a different tool to cut with, that would have kept down the melting plastic.

[Reaper]

Have you seen this? https://www.acidmods.com/forum/index.php?topic=13064.msg99740#msg99740
I would have suggested a different tool to cut with, that would have kept down the melting plastic.

Yeah, I would have cut the hole about a 1/4 inch to small all the way around and used a file or sand paper to open it all the way.  Keep updating this though 

[Josho]

Well, I'm going to continue it when I get off the computer. Gonna get the LED power straight from the power in, cuz it's 12v and I have 12v resistors. Would like to change the panel LEDs too, but they're 0603 and I have a 180w soldering iron, so it'd burn them staight. I might try with my 40w if I turn it down a little and buy some LEDs, because I want some for when I buy my DS to mod.

I'll deffinatly finish it, but I'll be taking the WiFi antenna connector off for my brothers DS and I'll buy a new one. I lost my star screw driver so it was half open anyway and I lost the acrylic trim, so if it looks nice, I'll take the trim and the screws off my other newer router and put it on this one.

The reason I have two is, I got the one I'm modding off my ISP for free, then it broke and I couldn't fix it with software, so I got another one off them, and then opened this one up, the WiFi card had come loose. I didn't want to open it as it was under warrenty, but as they sent me a new one, I didn't care. Warrenty's gone now. This one is better though cause I flashed the fimware and removed the standard ISP one is gone, so I can use it on whatever ISP I want and I can change the user + pass. And I extended the range.

Will get on with it, should be done tomorrow.

Cheers, Josh.

[Josho]

 

Right, I sanded it smooth with sandpaper, then I soldered the LEDs on.

I was gonna solder directly to this:


But one the solder wouldn't stick even with paste, and it's in the wrong location really, so I soldered here:



The three pins you can see to the left, the one at the back is positive and the other two are ground.

Used soldering iron, paste and 60/40 solder:



Soldered a resistor onto the positive:



Then using some 28AWG wire from an old IDE cable:



I soldered a strand on the resistor:



Right, from now on I didn't have the phone so I couldn't take pics, and I just wanted to get it finished.

I took off the wire cause I didn't need it, soldered it onto the ground, soldered two green LEDs in serial to the ground and positive.

I then soldered another resistor to the positive to a wire then to two blue LEDs in serial, soldered the ground.

Then I sliced up a CD case and hot glues it in place.

Then I got an old ATi Radeon heatsink and tryed putting it on the CPU, but it didn't fit closed, so I dremelled off one strip.

Then it fit so I put some heatsink compound on it, then glued it in place.

Goodness me it gets hot!

PICS!:

Front:


From above, notice "Graphics by ATi Radeon" LOL!


Cover photo:

 
Back:


Teh sex!:


Maybe one day I'll change the colour of the LEDs, and notice I stole the acryllic trim from my other router.

I want to change the front panel LEDs maybe to red and white, maybe multi colours, but SMDs are expensive. Sorry for pic quality, the focus on the N95 is awful, you have to "trick" it into focusing properly   .

NEXT VICTIM: Fon router, lol!

Cheers guys!

P.S, Yeah, I said colour, I'm from England, Kent!

[ifrgtmyname]

I was a bit sceptical looking at the development pics earlier on but i must admit this looks awesome! good work

[Josho]

Thanks, first ever project like this, never used plexiglas and never cut a window. I know my cuts aren't 100% accurate, and that annoys me  , but practise makes perfect. And the dremel hit the case a couple of times accidently, so eh.

But thanks! 

[Ch4rL13]

looks very profesional mate
i like it

[Skullmaster]

cool. I'm gonna cut a window in my router (which is just like your router) but I cant get the guts to throw it in my laser engraver...

[folklord36]

wow ya from wip pics i thougt it would be ugly but you proved me wrong good job and the radeon heatsink and leds make the final touch to make it look nice inspite of the uneven lines it is still verry cool good job

[Josho]

Thanks guys, the heatsink is on a little wonky but it wont fit otherwise, so I have to live with it. Looking back it did look ugly from the first pics, but I'm quite pleased about it.


I might get some 8-10mm plexiglas and take apart my old Belkin router, the chip in that is so flat, and the router casing is massively oversized. I could make a fully clear router, if I get 10mm I could place a fan in it, flush with the plexiglas. That would be cool.

I might draw up a design.

Wondering what to do to my FON, I might solder on a serial port and put DD-WRT firmware on it.

I'd love to put a window in that, then get someone good at etching to etch FON on it, then with orange LEDs it'd look cool. Maybe if I get our engraving machine set up, I could make a template.

[ProperBritish]

Ive done something like this to my calculator. Yes, my calculator. It always gets odd looks in exam rooms xD

[DarkHawken]

Wow that looks great, and your from Kent!! me too   

[budgray19]

looks very cool
and must have looked cool begin with
but either way its just a router LOL
good job man

[Josho]

Ive done something like this to my calculator. Yes, my calculator. It always gets odd looks in exam rooms xD

Calculator? AWESOME! Take some pics, I wanna see that, lol!

cool. I'm gonna cut a window in my router (which is just like your router) but I cant get the guts to throw it in my laser engraver...

Lol, do you have a spare one? I only did it cause it's spare, cause if I broke it my family would not be amused. 

Thanks for the responces!

[Skullmaster]

No spare, thats why I am warry about lasering it

[ra1n]

way cool, i might try it and maybe add a fan in it... not sure though

[Ch4rL13]

a fan!! great idea lol
thx ra1n

hey josh, is that plastic or what material is it?

[tmandt]

hey i need the torx screwdriver but iono which it is. can you send me a pm to the link you bought it from? i just got an extra router and i wanna mod it

[ra1n]

a fan!! great idea lol
thx ra1n

i got it from nico's router