Re: [Pre-Pre-Pre Announce]Black Aluminium replacement body & backcover for N900
 

guylhem thanks for the link, ordered some to my collection :)

and there is a fuse in the USB, i know i blew mine when i was experimenting with an DIY battery powered charger and it was late at night and i did not check the polarity of the USB plug, i did not find a replacement fuse so i opted to use 2 strands of wire and soldered it in where i took the fuse out, and my USB have been working fine since then, but if i should experiment again i will check my connections 5 times....

Re: [Pre-Pre-Pre Announce]Black Aluminium replacement body & backcover for N900
 

I think your fuse is F5300 (2A) as mentionned in page 4 of the schematics. But I don't see if it is before or after J2061.

Any 2A SMD fuse should do (it may not be pretty, like too small or too big, but I don't have the part list so I can't check the reference)

$5 on ebay for 10:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/10pcs-Little...item4ab691b4e8

Re: [Pre-Pre-Pre Announce]Black Aluminium replacement body & backcover for N900
 

Those are too big, the problem i had was trying to find a small enough fuse, but it works now, nowhere near ideal, believe me i know, but it works.

And yes it was F5300

Re: [Pre-Pre-Pre Announce]Black Aluminium replacement body & backcover for N900
 

i'm interested in this. would love an update soon

Re: [Pre-Pre-Pre Announce]Black Aluminium replacement body & backcover for N900
 

Good job but battery for it?? 3000mah?? for example.

The small battery n900 is a big problem.

With gamming or wifi scaning faircrack or other things in two hours and little , batery empty

Good cover case but , battery is the problem forever.

The mugen is the best capacity but very expensive

Re: [Pre-Pre-Pre Announce]Black Aluminium replacement body & backcover for N900
 

NO the mugen is not the best, not even by a little bit, of course if you are thinking about the best capacity that you can buy then yes it is the best, but since i tested it i can say it is pure cr*p, really disappointing mAh (just over 2200mAh not even close to 2400mAh) and build quality is very questionable considering the HUGE price

Re: [Pre-Pre-Pre Announce]Black Aluminium replacement body & backcover for N900
 

I Think You're not aware of:
http://talk.maemo.org/showthread.php?t=65568
---

As for update - I'm quite busy recently, but slowly going ahead. I've received first, "testing" aluminum (not the one that will make final thing - current one is weaker and cheaper, just for testing purposes), but my Chinese CNC step motor driver - something like that:
http://www.aliexpress.com/product-gs...olesalers.html

...just burned out. No big deal, as I've expected it to happen (due to experience gained while building machine, I know that they're just wrong in design). I've immediately ordered self-made (by other DIY CNC user) *proper* driver board, that are known to work very well, and it should arrive soon.

I also promise to post some video/photos of machine working with new driver :)

/Estel

Re: [Pre-Pre-Pre Announce]Black Aluminium replacement body & backcover for N900
 

Do you think I could get a copy of your 3D model/drawings? I'm a machinist myself, and could probably make my own(I've got a real CNC mill at home, and access to a major production machine at work, plus $15K in software I can use in my off-hours.)
Also, I may be able to help - let me know.

Re: [Pre-Pre-Pre Announce]Black Aluminium replacement body & backcover for N900
 

Awesome!

I'm in, meaning: I'd also be interested in buying one.

Re: [Pre-Pre-Pre Announce]Black Aluminium replacement body & backcover for N900
 

Have you ever hear of the term SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY.

Re: [Pre-Pre-Pre Announce]Black Aluminium replacement body & backcover for N900
 

Of course, designs will be published into public domain, after I get to the point of having something, that produces feasible result after milling :p Maybe you or someone will be able to make valuable design improvements?

Re: [Pre-Pre-Pre Announce]Black Aluminium replacement body & backcover for N900
 

Can I have mine made from Reynolds 531 pls?

Re: [Pre-Pre-Pre Announce]Black Aluminium replacement body & backcover for N900
 

:p if You can get a "brick" of it for milling, why not? Or scavenge some 1960's Jaguar, parts of it were made from it.

Re: [Pre-Pre-Pre Announce]Black Aluminium replacement body & backcover for N900
 

Sorry if this has been mentioned before but I couldn't stop my urge for posting after having read the first four pages. :rolleyes:

In principle I'd be interested in the slim back cover version, but I have a suggestion for it:
As we all know the stock back cover is not flat because the camera is protruding about two millimeters. Long time ago I've been thinking that if one would have made the back cover flat a full-sized SD card might fit between standard battery and back cover. And with a very flat adapter it might be possible to connect an SD card sitting there to the microSD port.
If one can afford the bigger format full-sized SD cards only have advantages over microSD cards. They are cheaper, faster, have more storage capacity and hit the market earlier.
Of course as an all-thumber I'd still need someone else to build this tiny adapter for me. But I'd be optimistic to find someone if there were some drafts available.

Re: [Pre-Pre-Pre Announce]Black Aluminium replacement body & backcover for N900
 

It may be hard to fit everything on standard slim cover. It seems rather like idea for big cover, but, of course, I'll check possibilities.

/Estel

Re: [Pre-Pre-Pre Announce]Black Aluminium replacement body & backcover for N900
 

How about 4140? It'd be just as heavy, and probably as nice.
But, well, it'll be a brick either way.


------------
As far as anodizing goes, you can go two ways:
First, backyard anodizing - Easy to do with a 12V battery charger, plastic bowl, sulfuric acid, and a pan of Rit clothing dye for coloring the part. Works great, provided the part is clean and not corroded before it goes into the sulfuric acid.

Second, oxidizing/"cooking" the part - I've found, through extensive testing, that you can make your 60- and 70- series aluminums turn a light brown to almost black by simply dumping the part in a boiling pan of water for a couple of hours. With this method, the hotter the better - A pressure cooker would probably be the way to go, or use a pan, lid and weight.
It looks cool, is incredibly simple to do, and is worth a shot.

Re: [Pre-Pre-Pre Announce]Black Aluminium replacement body & backcover for N900
 

@Estel, How about a Auto-Expanding-Design..

1) it will stay inside normally when there is one Extra battery "Aligned Normally(0˚ with main battery)"(Total 2 Batteries)


2) it will slide out(both sides) a to accommodate Two Extra batteries "Aligned Perpendicularly(90˚ with main battery)"(Total 3 Batteries)

3) And will get back inside when you want to use one extra battery like in #1

4) This Arrangement will also hold the main Battery in place when No Extra Battery is used in Big cover i.e "(Total 1 Batteriy Only)


something like this:

Attachment 26285


http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/9...itionautoe.jpg
Transparent Render showing Design of Auto-Expanders


http://img818.imageshack.us/img818/9...itionautoe.jpg
Transparent Render showing How Auto-Expanders Accommodate 1 extra Battery in Normal mode(total 1 Batteries)


http://img706.imageshack.us/img706/9...itionautoe.jpg
Transparent Render showing How Auto-Expanders Accommodate 2 Extra Batteries(total 3 Batteries)


http://img829.imageshack.us/img829/9...itionautoe.jpg
Auto-Expander Inside when Normal (1 Extra Battery total 2)


http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/920...itionautoe.jpg
Auto-Expander Out when Extreme-Mode (2 Extra Battery total 3)


http://img685.imageshack.us/img685/9...itionautoe.jpg
Almost flat & Sleek along the Body when Not Used


http://img233.imageshack.us/img233/9...itionautoe.jpg
By IMMI.SHK at 2012-05-09


_____________



P.s. - @Estel, @dr_frost_dk
IMHO to make it possible.. we will be requiring a detachable extra battery circuit.. for comfortable using it in 1-Extra Battery Mode & 2-Extra Battery Mode or even No-Extra Battery Mode
the circuit can be shifted aside camera region leaving just "3 + 3" i.e. 6 Contact pins in Auto-Expanding-Bracket


GODbless :)

____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________

NOTE - THESE ARE NOT ESTEL'S DESIGN...
IF SOME(I HOPE NOT ALL:() OF YOU GUY'S "DONT LIKE IT/FIND IT UGLY/WEIRD/FAT/TANK;)"... THEN THE CREDIT GOES TO ME ;)

THEY ARE JUST TO EXPLAIN THE CONCEPT "THATS IT" :)

M SURE ESTEL'S ORIGINAL DESIGN R GOING TO BE MUCH BETTER AND SLEEK

CHEERS

Re: [Pre-Pre-Pre Announce]Black Aluminium replacement body & backcover for N900
 

That could work, and give the phone some nice extra gripping surface when being held.

However, wouldn't that introduce quite a bit of additional parts (holders + springs/clips to lock batteries in place) that wouldn't be as rugged as a simple back cover with a thick kickstand?

BTW, Estel, adding a bit of space to the plain cover for mods (touchstone, full SD cards?) sounds like a good idea. You can use some small protruding things about the thickness of 1 and a half SD card to make additional space and still hold the battery in place.

Side note, if we could ever find a way of interfacing other displays with N900 display controller, we could probably make a 4" or more N900 out of the current board.

The keyboard can probably be done like the Game Gripper - have plastic keys protruding to press the keys on the board, or make a separate board for the keyboard, with FN keys, etc. hooked up to (I2C? internal USB hub for extensions such as gyroscope etc?)

Re: [Pre-Pre-Pre Announce]Black Aluminium replacement body & backcover for N900
 

This thing is gona be huge

Re: [Pre-Pre-Pre Announce]Black Aluminium replacement body & backcover for N900
 

I would definitely take a full body replacement. I wouldn't want anything larger than the standard size battery case though, because size is an issue to me personally.

Re: [Pre-Pre-Pre Announce]Black Aluminium replacement body & backcover for N900
 

The triple battery could work, but more now on the subject on new cover/housing then im with Hurrian on the bigger screen accommodation, of course needs a new touch screen, and where to get a RES touchscreen that is as good as the N900's.

But for starters a new cover/housing is still where to start.

Re: [Pre-Pre-Pre Announce]Black Aluminium replacement body & backcover for N900
 

@immi.shk
Thanks a lot for Your work on 3D mock-ups, I really appreciate Your work. Idea itself could work, but I'm not sure if I would be able to design it, at the same time keeping price (= amount of work and parts needed) reasonable :p

I'll think about crazy things (like battery containing of two 18650 = 6000 mAh real capacity, and almost no additional thickness!) after finalizing something simpler first - like in first post + some ideas from this thread (I'm checking possibilities of allowing alternative charging + alternative USB, and things like big microSD card slot, mainly). If base ideas will become true, we can think about full craziness stuff :D

also, please remember, that first thing that is going to come, is "big" backcover, followed by "standard" size backcover (probably, quite quickly after big one, as it's not hard to re-design it into flat) - with all goodies like better kickstand, camera cover etc.

Then, full body replacement will need quite *much* more time before completion. First thing first - I'm sure experience gained with backcover will help in creating full body replacement, and the latter will help much in creating "Crazy things" in future :p

/Estel

Re: [Pre-Pre-Pre Announce]Black Aluminium replacement body & backcover for N900
 

Personally, I'd simply like to have an extended back cover with a slot in the side - Put a different(smaller) Nokia battery where the current one is, with a small board between it and the board contacts. Then you can run wires up to contacts in the extended back, which has a slide in battery... Which would then be hot-swappable, thanks to the secondary battery sitting in the original battery position.

Make sense?

Re: [Pre-Pre-Pre Announce]Black Aluminium replacement body & backcover for N900
 

http://goput.it/ujv.jpg
(10 characters)

Re: [Pre-Pre-Pre Announce]Black Aluminium replacement body & backcover for N900
 

Something to that effect, yeah.
As far as the 'door', I'd just leave it open, keep the battery in there with a sliding piece that goes over one corner of the back of the battery, and a spring on the camera-side to pop the battery out with the sliding piece pushed out of the way.

Re: [Pre-Pre-Pre Announce]Black Aluminium replacement body & backcover for N900
 

Another idea for the small version of the cover: It should be possible to put a little bit of money between the phone and the cover:

http://ihrkoenntmichalleamarschlecke...le_payment.jpg

Always having at least a little money with me saved me a lot of trouble in the past, when I forgot to take my purse with me (supermarket, running low on gas when riding the bike.... )

This is real mobile payment - although it's 2012!. Who needs NFC anyway? :-)

Re: [Pre-Pre-Pre Announce]Black Aluminium replacement body & backcover for N900
 

Just stumbled across this, fascinating, will def. be getting one, assuming you can meet demand :)
I've been thinking about tweaking the back-plate in my N9, so that it acts more like a real heat-sink.
But nothing as hard core as this..... :eek:
I've a keen interest in CNC/3d-print tech, but due to other interests/commitments, I just don't have the time/cash.
Any chance of an all aluminum enclosure for the N9 too in the future?

Re: [Pre-Pre-Pre Announce]Black Aluminium replacement body & backcover for N900
 

Sure thing, if I, by any chance, get my hand on N9 (which may be quite hard to achieve, as i don't plan to buy it, and stealing isn't an option :p). This way I've something to work on = I can design actual body replacement.

It's even possible, that I could design 2-part, easily opened body case with access to battery, instead of monoblock (although, don't quote me on this, as I actually haven't investigated N9's PCB layout).

/Estel

Re: [Pre-Pre-Pre Announce]Black Aluminium replacement body & backcover for N900
 

I had a suspicion you were going to be one of those N900 owners averse to Harmattan.
Oh well, maybe later in the year I or someone will offer a donation... ;)
Plenty of time, after all this project's only recently materialized for the N900.

Re: [Pre-Pre-Pre Announce]Black Aluminium replacement body & backcover for N900
 

For a full body design how about:

1) Getting rid of the slider and make the screen and keyboard in the same plane. Than the device will be wider, and you can also fit two normal batteries side by side 90 degrees turned. In this case the device can be both thinner and have bigger battery capacity. Maybe the screen can be even a few degrees tilted, in a fixed position. The device will not be so flat and fit better in pants with curvature of leg.

2) Or else on the same plane as the current battery is in, have two batteries side by side. Then device will have same thicness as current device but bigger battary capacity. But the body will be a little wider by 3 or 4 mm.

Edit: I would definately be interested in whatever you cook up ;)

Re: [Pre-Pre-Pre Announce]Black Aluminium replacement body & backcover for N900
 

Can you do a very thick aluminium full house replacement that would weight around 1kg, so I could use my N900 to violently knock knock people in their heads? It's a feature I have been wishing for so long, and one of the main reasons I bought it.

--

Joking aside, I am waiting to see how it will look. Not sure if I would buy one, it will depend on my financial condition and how Nokia "don'tCare" support.

Re: [Pre-Pre-Pre Announce]Black Aluminium replacement body & backcover for N900
 

Plan is to not touch screen housing + slider at all (it's already made of metal), which both make design much less complicated and less material is needed. While I appreciate ideas and I'm grateful for them, transforming N900 into not-slided thing is a no-go for me.
---

On latest news side - I've measured possibilities of having socket for two 18650 LiIons instead of flat batteries, and it would require only few mm more thickness than mugen cover, giving 6000 mAh of real capacity, in return. Probably not an option for bigger backcover only, but something to consider for full body replacement.

Do You imagine runtime on 6000 mAh?

/Estel

Re: [Pre-Pre-Pre Announce]Black Aluminium replacement body & backcover for N900
 

something like this: :)

although some wont like it but i love this design... clean/solid/to the point

& arrow keypad makes it kinda gaming device.. :)

Re: [Pre-Pre-Pre Announce]Black Aluminium replacement body & backcover for N900
 

Hi Estel,

nice one :)
i would like to have a slim-version replacemant with a real kickstand^^

im not really a hardware guy so may im speaking nonsense
but i thought it would be great to have somekind of Dockingstation for the N900

i would put 4 Emmerich NiMH Akku F 13000 mAh, ZLF 1.2 V and something like this PocketHUB Mini USB 2.0 Hub for power supply in it^^
it sould be enough power to load the internal battery
and u could use it to smash some people with it
because it would be more than 1 KG xD

greetings from germany
Hoga

Re: [Pre-Pre-Pre Announce]Black Aluminium replacement body & backcover for N900
 

With a full black body replacement, this can probably be done on the N900, if you're badass enough to solder on ribbon cables. Imagine FOUR of those 18650s and enough horizontal space for anything you want to mod.

I know it's not in the scope of this project, but when I get back to my desktop machine, I'll come up with a Photoshop concept.

Re: [Pre-Pre-Pre Announce]Black Aluminium replacement body & backcover for N900
 

Im all for the Dual 18650 Idea, then you can make (depending on $ you want to spend) battery up to 6000+mAh, get the cheap (but good ones) and you still rack up 4400mAh witch will give you a very long runtime.

Re: [Pre-Pre-Pre Announce]Black Aluminium replacement body & backcover for N900
 

<troll mode> Car battery mod FTW!!</troll mode>

Re: [Pre-Pre-Pre Announce]Black Aluminium replacement body & backcover for N900
 

Would you consider making it if I (or someone else) delivers the design (CAD) and is willing to cover the cost?

IMO the N900 is already very thick as it is, just need bigger battery capacity without adding thickness. Would this:

"2) Or else on the same plane as the current battery is in, have two batteries side by side. Then device will have same thicness as current device but bigger battary capacity. But the body will be a little wider by 3 or 4 mm."

be possible?

EDIT: What is this 18650 battery you are talking about?

Re: [Pre-Pre-Pre Announce]Black Aluminium replacement body & backcover for N900
 

Yes yes, something like that. :D The device would only be 78mm wide and could be 5 mm thinner. With DOUBLE the battery capacity.

Re: [Pre-Pre-Pre Announce]Black Aluminium replacement body & backcover for N900
 

Should last at least the whole day :D more like a week+...

Best thing about 18650 is they are standard size, easy to find, available with integrated protection circuit, good external chargers exist, etc. The best batteries (new Sanyo or Panasonic cell) are around $15 USD at the most. RC and flashlight hobby communities have already done lots of tests and research so good info about these batteries is easy to find.

18650 is a cylindrical lithium-ion cell (what is inside most laptop and R/C battery packs, electric cars, high-powered flashlights, etc.). Imagine same shape as an AA battery but about 30% longer and wider.