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THE PROBLEM:
There's rarely a safe and convenient place to put a portable external hard drive when using a laptop in a mobile, non-desk situation.
Example: You're working on your laptop and want to back up some files or work on some media that you have stored on an external drive. You pull it out of your bag and look around. If you're on a plane or train, at a coffee shop with a teensy-tiny bistro table, or lounging outside on a patio, you'll quickly realize there's no convenient place to put the external drive and be assured that while in operation it will be safe from liquid spills, getting whacked, or falling off of your lap or miniature workspace.
THE SOLUTION:
Adhesive-backed velcro strips.
THE CATCH?
A Geek Factor of 6/10 - This isn't for the fashion-conscious or those wishing to keep their laptop un-customized.
WHAT YOU NEED TO DO THIS:
# 15 minutes
# Velco or other brand hook-and-loop adhesive-backed fastener strips. (comes in rolls or pre-cut lengths)
# Paper towel or clean cloth.
# Scissors (with which to cut the velcro to size)
# Pencil (to mark and measure the velcro)
# Isopropyl Rubbing Alcohol or other grease-removing, residue-free cleaning agent.
# Portable External Hard Drive (or WiFi / wireless dongle, CD-Rom, tethered smartphone, etc)
# Laptop
New Material Cost: Under $10
There's rarely a safe and convenient place to put a portable external hard drive when using a laptop in a mobile, non-desk situation.
Example: You're working on your laptop and want to back up some files or work on some media that you have stored on an external drive. You pull it out of your bag and look around. If you're on a plane or train, at a coffee shop with a teensy-tiny bistro table, or lounging outside on a patio, you'll quickly realize there's no convenient place to put the external drive and be assured that while in operation it will be safe from liquid spills, getting whacked, or falling off of your lap or miniature workspace.
THE SOLUTION:
Adhesive-backed velcro strips.
THE CATCH?
A Geek Factor of 6/10 - This isn't for the fashion-conscious or those wishing to keep their laptop un-customized.
WHAT YOU NEED TO DO THIS:
# 15 minutes
# Velco or other brand hook-and-loop adhesive-backed fastener strips. (comes in rolls or pre-cut lengths)
# Paper towel or clean cloth.
# Scissors (with which to cut the velcro to size)
# Pencil (to mark and measure the velcro)
# Isopropyl Rubbing Alcohol or other grease-removing, residue-free cleaning agent.
# Portable External Hard Drive (or WiFi / wireless dongle, CD-Rom, tethered smartphone, etc)
# Laptop
New Material Cost: Under $10
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Signing UpStep 1Velcro Engineering (Or, Is My Hard Drive Safe?)
The first and most immediate concern: is velcro strong and reliable enough to hold an external drive and weather normal movement from the laptop without the risk of it falling off?
Short Answer: Yes.
The Long Answer: Hook-and-loop products are rated by 3 important characteristics: Pull-apart strength, shear strength, and cycle-life. The products also come in two main grades: consumer-grade and "industrial strength" or "mil-spec" (i.e. military spec, or other governing-body specified and regulated).
Pull-apart strength measures how much force per unit area of velcro it takes to separate two pieces straight apart from each other. This is usually anywhere from 0.8 - 2 psi for both versions.
Shear strength relates to how much it takes to "slide" the opposing velcro pieces apart. It typically varies from 6 - 10 psi for most.
Cycle-life determines how many times the pull-apart / stick-back-together operation can be performed before the holding strength of the velcro degrades to 50% of its initial value.
This is where there is the biggest distinction between the two types. Consumer-grade velcro that can be purchased from any number of general hardware and goods retailers usually has a cycle-life of a few hundred. Mil-spec has a cycle-life ranging into the several thousands.
Some quick numbers:
Discussed further in Steps 3 and 6, I chose to have two strips of velco on the hard-drive intersect perpendicularly with two strips on the laptop.
Thus, there are 4 points of contact between the hard-drive body and laptop, and given 5/8" wide velcro strips, the total area of velcro contact is 1.56 in^2. Taking the lowest strength values (0.8 psi pull-apart, and 6 psi shear), this amount of velcro is therefore capable of withstanding 1.25 lbs of pull-apart force, and 9.3 lbs in the vertical, shear direction.
Most 2.5" portable external hard drives weight about 0.25 lb. This means that in the pull-apart direction, the HDD could withstand 5 G's of acceleration before pulling off, and up to 37 G's before shearing off in the vertical direction.
Likely, for your HDD and laptop to experience those accelerations, it would only occur when they slammed on the floor after having been dropped from a height of several feet. Normal use and fidgeting shouldn't be nearly enough to separate them.
The Usual Disclaimer:
Use your common sense when approaching this project. I've calculated and real-world tested using the above specs; they're solid. If in your own application of this 'ible you deviate significantly from the given advice by using too little velcro or attempt to attach an abnormally heavy hard-drive or peripheral, you are responsible for what may come of it.
Short Answer: Yes.
The Long Answer: Hook-and-loop products are rated by 3 important characteristics: Pull-apart strength, shear strength, and cycle-life. The products also come in two main grades: consumer-grade and "industrial strength" or "mil-spec" (i.e. military spec, or other governing-body specified and regulated).
Pull-apart strength measures how much force per unit area of velcro it takes to separate two pieces straight apart from each other. This is usually anywhere from 0.8 - 2 psi for both versions.
Shear strength relates to how much it takes to "slide" the opposing velcro pieces apart. It typically varies from 6 - 10 psi for most.
Cycle-life determines how many times the pull-apart / stick-back-together operation can be performed before the holding strength of the velcro degrades to 50% of its initial value.
This is where there is the biggest distinction between the two types. Consumer-grade velcro that can be purchased from any number of general hardware and goods retailers usually has a cycle-life of a few hundred. Mil-spec has a cycle-life ranging into the several thousands.
Some quick numbers:
Discussed further in Steps 3 and 6, I chose to have two strips of velco on the hard-drive intersect perpendicularly with two strips on the laptop.
Thus, there are 4 points of contact between the hard-drive body and laptop, and given 5/8" wide velcro strips, the total area of velcro contact is 1.56 in^2. Taking the lowest strength values (0.8 psi pull-apart, and 6 psi shear), this amount of velcro is therefore capable of withstanding 1.25 lbs of pull-apart force, and 9.3 lbs in the vertical, shear direction.
Most 2.5" portable external hard drives weight about 0.25 lb. This means that in the pull-apart direction, the HDD could withstand 5 G's of acceleration before pulling off, and up to 37 G's before shearing off in the vertical direction.
Likely, for your HDD and laptop to experience those accelerations, it would only occur when they slammed on the floor after having been dropped from a height of several feet. Normal use and fidgeting shouldn't be nearly enough to separate them.
The Usual Disclaimer:
Use your common sense when approaching this project. I've calculated and real-world tested using the above specs; they're solid. If in your own application of this 'ible you deviate significantly from the given advice by using too little velcro or attempt to attach an abnormally heavy hard-drive or peripheral, you are responsible for what may come of it.
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www.instructables.com/id/Organize-USB-devices-with-laptop-utility-skin-for-/step5/New-and-improved-laptop-utility-skin-organizes-lig/
The only heat issue is from the usb devices: EHD, data card and usb hub. Not the monitor.
The hook-side skin adhesive underneath the devices may slightly pull-away when hot.
Especially if the device surface area is small and "always-on".
Thanks.
thank you for sharing the details
www.sleektablets.com
This is a neat concept, however the drives can be less stable while mounted to the screen, now, I do understand that you calculated that this would be safe. However mounting the drives like that could shorten their life cycle. I myself use an SSD in my laptop, because I'm a little parinoid and, more importantly, because I got it for free. Anywho this is still a good idea.
***
"the drives can be less stable while mounted to the screen."
"However, mounting the drives like that could shorten their life cycle."
I ask because short of having some specific physics/specs to respond to, I can only reply that there seems to be a general amount of misapprehension in computing culture at large regarding the ruggedness of modern mobile HDD - probably a perception carryover from failed HDD of yore that had much older, less robust actuator and head-parking designs.
Current 2.5" HDD are spec'd to operate both in vertical and horizontal orientations and the vast majority of them have shock and vibration ratings that are pretty difficult to exceed in any general situation, including any accelerations one might encounter in this configuration from adjusting the laptop screen. In many instances dropping them isn't even enough to cause failure, but I wouldn't recommend testing that :)
Most of the safety recommendations I proffer in this Instructable are taking a conservative stance in most respects, and in truth one could probably ignore them and still be relatively risk-free, but I'd prefer that things have an additional built-in factor of safety. Of course, it in the end it will always come down to one's own comfort level as far as choosing whether to do this project or not, but I can assure that at least according to the numbers and physics involved there's not any more risk here (and quite possibly, there's less) in comparison to traditional use as an external HDD or within a laptop. Many thanks for commenting!
I was referring to older HDDs, I also wasnt aware that newer mobile HDDs were as robust. by my first statement i meant, a weaker scrren might not be able to support the extra weight. and the seccond statement...that was answered by my first sentence.
Great Idea.
To keep the hooks on the External Hard Drive from collecting lint and other foreign material when not in use cut 2 additional strips of loop material and put them on the E.H.D.If the Hard Disk (Moving Parts type not SSD) is dropped with the Gravity, then the Head Pre-Amplifier IC will not work and the HDD will do a clicking noise and the HDD will not even detect.
RISK: DO NOT ATTEMPT TO DO THIS INSTRUCTABLE.
I just bought a drive and enclosure for newEgg and Both have shock ratings.
I bought the drive to clone my laptop and upgrade it. I will take my old one and try this.
As for dollar store hook and loop, why not splurge a little and buy the 3M stuff used for sticking you pass to the windshield. I do not think it will let go under any circumstance.
In Step One I calculated the strength of the velcro. It is sufficient to hold the HDD up to 5 G-Forces. There is very little risk in completing this project. Instead, it may actually help people to prevent dropping their HDD.
The reason I do this to the Macbook Pro in question is because this is my work computer. When I want it to be "my" computer, I attach the external hard drive and boot from that. I have a script that unmounts the internal hard drive... therefore keeping my work environment separate from my home environment.
I attach and remove the hard drive EVERY day and have done so for over two years with no problems.
To be frank, I've worked on and around laptops for more than 12 years. I've never once encountered an issue related to complete wear-through of the grounding foil. Busted hinges? Plenty of them, though as an aside even that's become much less frequent these days.
Most laptops that I've seen the innards of within the past half-dozen years have either abandoned the "full sheet" grounding foil in lieu of smaller strips of edging foil, or have introduced foam pad points to inhibit the rubbing that you suggest. These contemporary design features would alone be enough to prevent any velcro-related action from wearing through the foil.
Beyond that, however, prior to commenting you might not have had the chance to read that in step 6 of the instructable I recommend that the HDD is best placed close to the hinge and edge, thereby distributing any related forces directly to the case edging - and thus the screen mounting brackets rather than the back of the lcd panel. My own tests on a couple of different laptops indicate that this essentially eliminates any flexing of the back panel casing, in contrast to if the HDD was placed in the weak center. This conclusion, combined with the aforementioned design factors, makes it difficult for me to find it realistic that increased foil wear will result from this hack. Many thanks for taking the time to comment!
I too refurbish PCs and laptops. I run into broken hinges, coffee spilled into keyboards, cold solder joints, crashed hard drives, and dropped/broken laptop screens wayyy more often than the worn-thru backplanes Alpha1040 is warning us about... It may have been a risk in the past, but not in 2010.
What I *have* seen are damaged laptop USB ports, when a book (or some other heavy object) fell over onto a "thumb drive"/flash memory sticking straight out from the edge of the laptop.
Instead of plugging USB "stick" peripherals directly into the laptop, I recommend users connect USB wireless peripherals via a very short (6") right-angle USB extension cable. This substantially reduces the risk of damage to the laptop's USB port, and attaching the USB device to the back of the screen using your Velcro solution makes the installation nearly damage-proof.
The question is: Why haven't manufacturer's figured this out yet?
Thanks for your great Instructable!
Also, it just made me realize this could be a useful solution for anyone tethering their smart phone as a modem. That way, it wouldn't be so inconvenient to tether through USB, and battery life can be spared by not having to connect via bluetooth in order to be able place the phone somewhere convenient as well as with good reception.
It's actually gracious comments like yours that make it all worth while. Thanks!
And, for what it's worth, I'm a big "Conspiracy" fan (even when the "conspiracy" can be traced directly to the level of the Human Genome...)
Point: => I think the laptop/USB designers just don't give a sh*t... their firms are actually driven (and perhaps as it oughta be) by the Marketing Suits.
Recommend you start scoping out your next laptop... the mechanical weakness of the USB peripherals probably wont be fixed in my lifetime.
;~)
Unfortunately, even the right angle replacements are a little wide to provide sufficient safety. What they need is a plug roughly the size of Bluetooth adapter 'nubs' that has an immediate right-angle turn out of which the cable exits.
As for your comment re "3rd Grade Handle on Physics".... I think you seriously undervalue that "handle" when you describe it so casually:
Sadly, I suspect that "handle" can't really be "taught".
As proof, I'll bet you were taking apart devices at a young age... playing at "Physics" long before you actually "learned" it in Physics 101.
Either you've "got" it, or you don't, like a musician with Perfect Pitch.
That's just my 2 cents...
I once used two lengths (1.20m ea) of the soft velcro siding underneath the rear of my desk and then used the hook siding in short parts for strapping cables to the underside of the desk.
An easily adjustable cable tidy. Also, because the "fuzzy" strip was about 5cm wide, I could stick my router under the desk too.
easy ...
thank
Solution? If you live in a hot climate, superglue should be fine to glue a velcro patch in place permanently. But instead, decided to superglue the actual usb extension cable itself, leaving the dongle poking out the top where reception works a little better and keeping it a bit cooler.