Network Cards Notebook

This is an easy one, but all your geeky friends will want it.

You need:
- two network cards (or something similar, a circuit board with a regular size)
- paper (the easy way is to cut an old notebook)
- a spiral (same as before)

Step 1: "Clean" the cards

First, dismantle all of the old cards, leaving only the printed circuit, and maybe the processor.

You can use a soldering iron for it.

Updated: In fact, I used the pliers, it's quicker.

Comments

[getgreg]

What's the best way to make the holes in the circuit board? I'd assume a drill would work but is there a better way?

[ctuck]

If you have a heavy-duty hole punch, you could try that too. If you use a drill, don't press down on the circuit board, they are brittle and you will need to eat away at it slowly and patiently.

[lafnbear]

An even easier way to pull something like this off: use a pre-made notebook about the size of the boards, and just glue the boards to the existing front & back (cardboard) covers of the notebook (no drilling!)...

[jaime9999]

The heavy circuit board will quickly cause the existing cardboard cover to break off the binding due to fatigue on its hole. It would be better to remove the existing covers and use them as a cutting/drilling template for your circuit board. Also answers's Doctor What's question of drill bit size-- whatever the existing covers used. FYI if you want to make these from scratch without cannibalizing existing notebooks, use a spiral-wire or plastic-spine binding machine (refer to a print shop, they have them).

[bwpatton1]

you could always..........stregnthen........ the paper. Laughing Maniacly................ (yah i know I cant spell)

[agis68]

I discover my wife's xmas gift....hehehehe Thanks

[alyandrea]

this idea could also work as dividers in one of those small daily planners (the kind with the rings that open) the shape of the edge reminded me of the tab dividers in mine

[magictoast]

At the risk of sounding ridiculously ignorant, is there a faster/easier way to remove and replace the spiral binding other than erm, removing or replacing it one hole at a time? Also, any tips on removing the spiral? Because I tried it once and the spiral got all warped and slightly twisted after that...

[brunoxyz]

someone gave me one of those _{they sell them at MOMA NY.. hah. made out of mac powerbookc circuit boards.}

not bad, though I would put it under a different category.

[Slushba132]

I don't want to be a flamer but what is it good for?

[stinsonk]

What?!? It's a notebook there are a million uses for a notebook...just has a much cooler cover. Maybe I'll build one to hold all of my project notes...or when I go to build another computer for a friend :P

[arkangel]

Absolutely for nothing, of course. But you can show it to your friends... =)

[Mingo]

i'd also remove anything that sticks up - such as the processor - if you put it into a backpack, pocket, etc., it tends to snag on the threads. it also scratches skin.

[Madrigorne]

If you're worried about lead poisoning yourself/your friends - use a spray varnish to seal the board over. I am already in the process of making a bunch of these in Santa's workshop this year. Seal them good and they should be okay, just don't chew on them. This is a form of recycling. WTG delaying the landfill on these. I am going to be making a bunch of Harddrive Clocks too.

[macmoritz]

nice! wanna have one, the weekends commin, i'll probably build one

[macmoritz]

I made one, very nice but so much work that I can't recommend to do it! The whole desoldering, making the edges smooth, drilling and so on took very very long.

[randofo]

I like for my notebooks to have high concentrations of lead! It helps me think.

[PerfectlySquare]

Doing some "heavy" thinking? If the paper was made in China, you've got a notebook whose toxicity reaches almost ninja-esqe proportions! :P Still, cool idea, and very creative...though i would like to see some studies done on any potential health risks to these materials. I've seen lots of clipboards made from PCB, and a wallet or two as well. I hope nobody runs around licking their clipboard/wallet/notebook!

[randofo]

The risk is pretty low of absorbing it through the skin or anything like that. But if you are constantly handling your notebook and then you do something like eat a slice of pizza or rub your eye without washing your hands, you run a very real chance of getting lead poisoning (assuming there is a lot of solder and components on the board).

[Doctor What]

I eat while i solder, and i havn't gotten lead poisoning yet, but i wonder, should i stop???

[randofo]

Yeah. Not a good idea.

[Doctor What]

oh, and that probly means no more soldering right before going to bed either....damn.

[PerfectlySquare]

Solder still tastes better than anchovies! :P

[Doctor What]

I'm in the middle of making this, and i was wondering, what size of drill bit should i use??

[kravikula]

nice once I made a Keychan with a freaking ol proccesor, alsso i double it sometime to comba my hair...

[Doctor What]

Awesome!!! I don't have any network cards, but i have some old super nintendo games (well the guts at least), and they seem to have a similar-ish design.

[Darkshot]

very cool project :)

[Patrik]

Hmm... now I want a notebook that will fit inside the empty PC Card slot in my laptop. AKA, "how to turn your bulky laptop into a notebook computer"... :D

[Patrik]

Kinda like this.

[Ohm]

Quite a few years ago I came upon a stack of old, compaqu pentium mother boards, with nothing on them just the bare traces and silk screening, they were extras or defective I can't remember. I did the exact same thing except I took an old binder spine and attached it to that and filled it with filler paper. I need to find that and fill it with engineering paper now :D Cool Instructable.

[DELETED_spoonty]

(removed by author or community request)

[arkangel]

Fixed. Thanks again.

[arkangel]

Ooops! The Google translator is... the Google translator =) My English isn't very good.

Thanks, I'll change it.

[bleachworthy]

Finally, a use for ISA cards!

[arkangel]

Yes, it is! :))