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PCB Binder

PCB Binder
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  • PIC_0125.JPG
  • PIC_0124.JPG
So you like to take stuff apart and salvage stuff?! What do you do with those PCB boards after you take stuff off of them?

Well i made a Binder... its quite heavier than a regular binder, but its also stronger and looks kind of cool.

For this project i used the following materials

Tools:
Pliers
Wire Cutters
a Knife *
soldering iron
screw driver
a "dremel tool"
a paintbrush (mainly for cleanup or dust-off work)

Materials:
PCB boards **
a Regular cheap Binder (if its used even better, free stuff rocks!... make sure it still works tho)
2 Screws with their nuts (around 0.5" long)
Contact cement ***
a sheet of foam ***
a bunch of jump rings (small rings used mainly to make Charm Bracelets)

*necessary to cut foam and pry stuff off your PCB, anything that does this job will do
** as big as you can get em, for this project you will need at least 2 sheets (11.5 " x 10.25") and 1 (11.5" x 1") minimum
*** Optional but you may decide to use Them in the end (it protects the back of your notes and also gives a padded support)

I have been asked where did i get those huge PCB's here is my response: (if you know the name or kind of the equipment im talking about please comment, so others know where to look :)

Well im not sure what it was, there were 2 huge metallic boxes (the kind you put on a rack thing) On the front one reads " COGNEX 2000 vision systems" the other one reads "Turbo HR+ ESI vision products" on the back both have around 4 camera outputs and the second one also has some serial ports marked "SIO"
i found this picture of one of the PCB sources
Box 1

i assumed they were some part of a closed circuit "surveillance system"... basically when they throw away stuff at the electronics department @ school they let us take what we want XD

UPDATE!!! googfan said he found some Server PCB's that are quite large, hope it helps

SAFETY FIRST! please! when using a cutting tool, or when you are prying things off your board wear eye protection, and cover your nose, i don't think PCB "sawdust" or solder fumes are good for your health, also i had a few close calls before i decided i HAD TO use the glasses
 
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Step 1Design

Design
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  • Binder holes.JPG
  • Binder outside.JPG
This step is important if you want the end result to look cool.

First of all measure your Old/Cheap Binder, you will need to know the size of each panel (from now on i will call them Front, Side and Back panel) as well as the placement of the "clamp" (thanx to technodude92) when i say placement i mean to check the location of the bolts that hold it to the back panel or side panel (depending on the binder you want to make)

i wanted to make it bigger

cheap/free old binder
front and back: 11.5" X 10.25"
side: 11.5" X 1.5"

My Binder:
front and back 12.5" X 10.5"
Side 12.5" X 1 5/8"

while you are measuring consider how the board looks, is there a component that stands out?, would it look better as a side panel or front panel? if i cut it this way this component has to be desoldered or cut in half?... be creative
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106 comments
1-40 of 106next »
Nov 13, 2009. 11:12 AMWin7Maniac says:
 Holy crap, what's that front panel from!?!? Even a mobo doesn't have that many IC's!! I gotta get myself one of those!

Awesome project, great idea. I love it.
Sep 27, 2009. 1:27 PMalex7street47 says:
Your little yellow BATTRAY would LEAK soon or later.... and damage your other stuff, papers, boards ....u should take it off, this one.
Sep 30, 2009. 8:07 AMalex7street47 says:
seal it off by resin-paint, maybe it ok. dont forget to seal the tiny trought-hole also....but these rust could crowl bellow green-resin of copperline. ive seen it before, just check your oldy abandoned board if u wanna be sure of. M/B manufacture might aware of it, and replace it with button Batteries. ;otherwise use button Batteries as replacement. u could add a flip-flop activated by a switch, it would glow when the book being token from it places or being opened... if u good on microcontroller like atmega128 + tiny wires + smd stuff(took it from your abandon boards), u could do more with it... ;) Lot of Love dude. u are creative. i like your idea.
Aug 29, 2008. 2:09 PMwyzm45ter says:
awesome dude. if I made one of these I'd be the king of my class. great instructable
Oct 4, 2008. 1:42 PMgrampafish says:
I made one out of 3 computer mother boards.
Oct 11, 2008. 5:22 AMgrampafish says:
(removed by author or community request)
Oct 11, 2008. 5:25 AMgrampafish says:
sorry for the blurry pics. picture taken with cellphone camera.
Dec 1, 2008. 4:37 PMgrampafish says:
thanks the colored tabs on the side are dividers. Im actually going to use this for my technology class
Feb 13, 2009. 8:47 PMMrL33TPenguin says:
where did you get that big of a motherboard? mine is smaller then regular size paper (A4)
Mar 9, 2009. 4:22 AMgrampafish says:
mine was a pentium 1. they have big boards
Mar 13, 2009. 11:13 PMMrL33TPenguin says:
oh, thanks man
Mar 2, 2009. 8:27 PMShane1163 says:
lol that looks cool! I had a bunch of old server boards but then I ripped out some of the ICs and sold the boards to the scrap yard!
Dec 30, 2008. 6:49 PMAdamMunich says:
I came across 3 server pcbs that are twice as big as what he's got.
Jan 13, 2009. 5:50 PMjuse says:
Commercial PCB shops use strychnine during the fabrication process, so BE CAREFUL !!! Wash those hands. Also, FR4 is the most common material and it is fiberglass, so the dust from it will mess you up as well. Personally I would stay away from cutting up PCBs. It's not worth it for something that will probably be tossed in a few years anyway.
Sep 11, 2008. 8:09 PMmunchman says:
I love this. I just need to find some big PCB's
Oct 11, 2008. 5:38 AMgrampafish says:
use computer motherboards. they work well
Nov 12, 2008. 6:53 PM2fst4u says:
no they dont, they are smaller than a4
Dec 1, 2008. 4:38 PMgrampafish says:
look at my pics
Aug 31, 2008. 4:15 AMzupperzipper says:
It would be cool if you would add LEDs and a small battery , it so it looks like the circuit-board is still "alive"
Sep 19, 2008. 3:45 PMLOOK!!! something shiny!....ZAP!! says:
I decided to do something like that for my digital electronics class. I will use a couple of old computer motherboards, some LED's, and a cold cathode tube as well. Im really into this kind of stuff and its really funny to see the other kids reactions to flashing objects. I was also thinking of wiring a small pair of speakers that I could hook my MP3 player up to.....
Aug 28, 2008. 2:21 AMNotbob says:
I once made a small note pad-ish book with a cover like this. Even after stripping off the majority of the things that would catch on other thing, I still find it catching on thing stuff. Any suggestions on how i could fix this, As I don't want to remove everything from the board.
Aug 31, 2008. 3:15 AMhcold says:
It's probably also a bad idea to sand it, because if it is lead residue, you'd be breathing fun lead fumes into your lungs.
Aug 31, 2008. 4:20 AMNotbob says:
Mmmmmm.... lead dust....mmmmmm.... I'm rather sure it would be lead dust you would breath in, unless you were melting it smooth.. I would think that all you would need to do would be wear a respirator to filter out the dust.
Aug 31, 2008. 11:55 AMApplejacks says:
lol I accidentally ate some lead pellet gun ammo and I'm still perfectly normal....Maybe
Aug 31, 2008. 1:28 PMNotbob says:
lead only affects a developing brain in small amounts......
Sep 17, 2008. 9:39 PMfishyfish777 says:
PCB smoke, don't breathe this!
Sep 19, 2008. 3:41 PMLOOK!!! something shiny!....ZAP!! says:
Will it blend? That is the question....da da daa da daa
Aug 30, 2008. 3:10 AMNotbob says:
the only epoxy that i can find doesnt dry clear unfortunetly...
Aug 28, 2008. 5:43 PM____Phi____ says:
Maybe before assembly / drilling, you could give it an epoxy or acrylic coat / shell
Sep 8, 2008. 2:22 PM2.3turbostang says:
well its not the best looking board but i take dig. engineering and im deff. doing this one vary cool thanks!
1-40 of 106next »

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Author:killrsheep
Im currently studying Mechanical electrical Engineering, im more interested in the electric part but id like to learn more about Digital electronics , and PLDS, i also like to draw and paint ... i mos...
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