Introduction: Windows 8 Tablet
The idea behind this build is windows 8 with its new metro interface and new apps is more focus towards touch screen interfaces and as I wanted to try out windows 8 (developer preview) on a touch screen but didn't have I thought I'd build one, as I had some parts left over from my macbook pro tablet.
While I wanted when I started this project to create a functional and Beautiful device I think I ended up with more of a Lindsay lohan type of device, as it works and it would scrub up nice but its a bit ruff around the edges.
Step 1: What You Need
What you need
A laptop that meets the minimum specs of windows 8
A touch screen kit ( I used egalax resistive touch screen)
A copy of windows 8 (develops preview/Beta)
Step 2: Take the Laptop Apart
Depend upon the type of laptop you are using you may need to unstick the cable from the back off the LCD screen so you can place in to the corret postion
Here is a video of the screen take apart
Step 3: Place the Screen on Top of the Keyboard.
One of the downsides of this type of design is the lack of heat dispersion from the laptop, This could be sovled by adding some ventilation and fans but unless you are going to try playing a 3d game or rendering some video I don't think the heat will be an issue.
Below is a video of the screen being place on to of the keyboard
Step 4: The Case
Now we need to tidy any cables up like, the touch screen cable and the wireless cable, in my case the touch screen cable can go under the LCD.
Next is the side to make the gap between the bottom case and the screen. I've used some pine strip wood which I've cut to size and hot glued to the case. The a quick lick of paint
Then a quick lick of paint and it's not look to bad.
Step 5: Conclusion
This project as been interesting, it may well be cheaper to buy a windows 7 tablet from china and install windows 8 on it but it will be no where near as much fun and you need to recycle those old laptops some how.
The tablet it's self works well the only extra thing i had to do after installing windows 8 was turn on the touch enabled keyboard. I've encountered a lot of bugs and errors, using windows 8 but I have been putting them down to it been a developers preview rather than a problem with the tablet

Participated in the
ShopBot Challenge
12 Comments
8 years ago
Anyone can got windows 8 key from this link:
https://www.facebook.com/Windows-8-Product-Key-695...
11 years ago on Introduction
Dear "hackitbuildit",
You should mention from the very start that the resistive touch screen kit you use & deem necessary only offers single touch and it's not HID-compliant therefore Win8 will never see it as a touch device but as a mouse.
This means no swipe or other goodies Win8 brings to the table will be available. In my opinion you can not advertise your work as a win8 "tablet" because it lacks the very core feature of a win8 tablet - touch experience. The E-galax kit will not make it a truly "touchscreen".
I bet you can't get the onscreen keyboard to automatically display whenever you touch an input field. I know because I'm using the same thing in one of my instructables. It's a driver problem. One that does not work in Win7 let alone Win8. And no future updates will be available, that I'm sure.
11 years ago on Introduction
Dear "hackitbuildit",
I'd like to truly thank you for making this instructable! I am also trying to turn an old netbook of mine into a tablet. Your tutorial gave me 2 wonderful ideas! First, the operating system and last but not least, the placement of the screen.
I was trying to place it over the motherboard, but the display able wouldn't help at all. I was considering extending it, but this would be way too risky. I was completely desperate. But when I watched the video, I figured it out. I would "open" the netbook like a book and flip the screen at the bottom side of the motherboard! Apart from solving the placement problem, the heat problem is solved too! You see, in case I placed the screen over the board, it would be right above some processors which was previously heatshinked. Now they are completely "free" and a can install a thin metal plate which will do the job!
Thank you again and again!
P.S. I've visited the site about the touch screens but I couldn't find a way to purchase one. Can you suggest me a cheap solution for a 10'' monitor. I prefer capacitive ones, but if there aren't any under 80$, resistive wouldn't bother me.
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
@Salexandridis
I found 14.1" Capacitive touch screen kit here:
http://kingtouch.en.made-in-china.com/product-group/LMVmWwobnARS/-HOT-Capacitive-Touch-Screen-catalog-1.html
It is however a Chinese supplier but after exhausting all of the USA Suppliers I was refereed to them by a company called North American Semiconductor.
I will be posting my Tablet build after i get all of the other components collected. Am having a hard time finding a way to Encase it all after.
Like how this guy did his, but i just don't know...
http://carbontablet.blogspot.ca/
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
make an instructable when you build it if you do
11 years ago on Introduction
Where did you get the touchscreen overlay? I looked everywhere and couldn't find it.
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
I got it off ebay
http://stores.ebay.co.uk/ewwtnet/Laptop-Accessories-/_i.html?_sacat=31530&_sasi=1&_sid=427464972&_trksid=p4634.c0.m322
11 years ago on Introduction
Thanks but this is just not enough, I'm going to try and make a convertible screen on my laptop, that way I will still use my laptop in the classic way
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
I'd like to see what you come up with. I'm trying to make a convertible laptop/tablet at the moment out of a macbook air. Hopefully I'll have finished in a few weeks. I will be doing a instructables when i've finished it.
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
Lets see who finishes first :)
11 years ago on Introduction
Great instructable i did this a couple days ago and was wondering about the touchscreen. I used a dell inspiron 1545 and just modified the hinges so that the screen was on the outside and was still able to flip up so that i could set it somewhere to play games also was able to keep the bezel around the screen which was a plus for me. Touching on the screen is there a software you could run in order to use it or do you suggest getting the windows 8 os?
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
I'd suggest windows 8 as it's build with touch in mind, and it's much better than windows 7 and windows XP when using a touch interface.