Introduction: Vintage Mac Mouse to Wireless IPhone Charger

About: Constantly creating, finding fun in discovering new ways to recycle vintage tech.

This phone charger started off with me trying to figure out something cool to do with an vintage apple/Mac mouse as a gift for my wife, an avid Mac user and all things apple. I figured what better than a wireless phone charger? It already looks cool by itself, a neat conversation starter, it’s functional and yet small enough to sit on her standing desk. That’s a win-win!!!

Supplies

Apple A9M0331 Vintage Macintosh Desktop Bus Mouse; Small wireless charger capable of charging an iPhone, small clear plastic film (1/2” x 1”); x-acto knife; superglue; #1 Phillips screwdriver; End cutting pliers; gray gloss spray paint (optional); talcum powder (optional)

Step 1: Mouse Disassembly

These Mac mice are super easy to take apart, grab your Phillips and remove 4 tiny black screws from the bottom of the mouse and set them aside. Pull apart the case and you’ll see there are another 3 brass screws holding the rollerball and the control board in place, remove and recycle the screws, ball, cord and board for another instructable. We won’t need them anymore, just the empty case.

Step 2: Wireless Charger Disassembly

Now we’re on to the charger disassembly. The main thing when picking out which charger to use for your project, aside from does it work with your phone, is will it fit??? I would give you a model number for the one I’m using for this project but the charger itself gives no indication. I will say it’s DC 5V, 1500mA and made in China. I think I paid five dollars for it at Goodwill and it came with a micro c to usb cord. This was super easy to remove... from the bottom you can see where there are 2 halves of the case meet. I just used an x-acto knife, slid the blade between the two halves and it opened like a clam.

Step 3: Fitting the Charger to the Mouse Case

Now this charging coil was about 1/16” too big on either side to fit in the case but easily trimmed with a pair if end cutting pliers. Muy Importante!!!
Normally I would not/nor recommend trimming a circuitboard but in this case the coil is actually sitting on a mounting plate and when cut doesn’t effect the coil. But when trimming the board to fit I was sure not to cut any thing of importance i.e. the coil itself or any components.

Step 4: Trimming the Mouse Case

Pretty simple step, just removing everything that would keep the coil from sitting flush to the upper inside of the case (back to the end cutting pliers). The mouse button is removed, trimmed and then super glued back into place (the mouse button will no longer function). Once the button is glued in place the coil can also be glued in place.

Step 5: Rollerball!!!

At this point in the build you’re probably asking yourself “Hey Bill, What about the rollerball?” Since this is no longer going to function as a mouse the rollerball is no longer needed. I was going to cut it and glue it to the bottom so it would at least add weight and the look for the rollerball… But found it near impossible to cut as it is a steel ball bearing. I found instead a button hole plug found at a local hardware store they usually come in white or black. Here I found the size to fit the whole and chose white less than a dollar. (I’ll save the rollerball for another instructable)

Step 6: Case Assembly

Here is the mouse fully assembled with its black cord and a small piece of plastic card stock clear half inch by 1 inch rounded corners glued into the slot of the button. The card stock is important to keep the phone from sliding off the front of the mouse. The phone will sit on the mouse perfectly perpendicular.

Step 7: Painting the Power Cord (optional)

I tried finding a micro C to USB cord in gray to keep the feel of the original mouse but was only able to find black. I used a glossy gray spray paint and painted the cord. After it dried, to keep it from being sticky, I used a talcum powder and applied it into my hand pulling the sticky cord though a few times until it felt like a normal cord.

Step 8: Fini ~ Enjoy!

And there you have it, a finished vintage Mac mouse wireless iPhone charger. I just finished it the other day and gave it to my wife to celebrate Columbus Day. She loves it!!!

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