Disclaimer: This tutorial is for information purpose only. If you mess up something, it can't be my fault. Please use common sense and plan carefully before performing the mod. Study your parts, and make sure you have all the material needed before you begin. Read the tutorial before and repeat the steps in your mind with your parts in your hands. If my tut seems obscure, or some components you have looks like it could prevent you from succeeding the mod, use your brain.You may deviate from my instructions and use them only as a rough guide-line, if you think you have a more easy-for-you/logical way to mod your case. Your result may vary, since I have no way of knowing all the kind of different cases and write a tutorial accordingly. Some cases could prevent you from modding correctly, so be sure to test-fit everything before cutting/drilling, though most case modding we're doing here would be almost invisible if you decided to keep your floppy showing in front of your case. Have fun!
Stuff you'll need:
Ready? Before begining, just test-fit your parts.
Test-fitting
Open up the sides of your case. Loosen the floppy drive's screws, so it can slide backwards. You may have to remove some screws in order to achieve it. Is there enough free space on the back of the floppy drive? If it looks OK move on to the next step.
Preparing the face plate
Cut off one of the "prong" thingie of the plate. Cut off about half of the other, this one will act as a kind of ketch, keeping the door closed firmly. Test fit your parts. Insert the face plate in place, and try moving the floppy as forward as possible, without kicking the door open. Remove the plate and look at the floppy. Does it looks right in place? If so, tighten the screws. Using the rotary tool (Dremel) and the small drill bit, make a small hole thourought the small lips of the faceplate (secured in a vise, if possible!), near the side. Make 'em vertically aligned!
Preparing the other face plate
Remove the upper faceplate and tape it to the altered face plate, in such way they're in the same position as when they're in the case. (Optional: securing them in a vise would be prefered). Insert the drill bit into both holes, and start drilling slowly through the lip. Insert the nail through the holes.
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Preparing the case
You may skip this step though, but the door will be kind of flimsy... What you'll do is perforate the case in order to insert the nail/hinge, making it more solid. Remove the entire front bezel of the case. Re-insert both face plates. With some pointy/inky object (the wood nail, a paperclip, etc), leave a mark inside the case, where the hinge hole is. Remove the plates. Dig a small cavity on your mark. No need to drill through, a small hole in which the nail's point will insert is enough.
Almost done! More test fitting...
Put your face plates in place. From behind the bezel, shove the nail/hinge into the case's cavity. Still from behind, try and open/close the door. It may be rough at first. Maybe even won't even open at all. Make some adjustments if needed, here's my suggestions:
- Round the inside corner of the door-plate for smoother operation.
- Shortening the door's remaining prong could help the door opening/closing too.
- You may secure the nail/hinge in place with some hot glue. (easyly removable, and solid enough for this use.)
- With a cutting disc, carve a slot on the side of the door (the one opposed to the hinge). That'll make it easier to open, with a fingernail/flat screwdriver, etc.
-Optional finger louver
This step makes the door way easier to open, but kinda spoil the "full stealth" look some of you may want. So far, all mods you did would be invisible if you decided to go back to the uncool "showed floppy drive" setup. This optional step, however, is quite irreversible, and is the most visible one.
Open the door, or remove it. Front bezel should be removed properly, if you don't want plastic parts all over your case! With a round sandpaper Dremel bit, carve a round shape diagonally where you want it. Don't go too far!!! You could sand through the edge of the case! Sand a little bit, and check the case through a light source. If you begin to see some light where you sanded the rounded louver, you should stop... Sand the louver as wished with fine-grit sandpaper, for a cleaner look.Clean your case's bezel from any plastic scraps left. Paint or touch-up your case as you wish.
That's it folks
Okay, now you should be able to put everything back in place. The faceplates first, the nail, and the bezel. Final test-fit. More adjustments if needed (see step Almost done! More test fitting...). Don't forget to securely screw back the floppy in it's rearward position.
Feel free to send me any comments about this tutorial. If you found an easier way to achieve your stealth floppy following this file, or encountered a problem with my instruction, let me know. Be indulgent, it's my first time! As I said, this tutorial may provide only guide lines, and you can improve the final result as you wish. After all, I don't want 10,000 modders with my exact Stealth Floppy replica! ;) Be imaginative, and have fun moddin'.
