[Coco] re: Idea: CoCo tray

[Andrew]

> Message: 1
> Date: Sun, 22 Oct 2006 12:10:39 -0700
> From: "Jim Cox" <jimcox at miba51.com>
> Subject: [Coco] Idea: CoCo tray
> To: "CoCoList for Color Computer Enthusiasts" <coco at maltedmedia.com>
> Message-ID: <web-246479010 at treehouse.forest.net>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1"; format="flowed"
> 
> I was thinking of a way that I could secure my CoCo 3 to 
> the MPI so that a bump when they are on wouldn't turn them 
> into bricks and came up with a idea.
> 
> I like the idea of the locking plates and will use the one 
> I have for a permanent set up, but right now, I am 
> constantly opening my CoCo to look around as wells a 
> moving it around, so I don't have the plate installed.
> 
> What I was thinking for cases where using a locking plate 
> isn't practical, is to make a tray out of plywood with 
> some smaller 1"X1" blocks in the corners and sides, so 
> that the CoCo and MPI could just fit on the tray and would 
> be secure enough to prevent bumps from damaging them.  It 
> would also make moving the CoCo and MPI around much 
> easier.
> 
> Has anyone tried this?  I'm thinking of making one of 
> these, but I am not a carpender.  Are there some good 
> carpentry rules I should follow with regards to measuring 
> the tray out?

Jim,

I just looked under my CoCo 3, and I don't have my MPI out right now (so 
I don't remember what it looks like), but might it be possible, instead 
of using blocks, if you just bored holes into the plywood for the rubber 
feet of both the CoCo and MPI to sit snuggly inside? The largest problem 
with this idea would be getting the holes sized right so that the fit is 
snug. If you used 3/16" plywood (birch model plywood, maybe), it 
wouldn't change the standing height of the CoCo at all, though 1/4" 
would be easier to source. In fact, if it could be properly prototyped, 
then measured and designed from that, I would imagine we could try to 
set up a group-buy deal with you (if you wanted to do this, of course) 
to have them made in plexiglass (acrylic) or alluminium plate via one of 
those online place (like pcmachineshop) for fairly cheap past a certain 
count (if you go, maybe some can be sold at a cocofest).

Just some ideas...

-- Andrew