Garage computers....
 

So SirNik and i were bored on a sunday afternoon, and decided that we would be more constructive with our time.




One thing led to another, and we decided his garage needed a computer.




Several screws, a few drill holes, and hour or two later, we came up with this.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4119/...f0ab8abb_b.jpg





Pretty sweet computer setup...


Old Compaq 1ghz box with 512 ram, screwed directly to the wall.


custom dell 15inch flat panel with custom dell stand screwed upside down onto the bottom of some cabinetry.


oh yeah, doesnt get any better than that.



oh yeah, we got johnny cash playing right now!

Pretty sweet. I'd go for a weather proof/rubber keyboard and mouse and a rack to put them in when not in use.

$10 logitech keyboard from walmart, and $9.92 mouse from walmart.



Not gonna cry if these guys break lol.



Weather proof is too expensive for this project lol

ok well I'd go with a cheap wire rack or something to get them out of the way. But still easy to get to.

were getting there.


theres a starter, alternator, power steering pump, and ac compressor and turbo in the way of where they are going to be placed lol

I had put an old PC in one of the cabinets with the monitor etc on the counter top.
Clean part of the workshop so I didn't have to worry.
But the wireless was flaky at best, so eventually I gave it up.
There is no easy way to run a wired port out there.

Now, a few years later, with a newer router and a brand new laptop I just take it out there.
It seems to have plenty of range.

It's neat to have a PC out there, the manual for the SL is on CD, Internet access, etc it works out as a need tool now a days.

Does it have a connection for engine diagnostics :D

???

what would you connect it to in anything w123

I have a garage PC at my parents house (1Ghz PIII + 17" CRT up on a shelf) that is perfect for music playing through the good speakers I put in there, and looking at the forum/MB documentation.

I'm going to put an older PII 500Mhz Box with 768 MB of ram in my garage, and RDP to another PC (or the garage PC at the other house) with it....no need for speed locally at that machine then. :D I do have a nice centrino laptop laying around that I could use, but it is pristine and I don't want to get it nasty in the garage.

Its easy to weather/dust proof a key board. Just put it in a plastic bag. When the bag gets to be a mess from dirty fingers, just replace the bag. Works for me.

Thats like a keyboard condom....I like my keyboards natural, even if they get a little dirty...... :D

pawoSD,
Try spilling coffee, beer or coke on your keyboard & see how it handles it. Brake clean is another that justifies a plastic bag.
The idea is to keep lubricants on the outside of the bag!! :D

Saw this idea somewhere on the web...worth a try someday!

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...tsmanputer.jpg

One thing to try for weak wifi in a garage setup is to experiment with an extension antenna, seeing if there's a sweet spot up high or away from potential interference.

Also, a tech tip . . . if you bring your cellphone into the shop for a garage session, put it into a baggie or wrap in saran . . . it never fails that the phone will ring midway through repacking a bearing . . .

iwrock made the antenna for the garage PC from some speaker wire and a crimp connector. pretty getto fabulous. we mapped the drives from my desktop where I have shows "tvioed" so now I have tv on demand from upstairs. the funny things is videos will not play from the HD in the computer, because its so slow. but they have no problem streaming over the wi-fi from upstairs. go figure :rolleyes: