Build your own self-destruct button
We reported the other day on an elaborate but non-functioning self-destruct button that piqued the interest of quite a few readers; given the April delivery date for these even in Japan, one impatient guy with a site called Kaizo Aho Ichidai (we might loosely call him the Modding Nutter Unit in English, though there's a pun going on there that we'll leave well alone) has built his own version, which not only fits into a 5-inch drive bay, it also functions as a power switch. He even manages to come in about a thousand yen cheaper than the official version.
A look at the other projects on the site show that this guy is clearly channeling the Otaku mother goddess, with things like a self-powered (as in "has a motor and wheels and moves about") motherboard, a network attached storage device that walks on centipede-like legs and a web server made out of a beer server.
[Kaizo Aho Ichidai page and 2.7MB AVI of the destruct switch in action]
[Via Slashdot-J]
In response to a reader request, here's what can be gleaned from the Japanese site in the way of actual building instructions:
* The decals he printed out at home using a product called "Miracle Sheets" -- they're basically clear adhesive-backed plastic onto which you can print photos etc. using an inkjet printer. For use in temporary tattoos and so forth, but will stick to anything. Not sure whether something similar is available outside Japan.
* The metal plate that holds the switches came with the PC case--he worked up a design in PowerPoint, drilled out the holes in the appropriate locations, then used a reamer to bore them out to the required sizes.
* He then whacked in the switches and wired them up to the motherboard Power SW, Power LED and HDD LED connectors.
* The switches themselves he picked up at a radio components shop. I've listed them up below, though the translation may be a touch wonky as I'm not a big electronic components freak.
- Key switch: CK-L12A -- Y700
- LEDs (zero-resistance) -- Y90
- Handles: TAKACHI BH-26S -- Y200
- Pushbutton: idec ABW111R -- Y724
- Toggle switches (1-circuit, 2-connector) -- Y260
- ON/OFF plates -- Y150
- Miracle sheets -- Y1,000