The gang at Bolt.io realized that the walls in their office deserved some special attention, and they got it by mounting exploded hardware throughout the space. They sourced the used devices from eBay, then carefully broken them down into their components and mounted each on its own sheet of PETG. The result: exploded views of some of their favorite hardware, including a MacBook Pro, a Roomba, a Dyson Air Multiplier, and more.
Is it a hack? Eh, maybe. This is the first example we’ve seen of a collection of devices on display in this fashion. Regardless, it’s worth a mention considering what happened in the office as a result of the installation. Though the original purpose was simply to decorate the walls, it seems employees have been staring at them regularly, learning more about the designs, the plastics, and the component choices. Think of it as still life—depicting that moment you cracked open a device to inspect its guts—frozen in permanence and on display for both inspiration and convenience.
[via reddit | Thanks Buddy]
I want one. Someone needs to make an Etsy for this.
How are the components attached to the panel? Hot glue?
That itself might be considered a hack since the Dyson parts alone look like they’d be challenging to attach.
The Dyson one looks like a lot of glue and spacers:
https://d262ilb51hltx0.cloudfront.net/max/800/1*s06-p58lix50KGxoUTIbZw.jpeg
If you look closely at the central housing, you can see whitish standoffs with what look like gobs of glue around them
It’s not much of a challenge to do this now. Sometimes no screws at all, it just snaps apart. Imagine a console TV 60’s era or home theater organ. How would you display all of the wiring! The mechanical calculator or typewriter would at least be wireless. Things getting simpler except for Dyson’s glorified fan.
Simpler is the last word I would use to describe modern technology. Every example here is far more complicated than it’s predecessor. The only thing I can imagine you’re referring to is the fact that modern products use pcbs rather than point-to-point wiring, which is true but is certainly not evidence that modern products are somehow simpler.
Reminds me of this book I picked up recently – http://www.amazon.com/Things-Come-Apart-Teardown-Manual/dp/0500516766
If only the hardware still worked (where possible).
dust magnets, cant imagine dusting all this crap :O
Pressure washer in the parking lot.
When available, I think an “Exploded Diagram” such as found in Shop/Parts Manuals would be a nice addition to each poster. (Ohh! That doohicky connects to this whichamacallit!)
I did something like this back in school for reverse engineering project, I took it one step further and de-soldered the components from the PCB. Nothing too fancy just a solar powered address sign
what’s next 3D exploded view mounted on wire or rods?
I’m pretty sure that would wind up being sculpture, not wall art. It would still be cool (depending on the specific item that you “exploded”). And it would take up considerably more space. If you were able to use thin wire or clear acrylic rod, it would be better.
That reminds me of something a buddy of mine told me about years ago. He was telling me about this shop where they worked on tractor transmissions. It order to get into a tractor transmission (most of them anyways), you have to split the tractor in two (approximately just forward of the driver’s seat). They blocked up the front of the tractor, removed all the bolts, and then replaced some of the bolts with LONG bolts (say 4 – 5 feet long), and pulled the back end loose. I think they left these bolts in the entire time the tractor was split apart. When they put it back together, they just slid it back together along the bolts. No tricky alignment needed, since the bolts were already doing that.
Always wante to do this to an old laptop of mine, but could never get it looking right. Also it takes up a tone of space, looking at the images now make that seem obvious.
Maybe my phone if it breaks?