So, I was asked how this mod was done.
I'm afraid I can't explain in too much detail because:
- I've picked up the mod half done in the first place, thus did only see the result of the early work.
- I then gave it to a third party to finish it up.
BUT, what I can do, is provide a general account on the process for people who might consider modifying their Microkorg.
I) The early stages
On this older post, you can see the state I first got the MicroMoorg in : http://khoral.blogspot.com/2010/05/introducing-micromoorg.html
The owner had cut the plastic at the junction, using a very good saw, just between the keyboard section and the board section. Needless to say, this has to be done very carefully in order not to damage the circuit laying down below.
At this point, the board was totally independent from the keyboard, because once you unscrew the original wood parts and the junction is severed, nothing but the keyboard cables stand between the two sections.
That is why you can lift up the board like it is on the photograph, but if you were to look behind the mod, you'd see that there's just a void, all circuits are open to the air.
That's why you have to add a back panel.
II) The new wood panels
On the above pics, you can see the finished mod, with measures.
Please notes that the measures are in millimeters. You may use http://www.convertunits.com/from/inches/to/mm to convert.
The side panel is composed of two different pieces, which assembled look somewhat like a Little Phatty side panel. You can obviously create a single pieced panel, but this was assembled from various spare wood parts.
The back panel is also composed of two pieces, and here you may see that it isn't varnished yet like the other parts. Then again, a single piece is possible.
The screws in the wood panels then go through the plastic casing on the inside, without touching the circuits.
You can see a hinge is running along the junction on the front. That's because the original plan was to have the board able to move down à la Minimoog. This proved a bit difficult, and here the more modest solution of a still board was chosen, à la Little Phatty.
On the inside, the cables going from the circuit board to the keyboard were changed for longer one, so that the added distance wouldn't stress the original ones.
That's the basics of it, if you plan to do a mod like that, please keep me posted!
2 comments:
Thanks for the explanation and the measurements. It is indeed a fine modification, very attractive. I had wanted to know if the connecting wires between the keyboard and the circuit board were long enough for the tilt, and now I know they weren't. That complicates things as they have to be changed for identical but longer ones.
You can do with the original wires but they're just about long enough, so it's probably better to change them.
Of course, it also depends on the amount of tilt you're considering.
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