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rosssanford · Dec 4, 2003, 12:26 PM

Two questions:

Can the bottom "handles" on the G5 be removed?

If they cannot be removed, can they be sawed off? (My new G5 does not fit into a built-in tower area in my desk (and the desk CANNOT be modified.)

Any insight or experience with is would be appreciated.

Thanks again,
Ross

Gankdawg · Dec 4, 2003, 01:23 PM

Originally posted by rosssanford:
can they be sawed off? (My new G5 does not fit into a built-in tower area in my desk (and the desk CANNOT be modified.)

Get a new desk instead!

But seriously, you'd have a hard time sawing thru that thick aluminum and having it look nice. Plus, you might screw up the removeable door.

all2ofme · Dec 4, 2003, 02:16 PM

I like your thinking! I think it might be reasonably easy to cut off the majority of the handles then file the rest down until it's flush with the rounded front and back. Once you've done that then I'd sand them back until they're smooth and you'd have a machine that'd be a fair bit more manageable for most desks.

Possible downsides:

- the airflow underneath might mean that the thing gets hot/misbehaves.
- the panels are held on in the places where you'd be attacking with your hacksaw

Landos Mustache · Dec 4, 2003, 02:23 PM

I cannot believe you want to saw down a $3000 computer cuz it doesn't fit in some stupid desk!

billybob128 · Dec 4, 2003, 02:43 PM

i agree with the last guy you are mad and if you want to do that you could get a G4 that is smaller and send me your G5...
yo think im joking?

flanders · Dec 4, 2003, 03:56 PM

Please don't saw your G5! Get a new desk, man! Seriously though, if you need to keep the desk and G5 then can you possibly just move the tower further away using some video/usb extension cables? If you have ADC then it's quite easy with one extra cable.

-Q- · Dec 4, 2003, 03:57 PM

The computer is more important than the desk. Saw the desk!

all2ofme · Dec 4, 2003, 04:52 PM

Nah, saw the computer, just make sure you're not going to be affecting its ability to function by doing so. If I could have a smaller G5 I would.

Kenneth · Dec 4, 2003, 05:06 PM

A Tower without handles = a POS.
I can't imagine that my 42lbs DP MDD without handles...

rosssanford · Dec 4, 2003, 05:09 PM

Modifying the custom desk/furniture is NOT an option. It is a wall unit that is built into my den and going to be with me much longer than my G5. (Hopefully the G6 I buy in five years will be smaller than the G5 (my last three Macs each lasted that long).)

The size of the G5 intimidated me at the Apple Store, but it did not look too much larger than the G4 sitting next to it. Next time I will take a measuring tape!

Since none of you like sawing the hardware, what do you think about putting it in a vice and bending the feet until they are flat?

capuchin · Dec 4, 2003, 06:02 PM

Oh, the humanity!

Hydra · Dec 4, 2003, 07:03 PM

Actually, the design of the G5 has on piece of aluminum bent into a C-shape and the open part of the C is where the door is. This one continuos piece of metal adds a substantial amount of structural integrity. If you were to saw off the legs and handles I think the case would become very weak and result in easy damage to the motherboard and/or the extensive heat-pipe plumbing on the hidden side of the motherboard. Think of it as chopping the top off a car to make a convertible w/o reinforcing the floor-pan and the resulting flexible-flyer-like result as the car would twist and flex very easily and eventually fall apart.

-Jerry C.

olePigeon · Dec 4, 2003, 08:07 PM

You can't put it on top of the desk? Why does it have to go into the cabinate?

rosssanford · Dec 5, 2003, 11:42 PM

After much debate it looks as my G5 is going to keep her feet. I decide to put the hulking behemoth on my desk. It does not look like it fits there, but she sure does look good! I just hope the G6 towers are smaller (or the next gen. iMac looks better!).

Thanks to all who put in their two cents!

kikkoman · Dec 5, 2003, 11:58 PM

What a relief. That was close!

Landos Mustache · Dec 6, 2003, 02:31 AM

Steve Jobs should come to your house and take it back for your disrespect.

ajprice · Dec 6, 2003, 06:35 AM

"Steve Jobs should come to your house and take it back for your disrespect."

What he said

willab · Dec 6, 2003, 03:11 PM

Post a pic in the Powermac Picture Thread.

Yose · Dec 6, 2003, 08:18 PM

We had a G5 unit that came to us with the Bottom feet bent due to something in shipping. We ordered a new case and because the Case is not a returnable part we have one just WAITING to have it's bent handles sawed off.

Well, I think we still have it around.

Contact me if you want some evtra information.

ryaxnb · Dec 6, 2003, 11:29 PM

Originally posted by ajprice:
"Steve Jobs should come to your house and take it back for your disrespect."

What he said

Man, I'd show some disrespect to get Steve Jobs to come to my house. I'd just reverse the door lock in a bedroom/bathroom or something (or have someone do it for me,) and force him to give me a nice, long interview.

Hydra · Dec 7, 2003, 07:21 PM

Originally posted by Yose:
We had a G5 unit that came to us with the Bottom feet bent due to something in shipping.

I'd be very leery about a G5 that had it's metal exoskeleton bent. That aluminum is very thick and would require a pretty big wallop to bend it. The amount of force needed to bend it could easily cause damage in other components. I wouldn't have even booted it and just sent it right back for another

Just my $0.02.

-Jerry C.

NYCFarmboy · Dec 7, 2003, 07:38 PM

The G5 towers are monsters...

I'd have no qualms of cutting off the handles to fit it in your desk. My sister has a g5 tower and the thing is so big it bangs your knee at her desk.

The only thing..it will completely destroy the resale value of the machine and void the warranty though most likely.

proton · Dec 8, 2003, 04:23 AM

Originally posted by NYCFarmboy:
The G5 towers are monsters...

I'd have no qualms of cutting off the handles to fit it in your desk. My sister has a g5 tower and the thing is so big it bangs your knee at her desk.

The only thing..it will completely destroy the resale value of the machine and void the warranty though most likely.

Aargh! Look at the comments above!

The handles are actually an integral part of the case. If you were to cut them off you'd end up with parts that are meant to be connected no longer being connected.

The G5 case is made of of basically 4 pieces of metal. There is the piece containing the handles which is a large C shape and covers the left side, handles and top and bottom of the right side. There is the door, which is fairly obvious. And there is two pieces for grille-like parts: one covering the top and front of the case, the other the back and bottom of the case.

- proton

Link · Dec 8, 2003, 06:16 AM

This is seriously the most idiotic thing I've seen all day.

So tell me are you european or do you not realize you can simply put the computer NEXT to (on the OUTSIDE of) the table? Granted you just said the table has a computer cabinet it's not very valuable (expensive tables don't have space-limited CPU holders), and there's NO 'priceless antique" with a computer shelf...

No man something's not working in your head.. geez

Yose · Dec 8, 2003, 09:18 PM

'd be very leery about a G5 that had it's metal exoskeleton bent. That aluminum is very thick and would require a pretty big wallop to bend it. The amount of force needed to bend it could easily cause damage in other components. I wouldn't have even booted it and just sent it right back for another Just my $0.02.

-Jerry C.

Well as a customer that's something you can do � however Apple doesn't take back machines that are broken, we have to try and fix them first. And so once the case came (took a while) and it was sufficiently tested it's put back into the sales channel.

Superchicken · Dec 9, 2003, 12:13 PM

Hacking the legs off a G5 would be bad... and screw up your warranty.

lexicon5 · Dec 10, 2003, 11:32 AM

That is just stupid. Anybody asking that obviously doesn't have a G5 in front of them...or they would clearly see that removal is not an option since the top handles, left side and bottom feet are all one piece. Forget the warranty if cut up, resale/trade-in would be impossible.
Saying the desk can't be modified is unintelligent as well. Anything can be modified....given the right tools and enough time/money. Obviously money is not an issue if you are contemplating hack sawing a G5.

Lets try 3-Dimentional thinking for a moment.
Is there room beside the desk? That would be my first choice. Another desk would be my second.

Hydra · Dec 10, 2003, 11:59 AM

How about putting some eye-bolts in the ceiling attaching some cables and hanging the G5 by it's handles. That would save floor space and look pretty cool in the process

As an aside you could put the G5 in fire-wire target disk mode and see how far the fans cause it to deflect from the wall - giving us a somewhat accurate measurement of the thrust produced when all the G5's fans are a blazin

-Jerry C.

olePigeon · Dec 11, 2003, 03:32 PM

I have the perfect solution:

http://marathoncomputer.com/11_03mnndesk.html