DIY MagSafe for ThinkPads

It's not an ideal solution, but if any of the PC laptop users among you are suffering from a case of MagSafe-envy, you can try to alleviate your John Hodgman blues by putting your considerable DIY skills to use -- at your own risk, of course. For some guidance, you need look no further than the step-by-step guide kindly provided by Instructables member "Breath," which is specifically tailored to mod a ThinkPad power connector (but should be adaptable to other laptops if you're extra 1337). While your adapter will never be the same again after you're done with it, your laptop should thank you for it the next time you try to send it for an impromptu drop test. The usual disclaimers, however, apply -- if you light your home/work/self on fire, it's your own damn fault.

[Via MAKE:Blog]

[bryan @ Oct 26th 2006 8:38PM]

save yourself the time and buy a mac!

[fnb @ Oct 26th 2006 8:45PM]

See! See! You don't need a Mac.

All those innovashuns y'all have on them there macs can be git eazy durnit!!!

[akijikan @ Oct 26th 2006 8:46PM]

*flamesuit* yes, save yourself time and but overpriced hardware

[Juaquin @ Oct 26th 2006 8:54PM]

Awesome idea, but I'm hesitant to mix amateur electronics and my laptop. Reading from the comments, it created sparking. Also, the use of that very flammable foam on the inside of a power connection scares me.

With some more polish, this could definitely be a great mod.

[Jacob @ Oct 26th 2006 8:58PM]

no one really cares about magsafe, most reviews i've read say its cool, but a bit of a novelty. Most people won't buy a mac just for magsafe.
(also, if you're the slightest bit open minded, you would at least give the new thinkpads a try, they're pretty powerful solidly built machines.)

[thefultonhow @ Oct 26th 2006 8:59PM]

Easier to just get ThinkPad Protection and get your power jack replaced for free if you ever screw it up by dropping the laptop. I might add that ThinkPad Protection covers all other accidental damage too (a service which isn't available for Macs!).

[RyanTV @ Oct 26th 2006 9:16PM]

GHETTOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

[gman @ Oct 26th 2006 9:37PM]

Sorry but sometimes you have to say no.

[myscrnnm @ Oct 26th 2006 9:51PM]

"save yourself the time and buy a mac!"

Not a good idea. I use a ThinkPad myself, and these things are the best. And it's not one of those Lenovo ones either, it's an actual IBM ThinkPad. I'll admit the MacBook Pro is a great notebook, but Apple notebooks are just no match against the ThinkPads, they are the most solidly constructed consumer notebooks on the market (with the exception of a few Panasonic Toughbooks).

[potato @ Oct 26th 2006 10:08PM]

"no one really cares about magsafe, most reviews i've read say its cool, but a bit of a novelty. Most people won't buy a mac just for magsafe."

I would. Not *just* for MagSafe mind you, but it's definitely a major plus for anyone who spends a lot of time plugged into a public area (libraries, coffee shops, etc). I've seen more than a few power connectors torn off the motherboard.

[tiuk @ Oct 27th 2006 2:00AM]

I have two classes this semester where the only power outlets are on the walls, but there are no seats against the walls. This means having your power cord running across an area that all students need to walk. I never really saw the point of magsafe until now.

[Juaquin @ Oct 27th 2006 2:39AM]

Shouldn't your battery last through a class?

Mine does, and I'm running a big gaming laptop with fans that can be heard by anyone sitting near me when the professor stops talking. Not good for big lecture halls. But hey, the battery lasts.

[Peter Payne @ Oct 27th 2006 3:24AM]

Ugh, looks scary.

MagSafe is pretty cool. Considering the number of power supplies I've gone through due to slightly bending the cord upwards when using a Powerbook, this is a big improvement. And I did save my MacBook Pro from going on the floor once already.

[pnarse @ Oct 27th 2006 5:17AM]

That's much more dangerous than the MagSafe...

The MagSafe is called this not only because it prevents dropping when tripping on a cable, but also because the spring loaded pins can not be shorted with relatively flat metal objects (such as on or around the magsafe connector, hence why it's possible to basically launch the connector in the ports direction and they will meet safely!) as they are protected by the magnet which encases the connector.

Good luck why you've fried your PSU or Laptop or both!

[treetrunk @ Oct 27th 2006 7:57AM]

A much better idea which wouldn't involve modifying the laptop at all would be to leave a short length of cable with the original plug on the end plugged in to the laptop, and add a breakaway connector on to the wire- like Xbox controllers. That way you have more flexibility in the choice of connector since it doesn't have to mate with the laptop socket, and if it goes wrong all you have to do is cut off the modified section and fit a new plug like the original.

[TheJalAbides @ Oct 27th 2006 9:43AM]

I would say that a better/safer mod would be to hack the quick disconnects out of a junked original xbox controller, splice them into your laptop's power cable with liberal use of shrink tubing, and you're in business.

[vinnie @ Oct 27th 2006 9:45AM]

i usually just throw my thinkpad witht he power adapter into my backpack... i wouldnt trust the magnets next to the HD :o

[John Laur @ Oct 27th 2006 10:20AM]

That is one dangerous mod -- the magnets are carrying the ground while the center pin is carrying the +18V (or whatever the thinkpad is) --- the scary part is that it looks trivially easy to short the two contacts on the washer that surrounds the laptop power port.

The other thing about magsafe is that there is a sense pin on the connector so the psu doesnt fully power up until the connector is fully in-place for a little bit -- even if you did short the pins (which inside the magsafe connector is fairly difficult itself) you would not have such a big problem...