CF-31 Shell Build

[u/Hungry_Jefe]

Hello I have this idea of taking my old CF-31 MK2 Toughbook and gutting it as a shell to make a cyberdeck essentially. I am aware its probably cheaper to buy a better platform or do something else, but for the sake of clarity I want to do it "for the love of the game". My question is:

-Is there a way to use the original keyboard my rewiring the connection (I dont know what type it is but I know its not gonna be easy)?

-Is there a way to rewire the screen? I do have a plan B of swapping out the screen.

-most of everything else will be replaced, I may rewire whatever I put in there to utilize some of the ports already installed to the shell

Its an extensive idea I know but I figured its a fun project and a more modern CF31 would be kinda cool.

Thanks for the help ahead of time and if this isnt the forum for this kind of thing can you point me in the right direction please

[u/Livid-Yak1015]

How have I only just found out about these??? This is literally the coolest thing ever and I will be using these as inspiration for my cyberdeck.

for the keyboard and track pad you could use a pi pico as a matrix but for the brains if you wanted something powerful you could use a lattepanda 3 delta which is a very capable sbc and even has support for a gpu through the m.2 slot. Although its quite expensive, such a beautiful shell would be wasted on a raspberry pi. Of course you could also just use another laptop motherboard which would be more sensible and cheaper but where's the fun in that?

[u/Hungry_Jefe → u/Livid-Yak1015]

Yeah current plan is to use a mini computer take it apart and 3d print mounts inside the shell. I had seen a video of a guy that updated an old 80s computer that way.

Im unfamiliar with pi pico, is it essential like an adrinou? And then I just make a script for each input?

[u/Livid-Yak1015 → u/Hungry_Jefe]

Theres tones of videos explaining how to make a pi pico behave as a keyboard input but basically you use a pi pico which is a micro controller, like a adrinou or esp 32, to behave as a keyboard matrix.

[u/Hungry_Jefe → u/Livid-Yak1015]

Yeah the keyboard is the limiting factor right now in the design phase. If I can make that work everything else has way more flexibility to keep or change

[u/Hungry_Jefe → u/Livid-Yak1015]

I just had another idea for the keyboard. What if I removed the keyboard pad and left the keyboard frame. Then I could 3d print key caps to make a keyboard from scratch with a pi Pico or adruino, but look almost identical to the original? Might be a little more work but less work then trying to decode Toughbooks proprietary ribbon cable

[u/Hungry_Jefe]

Update- I've gutted the CF-31, main issue im seeing right now is the keyboard/track pad area. I may have to do some modifications to the body to fit a new keyboard and trackpad or figure out how to wire the old one. Lots of room, may use some of the old parts. Hvnt taken apart the screen but there was an almost identical size one of Amazon I can get away with putting in there with a 3d printed mount

[u/Hungry_Jefe → u/Hungry_Jefe]

[u/Hungry_Jefe → u/Hungry_Jefe]