Apple IIe motherboard layered art

Edge-lit limited edition laser-crafted artwork in wood and acrylic

As I've been restoring classic computers I'm struck by the beauty of the circuitry design inside the cases. This art celebrates one of the longest and best selling computers of the 80s, the Apple IIe. This piece is based specifically on the "platinum" series of Apple IIe which was manufactured from 1987 - 1993.

To make this, I started by taking high definition photos of the Apple IIe motherboard, which I etched onto the various wood and acrylic layers of the piece to highlight the details of the chips and circuit board.

This piece has a layer of cherry hard wood  that is laser-etched and laser-cut to showcase the chips and prominent features of the board, which is then placed delicately on top of a laser-etched acrylic which is edge lit to reveal the traces and base layer of the board.

Then I wrapped the layers in a box of walnut plywood, and sparing no detail, even the interior frame is high-quality poplar plywood -- meaning that it looks almost as good on the inside as the outside. Likewise, the front is finished in a poplar plywood that is titled with an etched logo of the Apple IIe, the years of the platinum series, and numbered to reflect that this is a limited first edition of ten.

At nearly 3-inches deep the piece is designed to stand securely by itself on a desk or shelf, and the high-quality materials ensure the piece can be enjoyed for years to come. The overall dimensions are 7 7/8"-inches (200mm) wide by 10 1/2-inches (267mm) tall and 2 7/8-inches (73mm) deep.

The edge-lighting electronics are powered by either three AA batteries (included), or via a micro-USB port accessible in the back, and are controlled with an included remote control. I love setting the LEDs to illuminate the traces in white or green — though it looks great in any highlight color and can be set to cycle through all the colors.

This art is precision laser etched and each piece features beautiful, unique woodgrains that ensure no two will be exactly alike. All the wood is coated with a furniture-grade semi-gloss finish. I sign the back cover on the inside. The art is 100% hand-crafted in the Arlington, VA USA. All the wood is biodegradable, sustainably, and ethically sourced. 

These have been a real labor of love for me and I hope the folks that end up with them find them to be a great addition to their collection.

Over time I plan to make different series in other materials and sizes, and different limited runs of art to celebrate other classic computers.

Here are some other photos and video.

This is the Platinum edition Apple IIe that modeled all the images used to make this art.

A close up showing the laser etching in the cherry hardwood to capture information about the 6502 CPU and other details.

Here’s the artist’s proof on my bookshelf

An inside view of the battery compartment, USB port, and artist signature

Blue is just one of many colors that can be selected with the included remote control. If you look closely you can also see some derivate artworks I hope to release in the future.

Original art by Smiling Savage Studios