Pirate Web Camera

2006-02-07T12:45:00.000-08:00

So, I got a bit bored with the look of my old Logitech Web Camera. It's ugly and frankly it's too obvious. The people in my office know from my pranks to be on the lookout for me so I decided to do an overhaul.

Since National "Talk like a Pirate Day" is just around the corner (September 19th); what better way to commemorate this occasion than with a Pirate Web Camera.

I started off looking around to see what I had as a good housing. My Lego Pirate Island that sits in the corner of my desk really gets no use so I decided to use the skull as a housing.

Given that I am taking apart my Web Camera, I had to use my crappy camera phone to take the pics. So, sorry in advance for the poor quality but I think you can get the just of it.

Step one - inspect the skull and see if I can make this happen with as little effort as possible. I am no electronics whiz by any means.

There is a clear plastic piece that acts as the eye if you lift the patch. I decided that I can cut through the plastic of this to make a decent hole for the lens.

Here's the plastic piece that fits into the eye hole of the skull from the inside. I measured the eye piece area compared to the camera lens to fit almost perfectly. I say almost because my only tools for this are a screwdriver to pry the housing off the camera and an exacto knife to cut the plastic. I'm thinking basic here people because I am lazy......remember.

Next step: break open the housing of the webcam. Looks real simple, just need a flathead.

Crap, seems like I got the housing off but broke a few plastics pieces. Oh well, I don't plan on using the housing again since I already took it apart. It's non-refundable now.

I managed to not break anything else while taking the housing apart ( I think). I unscrewed the lens and was able to separate it from the actual PCB board.

I cut a hole in the plastic and mounted the lens

Mounted inside the plastic liner, I inserted it into the skull and fit the tabs in. All I have to do now is adjust how the lens and board will sit so I don't have to manual focus.

The lens and camera are now one. I had to jimmy a paperclip to make a more secure fit for the camera in the eye of the skull.

Complete, the skull with the eye patch covering the camera lens. I might just customize the patch with a peephole so I don't have to lift it up to use the camera and for it to be less conspicuous. I just though it looked cool to keep that aspect with no function.

If I actually invert the plastic patch, the camera lens is visible while in use and I don't have to use anything to prop it up.

Ahoy!!! The Pirate Web Camera in use and still works. Arrrrrrghhhhhh! Mateys.

Unsuspecting sea dog caught on camera

What is taking those monkeys so long?

Pirate Web Camera