Nick McMillen: Recreating the Apple Lisa with the Apple Franken-Lisa Project! Part 1

Can you 3D print and build a full-scale Apple Lisa replica from scratch? In this episode of the Classic Computing Interview Session, host David Greelish sits down with Nick McMillen to discuss his ambitious "Apple Franken-Lisa" project. If you'd like to support my work, consider buying me a coffee. Your generosity helps cover the costs of research, filming, editing and producing new videos for everyone to enjoy. https://buymeacoffee.com/davidulc Nick walks us through the fascinating process of taking a 1/4-scale 3D-printable Apple Lisa model and upscaling it to a full 1-to-1 scale masterpiece. He details the trial, error, and heavy customization required to print a machine this size on modern consumer 3D printers, including how he cut the large panels in half, seamlessly fused them using a specialized wood putty and acetone method, and perfectly replicated the iconic retro beige color. We also take a look at the internal hardware running the setup (powered by a Raspberry Pi running the Lisa EM emulator), discuss a fast new browser-based Lisa OS emulator, and chat about vintage computing culture, nostalgia, and why we love collecting the tech of the past. If you are passionate about retro Apple hardware, 3D printing, or classic computing DIY projects, this deep-dive interview is packed with tips and inspiration! Links: https://rhyme.com/post/6xb7vxx/introd... https://www.amazon.com/Fire-Valley-Bi... https://jcm-1.com/?s=CatMac+Mini https://maceffects.com/products/apple... https://lisagui.com https://experiments.frontierslab.ai/l... https://aresluna.org/frame-of-prefere... 00:00 - Introduction to Nick McMillen and the Franken-Lisa 00:58 - Nick's Background and Launching Rhyme.com 01:53 - Why Retro Tech Forces Us to Slow Down & Enjoy Community 04:14 - Discussing "Fire in the Valley" & Historical Context 05:38 - Vacuum Collections, Toy Ovens, and Finding Passion in Life 09:50 - The Origins of the Franken-Lisa 3D Model Scale 12:35 - Customizing the Faceplate & David's Signature Lisa 14:14 - Modern Replacement Boards vs. Vintage Hardware Risks 15:45 - The CatMac Mini Headless Mod & 3D Printing Barriers 16:29 - Tweaking the Lisa: Browser-Based Lisa Emulators & Claude 19:43 - "Real Artists Ship" & Accepting Compromise in Art 23:01 - The 3D Printing Process: Choosing the Right Printers 25:56 - Fusing 3D Printed Panels and Fixing the Seam Smoothness 30:20 - Filament Color Choice & Sourcing Enormous Print Beds 33:11 - Customizing the Model Software to Speed Up Print Times 35:10 - Clear Aftermarket Cases & Closing Thoughts #AppleLisa #3DPrinting #RetroComputing #VintageApple #RaspberryPi #Macintosh #TechDIY #ClassicComputing