The first Mac, Apple's iconic beige box from that memorable 1984 TV commercial, was a wonder of technology not only because it was the first GUI computer for consumers, but also because it presaged future all-in-one computers.

Early users like me loved that little box. So how could I not love the idea of a mini, functional Macintosh remake?

Ultimate Mac nerd and co-host of the RetroMacCast podcast, John Leake, built a 1/3-scale Macintosh 512k (or 128k) replica out of white PVC, a Raspberry Pi credit-card sized computer (motherboard), a tiny 3.5-inch LCD monitor and a lot of elbow grease.

See also: 18 Mac Apps Worth Paying For

According to a recent podcast, Leake spent roughly 12 hours building the working computer. He got some 3-millimeter-thick PVC from the sign shop where he works and then bent and carved it into just the right shape. He said he also spent a lot of time getting the bezels right.

While Leake said he’ll consider using a 3D printer for future case builds, this one was done primarily with an X-Acto knife. The results are still pretty stunning; unless you placed Mini Mac next to a full-sized Mac, you'd assume you were looking at the real thing.

The tiny computer features an HDMI out port for connecting to a much larger, higher-resolution screen (the current one is just 512 x 384), as well as USB and Ethernet ports. It boots off an SD card and runs Mini vMac, an open-source Macintosh OS emulator that allows the Mac software to run on a variety of operating systems, including Linux, the preferred OS of Raspberry Pi.

If you ever used a Macintosh in the mid-80s, you'll instantly recognize the interface and old-school applications like MacPaint. Leake controls the itty-bitty computer with a wireless keyboard and mouse.

Despite the Rasberry Pi’s diminutive size, Leake reports he still had to cut away part of the board to make everything fit and instead of using connectors he had to solder some wires directly to the board.

To add to the verisimilitude, Leake used cocoa-colored Krylon spray paint, which happened to look beige on the white PVC, and 5-millimeter printed text that, with some effects, looks like it’s embossed on the plastic. Leake also took the time to carve out a realistic-looking slot for the 3.5-inch floppy drive. Though, at this size, it’s more like 1.1 inches wide.

Total project costs? Roughly $100. A nice chunk of that went to buying Raspberry Pi, which costs $25, and an $18 LCD TFT screen.

This is not the first time Leake, who has been podcasting with James Savage on all things Mac-related since 2006, built a Mac or Mac-like computer. Back in 2010, he created the Banana Jr., an homage to the anthropomorphic computers featured in the Bloom County comic strip.

If you want to learn how to build one of these yourself, Leake has all the nitty gritty details on his blog and you can get a closer look at the computer in action in the video below.

Images: RetroMacCast

[ht: Cult of Mac]

Bonus: 16 Best Free Mac Apps