Lean and Green - modular dual PC scratch build

[waynio]

Your attention to detail is absolutely breathtaking, this is a real labour of love for you eh?

The marble thing is amazing.

Thanks Rids, I do love modding/creating, just been getting deeper & deeper into it & perfectionism starts creeping into it, I'm not as bad as some on that but not far off & probably be there by the time this is complete.

Seen other modders using alternative things for power buttons & when I seen those marbles I seen really good possibilities.

ust read your log. Amazing work.

Thanks doyll, appreciated.

Fixing that 3mm panel so it aligned properly for the marble power button was difficult, the difficult part of it was getting the template stuck in the precise needed spot.

Anyway any other inset pieces don't need such strict alignment thank goodness so everything from here should be a bit more straight forward.

 

[waynio]

Got some prepping done for cutting the 4 HTPC side contrast panels & made a little start on them, once they are cut & cleaned up they are ready to mount, I also worked the fixing of the layers before cutting them because I really wouldn't fancy trying to drill these frail panels once they are cut, then have 6 smaller 3mm detail inset panels to make.

Drilled access holes on both ends so I can work it better, kinda like a beat'em'up game where your used to playing on 1 particular side, can do both but seem to find it more familiar once you get used to following the cut line, the countersunk mounting holes in the corners didn't quite align properly to the panel I tapped so countersunk a little further so it gives a touch of wiggle room to align properly.

Probably the most boring update of the log but I'm just posting this now so it is known progress is still rolling but I had a couple days off due to lacking energy & focus so been recovering, very important to do that when not feeling on form else I'd screw something up.

I intend to get back into it now that I just have a big cutting session ahead I need to focus on, no idea how long these will take but they are only 1mm thick & cut easy but I do need to be careful to not mangle them up, that's the difficult part.

And today I'm 12,775 days old.

 

[waynio]

Sorry for being out of it since my birthday, I got plastered & I some how woke up in Hawaii & looked like there was a beach party been going on so had to find my way home by sneaking onto aeroplanes & going to random countries until things looked familiar & then a long walk home.

Nah, steam sale took up a bunch of my time & I joined facebook & quit facebook it was squeezing the enthusiasm out of me so had to quit it.
I then decided I've been dossing too much & had to get moving forward again.

Previously on Waynio has an update to show...

It was a boring update.

Now...

Yes, another boring update, 1 down 3 to go of these.

But...

reikmaharg2 on bit-tech creator of Silent fibreglass PC & Blue Horizon offered help on making a super duper light mod called the Spindicator & made the complicated part for me.

I've got my soldering kit & LED's ordered & should have them soon.

Here is a video of it in action.

 

[Diggsy]

That is going to look awesome

 

[Tealc]

Hey Waynio that Spindicator reminds me of the LED sequencer I made for fans last year, the major difference being I used discrete components and reikmaharg2 used a micro controller to achieve a similar effect. My circuit had a dimming effect like the one in PCBHeaven video too.

I haven't thought about hooking it up to the HDD LED as a timer source before.

Liking the progress you are making with the scratch build though and wonder if a spinning LED would spoil the look?

 

[Craterloads]

Everytime i come back you are just cutting things and cutting things!

By god be done all ready

Although ive probably missed it, what kind of hardware you putting into the beast?

 

[waynio]

That is going to look awesome

Should do, chers Diggsy.

Hey Waynio that Spindicator reminds me of the LED sequencer I made for fans last year, the major difference being I used discrete components and reikmaharg2 used a micro controller to achieve a similar effect. My circuit had a dimming effect like the one in PCBHeaven video too.

I haven't thought about hooking it up to the HDD LED as a timer source before.

Liking the progress you are making with the scratch build though and wonder if a spinning LED would spoil the look?

I checked out your version, brilliant modding mate, I'm convinced there is a market for that kind of stuff, why not make a few & work out a price to sell them at, those fan mods you done are just brilliant mate, they kinda look like Catherine wheels in slow motion.
Cheers Tealc.

Everytime i come back you are just cutting things and cutting things!

By god be done all ready

Although ive probably missed it, what kind of hardware you putting into the beast?

Cheers Craterloads.
Awful lot of cutting to be done on this lol.
Unless I go pestering manufacturers or shops for sponsor love I'll probably be using the system parts I'm currently using but the HTPC is already covered, it would be nice to put nice parts in this when it's ready for loading hardware into it though.
The pedestal would allow me to do high end water cooling too if I decided to do water cooling & could support massive rads, couple reservoirs & a couple pumps but watercooling still isn't my thing really so would only use that if using toasty gear.

Got the secondary layer cut & fixed the 2 together to the 3mm panel with washers in between them, here is a bunch of pics of it because I won't post any more updates until the other side is done.

Enjoy the wavy line trippage. (been told they make peoples eyes go funny )

 

[Number_25]

God damnit, major jealously here.

 

[Something Else]

some very lovely metal work there, i have a mild fetish for fine metal work haha

 

[Tealc]

I checked out your version, brilliant modding mate, I'm convinced there is a market for that kind of stuff, why not make a few & work out a price to sell them at, those fan mods you done are just brilliant mate, they kinda look like Catherine wheels in slow motion.
Cheers Tealc.

Thanks mate.

There probably is a market for this sort of thing but it won't be in analog electronics like I did as the amount of work and parts involved would make the cost of the item very high. A microcontroller version like the one you have cuts the part count dramatically and while the microcontroller costs a few quid each it would save massively in time populating the board and save massively in the fault finding time, although faults and time would be much reduced if the board were a proper etched PCB as they are easier to solder to without making mistakes.

Just look at the difference betwen your board and my board. Ok mine drives 18 LEDs while yours drives 12 but all the stuff I have on my board is done electronically by the microcontroller. Mine sort of fakes PWM control too, and that's what most of the board is doing. The small chip and the two larger chips are what does the sequencing, the other components then are mainly dimming the LEDs If I were to make a board with PWM controllers for each LED like in your circuit it would be three times the size.

I really should get into microcontrollers as they seem so versatile. Once you program a chip you can mount it on a board and it can chug away running the same code for a very long time.

 

[waynio]

God damnit, major jealously here.

Sorry mate but thanks for commenting.

some very lovely metal work there, i have a mild fetish for fine metal work haha

Cheers Jamsames, man I can't wait to start putting all the pieces together, hopefully not too far off now I hope.

Thanks mate.

There probably is a market for this sort of thing but it won't be in analog electronics like I did as the amount of work and parts involved would make the cost of the item very high. A microcontroller version like the one you have cuts the part count dramatically and while the microcontroller costs a few quid each it would save massively in time populating the board and save massively in the fault finding time, although faults and time would be much reduced if the board were a proper etched PCB as they are easier to solder to without making mistakes.

Just look at the difference betwen your board and my board. Ok mine drives 18 LEDs while yours drives 12 but all the stuff I have on my board is done electronically by the microcontroller. Mine sort of fakes PWM control too, and that's what most of the board is doing. The small chip and the two larger chips are what does the sequencing, the other components then are mainly dimming the LEDs If I were to make a board with PWM controllers for each LED like in your circuit it would be three times the size.

I really should get into microcontrollers as they seem so versatile. Once you program a chip you can mount it on a board and it can chug away running the same code for a very long time.

The parts cost £10 or £12 for Keir so I just had to pay for that & the postage, I offered to do him a grill whenever he wants to return the favor.

Be interesting to see what someone like you could come up with your own awesome mods using microcontrollers, you was already way ahead of that spindicator but by a different method.



Another update.

I seem to be making nice progress again.

Got the last 2 of 4 internal dual layer panels cut & cleaned overnight, they just need sanding to remove any scratches, I'm happy with them.

Wonder if I can keep this up every day, hope so.

 

[waynio]

Made some more progress.

Before I could go & make the inset panels for the stand sides I had to smooth the 10mm panels now or leave them rough so been smoothing the inside edges for the best part of Sunday, still needs more perfecting on the smoothing particularly in the corners where the drum sander couldn't reach but the bulk of it is done & should be insignificant what will be removed later to affect the fit of the inset panels, nice & smooth all over the internal edges though but not a uniform finish in the corners, I'll sort that at a later time but they are now ready for making the inset panels.

Drum sander all the way would have taken too long & probably burn my drill out so got the files out & took the bulk of the teeth marks out so all the edges just needed a final smoothing with the drum sander & a bit of sandpaper on a file.

I hope to get right back onto this later on Monday.

 

[Something Else]

bet this is going to weigh a ton when its finished! looking cracking though!

 

[waynio]

bet this is going to weigh a ton when its finished! looking cracking though!

Yeah, think it will weigh a fair bit but I do intend to put it on a good diet by adding basic patterns on plain panels that retain the strength to reduce the weight, could end up surprisingly light if I do it well, cheers Jamsames.

More progress.

With finding how some things still need that bit of manual touch on marking from the front detail marble panel, I did the same on the templates for the inset pieces to make life a touch easier.

Used some decent scrap 3mm & roughly cut them out, roughly because I knew I'd need to file to make a perfect fit for them all.

Whole lot of file, check, file, check etc.

Until yay they all fit perfect.

Pop them all out & drill start holes.

I got 2 of the panels patterns cut out but I really needed a rest which I'm going to have now, back was aching like crazy so gonna have a little nap & then get back onto it.

 

[waynio]

Finished cutting the 3mm inset panels & would have done this update at 8PM but I passed out while sorting through the pictures & woke up at 2AM lol.

Scraped the templates off & then cleaned off the glue with paint thinners & scrubbed with a brush in hot soapy water & dried.

Slotted them all into their homes, they slip in nicely & then push them so they go in fully with a little added pressure.

Then thought let's see what they look like with the other side panel bits.

Then thought why the heck not clean up the table to do another loose fit of the HTPC & stand.

Now I can work on the power button design, once that is designed I can complete the Spindicator also, the most significant cut work to be done now is completing the custom fans & I might re make any acrylic bits because the adhesive was well past it's best so any flat pieces stuck together could be done much better, edge to surface bits are fine though & I got some new tensol 12.

I think because I left most if not all fixing together points out of the early design I'll go freestyle on that & use a good adhesive so parts stay exactly where I want them to & then drill so everything goes together perfectly & then remove the adhesive so I'll have to use one I know is strong but can be separated with the right methods, araldite rapid steel I've used before & is strong for something like that & it just requires heating with a heat gun & slide a razor between the joints & it does the trick.

 

[Something Else]

this is no longer a computer case. this is a work of art! you have some real skill there, i love this project log!

 

[MonsterMoshi]

^agreed!

I think we need a final weigh in at the end too

What are you using to fix it all together?

 

[waynio]

this is no longer a computer case. this is a work of art! you have some real skill there, i love this project log!

Thanks Jamsames, appreciated.

^agreed!

I think we need a final weigh in at the end too

What are you using to fix it all together?

Thanks MonsterMoshi, I'll weigh it as usual at the end, m3 countersunk screws & a lot of tapping.

Needed a massive countersink bit to get the marble flush or close to flush to the inset pattern panel, the marble is 38mm but big countersinks at 55mm cost £60 & then another £30 to £70 for a chuck with 20mm capacity & not willing to spend money like that for a rare tasks bit so I filed & drum sanded as a cheap alternative, did the job, now I can design the switch mechanism.

Got the 4mm acrylic rod, got the m4 washers & springs so yes, it's time to work out the design of how this switch works.

More soon.

 

[waynio]

So, it's a 10mm spring compressed to 5mm so it stays forced into place so not loose & only have to press it 2mm in to switch it, 2x 0.9mm m4 nylon washers, 4mm acrylic rod, 3mm opal frosted acrylic sheet, 2mm acrylic sheet, Aluminium tube, 2mm aluminium sheet, 10mm aluminium plate, lian li switch.

Had trouble making it fit in but just about got to a point where it should work.

Just over 4mm space between the switch & PSU, extremely close.

I'm done for today though.

 

[waynio]

Improved the design & got it ready for the spindicator & managed to make it less deep so has a touch more space again, lol about 3mm extra space but it all makes a difference.

Got it printed, had a good rest, caught a few rays from the sun so feeling gooooood, time to get busy until I have a good scoop of progress.

Next update I aim to do the back pci/io pieces for the HTPC & gamer rig, get this switch assembly made & fixed together & have the soldering done for the spindicator, I'll save the spindicator until last though because I might have to ask Keir about the negative part of the LED's again, might.