Project: Pirate Ship!

[Beren]

I am just starting a new build project, some pictures to follow shortly - it is going to be about a 6 month build before I get all the components together for the finished article.

I was talking to my wife about a living room PC and building an entertainment centre for the telly to sit on... and she stupidly suggested that it would be cool if I could build a pirate ship. I love my wife

First step was to make a model of the entertainment desk, I am going to be using predominantly mdf for the build for cost and ease of working with the boards. Half way through the model I realised I was going to be making an enclosure for the PC components and therefore I am going to build the computer directly into the unit.

However, the motherboard is going to be pretty inaccessible. I am currently thinking about mounting the mother board tray onto sliders attached to the unit so that I can roll it out to modify it.

Has anyone here done anything similar?

 

[Beren]

Thanks for the comments I figured making a thread would also give me the encouragement to make sure I don't quit half way...

I am going to buy an old second hand rig to cannibalize the motherboard tray and the rear IO plate - as well as giving me an ATX motherboard to play with so that I can build a working design and then replace the components as funds become available.

I am pretty confident of the design now, I have built the first scale draft from cardboard so that I can scale all my measurements - but the first model has threw up a few design issues that I need to address. The decks (shelves) had too much unsupported span, I need to strengthen it all but leave it light enough to still move when I am done!

The biggest current problem is materials - the centre hull is going to be cut away for the sky box / xbox etc but I need to build a curved skin for the bow and stern which follow three dimensions... I may end up playing with some fibreglass, but that has the potential to go very wrong.

 

[Beren]

 

[Beren]

Thanks for the find Cenedd - but I am on a pretty tight budget for buying new tools that may never get used again

Bickaxe - Yeah I had reached that conclusion as well, I think if I go with 4mm ply it will flex enough, I am going to try a couple of methods of fixing the curve soaking the board I think I can do, and then possibly laminating two boards - though I don't want it to end up super heavy so I am going to avoid that if possible.