Fan decals.
Time.Sync.
- Thread starter ALXAndy
- Start date
Electronics rambling.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBktYEwbR9A
Yay.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4RPlbw__l8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBktYEwbR9A
Yay.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4RPlbw__l8
Second coat "right side up" is done. The rad carriers are now complete.
Will give it 24 hours, then tomorrow turn it the other way and paint the top (well, it will be on the bottom when I paint it).
Will give it 24 hours, then tomorrow turn it the other way and paint the top (well, it will be on the bottom when I paint it).
Yesterday I started planning the front panel cover (where the drives used to be). I have two power meters (electronic, red) so will be using those to display 5v and 12v. I also have the temp gauge (red). One thing I have wanted for ages though is a clock on my PC. When I am gaming I lose track of time, and there's no way of knowing the time without either turning around 180' or putting a clock on my desk. I tried overlays, but they rely on DX11 so of course the overlays do not work with DX12. So I decided to get this.
Which will also go in the front panel. The front panel will end up resembling the panel in the car in Back To The Future, which is quite funny with this being the Time Sync. However, there is one last twist.. I gotta build it myself
But hey, no pain no gain right?
I will be finishing up the paint tonight once I get back from the skate park.
Which will also go in the front panel. The front panel will end up resembling the panel in the car in Back To The Future, which is quite funny with this being the Time Sync. However, there is one last twist.. I gotta build it myself
But hey, no pain no gain right?
I will be finishing up the paint tonight once I get back from the skate park.
Flipped it over and painted what needed painting.
One more coat tomorrow ought to end the paint stage.
One more coat tomorrow ought to end the paint stage.
If you have basic painting skills with Hammerite you won't see any brush marks, because once you put it on and feather it over it reacts, hiding all of the brush marks. That is why I initially chose it, as I have a long experience with it (painting bikes growing up as a kid).
It's all about the feathering. Put the paint down (not too much, that takes lots of practice) and then leave it for about ten seconds, then feather it over in the same direction. Then just leave it to do its thing.
TBH? 90% of what I have painted will not even be visible once the case is back together. It's literally the "frame" around the PC. So that is about all that will seem different, as the interior is going to be pretty radical.
Here. I thought I had uploaded this earlier on this forum but I guess I forgot (too much going on in my brain !).
It has like a pearl sort of mixture in it, and what appears to be a very fine gold flake. That pic is the best portrayal of how it looks IRL IMO. It is very hard to capture exactly what it is you are seeing, like many paint effects.
Oh and remember with painting, never EVER try and get away with one coat. Also time in = results. Don't rush it. I will have about four days into this all told.
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China, on fleabay. I get 90% of my electronics from there now. They clone everything, from clocks to £2000 headphone amps lol.
Painting is finished now. I did not take any pics as there was no point. I will need to let it fully cure and harden now for a few days, but in the mean time I ordered these.
They hold 200kg, so should be enough lol.
Painting is finished now. I did not take any pics as there was no point. I will need to let it fully cure and harden now for a few days, but in the mean time I ordered these.
They hold 200kg, so should be enough lol.
today I set about sorting out the IO panel with the USB etc. I decided to ditch Estata (as I broke it) FP audio and Firewire. I have never used any of those. So I made a small blanking panel and covered it with brushed black acrylic.
Then I figured I would basically sort out the mess of cables coming from it. I have done solid, yet ugly, repairs on them twice. And it shows. So I figured I would cut out the ugly wiring, braid it black, then put it all back together.
Then I realised my entire soldering outfit was at my mother's /facepalm. It would cost me £30 to go over in a taxi and get it, or I could have it all brand new for about £40. So I ordered it (Prime)
I needed some more of these, too.
Then I figured I would basically sort out the mess of cables coming from it. I have done solid, yet ugly, repairs on them twice. And it shows. So I figured I would cut out the ugly wiring, braid it black, then put it all back together.
Then I realised my entire soldering outfit was at my mother's /facepalm. It would cost me £30 to go over in a taxi and get it, or I could have it all brand new for about £40. So I ordered it (Prime)
I needed some more of these, too.
Absolutely not
I did that before and it ended up costing me £120 to get a new one shipped over from the USA lol. I will just leave it off tbh. But yeah, I like to keep them so that if you put the side panels on they look 100% bone stock.
The painting is now finished. I will now let it sit for about a week to fully harden up. As you can see I've had the roof out because I needed to make 100% sure that the roof motor would not foul the front rad once it was bolted in. Thankfully (I've had the roof on and rad in) it clears OK.
I contacted the company who I ordered the acrylic from today and apparently they are shipping it today. So it should arrive soon hopefully. Will do some soldering later and rewire the FP connectors.
I contacted the company who I ordered the acrylic from today and apparently they are shipping it today. So it should arrive soon hopefully. Will do some soldering later and rewire the FP connectors.
First panel is done and fitted. Note, I haven't taken off the protective layer and the rad is only there so I know it fits..
Goes right up to the top.
Goes right up to the top.
Floor made (two parts).
I now need to go back to the drawing board to design the next part. I have a few ideas in mind, but need a donor board to make sure they will fit/clear etc.
I now need to go back to the drawing board to design the next part. I have a few ideas in mind, but need a donor board to make sure they will fit/clear etc.
OK, so the last update for a few days (got a wedding at the weekend and need to leave tomorrow). For the past two days I've been working on how to get a 7" HDMI monitor into the floor. First I scanned it.
Then I had to translate that into a stencil.
Ignore the "Cables" part, that is only there for now to remind me which way to orientate the screen. I literally had 3mm to play with here. I then sent that to the plotter.
Then set to work with the Dremel. Do note *this is not finished*. It is far from it, I am waiting on an order of acrylic to finish it with. I will go through what I need to do when I update next
Perfect for displaying temps, the weather etc lol.
Then I had to translate that into a stencil.
Ignore the "Cables" part, that is only there for now to remind me which way to orientate the screen. I literally had 3mm to play with here. I then sent that to the plotter.
Then set to work with the Dremel. Do note *this is not finished*. It is far from it, I am waiting on an order of acrylic to finish it with. I will go through what I need to do when I update next
Perfect for displaying temps, the weather etc lol.
Pic sans template. The screen is kinda weird, because the way it mounts there is a 3mm gap between the glass on the screen and the hole you cut. So, I need to get some clear acrylic (ordered) and cut a panel that makes it flush with the hole, then cut a bezel out of black that I can get perfectly straight edges on. It is not possible to cut perfect edges when the cut out is "into" the material. You have to tilt the Dremel to get access. This will be resolved with a small bezel.
Adding the clear layer will also strengthen the part and stop it sagging.
When I bought my PA3 (a small computer that controls pumps, fans etc) I got a license for the software. I never did finish it (it would probably be a day's work to build my front end) but I will now. So as frivolous as it seems it will be incredibly handy.
I also wanted to say a *huge* thankyou to OCUK and their staff for getting all of my small and annoying orders fulfilled and shipped to me. I apologise for not working it out and ordering in one lump, as my brain tends not to work like that.
Adding the clear layer will also strengthen the part and stop it sagging.
When I bought my PA3 (a small computer that controls pumps, fans etc) I got a license for the software. I never did finish it (it would probably be a day's work to build my front end) but I will now. So as frivolous as it seems it will be incredibly handy.
I also wanted to say a *huge* thankyou to OCUK and their staff for getting all of my small and annoying orders fulfilled and shipped to me. I apologise for not working it out and ordering in one lump, as my brain tends not to work like that.
Another order placed. This time I got three Alchemy SATA cables (as they are the only braided ones I know of) in black. I have one in red already, so it's going to be a very small splash of red.
Some RGB extension cables.
Bolts (6mm long M6)
M6 nuts
And an intake fan for the bottom chamber. I am going to have to move the Alienware daughter board because the nuts from the wheels will get in the way. I am putting the fan in there (it's 80mm) just to draw some air over the boards that will be in there.
Some RGB extension cables.
Bolts (6mm long M6)
M6 nuts
And an intake fan for the bottom chamber. I am going to have to move the Alienware daughter board because the nuts from the wheels will get in the way. I am putting the fan in there (it's 80mm) just to draw some air over the boards that will be in there.
Noctua.
The floor LCD is now finished, with a bezel.
It also has 3mm of clear plexi over it.
I had a bit of an engineering fail yesterday that bummed me out really bad. I spent ages drilling holes for the wheels and putting them in the only places I could, just for it to tip over when done
there is nothing I can do to fix that, so I will need to make some feet.
Today I made the holes for the pump and countersunk them.
And then fitted the pump to where it will live.
Do note - I am going to fit the IO to the side of it, and put a plug in the top (maybe that pressure release valve, if it fits there.
Will be taking some time off now and will come back to it when I have rested.
It also has 3mm of clear plexi over it.
I had a bit of an engineering fail yesterday that bummed me out really bad. I spent ages drilling holes for the wheels and putting them in the only places I could, just for it to tip over when done
there is nothing I can do to fix that, so I will need to make some feet.Today I made the holes for the pump and countersunk them.
And then fitted the pump to where it will live.
Do note - I am going to fit the IO to the side of it, and put a plug in the top (maybe that pressure release valve, if it fits there.
Will be taking some time off now and will come back to it when I have rested.
I still need to move it, due to the intake fan I will be fitting down there (if it even fits lmao). Plus I will be fitting large feet on the case, so the bolts will no doubt get in the way. The biggest part of the project is coming up with ideas and then putting them into practice. That screen has been in and out about 20 times now.
Will the pressure release valve have air trapped around it? Or will it dump liquid out if it's triggered?
It's like a rubber membrane that can swell to allow more pressure than static. At least from what I can gather.. Might have to test it later when I come to looping up. I will no doubt put it somewhere safe any way. I know it was leaking before as I found a load of red chalk like stuff dried up in the bottom. I do have a fill port, so maybe I will adapt that and put it into the bottom of the case as a drain port? dunno. Got so much to overcome before I even reach that stage any way.
Not had any issues with the door. Weird..
I can't integrate the internal lights with the external, no. You will see my "fix" for that in just a sec. I could buy some RGB lights and wire them into the board (so double up etc) but I am not sure the board could handle it. Best left alone tbh.
OK so I now have a rear mounted HDMI port for the screen.
I was a little concerned about it breaking the clean look, but once the GPU goes in you can't see it.
Also ordered a Farbwerk.
Lots of goodies arrived whilst I was away, including this...
Cloth tape. Adhesive backed. I can not tell you how many times I have tried to source that in the past and come up empty handed. There is no way I can braid the Alienware loom, so at least I can wrap it. It will look a million times better than large clumps of multi coloured wiring.
In fact I was so happy with it I just ordered another roll for Justin..
I can't integrate the internal lights with the external, no. You will see my "fix" for that in just a sec. I could buy some RGB lights and wire them into the board (so double up etc) but I am not sure the board could handle it. Best left alone tbh.
OK so I now have a rear mounted HDMI port for the screen.
I was a little concerned about it breaking the clean look, but once the GPU goes in you can't see it.
Also ordered a Farbwerk.
Lots of goodies arrived whilst I was away, including this...
Cloth tape. Adhesive backed. I can not tell you how many times I have tried to source that in the past and come up empty handed. There is no way I can braid the Alienware loom, so at least I can wrap it. It will look a million times better than large clumps of multi coloured wiring.
In fact I was so happy with it I just ordered another roll for Justin..
Let's jack it up 60mm.
You can see where this is going....
Perfect template. Screw it on, drill out all of the holes and.
We have lift off !
You can see where this is going....
Perfect template. Screw it on, drill out all of the holes and.
We have lift off !