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.
Time.Sync.
- Thread starter ALXAndy
- Start date
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.
Associate
- Joined
- 30 Aug 2018
- Posts
- 2,483
What 80mm is that?
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.
Soldato
Will the pressure release valve have air trapped around it? Or will it dump liquid out if it's triggered? 
Associate
- Joined
- 30 Aug 2018
- Posts
- 2,483
Bummer about the wheels. Does that mean you dont need to relocate the alienware daughterboard now?
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.
Is it possible to integrate the rgb lights with a custom controller for different effects or would it be limited to what you can do on the alienware software? By the way do you still have the window mod panel you did on a previous build?
Edit:
I bought the motorised door for my alienware area 51 x504. Ive ive plugged in all the cables and the door doesn't seem to work. Clicking the alienhead doesn't do anything to the door. I am runnning windows 10, was wondering if you have had that sort of issue in the past?
Edit:
I bought the motorised door for my alienware area 51 x504. Ive ive plugged in all the cables and the door doesn't seem to work. Clicking the alienhead doesn't do anything to the door. I am runnning windows 10, was wondering if you have had that sort of issue in the past?
Last edited:
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 !
Quick mock up. Very happy indeed.
Thanks, man. Yeah, once I start bolting things back on it will start taking shape. I always have a philosophy with stuff like this.. "It will look ten times worse before it looks a hundred times better".
Time (lol) to build the clock. It arrived (what I thought was -) in one piece.
Started soldering, went well..
And back side finished.
Now this thing is a sandwich, so basically if you miss a component and solder the digits on you are *****. Totally *****. I didn't miss anything, apart from putting one component where I thought it would go but didn't. No biggy, desoldered it and moved it..
Then came time to fit the segs. Only, one of the segs had 4 legs missing I ended up having to take the seg itself apart (seriously) and god must have been on my side, 'cause the legs were inside the housing. I soldered them in (properly) and....
And the acid test, time for power..
Wait, let's just put a filter over that..
OK do note there is a dot lit on the seg that I needed to repair. It is on the same circuit as the dot on the left digits. This is because when I put the PCB back into the housing I did it wrong. It's perfectly safe (it just does exactly what the other one does) so I am going to cut a small black dot of vinyl and put that over it, so you can't see it.
Other than that? yeah, I am pretty happy. Will go about making the shell in a bit.
Edit -
Doh, what a wally. Both of those dots are supposed to do exactly what they are doing. Time is displayed like this - 13:45 or whatever.
Started soldering, went well..
And back side finished.
Now this thing is a sandwich, so basically if you miss a component and solder the digits on you are *****. Totally *****. I didn't miss anything, apart from putting one component where I thought it would go but didn't. No biggy, desoldered it and moved it..
Then came time to fit the segs. Only, one of the segs had 4 legs missing
I ended up having to take the seg itself apart (seriously) and god must have been on my side, 'cause the legs were inside the housing. I soldered them in (properly) and....
And the acid test, time for power..
Wait, let's just put a filter over that..
OK do note there is a dot lit on the seg that I needed to repair. It is on the same circuit as the dot on the left digits. This is because when I put the PCB back into the housing I did it wrong. It's perfectly safe (it just does exactly what the other one does) so I am going to cut a small black dot of vinyl and put that over it, so you can't see it.
Other than that? yeah, I am pretty happy. Will go about making the shell in a bit.
Edit -
Doh, what a wally. Both of those dots are supposed to do exactly what they are doing. Time is displayed like this - 13:45 or whatever.
Last edited: