Scratch Build – In Progress * r e f l e X i o n *

You get better lines is you use a guide on either side of the rotozip. I use aluminum angles instead of wood.

 

+1, I figured that as long as I consider two hands a necessity (rather than looking at it as a hand and a spare) aluminium is really the way to go for jigsaws, routers etc. Wood is almost always fine but it's usually the 1/100 problem that lands you in A&E.


It's looking good! Now I will confess that the other reason I'm pestering you is that you have XSPC rads; I want their RX360 but cannot find a decent set of dimensions anywhere. Did you?

 

Yeah, I love the RZ. Get you a good straight-edge and a nice 1/4" carbide cutting bit, and it rips through metal like a hot knife through butter.

Thanks, Aggressions! I appreciate you saying so and am glad to keep things entertaining.

Welcome to the project!

Why cut by hand? Well for one, cost. Waterjets aren't cheap.

For another, I'd really like to put my signature on this build by doing some of my own grub work instead of handing it off to a shop every time that I need something done. Of course, matching the quality and precision on cuts like need to be on the windows of this bay cover to something a waterjet or a laser can do is proving to be impossible, like I thought it would. So that kind of DIY work is probably better saved for things that aren't in such plain view.

I'm very peculiar about the quality of the work on this build because I have very high aspirations for it.

Yep, the aluminum angles have been suggested recently, and I'm thinking they'd work much better than some knotty plywood.

http://www.xspc.biz/rx360.php

And if you need to convert from metric, there are some free calculators out there.

Thanks for all the support, guys! Your words of encouragement truly help. Lots more to come, so continue to check in from time to time.

 

Nah, I need the other measurements (like the length of those end plates and their height relative to the rest of the reservoir). Feser produce very nice schematic diagrams of the X-Changers, but XSPC don't. I'd take the Feser but the XSPC is incrementally smaller all round... Such is the nature of close-fitting mITX cases...

 

Teaser.

 

Those are the best photos in a work log I've seen in quite a while. When I saw you craving out the windows, I was wondering what the heck you where doing,


Nice work

 

Thanks, beast. I'm glad you're enjoying the work log and appreciate the kind words of support.

Another shot of the waterjet side panel that was done today.

I'm waiting on the shop to get back to me with some action shots. They wouldn't let me take my own pictures, but were kind enough to take some for me during the cutting.

 

Nice that you had cooler master etched onto it, good little detail
And dam that is a cool window! How is the back white?

 

Haha, the "CM" wasn't etched; it's just the stock Cosmos panel. It'll be painted over eventually.

As for the window, the devil is in the details. That's all I'll say for now. If you don't figure it out now, it'll be revealed in time.

 

Very nice side panel, waterjet gives a crazy good finish.

 

That almost doesn't even look real, it looks like a render because it's that good



What camera do you have? it must be hardcore professional stuff

 

Thanks, Djayness!

It's real. Thanks!

Nikon D40 DSLR w/ 35mm 1.8 Nikkor lens.

 

Awesome side panel design, looks great .

 

Just great work! Also the pictures are darn good.

 

Thanks a mil, guys!


Alright, who's ready for some waterjet pics?

First, I'd like to thank Mike and Chris Dixon of ADCUT for doing an exceptional job on the side panel, along with the other cuts that I had them make which I will reveal shortly. And not only that, but for indulging me by taking a few pictures of the work in action.

I told them: "Guys out there eat up waterjets; I have to give them something."

--And they were kind enough to indulge me by taking a few great shots of the cutting in action to share with you guys. :up:

I'm usually very picky about the work that I do and that I see others do, but in their case, there is nothing to be picky about. I told them what I was looking to do, and they made it happen exactly as I had hoped. This build is really just getting started, but to see concept come to life is almost surreal.

I'd also like to thank Ann Greco for answering my numerous emails and phone calls at all hours of the day and for helping set up the meeting between us which, in the end, I feel (and hope that many of you will as well) led to a special creation. You guys are the best!

Alright, enough talk. I feel like I'm at an Emmy awards, and I haven't even done anything yet.

Ahhhh, waterjet.



Probably the neatest tool I have ever seen in action. I told Mike, "This makes an entire weekend of sheet metal work with a Rotozip look puny by comparison."

Don't get me wrong; I love my RZ. But this thing cut so quick and precise. All pieces were cut in about 15 minutes. Granted, there was some setup time involved beforehand, but much of that was help from Mike in making the graphic even better. He had a tip to help round off straight edges even better than I was able to do with hundreds of vertices.




A good shot of the abrasive used in the cutting.




Nice, smooth rounded edges.




And that leads us to our finished products! Here are some good shots of the bay cover.





The bay cover will of course be bent to the specs shown in the renders. That's the easy part. Shelves will also be inserted, and it will of course be painted at a later time.

More shots of the side panel to come next.

 

I present: the refleXion side panel.














To he who has knowledge, the next twist in the project, the next secret to be revealed, can be found in one of the above pics. Let he who has this wisdom reveal it to us.

 

Is it something to do with the 4th pic where the bottom right edge isn't square?

 

No, because that's how Cosmos S side panels are shaped to fit onto the chassis

I have no idea what it might be, but whatever it is, I can't wait to see it. This is turning out great so far and you sir have a sub

I too like your photography by the way. That D40 sure is in good hands

 

Thank you for the kind words, Unicorn. Much appreciated.

Autti has the right picture in mind. He/she just hasn't figured out the secret yet.

 

Looks great.Happy modding.Great photography skills too.