Hy and welcome all to our new worklog This time we´re going to enter the Season 4 of the MSI Pro Mod Competition with a bit freaky project. So let me explain a little bit. At first....the plannings for our Project are not finalized yet...so many details could change during the building process. So all renderings and pictures are just to help you imagine in which direction we´re heading. So what we´re planning to do: For all who don´t know: We love Robots!!! , in the past we already build a few Wall-E´s, a life Sized Sentry Turret from Portal, an R2D2 and a few other Robot inspired Casemods and scratch Builds. This time we wanted something different...so we won´t be building an replica like we did on our Batmobile2k16 Project. Our build is not inspired by just a single Robot, it´s inpsired by tons of Robots.....and here are a few of them..... Like you can see...the most of them are not fresh from the factory....they are demolished, depressive.....and just sad creatures which we loved..... So we´re going to mix all of them and a few others which we had in our mind into one Project and build a sad little Robot..... Up to now our mix and plannings has gone that far.....but i bet we will change some of the details.... We also started to gather the first Hardware Parts which we will need for this Project: to be continued.....
Time for the first Update, it took a while because in the last weeks we spent the most of our Taiwan @ Computex, but before we left we already made a bit of progress..... For the Bottom Part of our Robot we decided to use parts of an old RC Car which we had in our storage for a long time now. So we started with this toy and disassembling it in single pieces.... After that we made a few measurements and transfered them onto a big piece of aluminum so that we could cut out a new bottomplate for our Chassis. After cutting it out, we already made the bendings on that part so that we could fit in the sidepanels in the next step. Before we started to fit in the Sidepanels we made a quick comparison with the original parts (which we will also will use for our sidepanels) and then we directly head over to the cutting process of our own versions so that we could attach them to the floor pan....
Interesting. So is this actually going to be a mobile robot or just a static case that looks like one?
yeah, that´s the plan .... it should be able to drive around....but atm i´m not sure how many other functions we´re going to add.... we also thought that, but we didn´t had the time to make new sketches and renders (because we were in taiwan)....so expect less cash register
Sooo, you'll have a computer case that drives around by remote control, but only actually works as a computer when that 1000 watt PSU is plugged into the mains? Seems like a cool gimmick, but one that might well get in the way of it being practical as an object that sits on your desk and holds your computer parts. Maybe I'm misunderstanding the point here, but is this meant to be a working comoputer used by actual humans or is it basically a marketing item to show the cool thing you made?
Sure it will be a working computer ....but we won´t make the pc useable when the whole thing drives around....so it´s just like a kind of gimmick. But imho it also won´t make any sense to make it a "usable" pc while it´s driving around, just because you can´t use it unless you would run behind it and even then... In the last days we made a bit of progress on the rolling chassis of our robot.... As first piece we cut out a frame which we riveted on top of the other parts which we already had prepared for the bottom tub. With that frame we will connect all parts so that it gets really sturdy and stiff. As next we put the parts from the original rc car on our sidepanels so that we could mark the spots were we have to drill holes so that the axles can go through the sidepanels.... and here is a pic were you can see how much bigger our bottom tub is in comparison to the original rc car part.... As next we´r e going to add the motors and all the electronics which are needed to control and drive this thing before we start to add the first hardware parts....
It´s time to show some progress.... in the last days we couldn´t spend that much time on our mod....but we made some progress..... At first we assembled all the parts which are needed to drive that thing (pulleys, belts. wheels, motors) and tested if everything works.... After seeing that everything is fine up to here, we decided to make the next cuts in the bottom tub, so that we can add a power socket to the tub so that we can connect the socket directly to our PSU, which will also be mounted in the bottom tub.... as next we drilled a few holes, which we will use to mount some LED Spots.... Then we disassembled everything again and started the printing process for a socket cap which we can plug in the socket of the tub when it´s moving ....so that no dirt gets inside....it´s only a quick prototype....just to see if the dimesions were correct.... and last but not least....we started to cut out a dividing wall which will be mounted in the bottom tub. It will also act as one part of our PSU Mounting....so that we can securely mount our PSU in the Bottom Tub when everything is done....
Next Update: In the last days we finished the filing of the midplate. After that we screwed it into our bottom tub....later it will be riveted to the tub. We also mounted the PSU for a quick test...just to see if it fits in like we calculated.... Beside that we cut out 2 plexiglas stripes which we will mount on the front and back of the tub....behind those stripes we will place a few WS2812B LED Strips so that we can controll every LED on the Strip individiually. Then we started to prepare a base for our Motherboard....
Over the last days we made some progress. First we cutted a few aluminum profiles into the right lenght so that we could attach them to the bottom tub, right behind the plexi stripes which we prepared earlier. Those Profiles will be used to mount LED Strips on them. Then we continued the work on the mainbase and made the next cuts..... Beside that we printed a new socket cap...which is a bit smaller than the last one and fits more the dimension of the socket.... We also prepared the first LEDs, which will be mounted in the bottom tub....
In the last days the rest of our Hardware arrived!! So with these last and most important parts we could continue the building process of the upper section. For that we first drilled some holes into the mainbase and cutted the threads for the motherboard stand- off´s. After that we mounted the Board for a first test and started to rethink were we want to mount the Graphic Card.... After that we started to build some mounting brackets for the graphic card which we will later rivet to the mainbase.... Beside that we cut the next piece of the puzzle....it will be used to mount the Radiator on it.... And we started to cut out the first pieces for the upper Robot part.....
Next Update: In the last days we continued the work on the first piece of the outer skin....first we had to cut away a few pieces so that we could bend the whole part afterwards.... After bending the panel....we mounted it for a quick test....just to see where we have to made changes.... Then we drawed the sidepieces on an aluminum panel and cutted the raw shape out so that we could attach those pieces to the sides of our bended panel.... As next we´re going to make a few struts which will connect the radiator holder with the front piece so that we get a rigid unit which can be mounted as 1 part.....
Looking good! So, no depression-themed killbot? You could do an Oculus tie-in for that first-person robot-rampage experience.
Nooo, we won´t make it a killbot (not now maybe as a first upgrade ) Time for the next Update: As next we continued our work with the struts for the upper build..... After that we disassembled everything, so that we could sand everything from the bottom tub, so that we could start the painting process for the first parts..... Beside that, we already cut oun a hole for the neck of our robot, we will build it from a 40mm plexiglas tube.....(still have to cut it down to the right length)
Once again...it´s time for an update: In the last days we started the building process of our sidepanels....first we started to make some templates out of a thin foamsheet....the material is very easy to handle so that we could work out the needed shape in a short amount of time....after that we will cut out the real sidepanels from aluminum..... Beside that we cut out a small grill and a few other pieces which were needed to construct the Top of our Case. After cutting all those pieces out, we bended them in the right shape and started to rivet everything together..... As next we´re going to cut out the sidepanels, prepare the mounting parts for the neck, overwork the rims and we will start building the head......
The End of the MSI Pro Mod Season 4 is coming nigh.....so here is the next update: Like announced in the last update we cut out the sidepanels and attached them to the body for a quick check to see if they fit.... After that we prepared the mounting parts for the neck. For that we cut out 2 pieces of plexi which we will mount inside the body right beside the cutout for the neck ... We also started the printing process for the head.....so that we could continue with these parts as soon as they are ready..... And we cutted a few openings in one of the sidepanels....so that we could access the I/O Ports without removing the whole panel....we also cut out a few smaller metal pieces which we will use as a cover for the cutout so that we could close all openings when it drives around.....
Only 1 Day left for Modding..... The Printing Process of the Head is done....so that we can now continue with the inner parts so that we could assemble it as soon as possible..... We already searched for a few webcams in our storage and found a few that we could use as eyes. We also cut out a piece of Plexiglas which we will use for the teeth....it´s already engraved and will be painted from the backside so that we could attach it to the face We also prepared the first parts for the arm stumps and overworked the sidepanels so that they fit..... The Hardware is also prepared to be mounted on the bottom tub.... And last but not least we drilled a few last holes for a fill port and the power button....and started the painting process for the upper part of our build.....
Last day of the MSI Pro Mod Season 4.....so here comes our final Update: Like you could imagine we were a bit in hurry today to finish everything on time...but we managed it to get all done so that we could make a few first final pics of it. I have to split the Update in two pieces....first the things we did yesterday after the Update....and then the last and final pics from today..... Yesterday: One of the things we did yesterday after our Update, was the painting process for the face so that we could assemble the eyes, teeth + LEDs after the laquer has dried.... Like you can see on the Pics one of the holes for the eyes is a little bit bigger than the other one....thats just because we plan that this eye can be popped out of the head so that it is hanging loose on it´s cable..... Beside that we mounted the PSU in the bottom tub....and routed all Cables into the right directions so that we only have to connect the cables which will be used in the head..... We also prepared a few details parts for the neck & the arm stumps which we assembled before we´re going to paint them..... And last but not least we started the detailing process of the main body...... Today: Today only some minor preparations were necessary before we could start to assemble everything, fill the loop and make a first test run..... We still had to assemble the painted arm stumps so that we could finally mount them on the body.....beside that we also mounted the painted mesh parts....and completed the paintjob on the sidepanels.... and then it was time for a first test & the final pics..... and here is also a short video about the LED Animations:
That face. It's more like, "incoherent rage bot." -'specially with the googly eye. Plan B: Give it a chainsaw arm and a drill arm, both held high so he can scare things.
now, after the Gamescom is done.....it´s an option.....we already thought on a killbot upgrade And finally we got some time to make a short video of our Robot in Action (& scaring some deers)
