Scratch Build – In Progress The APOC Project, (Update 8th Sept)

Hi there, my name is Seb Karam aka sebtiger.

I am a 20 year old gap year student heading for uni in october this year and a budding modder. I have been doing some major mods for the last 2 years, of which all of them have been documented on the ebuyer forums. (The Ebuyer modding index follow sebtiger).

This year I came into £500 from a competition and decided to put it towards something I have longed to do since I started my engineering GCSE. Build a computer controlled machine that would cut and engrave materials. The whole experience has been a huge learning curve. Since I finished my CNC machine, well reached a point where it was able to cut things out, I have had the intention on getting it to work on a huge project. A project that would dwarf all my other projects; A scratch build (building a case from scratch).

My CNC machine was made with the idea that I would cut out acrylic fan grills and other acrylic modifications in a similar vein. A few weeks into the construction of the CNC it dawned on me that I would be able to cut out puzzle type objects and even more complicated things like flatpack skeletons.

With this in mind, I got thinking looking for influences and ideas. I needed something big, something that has never been done before and something that will inspire other people to get into modding. I have also set myself the goal of producing a case that was worthy to be featured in the bit-tech modding section and CUSTOMPC "Community Reader's Drives".

One thing that I really stepped up this year was LAN parties. I have been holding them regularly at my house with 4 people (vdbswong being one of them) or so joining me for some serious gaming. Many weeks having my good friend Jono (who may be featuring in some of the action later on) over to game for the day and such becoming a day of curry and doughnuts. The game that we have been playing the most is Red Alert 3, the brilliant bright colours, the gameplay, the cut scenes and the insane coop mode.

To celebrate, what I believe to be an amazing game,

Welcome to my project log for



Thats right, I am going to build a Red Alert 3 Apocalypse Tank and its going to have a pc inside it.



My general plan for the whole tank is similar to the dinosaur skeleton that I linked earlier. The whole tank will have a skeleton made from 3mm thick perspex on top of which I will panel it with 0.5mm thick aluminium which will be painted and possibly battle worn. This will also allow me to reproduce the entire case easily as I will just get my cnc machine to cut the parts out again. Simple

The PC will be encased within the main body of the tank below the main turret guns. The motherboard back panel will be facing out of the rear of the tank with all the drives fitting towards the front of the case. I have tossed up the idea of having watercooling in the case, but due to my lack of knowledge in the area I won't be including it in this project although I will be making room for a 2x120mm watercooling radiator near the front and also the option to adapt the rear cyclinder into a reservoir/pump combo. Below was my original concept for the internals, however this has changed alot since.



I have been cracking on with this project for a few weeks now getting loads of ideas down on paper, ordering perspex and wrestling with the scale of the tank.

Well the scale of tank is going to be something quite shocking, I got the main panels through the post and was blown away by just how big this project is going to be. The case will not fit on my desk. I estimate it at being about 1m long and 60cm wide. But that is only an estimate and even that is a lower estimate.



Can you tell I am excited about this project?

Those panels (556mm by 325mm) are the same size as the 98mm on my scaling diagram below.



So I think that pretty much shows that the case is going to be quite large.

To get the project started I am focusing on the main body at the moment that will surround the PC hardware. The large rectangle will consist of a top and bottom panel both surrounded and supported a mesh of 3mm struts. I have spent the last couple of days producing the struts, I'm up to 18 (9 more being made right now) but need a few more before I start slotting them together.



I figure that on my design the weakest point is where the side tracks meet the main body. I got cracking on designing them and cut a set out earlier this morning. I think it will give you a good idea of what I am working towards. It needs a little tweaking with a needle file, but thats all for now. I will glue the framework together with liquid plastic, still that will wait till I have more of it done. The pictures show the the rear left track connection. I'm very happy with the way it turned out.

The freshly cut parts just off the machine (needed a little sanding/scraping with a metal ruler)



Assemebled, fitted together nice and snug.



Here it is standing up, closer to how the part will be once installed in the correct place.



Well I have been busy the last few days, a couple of late nights and a cut thumb (plastic is very sharp when it comes out the machine) but its been worth it.

I spent the weekend working on the front track holder and middle. You will see from the pictures that I concentrated on the lower three levels of the side.



Reached my last peice of A4 perspex, so I packed it with so many parts. Worked on the top three levels that would help strengthen the lowers ones. I will be gluing them all together with some acrylic glue at a later stage. Although I will probably leave it till right at the end as I really want to get a video of the case being put together from a pile of parts. You know sped up with some funny music in the background. Doo be dee DOO DOO



Giving you something that looks a little like this which is pretty much a whole side in this picture.





Now this is the picture that will clear all questions about where the parts go.



You have there a side that has a top and bottom panel. Which will make up the rectangle. The sharp eyed would have noticed the front two prongs on the far left of the picture. These are part of the grinder housing that sits at the front of the tank.

I am currently planning out the rest of the grinder housing along with the rear side of the main section. There was a slight delay due to the fall through of a perspex supplier but that has been resolved and I am back on schedule.

Anway

I hope you have enjoyed the read so far

Thanks for reading and stay tuned

Seb

 

Welcome to the forum.

 

Tis a noob ! *points*

//For clarification i actually live down the road from him when i'm not at uni so don't take it as me being rude .

 

I just read through the thread of you building the CNC... great job there

Looking forward to what you'll do with this one

 

Subscribed, even though I can't stand the newer C&Cs [anything after Red Alert and yes, I mean the 1st one].

 

Woha, amazing acrylic work there - subbed

 

That CNC machine you have is awesome!

/me wants to see more of this.

 

welcome to the site from another newish comer.

Looked at your mods on the site you linkyed to and love the work, especially the cnc machine. It's got me thinking about it again. The cuts you've done so far on this build are awesome and are testament to the machine you've built and it's value.

I hope you are still working on the steampunk machine as well - based on the drawings t'll look fantastic.

I love to see modding spreading through all aspects of your lifestyle to-cable sleeving your hair is cool

 

Thanks all for the great comments, I will have some more updates in the next couple of days.

I have spent a couple of hours fine tuning the layouts of some of my cut outs to reduce the number of perspex sheets I will need for the other side. So far I have managed to cut it down from the original 9 sheets down to just 2 and a bit. Bit of a saving there.

My next set of perspex should arrive tomorrow at which point I will begin on the rear section along with the front section. I had to wait as they require parts that are larger than A4 size so I have ordered some A3 size sheets.

As for the steampunk idea its on a temporary hold while I do this project. It slowed when I started making my CNC machine. Still it will be starting up soon.

 

Looking good,do you have any more pics of your homemade CNC router ?

 

Heres the log for the cnc machine

 

Looking totally sweet..

I'll definitely be checking back for further updates.

 

I checked your CNC log when you first posted, very nice build. Little trials and tribulations, but that's how we learn, ain't it!

I would still love one, but wouldn't have a clue where to start. Also, your Plasmevil mod was a nice original idea.

As for this behemoth, I'm looking forward to seeing more from it. Subed.

 

Just read you CNC log. Have you turned it from MDF Ugly into Acrylic Gorgeous yet?

Also, how much did it cost you to build the CNC in total (including Parts, materials, software, etc). I have been very tempted to build/buy a CNC before I start my Modding (as all of my designs atm are all complicated and intricate. My moto in Moding is "Aim High, Fail Amazingly")

One Final point (not a criticism btw): If the assembled section is a side, why does it go so high?? In the drawings and concept art, it looks like the "base" of the tank don't go any higher than the tank treads.

Either way, I look forward to the mod with great enthusiasm and anticipation.

Sub'ed

P.s: What Uni are you going to??

 

wow... thats fkn cool...
lol

sorry for swearin... but had to

 

A bit short on cash as its going to need quite thick acrylic to make sure it is solid. Still its going to happen.

He he, it looks tall but until you see the scale I am working to, its much bigger than you think

Liverpool Uni, looking very forward to it

Seb

 

Dude, pure win, can't wait for more.

 

This is going to be good, I'm sure. 8) *subscribed*

 

wow that is going to be some tank when you are done

 

will it be able to shoot?