Planning The GuilleAcoustic design thread

Sowwy for the lack of input. I've been full time working on the MNPCTech contest #6 and didn't work on this in quite a long time.

I'll probably change this thread into a "Guille design thread" since it's no more a monolith and I'm still not fixed on what I'm willing to build (looking forward for bulldozer CPU to came out). I'll probably move back to full ATX support to build a CAD / physic simulation programming rig, and shrink to mITX for daily use (probably chemical / nautilus theme, but shhhhhhhhhh)

The MNPCTech contest gave me some new idea and I have so much more in my head that this thread will be converted into a idea holder / design pfolio / etc.

I also build myself some new tools to start building a case ... I'll experiment them to be fully prepared . I'll start building a Arcade stick this summer, nice to start with and won't take too muck time.

I think a single design thread will be better than multiple thread spread all over the forum.

 

Well i just saw this thread and thought "damn how did i miss this" Very, very nice sketchup skilzz on the case .

Definately liking the case design and the watercooling solution

 

Thanks. I just saw there's a physical pluggin for Sketchup to simulate gears. I'll try to play with it could be nice for motorized panels. I have a design in mind that will have a massive huge of gears (kind of clockwork beast design). I'm feeling like a kid when I play with SU. I'm more used to Maya, but SU is more suitable for designing things.

 

Can you PM the link fopr the sketchup gears? as i can definately use it in my scratch build im designing would definately be useful

 

or better yet, put the link in here where we can all find it.......might even want to put it in the stickied sketchup thread as well.

BTW I am totally loving your work on the MNPC design contest, I would love to see that one come to life.

 

there it is : http://code.google.com/p/sketchyphysics/

Edit : Here are some youtube video to illustrate what you can do with it

 

Awesome Guille thats brillant thanks for that mate......the music on that 1st video made me cringe

 

You're welcome . I hope it'll come to any help. By the way, I'd better put this link in the sketchup thread. It could be helpful for many of us.

I won't be home this week-end, so no update until monday.

 

Hi there,

A little update to show what I'm working on at the moment :



This is a little project I'll be building during the summer. I think it's a good start before building something more complicated.

This is a very early WIP and things will move, but the button layout is the final one.

I made some attempt to molder a custom rubber foot in order to hold it in place. The result is nice, I have to make the final mold now.

I'm thinking out a way to weight it. Maybe a concrete plate sandwiched between to thin MDF sheet in the bottom (will make a nice bottom cover).

This will be full Sanwa hardware (stick and button), but I have to choose whether I buy a USB control interface or if I solder everything to a gamepad PCB (windows X360 wireless maybe, to have a wireless stick).

EDIT : some more pics

 

Retro arcade cheesecake!

Think out of the box. Don't just put a concrete weight in it; make the whole case out of concrete! Project: "Urban Assault"

 

ZOMG, that's brilliant ! Very nice idea, waxed concrete would look awesome. Maybe an epoxy top panel ....

.... time to use maya for rendering test

 

Awesome idea and the additional benefit is that the damn thing wont move when your key smashing

If you dont go for the concrete idea, roof lead sheeting (to repair broken tiles) is another option as its fairly thin so it can be folded to build up weight and its easy to cut and manipulate

 

Here is a little try with SU :

 

Wow and thats a quick job in skectch up? Very nicely done Guille i like the black marble look on the concrete

 

Thanks mate. I'm not sure I'll leave it black or not. This is a default SU texture, just tainted it black. The model is mainly done out of chamfered boxes ... only the curvy surface was a pain is the arsh to do with SU (it really sux with curve shape, I wish Google could add a real vertices level tool ... and movable lights other than the sun / date system ... simple point lights would be fine to begin with).

 

Is uppose the colour really depends on the case / system its going to be used with...

And do NOT mention doing curves in sketchup, ive learnt a lot about how to use the program in the past few months but doing a curve on a 3d model is an absolute B*&^h and i hates it (took 5 attempts to do the curve on the model of the front vent on my TT Shark case). Very Very frustrating

 

You can easily make curvy shape that have a revolving axe by just drawing the outline and a circle (then use the follow tool ... same way than making tubing). But this is limited to making spheres, glasses, tires, etc...

You can move a vertex by using the move tool. Just make sure you do not have anything selected, then you can target the vertex with the move tool (won't be displayed as selected, but it'll move .... but that's a pain with complex shape).

The other solution it to draw a skeleton and then every single polygons (that's what I did here)



The mesh is an ugly not even mesh, but this is a quick SU model

EDIT : I just bought an Asus 5870 V2 for 169€ (http://www.ldlc.com/fiche/PB00099394.html) ... things will get much more enjoyable (and less sluggish) than with my current geForce 9300 IGP. .... retailed at £251 at scan http://www.scan.co.uk/products/1gb-...-gddr5-gpu-850mhz-1600-cores-dp-dl-dvi-i-hdmi

Maybe I should by a second one while they are available

 

Here is what I'm working on right now. I'm willing to shrink my main rig down to the mini-ITX FF.

I'll re-use my Asus 5870, my Corsair HX520 PSU. My current Caviar green 1To will be trown inside a NAS and my Q6600 mATX will re recycled as a server / folding / rendering rig.

The hardware will be :

- Mobo : mini-ITX 1155 (which one is not decided yet)
- CPU : core i5 2400
- GPU : Asus EAH5870 V2 (already got it)
- RAM : 8GB PC10600 (Corsair XMS3 probably)
- CPU heatsink : Thermalright AXP-140
- PSU : Corsair HX520W (already got it, have to shorten the cables and sleeve everything)

For the drives : 1x slimline slot-in BD drive, 1x SSD sata 3.0 and 1x 1TB HDD (not a green one)

The layout will be as followed :







The AXP-140 will take the cool air directly from the outside through a Silverstone magnetic fan filter (cleaning making easy), the 5870and the PSU will work the same way.

Bottom fan(s) will be silverstone air-penetrator ones (2x 120mm or 1x 140mm or 1x 180mm, not fixed about the size) and will have magnetic fan filter.

I'll show you the outside design once I'll be done with SU. Hope oyu like it

 

Here is what I'm working on right now. I'm willing to shrink my main rig down to the mini-ITX FF.

I'll re-use my Asus 5870, my Corsair HX520 PSU. My current Caviar green 1To RAID will be trown inside a NAS and my Q6600 mATX will re recycled as a server / folding / rendering rig.

The hardware will be :

- Mobo : mini-ITX 1155 (which one is not decided yet)
- CPU : core i5 2400
- GPU : Asus EAH5870 V2 (already got it)
- RAM : 8GB PC10600 (Corsair XMS3 probably)
- CPU heatsink : Thermalright AXP-140
- PSU : Corsair HX520W (already got it, have to shorten the cables and sleeve everything)

For the drives : 1x slimline slot-in BD drive, 1x SSD sata 3.0 and 1x 1TB HDD (not a green one)

The layout will be as followed :







The AXP-140 will take the cool air directly from the outside through a Silverstone magnetic fan filter (cleaning making easy), the 5870and the PSU will work the same way.

Bottom fan(s) will be silverstone air-penetrator ones (2x 120mm or 1x 140mm or 1x 180mm, not fixed about the size) and will have magnetic fan filter.

I'll show you the outside design once I'll be done with SU. Hope you'll like it

 

This is probably a noob question, but I'm not that good with PSU sizing.

My targeted rig is as followed : i5 2400 + HD5870 + 1 SSD + 1 HDD.

The HD5870 needs at least 40A on the +12V rail (that's what i written on the box). My current PSU is a Corsair HX520W (which deliver 40A) ... I'm tempted to shrink it to the Silverstone SFX 450W (which has "only" 36A) : http://www.silverstonetek.com/product.php?pid=253&area=en

Will this PSU be enough despite the below 40A +12V rail ? Should I stick with my corsair, despite the fact it is bigger ? Is the Corsair enough (I have 40A, not more, not less) ?