Scratch Build – In Progress [Project] Interior Des(k)ign - SR-2 - the Biggest Update EVER! 90% complete! 20/09/12

Update 8/3/2012 - Cannot believe Ive been nominated for mod of the month!!

So I cracked on at my workshop for a couple of hours yesterday, determined to get this thing finished, but again a plan arose! If you can work it out Im offering a 120mm phobya waterproof fan to the winner...haha. Here's your one and only clue! If you look closely there are markings on the panel, the markings say 170mmx170mm... guess away!



Anyway, fun over! Onto the buildlog progress, last time round I figured how to mount the Res's invisibly as I didnt like the brackets I previously used, so heres how it all fits...







So you basically tighten the four grub screws to align it in the hole perfectly and jobs done, hidden and strong, just what I like!



Then I tack welded the two rear panels in place.



Didnt like the rad mounting option still but Ive now sorted it again, the fourth incarnation!

Still waiting on the rear IO panel from LD so used an old one for now to roughly measure things up, fitted the mobo tray in place first and then started off with the square measuring and measuring again.





Happy with the size and fit of the rear mobo panel so started cutting...





The cables will all run through here as they will be attached to various gizmos, all will become clear! Rasduino contained!



This is the case with the skeleton complete for the first time! Hooray, its off to be powder coated soon, meanwhile I'll be working on the electronics, vero board, arduino, and soldering iron at the ready!

Ive also worked outed an awesome way to paracord cables...its easy and neat and tidy without the obligatory burned fingers! I will put a post in the modding section soon and link it here, hope it helps!

Also Ive noticed Ive been nominated for the Mod of the Month! Which Im absolutely made up about!!!! So thank you all for your support!

Thanks again for the support from sponsors:

 

You got my vote man! You deserve to win it !

 

Thanks pal, I really appreciate your support!

 

Nobody wants a Phobya 120mm fan for free?!? Whats the world coming to?

 

my guess would be a mini itx board in the 17x17

 

Correctimondo! PM me your address and i'll get it posted out to you next week mate!

 

I received the I/O shield from LD Cooling, its awesome, the quality is truly amazing. Rather than tapping the holes they press little inserts into them, and the blanking plates etc are just all perfect, I cant rate them highly enough! The powder coating quality is top notch too, thanks guys. I'll be fitting this tomorrow hopefully!







The case is off to the powder coaters next week, so it'll be onto the wiring etc next, I'll try to update things mid week if possible. Im excited about seeing it all in paint! Then its the fun bit, water + hardware!!!

Also gotta make the monitor bracket, Ive sorted it all on paper, just need to crack the welder out and get on with it, it will look like the monitors are floating, and will allow them to rotate from landscape to portrait, all in eyefinity setup, with this..... Soon to be 2!



See you all soon!

 

Will you be building a wallmount fully from scratch? Or will you use some brackets to attach to the back of the screen?

 

Im hacking the original dell mounts a little to steal the swivelling brackets from them, but I will be making the majority from scratch as its the only way to make it appear invisible. It needs to be low profile but have lots of adjustment so its only custom that will do I think.

 

Poll added, please vote even if you are just passing through as I would like as many opinions as possible? Thanks!

 

The poll looks interesting so far, not what I expected though! But good!

 

Very brief update, and shoddy photos as I took them in a hurry sorry. Better ones will follow soon I promise, its just a start as theres a tonne of wiring to do on this one!

So I removed all of the original cables from the Phobya fans I have, and bolted them onto a rad grill I have with the correct spacings so I could work on the back of the fans. I then set about making my custom cables from scratch! Heres the progress...







And the finished product...



DONT PANIC! I have designed some custom stickers to go over the old phobya ones that will also match the rest of the fans as I have Silverstone ones in there too, more to come soon folks!

Ordering some bits and pieces for the m-itx build soon. Should I do the build log seperately to this one until I combine the PC into the desk, or run it inside this log, thoughts please?

 

Have possible missed it but where will the PSU be?

 

I think you should just do the m-itx build log here, after all, it will be inside this desk right?

I still don't understand what you plan to do with it though...

 

Aha, the first person to ask! Thank you! It will be at the rear, behind the IO panel, there is a gap due to the shape of the desk, it will be covered dont worry, but hidden away!

I agree, and since you are the only person to comment, its unanimous! Thanks Blade! All will become clear dont worry, Im working on a sketchup model to show my plans and try to get some feedback on, but it keeps changing all the time so its taking a while... Will happen soon I promise!

 

A little more progress today, although its not very orderly as Im doing the final few jobs really befor paint. I fitted the IO panel, but have run out of gas for the welder and cannot get any until Friday so had to resort to just getting the prep done, which was frustrating.

Here's what I managed to get completed today then, bear with me!

First up I carefully dropped the motherboard of all motherboards into the gap it will live in soon, so that I could measure the IO panels placement correctly... After a little fiddling I marked it up on the backplate



Marked up



Then I set about the rear panel with mi trusty plasma cutter, steadily cutting the required shape out...





After a little work with the file to smoothe the edges nicely, it looked like this...



Once welded it will be part of the rear panel rather than being screwed/rivetted on, ie seamless, which is the look I wanted.



Its held in here with masking tape, as I said before, Im out of 'Cougar' for the welder, so friday evening this will be getting welded in proper.

To speed things up, I prepped the side panels for paint a while ago, so today since I was limited for time, I wiped them down with a bit of de-greaser aka IPA, and a tak-cloth and put the first coat of etch primer on. Its gone on well, thin coats with a minute or two in between, no runs, no sags and even! Perfect! Next is the top coats!



And the other side...



And finally, one glory shot, had to put this on just to give you all an idea of the final overall
look im going for... Hope you like it...



Thanks again for looking, comments are always welcomed!

Thanks again for the support from sponsors:

 

The backplate is going to be sick!

 

Thanks pal! Its something different, its so hard to be original with so many awesome modders coming up with ideas all of the time!

 

Gimme! i want that file that makes backplates! =P

I want a surfboard! (ITX) silent surfstation

 

First thread I have ever subscribed to on this forum.
Looks amazing can't wait to see if finished and the hardware WOW!!!

I hope your daughter is recovering well too.