Scratch Build – In Progress Lean and Green - 15-12-14 - as complete as it's going to get

Thanks a lot Paslis appreciated.

I decided to tackle the stand, already printed the mounting points so just had to cut them from the sticker paper & carefully place in the right spots.


Gone back to spot drilling since the new drill press is nice & love the table height adjustment, goes up & down by turning a crank but you do need to tighten it up so it's square but wow it is far better than my previous rock bottom budget bench drills.


Also bought a cross vice at the same time as the drill press, it is extremely useful.


Tapping.


Mounting, I used 4 12mm m3 countersunk screws on both sides.




More guide templates which I had to redesign because I had no 3mm 20mm flat bar & only 6mm.


The depth setting on the drill press, I'd have probably screwed up without it.


To keep fixings hidden I decided to file angles that the flat bars fit on to.


These are the flat bars but didn't take any pictures of the filing process but I had to make them match the angles on the big panels.


And extra support added.


Few shots before I get on with the HTPC.














Need a rest now but I am on a mission to get this completed before December, want to play Hitman & assassins creed 3 on this rig.

 

Wow. Looking fantastic Waynio. I just love the way it's starting to look while it's coming together!

 

Thanks Mosquito, the extra design time for all the mounting points makes it so I know what I'm doing again.

Oh , forgot to mention I gave it a nose job little bit more sleeker now.

 

Well, I finally caught up on the last 20'odd pages of this log and wow! Now its all coming together, its truly turning into something extra special, its a definite contender for my MOTY vote mate, your skills are incredible, and the imagination behind it all just blows me away! Amazing work, and great build log, keep it up!

 

WOW how did I miss so many updates on this (I know I'm Subbed)? I am amazed at the progress you have made beautiful work. Now where is the next update? No rest for the weary!

 

thanks for that... I now need a new keyboard after that drool fest!! And my wife officially thinks i have lost it due to me licking the screen....

looking brilliant as always bud, and you really do have some nice goodies in your playroom.. ahh workshop...

 

Oh my god! It's amazing seeing this come together! Absolutely astounding!

 

Looks amazing! MOTY!

 

It looks soooo good definitely one of the most original designs for a case.
You must treat us to some hardware in that case

 

Wayne it looks like something out of a sci-fi/horror movie. I mean that in the best sense. It's just so unusual and exotic it must come from another world. .............Are you an alien dude?

 

Ok man, this is insane, truly insane!

 

Thanks wejjy, it's been interesting doing the project this way, getting everything or nearly everything made before building up, big load of parts just building up & then boom it's together sooooo nice to have it really coming together now though, I'll be pushing hard to get this complete & then have an enormous sanding session before sending to anodisers.

Cheers Mechh69 I'm hoping to get some done every day now, need to if I want it to be complete before December.

Thanks Squigly, yeah the new drill press & cross vice is an excellent addition to the play room.

Thanks KidMod, been such a long time coming.

Hope I can make it to the party, sooooo much crazy awesomeness for 2012 it's tough to make a nice project good enough for MOTY so I think it should be tough for voters deciding which ones.

Thank you Sarakon, still don't know if I should contact any hardware manufacturers to see if they would like to sponsor this, probably should eh, I really need to make sure I can make it though first, once I get to the power level of the gamer rig I will know for sure.

Thank you Attila, I did think it looks kind of alien hive ish while designing it, does look pretty crazy eh just how I wanted it to but better with all the little additions done for it & it's still only a fraction of the entire build.

Thanks quizz

Thanks nagyizom.

Alex thanks for dropping in mate, appreciated.

I thought I screwed up somewhere really, there is supposed to be 3mm edge all around the stands base & I really thought I included 0.5mm of space on both sides for the HTPC to slide in/out but just checked my design & there is absolutely no gap so this relates back to the design having 3/8 inch panels instead of 10mm but because I had 0.5mm on each side it makes for an utterly perfect fit but I some how made it so there is 2mm edge instead of 3mm at the base so there is 2mm space at the bottom for the HTPC.
This will knock it out of being 100% square but is still working perfect, it was confusing me quite a bit because the gamer bottom panel is a perfect fit on top of the stand lol, this is actually a very good thing because the HTPC won't have to be able to slide in/out now & the back panel won't have to be screwed in place & with it being a perfect tight fit at the top but not at the bottom so it allows it to be lined up easy & then popped in place & holds excellent without screws & pops on/off nicely, if I kept it at a 3mm edge instead of 2mm it would have been extremely difficult to fit the HTPC in.

So just wasted a bunch of hours with thinking the stands inset panels was the problem when I only needed to take measurements & compare them to the design lol.

Can get back to it now I know for sure all is perfectly on track, 100% perfect fits present problems & you need to leave a smidge of slack space if slotting things together, p0Pe knows this also now with his 3d printing, too perfect is problematic making it so things have to be forced in place which makes removing almost impossible.

 

Looking at the partially assembled product is like looking in a toy store window, unable to walk in.

Looking at the case I can really see how this is going to look now. I have to say your attention to detail is amazing. To think this up, draft it and fabricate all your parts is nothing short of awesome.

 

The man is a true ARTIST.

 

Actually, I don't think he's mortal, man!

Gorgeous work!

 

Ah, That pic at the top of the page tricked me into thinking you had beveled 3 sides and had a perfect seam. Damn eyes.
Still, it's great to see everything coming together.

 

The time and effort you have put into this is amazing Can't wait to see the hardware list to go in these two.

Take your time my friend. I doubt any of us will be forgetting this EVER!!!

 

Thanks Ron
Wish I could explain where it all comes from lol but I do remember when it was basic minimal panels & thinking it needs a lot more detail to stop me getting bored of it & then wanted to make the pattern kinda wrap around the whole thing & more was added along the way, it's sure kept me busy this year though, I'll likely pass on doing a big project next year but will likely do a smaller one or few.

Thanks Bill, accidental artist.

Thanks EEL, aching back so I am mortal.
I thought rest would ease it up but it seems doing some weights was what I needed, back has got too soft from no exercise in ages so it's more prone to aches.

Thanks cheaps, I don't know how I hung in there just making panels all year near enough so ohhh yes it's sweet to see it build up now.

I'm glad I didn't time how many hours altogether, it would convince me I have gone mad lol, just threw myself at it trying not to think of the load ahead, seems to have worked.
Thanks Petrol head.

I think there is something wrong with my internet connection or photobucket is close to kicking the bucket, pictures are taking forever to load up for me.

I hadn't got around to fixing the bottom nose plates to the feet all this time so finally got that sorted, they were just placed there all along until now.

I used 5mm aluminium rod cut into 3 25mm pieces & pushed them through the nose & also drilled the plates so they would slide on & for fixing to the legs I drilled & countersunk 3mm holes through the 10mm panel hidden by the side arch panels & for placing a marker on where to drill I held it all in place how it should be, placed a 3mm drill bit through the hole & gave the bit a tap with a chunk of metal which gave perfect position, then 2.5mm drilled the plates, tapped & screwed in place with 12mm countersunk screws.






The shoes & stand is now complete except cleaning up any rough bits & surface finishing but all that can wait until everything is together because it's the 2nd to last step before taking to the anodisers.










So sorry about leaving you to expect HTPC progress this time but had to get those plates fixed on & they were a bit tricky to do right.

HTPC is definitely up next though now.