Scratch Build – In Progress LUMINA by Design Master

Hi modders!

I am going to present to you my most recent mod project named LUMINA, which was entirely designed and built by me from smoked and crystal acrylic shapes. It demanded me a very hard work and skill for creating and mounting 114 pieces, through precise cuts, polishes, finishes and heat moldings procedures.

The following result come from my untiring seek for the best design, lighting and 6 mouths of hard work.

Feel free to comment! I hope you enjoy!

****LAST UPDATE ON NOVEMBER 28****

Project


The first step for starting the project was to design and mount all the case structural parts. All the other complemental parts would be made in a second stage. The project combines an amount of 114 acrylic pieces, with 14 structural ones and 100 complemental ones, both smoked, crystal or foggy and reaches the following dimensions: 520mm height x 285mm width x 545mm length x 2-15mm thickness (considering thumb screws and foot stands).




Mounting


For mounting all 114 pieces of LUMINA project, I performed the cuts, moldings, finishes and polishes procedures manually by using the Rotary Tool kit, sandpapers, drill, soldering irons and aluminum heat molds. I only requested the factory to mold some of the 14 structural pieces because of my technical impossibilities of molding big size parts.

Below, the structural parts being placed:







After some days of planning, I decided to create a new PCI board placement system. My idea was to build a back door system to get the boards insertion easier and with screwless.



No problem with the acrylic powder: All boards used here are wasted!





By using the Rotary Tool, I performed precise cuts to create slot bays on the shape. Below, the parts already mounted and set firmly in place by two hinges and the slot plate rail piece, built from smoked acrylic by using heat mold. Later on I will show you some examples about this molding procedure.



On the mainboard fixing shape, I did two 80mm diameter holes for improving internal air circulation. This part is located internally, without any external contact. To fix the mainboard I made ten acrylic cubes, replacing the screws:



The next step was to build the main panel by using a 12mm acrylic piece. I had to sculpt each button hole manually to reach the desired form. It was very very hard-working and took me 3 days:



At that moment, the parts faces would still be sanded in view of the fact I had planned a foggy finish for reaching a better lighting effect:



After making up the part, I firmed the main panel leds and switches with cold-heat glue. To hide the apparent wire, I idealized and made a new part following the original lines of the main panel:



That’s an acrylic cut shape completely molded by using the heat mold:



That’s the finished piece with rounded corners:



Observe the foggy finish on both parts and how well mixed they are, don’t you think? The cable sleeving was made from nylon nettings. Later on you are going to see more about it:



Returning to the case, I made some draughts seeking the best design for the complemental parts of the recently placed lateral windows. On the front face, the holes for placing the main panel had already been done:



In focus, the engineering solution for fixing little curvatures of very thin parts, such as the 4 structural angle columns built from smoked acrylic. All of them were firmly linked on pressure through two screws by each extremity, ensuring the stability and rigidity of portico:



Finally, the last external part was installed. That’s an angular smoked window, with one central groove and fixed in place by two hinges. Following the project, this part was provided by the factory because I didn’t have a big heat mold needed, unfortunately:



The 2mm smoked shapes were being prepared to be turned into lateral windows complements:



The cuts had to be done carefully because of their curvatures. The parts were properly sanded and polished:



Above, the smoked complements were fixed on the inside windows. Below, I idealized an air filter by using 0.5mm double layered metallic netting. For that, I cut two 120mm diameter wheels and placed them side by side surrounded by “U” type 4mm rubber rib.



Two complemental pieces were incorporated to the air filter area becoming its look more harmonic and turning the right angles of the 120mm fan into harmonic curves:



I think I have forgotten to mention about the two cramp irons built from iron shape, for holding the filter up the case. That was an easy job: I cut a thin iron shape, folded it in four points turning the small piece into an “S” type, by using pliers and small hammer. Sanding and painting procedures finished the process. I had the idea of placing one cramp iron on the rubber rib emend giving the impression of an uncut and continuous piece, don’t you think?



The next step was to redesign the 3.5” and 5.25” bay boxes. Following, the cut planning…



…and done!



I also added case corner protections to project. It was a lot of traces until reaching the perfect result, always seeking to keep up case harmonious lines.



I molded the four pieces by using the heat mold and following the same foggy finish standard:





Although all pieces are following the same standard, they are distinctive ones.



Now, let’s see how the foot stands were made. Bellow, you can see the 15mm shape provided by the factory. On that, I traced the cut planning and put a self adhesive paper under it for preventing scratches.



I had to improvise some 60mm diameter sanding wheels to keep this work on.



What a very hard job here!! I had to pare the four original surface pieces turning them into rounded ones. Below, the second finish by manual sanding… but, where is the brightness?



The little smoked borders also are important pieces for the foot stand finishing:



Finally, the foot stands were polished. Take a look at the brightness!



The work was not finished yet. I also idealized new parts for bringing the foot stands into harmony with the case lines. They were cut and molded by using the heat mold, following the same standard.



That’s the standard foot stand finished, excepting the front right one...



…which has a lock mechanism that I projected to the front window. It’s an “L” type piece fixed by one screw, internally, that moves through the “rail” of smoked part:



The building of LUMINA acrylic logo was another very-very hard work procedure, which demanded me high manual skill and perfectionism. Holding the printed logo, I started molding a 20mm width crystal acrylic rule.



One by one, the words were being made.



I realized I was in the right way! I made the foggy finish on all words, seeking the better lighting effect…



…And by using the rotary tool, I halved each word, creating two identical logos, one for each lateral window:



The words were fixed on the follow thin acrylic shape, which, in its turn, was fixed by screws on lateral windows, internally.



Although the fragile look, these entire parts are shockproof, since they are fixed internally by screws.



Let’s come back to the PCI board placement system. I designed two smoked finishing pieces to be placed on the slot plate rail piece extremities. For that, I prepared a bigger heat mold and got started the procedures.



After cutting, paring, polishing procedures and a bit of manual skill.…



...vuala!





The next step was to make the exhaustion system. For that, I used two Cooler Master 80mm fans, which I pared their four corners of one face, leaving another face free for screw fixing:



Following, I sought to mask the free faces by using black painting, avoiding light dispersion there.



I made all the blue leds circuit independent. My purpose was to avoid happening oscillating bright when the fan speed changes, by using the fan control. Certainly, it would always keep the high bright up.




The two fans would gain a protection and finish part. That’s a 20mm width smoked rule molded by using the heat mold and covered by brushed steel self adhesive paper:





Because of the fact of LUMINA is a transparent case mod, it doesn’t allow apparent wires. So, I created my own cable sleeving kit by using nylon nettings, and blue, black and silver paintings with acrylic finishing. The visible ones would be covered by flexible transparent hoses.





The lighting project brings led fans, two cold cathode lamps and a strategic array of 10 blue leds pointing to the main elements inside the case:

 

****LAST UPDATE ON NOVEMBER 28****

The next step was to modify the LUMINA VGA. I planned a complete redesign of the Radeon X1950 PRO cooler for making it as well worked as the entire project. Following, some drafts I did which inspired the final project:



I got started with the cooler cover. Holding the definitive project, I placed the old cooler on 2.5mm smoked acrylic shape for marking.



After that, I made two 90º angle folds on acrylic shape by using the heat mold...



...And lateral cuts following the desired design. I also projected the protection parts that would be fixed on corners of the cooler cover.



Take a look at the cuts of the cooler cover apertures and corner protection parts that were done by using the rotary tool. On these last ones I would still make a foggy finish.



The heatsink with heat-pipe system was the only remaining device from the old cooler that I decided do keep up. Below, the cooler cover already polished and finished.



After that, I started preparing the VGA fan for being placed within the cooler cover. After some cuts, an 80mm fan was opened laterally to allow a free air flow…



…And the lighting circuit was remade to install two blue leds parallelly positioned.



I couldn’t forget an indispensable part in this modding. Through exhaustive cutting, paring and molding acrylic procedures, I reproduced the original slot plate. It’s cool, don’t you think?



All of the self adhesive details were done by manual cutting.



That’s the LUMINA VGA! I think I built a monster that reaches 3 PCI SLOTS!!! It measures 62mm height, excluding the screws! Visit the main gallery for more details.







The power supply unit couldn’t be kept out of modding. By cutting and molding an acrylic shape, I built a crystal box with one open face. After that, I made some cuts for fans windows, cables access, voltage switch, and power plug connector:



Always seeking for an original design, I chose the foggy finish for up and front faces, also crystal, smoked or brushed steel finishes to any other part.



The front and under fan windows were protected by metallic netting and a 120mm grill, respectively.



Following, the PSU box was ready for internal devices installation.



In view of the lack of free space remained by PSU board heatsink , for a 120mm fan, I decided to use one Cooler Master 80mm blue led fan to be installed next to the metallic netting.



The board was removed from my old 550W PSU, new cable extensions were created and all wires were covered by cable sleeving.





The self transparent adhesive paper was firstly printed on laser printer before being placed on any target surface. That also includes other textured self adhesive paper such as the gold CM logo below, a double layered adhesive.







Below, you can see some of self adhesive papers used in the project:



The last pieces I made were two DVD drive bay borders:

 

wow *very* nice acrylic work!

 

****LAST UPDATE ON NOVEMBER 28****

Finally, some of the final project pictures:

Overall Look


































































VGA Mod
















PSU Mod


















I appreciate very much everyone who has followed my entire worklog until here. If you are in doubt about any described step or missing one, please make me questions. I hope you have enjoyed!



Sincerely,


Design_Master

 

I love the acryl shroud for the gpu heatsink

 

Damn that's a nice case, and a lot of impressive features too. Amazing

 

not only good lookin although well thought. form and function really get close here.
ive seen some sketches on one pic ( for graca cover), can you show some more?

 

Very impressive work with the acrylic!

 

demn man, this is good, i love it:d
keep up the good work

 

wow, that is sweet. i came in here to bash you for calling yourself design master, but you really have lived up to your name.

 

Wow your a acrylic magicman! Would have gone for a modulair psu myself but the rest its soo nice. omg

 

Very nice job with the acrylic.
Love the front and the psu.

 

This is simply some of the best acrylic work I have ever seen using homemade equipment - well done, you can feel proud of your talent

I can hardly wait for the next project!

 

Great work man!

 

That is one beautifull case !!

 

Now this is a case that needs to be Mod Of the month, every single bit of detail has been put into this case.... even down to putting stickers back on a PSU. Gees you have done a really really mental job on this Project. Congrats... It must be pretty lite in terms of other perspex cases. You've paid alot of attention to detail, love you PSU cable wrapp with the pvc tubing , very cool.

Definitely Design master

 

simply amazing man. i'm going to read that project log soon. keep up the great work!

 

Wow. This is amazing work. It looks like you got a hold of Chieftec's plans and made it out of acrylic, but streamlined it. Brilliant and professional results.

 

<- That's all I have to say about this!

I would love to leave some more usefull comments, but I'm just astonished by it!

 

Me too! I love extreme VGAs!