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Scratch Build – In Progress Custom Alu Case: The SkullMeister (handbuild)

Discussion in 'Project Logs' started by The_Resetter, 8 May 2008.

  1. The_Resetter

    The_Resetter I LIKE CAKE!

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    It has been a long time when i stopped modding, in fact ever since project Qbix I dint care anymore for serious modding, and felt that it had died a little, today everything is ready made but still today its possible to distinguish yourself from the crowd with a custom or heavily modded case.
    Im afraid the amazing weather the last weeks has inspired me, and my mate from South Wales helped me get inspiration back as well (thanks Craig ;) )

    I had an idea of making a case with skulls and bones for a long time but never put in any effort, I had materials and some premade coffins I had laying around, but now I gained the will to do something again, Resetter is back in the casemodding again.

    [​IMG][​IMG]



    I will try and build a custom case from scratch, I already had the basic frame structure and some panels done when I began as I started it for something else, thus from there we will continue.

    Using the basic frame I used 15mm boxed aluminum which have been fastened with pop rivets.
    Its roughly the same with as a standard pc case but its length is greater, to allow more room for components,

    I shaped the top part of the case using an old PJ stretching it across 2 fans and using polyester resin and fiberglass to reinforce structure, this doesn’t only look nice it also acts as a little shroud for the heater cores I will be using as radiators.

    [​IMG][​IMG]

    I prepped a few panels as you can see with primer and a glossy white paint as a base, its not flawless but it doesn’t have to be as I will be decorating it later on anyway, I just liked the white color as a base.

    [​IMG]

    And I salvaged a few parts from my older casemods, like the fill port and a second heater core you will see later on. Second picture is the older custom case
    [​IMG][​IMG]

    That’s it for now just have to think of a good name for this case if you want to call, it might play fetch with you ;) :p

    ps anyone got any good ideas? base line = skulls bones and blood stuff
     
    Last edited: 14 May 2008
  2. ThatGingerGuy

    ThatGingerGuy † Bogan Red Neck †

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  3. Demoniac

    Demoniac What's a Dremel?

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    Nice to see you back in business man! Qbix was a real piece of art, I'm really looking forward to see some progress in this new mod :)
     
  4. Colossous

    Colossous Minimodder

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    Looks like this is going to be good - glad you refound your mojo ! :D
     
  5. Loverboy6t3

    Loverboy6t3 ouch i cut myself on the dremel

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    well setter this is really starting to look the dogs danglies and might i say that the dog must have an enormous and pendulous wang!!! that case is got some proper potential and im also hoping to see the case in person in CampZone 2008
    with the way that you have employed the bulge on the side of the case that much fiberglass im very impressed with the shape and size of the whole project just hope it aint to heavy to carry around :worried:

    btw im hoping to show my own ut3 case soon but is only at the start of the mod atm pics will follow soon :dremel:
    well done my son and im glad i got you to start modding again :D

    ;) keep up the good work!
     
  6. perkins teh modder

    perkins teh modder What's a Dremel?

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    this should be etched somewhere...

    "The head bone connected to the neck bone,
    The neck bone connected to the back bone,
    The back bone connected to the thigh bone,
    The thigh bone connected to the knee bone,
    The knee bone connected to the leg bone,
    The leg bone connected to the foot bone."


    just playin, it looks really good so far!

    cant wait to see what it looks like when its finished The_Resetter

    :D:D:D
     
  7. The_Resetter

    The_Resetter I LIKE CAKE!

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    I was looking for a nice appliqué since it’s a large window, I might make one myself.

    Right I did some more work on the case, I drilled holes in the plates and frame and tapped some thread, I used big 5mm Alanbolts in my previous case but that will not look good on this one, so little 3mm pc screws it is. (I just hope I`m not gonna be short on them :E)
    And I added a silicone ridge to close the gap between fan and radiator.
    [​IMG]


    And bodged together the 2 car heatercore / radiators I had, these things should have a shitload of cooling power, there Harrisons 80 models, and I’ve been told there either out of a Nissan Opel (Vauxhall for you Brits) or a Ford :p lol pick one you like, I don’t care there solid as a rock and in mint condition, picked them up @ the local scrap car parts junkyard thing.
    [​IMG] [​IMG]

    Also I changed out the reservoir, the old way I had this case planned (but then a different theme) where 2 large reservoirs 1 in each side of the cases along with those bulges, I want to keep 1 end flat else it will be to wide and might damage easily during transport, that and id had nasty stains from lingering around, so out with that and tinker 2 reservoirs into 1.

    [​IMG] [​IMG]

    On which I made a little mistake, I sanded the edges of the initial backplate so the epoxy I used would grip, and I dint do that on the other side which was smooth, thus it dint bond and was popped of easily, but that was a quickfix I got the tube and ran it along a piece of sanding paper that I had nailed on a piece of MDF so it was flat, and removed the epoxy that was left on the tube, then clamped the whole thing down using Chloroform this time to weld the pieces together.
    The reason I used epoxy is that I wasn’t sure I had a perfectly flat base, and without that it wouldn’t be water tight, and chloroform has no filling ability thus able to leave some gaps, but the seam looked 100% so that’s sorted it wont leak or come apart anymore. I’m just damn happy I used some pressure to see if it was stuck on properly as it would have come off or leak with all the water inside :eek

    A quick test fit to see if it would clear.
    [​IMG] [​IMG]

    And I made the joints in between, the outlet is one of the larger tubes running along the tube, the outlet is a smaller tube in the corner (second picture top left corner)
    It looks a bit messy but it’s not that bad, I used the chloroform along all the seams but it wasn’t airtight, so I added some epoxy glue along the sides and sucked on the pipe to get a vacuum so epoxy would seep inside any seems, and well it works its water and air tight.
    [​IMG] [​IMG]
     
  8. Loverboy6t3

    Loverboy6t3 ouch i cut myself on the dremel

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    SWEET man i really like the look on the heater matrix ;') (proper) might have a go at that my self ( i have a enough cars lol that dont get used):eyebrow:
     
  9. The_Resetter

    The_Resetter I LIKE CAKE!

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    Its a heater core not matrix Craig you know it :p http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heater_core even wikipedia says it :blush:

    Been busy painting other panels got the insides left and another front panel, currently got the motherboard tray outside to dry, needs another black primer coat then some clear lacquer i want to keep it black.
     
  10. The_Resetter

    The_Resetter I LIKE CAKE!

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    Right did some more modding this weekend, I made a bunch of brackets that will hold the reservoir and the two radiators in place, I made the curve by heating up the aluminum as it has a nice ability to soften up when heated, so on with the torch and I bend the curve on a piece of reservoir I had left from cutting it up to size, a few whacks with a hammer drill some holes and round of the edges, and presto. Still looking if it needs a spray of paint of if its out of sight.

    I epoxy`d the L profile to the radiators and that then screws into the frame, simple cheap fast and proper working .

    [​IMG][​IMG]

    And managed to get another panel painted and finished some bits and bobs.
    [​IMG][​IMG]
    [​IMG][​IMG]

    And I repainted my old motherboard back plate I had (which was red)
    [​IMG]

    I still had a nice Laing pump left over from an older DangerDen watercooling kit I reviewed a while ago, but it seems the paintjob on the pumps base isn’t up to spec, it flaked. When I pulled of the flakes I noticed rust.
    [​IMG] [​IMG]

    It appeared it had a lot of rusty base so the paint never stuck properly from the factory, so sanded it all down, removed all the rust and painted it again, black base primer and a gloss lacquer on top (which is not in the picture atm)
    [​IMG] [​IMG]
     
  11. Cs:sMods4YOU

    Cs:sMods4YOU What's a Dremel?

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    looks promising so far! keep up the good wwork
     
  12. brinkz0r

    brinkz0r Minimodder

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    Good to have you back in modding business :) I was amazed by the difference in style, so I didn't immediately noticed it was you :p
     
  13. The_Resetter

    The_Resetter I LIKE CAKE!

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    Cheers, i should have this one done before campzone so check me out then i always got cold beer :rock:
    Im one of many styles tough, i wanted to go smooth and candy colored, but this prove to be hard with a scratch handbuild case the way i designed it, then again i always mod on the fly.
    I think of things along the way :p right now figuring out how to fasten the mobo tray and make it removable... and the hard drive cage.

    Ill figure something out... (although ideas are welcome ;))
     
  14. The_Resetter

    The_Resetter I LIKE CAKE!

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    I was looking for a way to cover the water pump, as I dint like just the metal bracket, so I found a smaller skull I had lying around and measured it with my calipers to see if it would fit.
    The blue tape line was an indicator for the minimal depth it had to go to clear out for the pump.
    [​IMG]

    And it would ;) after verifying the dimensions I got a hole saw of 6cm and put it in my drill press and slowly cut down the slot, appears the skull is a resin cast and was hollow so in with the initial slot and out with the dremel, cutting its circumference to get the innards out.
    [​IMG]

    So after some dust biting and sanding with a little dremel sanding drum I got the space I needed, but when fitting the pump I looked at the sticker and half of the pump trough the eye sockets, so I did a quick test to see if epoxy resin (same that was used for the fiberglass bulges) with a few drops of paint would set, 10 minutes later I got my answer and made up some more to pour into the eye sockets, used some tape on the back of the eyes to keep the resin in place and after 10 it was solid enough to remove tape, the resin is now curing trough as it’s a bit tacky.
    [​IMG] [​IMG]

    Tought I`d call it "The SkullMeister"
     
    Last edited: 14 May 2008
  15. Farmboy UK

    Farmboy UK Hungry for knowledge

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    The skull pump looks brilliant
     
  16. Nexxo

    Nexxo * Prefab Sprout – The King of Rock 'n' Roll

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    Prepare for modding cheesecake. :rock:
     
  17. The_Resetter

    The_Resetter I LIKE CAKE!

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    CAKE! :naughty:

    I still wonder if i can do something else with that big rim on top, anyone got any great idea`s ?


    On a side note I just found out that Feser One will sponsor hoses and coolant, so Thanks a lot TFC
    http://www.tfc-xchanger.com/ http://www.feser-one.com/
    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: 14 May 2008
  18. The_Resetter

    The_Resetter I LIKE CAKE!

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    Extra extra read all about it!!
    I had a little idea when looking at the skullpump as I thought it missed something, and remembered I still had some rubber vibration dampers from my older Eheim pumps, and as I was afraid of noise from the pump.
    [​IMG]

    But that would mean it would be raised off the floor, now I had this little idea in my head for a while but ill just post what I got so ill leave you on pondering what it will become ;)

    Ingredients, clear casting polyester resin, some MEK hardener, a plastic Chinese food bucket, and a few drops of red paint…… to be continued
    [​IMG] [​IMG]

    [​IMG] [​IMG]
     
  19. Just Jon

    Just Jon User title provided by Skimtitles

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    Nice looking bloodbath (edit) for the skull to rest in ?! :confused:
     
    Last edited: 15 May 2008
  20. The_Resetter

    The_Resetter I LIKE CAKE!

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    Exactly, it will be worked at first obviously as its still a solid block of resin but i need to shape it.
     

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