Scratch Build – In Progress Project; Command & Conquer GDI Base Station

So, here's the story; I'm competing in a three-stage modding competition here in the Netherlands. 47 Dutch and Belgian modders entered this competition hosted by BouwEenPc website. Stage one was the assignment to mod a DVD drive. I fiddled my DVD player into a mini-Wall-E and it got me third place, so I was through to the next round. This time, we were left with 10 players and we all got the assignment to mod a PSU. This time I modded it into.... A Command & Conquer GDI Powerplant. It turned out to be a winner, so first place in that round. Now I'm left with 5 other to the third and final round, assignment is to mod an entire case which they will provide to us.
Now, I'm a huge fan on C&C, so I really love the case milotic858 made, and gave it my vote ofcourse. I've written to milotic858, and she didnt mind that I was making another C&C case, so on with it !
Anyway, I decided to make a Command & Conquer GDI Base Station, allthough I must say, it will not be on the same scale as my powerplant. Also, due to the competition rules, I will have to make this mod in less then 3 weeks from now! - EDITED - Just heard that the modding finals will be on Dec 12, so I can relax a bit more and add more details - EDITED -

In short, I'll be making a GDI Construction Yard from a RECOM case.




I began, as always, with research with my great friend Google. There is, to my knowledge no base station case made so far, but I could be mistaken.



I made various screen shots of the base station in different angles.

Then I started again with Sketchup, and I was really suprised to see that the building
has much more tilted walls then I first presumed. It will be tricky!



Because the case itself has not arrived yet, I already started with the back, the tail that
tildes upwards.

Using the same board as I did with Wall-E and some significant gambling, I've
started cutting and glueing.



In the rubble at home I found a few old Pentium CPUs 1 coolers.

I cut them up for the fans.

On top of the tailsection, two of these go in.

Just glued them with hot-glued.

First one done, now the second.

And now with the section to it.


Next section, the two struts holding the back up. I start with some wooden sticks.

And two small pieces of cardboard, for the measure.

With hot glue and "some" patience ...


... you get a kind of frame construction.

Some more wooden sticks for the cross connection.

And that's the first one.

And some hours later, the second also ready.

Some primer and finishing with silver metallic paint for the look.

Doesnt look too bad.


What do you think so far ?

 

i think that's good

 

Ok, I just theard that the cases are being shipped out as we speak. It is the Recom RC-9B.
Seems not a bad case to put a saw into it.



Well, my plan is to tilt it on the rightside, where the mobo is placed, and convert it to a sort-of desktop. From there on, I can start with the basic cutting up to the GDI base station.





Now I wonder, is this a case-mod, or a case-construction.....

 

Isnt it just a lot easier to just use the mobo tray , 5.25 inch bays, 3.5 inch bays than use the whole case?

 

Yup, it is..... but the modding-competition rules prohibit me from doing so. I have to use the whole case. So i'll just have to make the most of it. get it?

 

Finaly! The case has come and within 0.03 seconds it was gutted.
What struck me was that when I disconnecting the drive bays, the case lost its stiffness. Mushy case


The stripped front.


Here come the sloping sides.


These pieces have to go.


Action!

 

Men, great project.
Looks like a nice mod

 

With a motherboard in the case, it is starting to look like a casemod.


The cut-off side cover, which now has become the top.


I guess you all know this aluminum plate by ACRyan.


You know what they say, if at first you dont succeed .....


... use a bigger hammer!


Using a thick piece of MDF, the plate converted to 45 degrees.


Not bad, for such primitive tools.


And then twice.


A preview of what it should be looking like. Also I cut the plastic front.


Front view. Still recognizable as a Recom case.


The blind rivet pliers, or as we say popnageltang.


First to create a fixed point, the weak case was not cooperating with me.


Second fixed point.


The first sidestrip and rivets drilled in it, ready to go.


This is much sturdier to work with now.

 

Nice,nice,nice.

Is there a way to get easy access to your hardware now?

 

The top is still a seperate part, what I riveted is just a strip of aluminium to the top-plate. I'll be making new threads on that part to screw or unscrew it from the case. The two rivets on the edges were there just to hold it temperarely.

 

Heej Frenkie.
Seems to become a good mod again of yours.
I hope your previous project is allready done? The one with the large printplates and such.

Groeten, Peter, a.k.a. DuVeL

 

Naah, Project Sting is temporarely on hold, due to this modding competition. After this is done, Sting will be finished.

 

And today I fixed the other side. This is now the roof / lid of the case.


Because I rotated the 5.25 bays, there is now only space for three.


So I need to cut off a part of the metal frame.


A bit shorter and is ready to build it in.


Here it will be mounted.


I drilled two holes through the bottom of the bay, to mount it solid.


And in the drive-bay fastened. Right there the case gets back a little more strength.


These two black beauties ensure a good flow.


Hmmmm, the bezel is ... uhh ... more bezeled than expected.


But with some filing, everything fits again.


And so, the case as it is now. Next the HD bracket.

 

So how will the psu be mounted? Nice work so far.

 

Thanx, but why would I want to mount a PSU inside, when I have a perfect working GDI Power Plant ?

 

Quite the setup that last question! It looks great so far, it'll be unusual to see such an extensive case mod come together so quickly1

 

Well, as I tried to explain in my first post, this is part three of a 3-stage modding competition. Unfortunatly ( or not ) I did not make a Command & Conquer building for the first round. But what''s done is done. Can't change it now, so if you want to see how I made the Powerplant, I can refer you to the first post, there is a link to the worklog of the PSU mod.

 

And there ya are, a HD bracket for...uhm... only 4 harddrives! Terrible! Only space for 4 terabyte!


Mounted the DVD front and filled the gaps with Vikureen plastics.


And now its time for BEER !

 

Changed the motherboard for this P1 mobo.


With it came this 140 Watt monster !


Falls right in the corner.


Doesnt look too bad.


Tight !?


Just like the front, I filled it out with the polystyreen plastic.


Detailing the hood, these will be the two exhaust grills.


Added the mesh.


The caterpillar radiator, sliced and diced


Made two rings for the rear end piece.


With a piece of ACRyan mesh.


Mounting the rings.


Now it looks a bit more like in the game.


Here you see the two radiators in the game.


Glued them to the case.


The two exhaust in the game.


And here on the case.


Just heard I have more time to finish this case, so I can take it a bit slower now, and add much more details. Good news, dont you agree ?

 

Small update, just finished 3 more containers for the surrounding area.


And started the second vehicle build that will came in the front-yard.