Case Mod - In Progress Project: Ingraham

Very nice design

 

I really hope she's not reading this log otherwise there'll be holes all over the page!

Is the louvre going to follow the curve of the domed top? Would've kinda liked to see the top asymmetrical. Heck, it don't matter though - I like what I am seeing!

 

Thanks Jipa. I'm just trying to have fun with it. FYI-I'm told that I'm in the current Sisustaja magazine published out of Helsinki but I haven't seen it. For some reason I've always gotten a lot of web traffic from Finland. It is quite an honor to be in a swanky home decor magazine but I tell my buddies down at the bar that "Sisustaja" translates to "Jugs" in English.


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I drilled out holes and fitted up a side panel with machine screws, washers and nuts. I took some measurements and then removed the panel for cutting.




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Hand cut slots that took about 2 hours each to saw out with my X-acto razor saw and an X-acto razor knife. Tough going through plywood. The cuts create a cradle that the louver sub-assembly will fit into.

To answer a recent question...basswood is not the same as balsa. Balsa comes from the Amazon rainforest. Basswood is grown in managed forests in Michigan, USA. Basswood is a hardwood and is much stronger than balsa but both are very millable and easy to work with.

 

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I put stuff together loosely to check the fit and get the total width correct. I had cut the louvers extra wide which is just the way I do things. Measure three times and then cut it too long. Later I will mill everything back to where it needs to be. It is a lot of extra work but stuff happens and plans change so I'm glad I give myself that extra little bit.




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The corner in the foreground is all lined up the way I want. The excess hangs out over the far side. After getting the true center I cut and fit the center section of the vent ducts.

 

Looking good!
So are we looking at the back of it right now? You'd mentioned transplanting the panels to the back, did I miss a plan change (might have been distracted by the non-power tools for wood and various methodologies of our bit-techers on how to drill holes.)

So you going water cooling? ducks

 

Awesome stuff as always from you. I agree with Cheap, its great to be able to see it take shape =)

 

That does look very cool. Fantastic work so far my friend.

 

Thanks guys!. Sorry for the confusion ModMinded. This is the front of the mod. No water cooling but if I had deep pockets I would build the louver block in cast aluminum and turn it into a passive cooling heatsink.

 

Yay! Fetch me some beer! Wine in my case as i don't like beer...

I don't think there is such rule. But if you post a complete worklog here it would be nice, because anxiety wouldn't kill me!!1

I hope to see a worklog in here so fantastic as your work is!!

Subscribed!!

 

Thanks Yemerich. I'm lovin' the stuff coming out of Brazil these days.

Cut and pasted from the rules.....

4. If you have a finished project but no log of the work done, post it in Modding.

Maybe I misunderstand (American English is my first language ) but doesn't that mean no "new" project work logs for old finiished projects?? I thought this section of the forums was for current work only?

 

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I'm finishing an earlier step that was started with this photo. Four 3/8" basswood planks pinched around my master curve.




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Knocked down the corners with a hand saw and finsihed working down to the master curve with 60-grit sandpaper. I rotate the planks often in order to maintain symmetry.




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Results: Five identical curved rafters.




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I trimmed up a couple of the rafters and temporarily fit them for a photo op. The Silverstone LC06 is beginning to disappear.

 

Nice work also nice idea the ingraham

 

Keeps getting better and better IMO.

 

Nice start!!!

 

i dont really like wooden cases but you got great ideas!!it looks nice mate!!

 

You did it! I'm totally going to do a wood mod now!

 

Thanks everyone for looking and commenting.

Lord Vader, we have converted another to the dark side. The force is strong with this one.

 

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The rafters are set into place after the edges of the side panels are beveled to the angle of the curve. The rafters are all hand milled to a friction fit. The square piece in place of the louver section is a temporary spacer.




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1/2" square basswood stock is cut into sections using my miniature mitre box and X-acto saw.




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I got a little work done on the back end. In front is my pile of eight 1/2" square blocks.




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The blocks are temporarily placed. They will act as spacers and support but will primarily be used as glue blocks. The stressed plywood going on top will need all the glue-down surface it can get on the edges. The blocks are pictured unfinished. They still need to be sanded down to conform to the curve.




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I haven't done any gluing so far. Everything is still friction fit or bolted up. I like to wait doing any irreversible step for a s long as possible. This photo shows my "crack line" around the front panel. I put a lot of thought and effort into planning how to crack the case open.




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The two pieces apart to hopefully illustrate the crack line. I pay more attention to hiding the crack line than most anything else. Determining how to open the case was one of the first design decisions made and everything else has worked around it.

 

Very nice work as usual Jeffrey.

I know what you mean about the "crack line". I had to figure that out on my home sweet home case before I did anything else. But I took the safe route and put it at the back panel (less chance of it being seen). It takes a mighty fine (and ballsy) craftsman to stealth that line right out in front in plain sight!

 

This is looking very nice. Really taking shape now.