Scratch Build – Complete Cygnus X1.

Some very nice work. I agree with MM, please don't use that shape lol.

 

Why? Whats wrong with it?

Just kidding.
This stuff is fun, reminds me of school.
So easy to get a lot of different shapes.

 

For a really fun way to try shapes,, grab some foam boards or blocks, glue em together and go nuts with the carving knife.
Foam be cheaper than clay and makes way more mess! Is fun

john

 

you can't "remodel" the foam as you can with the clay


I see some very nice metal work there, oldnewby !
and that mini cygnus X1 looks so cute

 

You could make another mini one, and turn the mini 'cygnusi' into speaker enclosures!

 

Any speakers should be integrated into the shell.
I'm ashamed of you! All that clay, and you could only come up with 'potato'?
-And where's the c4 squirrel?!?!?


Awesome filework though.

 

I haven't been putting as much time and effort into my second idea as I thought I would have but here is stage one of what I've come up with so far ...



The main body is still being tweaked some but I'm having difficulties. I'm not familiar with the Sketch program so I don't know any tricks to speed things up. I'm having problems putting in a few curves that I wanted to add.

Hope you like what you see so far.

 

That does look interesting.

Personally I think the shell should be completely visible. Just make some clear plexi covers for the mobo changer etc and it would look awesome.

 

i like the design but it totally contradicts the inner shell.. ie. outer shell is all curves and the inner is straight lines!

there is good reason as to why everyone wants th inside showing!

the design looks like a piece of modern architecture!!(which is gd IMO!)

personally i think the outer shell should complement the inside of th case....

 

Hey Mantronic! Why post those nice designs here, when you can post them in the design competition?
Join us on the dark side...

- That last design would be difficult to replicate in plexi, metal, or wood.

 

I still think it would be a good time to use the foam and fiberglass! But that's me - messes are fun.

john

 

I posted that picture because I thought I finally understood what oldnewby was going for in his case design. I was under the impression that showing off what was inside of the case wasn't paramount and that if he wanted anyone to see what was underneath he'd just remove the skin. I feel that he would like a work of modern art that he can have sitting in a room somewhere that is not only functional but is also pleasing to the eye. That's not to say we couldn't be given a glimpse of what is underneath and that is why I tried to incorporate some opacity into the front of the case.

Since oldnewby stated that his inspiration for this build was based on pictures taken of the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao I thought I'd visit the museum website. I drank some coffee while looking at a wide variety of pictures and thought I saw some shapes that could be borrowed and used in his case. Personally I didn't want to use exact shapes and proportions but I was hoping there would be enough similarity that if you looked at pictures of the two you would feel they were in a sense sisters. Does that seem weird?

One thing you might notice about the museum is the variety of materials used that have different colors and textures. I feel this leaves a great deal of room for personalization. I'll admit I had certain materials in mind for certain structures when I was drawing but there's nothing saying anyone looking at this might not have their own ideas that better suit their personal tastes.

I'm really hoping that if oldnewby looks at my drawing and see's something he can adapt he'll come up with an exterior, even if part of it is faux, that will leave us all dazzled with his creation.

Sorry ... don't mean to put such a burden on your shoulders oldnewby.

 

I'm hope no one minds but after looking at oldnewby's last set of pictures I saw the proportions in my previous drawing were off the mark. To be more in line with his model I did another drawing and this is what I came up with ...



Looking forward to your feedback on this one.

 

Thanks everyone.

Those designs look good Mantronic, I wish I could draw like that.
The shape for the shell is almost finalized and there are just a few
details to work out, but this can't be done until I start making it.

It seems, just reading many of the posts, that I'm going to disappoint
a lot of you but the shell will cover the chassis entirely. What's more,
as the the chassis is angular and asymmetrical, the shell will be organic
and curvy but also asymmetric. As the chassis is hard and cold, the shell
will be warm and smooth. The shell will be shaped from solid wood and
will include some polished aluminium details. I'm hoping to make it "other worldly".

 

It doesn't matter if you disappoint people, it is your design and they were just hoping it would turn out how they wanted it, no the way you had envisioned. I think that what you do will be as good, if not better, than the work you have already done.

 

I would like to take the chassis as is. Antec Skeleton eat your heart out lol.

 

Thanks r4ch3t, Yeah in matters of this sort you really have to please yourself.
Thanks b4oz.


While I was filing the first set of hinges I realised that it wasn't necessary to
include a locking mechanism in the hinge itself, the sides could be locked from
upward movement just by having a lip or bracket that slides under the PSU cover.
So a very simple arrangement could be made where blocks are fitted to the back
plate and similar blocks are fitted to each half of the shell at 90 degrees to the ones
on the chassis and then a pin in each of the blocks allow the sides to swivel open
and lift off.








These blocks are fitted with M5 screws.





So some holes have to be drilled into the blocks on the backplate, and into these a
plastic bush is pressed. The bush has a lip and all the load of the shell with be taken on
this lip, so the blocks will not be touching each other. In the blocks on the shell, stainless
steel pins, 4mm in diameter will be pressed into the facing surface, and thus the half shells
can lift off when open but are locked by the lower lip when closed so the case can be lifted.
I've ordered the bushes and pins and am waiting for them to arrive.
Just a funny little story; it looks as though this hinging arrangement will cost me about
sixty or seventy dollars in parts. Now if I went looking for some hinges at a shop somewhere
and stumbled upon some nice hinges that suited the task, but they cost 70 bucks, there is
no way I would by em. I'd go away and think to myself "I could make them for much less"

A lot of time is spent waiting for parts and materials but there are a lot of little things that
need to be made.

Some brackets to hold the SSD.



It will go here. Also note that there is room here for at least another three!



A cover needs to be made for this area also, as well as a cover for the mobo side.

The slot loader will be mounted to it's housing with foam double sided tape (don't worry
this stuff is really strong)





And a small piece to cover the front of the drive will need to be made also.

Tomorrow I start a three day break and the first thing to do is make a full size model
of the chassis. Then in some cheap pine make the shell and work out how it will be done
and what are the problems I may encounter before making it in the expensive stuff.

 

What he said!
"You're not gonna disappoint us" is what I was gonna write, then I read your update, and lo and behold... I'm not disappointed! :Lol:

It's funny how modding works... There's lots of stuff I figured it would be cheaper for me to make rather than buy... which didn't turn out that way. I like DIY, and you are rocking it hardcore! Very nice ideas and fabrication.
Can't wait till your next update.

 

Good to see you have made some progress. The construction is coming along beautifully.

 

i have to totally agree with MM. with every update comes a !

if u were to listen to everyones ideas then your own judgement may bcome clouded! and we cant have that as everything in this mod is your idea and you have pulled it off with class!!