Project insideOut(formerly motherboard case) will be a home entertainment, light gaming(as in 1996 games), web surfing, and modding experience, the outside will feature motherboards mounted to the chassis, with glass enclosing them to give it a stained glass look, without the stain, here is the catch: the traces on the motherboard will be traced with UV pens and UV CCFLs will be mounted on each vertical corner of the case. Work log for Project: insideOut for Day 1: Details about the project: Budget: $400.00 for computer parts and supplies Project: To build a small form factor PC that is perfect for email, solitaire, and other things that do not require anything better than a 1Ghz Via proc. Time spent on Day 1: about 6 hours Tasks accomplished on day 1: Power switch 100% complete HDD and PWR LEDs 50% complete motherboard mounting holes for mounting the mobo to the faceplate: 100% complete. Original Case used for the chassis: it seems i have lost the original pic of the motherboard, but it was slightly larger than it is in the pic and has the power connectors attached as well. Here is the motherboard after 5 hours of work. You can see the reset switch and HDD and PWR leds(which will have some sort of fiber optic mod later on) Here is the switches and LEDs on the faceplate which the motherboard will be mounted on. Backside shot of the motherboard and the hole under the processor for the power button. The concept of the power button is relative to stealthing a CD drive, the proc. will sit on top the socket held up by the button, when pressure is applied to the proc, the piece of metal presses on the button which turns the computer on. The button inside the socket. This shows how the processor will fit in the socket and push the power switch. Stay tuned for Day Two
I'll have to move this to modding in accordance with forum rules. You must post actual pics for it to be a project log here - links only aren't quite enough I think this was mentioned by eddie_dane last time this thread was posted. When you get your pics up we'll move it back across. cheers
Work log for Project: insideOut for Day 2: Details about the project: Budget: $400.00 for computer parts and supplies Project: To build a small form factor PC that is perfect for email, solitaire, and other things that do not require anything better than a 1Ghz Via proc. Time spent on Day 2: about 7.5hours Tasks accomplished on day 2: Glowy thingy for power switch: 75% motherboard mounting holes for mounting the mobo to the left side panel: 100% complete and tapped. Pics: 233Mhz K6 processor, the victim of todays modding. The core of a K6: The first attempt at a glowy thingy for under the heatspreader. The second attempt, a shim like thingy made from an old jewel case and sanded to diffuse light. The shim by itself: Random parts: from left to right: the back half of a sound card; small strip of a mobo; large corner strip of mobo with 2 DIMM sockets; ISA connectors; another strip of PCB; random chips 'n things; PCB dust. Left side of the case coming together, (thanks to my hand holding the mobo there.) Here we have the socket 7 from the previous pic. and notice the square hole? There will be 2 USB 2.0 ports mounted inside the socket, and they will be covered by the processor when not in use. w00t! Here is the processor on the top motherboard in place, this is what it will look like when the USB ports are not in use. Right side of the case coming together(once again thanks to my hand.) Front of case: 50mm fan hole, not much, but any airflow helps in such a small case. My dog thinks a tap smells good. In case you are wondering, im using a 6/32 tap which just happens to be the exact size of case/drive screws, making them ideal for mounting the left, right, and top PCBs on the case. I hope you enjoyed Day 2's work log, look for Day 3 soon!
actually, in the first post i stated it will be enclosed in glass. dusting shouldnt be a problem wit hsome windex and a paper towel
looks good - i've wanted to do this kinda thing for a while, but never hang onto old computer bits for long enough - i have to sell them to get some kind of income... keep us up to date
wow! really original... no need for a window in that case.. hehe i guess the CD rom will be stealthed.. where did you get all those mobos from? keep up the good work
the case is a fudin ITX921 from Frys Electronics, here is a link: http://shop1.outpost.com/product/3632205 the mobos have just been collecting in a box in my room for some time, most were from old servers at school, one i bought for $1 off some kid, one is from my first PC(1996, p1 133)
Ok, here is day 3: Work log for my mobo case for Day 3: Time spent on Day 3: about 7.5hours Tasks accomplished on day 3: CD-ROM slot and button done. USB ports under processor, done. mounting all motherboards, done. CD-ROM LED unsoldered from drive and resoldered with a tail. Front faceplate with CD slot and button holes cut. Pic of the slot and button, look above the button and you see a small yellow rectangle, thats the activity LED. Here is detail on the activity LED Outer "shell" of the case with mobos mounted. Right side, with 50mm fan hole. Any airflow helps in these shoebox cases... Left side, under the processor there is a square hole for the USB ports. when not in use, the processor will cover them. Detail of the socket. Front faceplate again, but notice the small chip with the faux photoshop glow? there is a small piece of plexi behind it that will be illuminated by the LED, the chip is glued onto the button for the CD-ROM, and the button is glued to the back of the mobo, so that the CD drive may be removed while leaving the button assembly intact. Perspective view of the case. One more thing, sorry guys, but it might be a while before you see Day 4. i have put this project on hold as much as i love it, for other things, like school, that demand my attention until the end of the semester. but check in about a month for an update. Cheers
well its the first scrap computer ive seen that is a very good piece of work especially the cdrom imagine trying to find the slot for the disk in the dark lol