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Case Mod - In Progress AppleCoreDuo

Discussion in 'Project Logs' started by Cyprio, 2 Dec 2006.

  1. ComputerKing

    ComputerKing <img src="http://forums.bit-tech.net/images/smilie

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    lol nice work buddy but this is kickass work apple willl ask you to work with them ehhehe good luck and nice work and take care
     
  2. NiKha

    NiKha What's a Dremel?

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    I'm also a Londoner working on a G5 case, and if things go right, will also be working within the NHS when I graduate, what are the chances?!

    Been following this (and pretty much every other G5 mod) since it began and I have to say it is looking to be one of the most original. Can't wait to see how it turns out but great work so far! :thumb:

    I'm planning on getting a window cut in the side panel as you have - If you don't mind me asking, who did you use and how much did it cost?

    Keep up the good work!
     
  3. Cyprio

    Cyprio G5 Supermodder

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    Macros: The NHS is the free healthcare system we have over here in Britain. Im sure you have the same in Sweden - it probably runs a bit better as well!! When i am not modding, i am a clinical psychologist.

    Computerking: Well Apple have gone over to Intel Hardware now... maybe they have been following this mod! :)

    Nikha: What are you studying for? That is a very large coincidence!:eeek:

    I asked quite a few places for quotes and www.sciss.co.uk were the cheapest. They cut the window and the window perspex for £50 (including VAT and delivery via courier). Maybe you could let them know Stavros recommended them? :D

    I would also like to thank everyone else for the encouragement - it really makes all the hard work even more worthwhile. ;)

    Now onto the latest update...
     
  4. Cyprio

    Cyprio G5 Supermodder

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    reserved for update... eating dinner first! :D

    EDIT: OK, this may have to wait until tomorrow morning guys. I will post later tonight if i still have the energy!
     
    Last edited: 28 Jul 2007
  5. Spacecowboy92

    Spacecowboy92 Gettin' Lazy

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    Some of your pictures are great, almost POTM worthy (in the art section. Just shows how good youve done it. I spoted that spangly acrylic stuff too and have plans for some in my case. Great work :thumb:
     
  6. Cyprio

    Cyprio G5 Supermodder

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    Cheers m8. I will check out the POTM and see what its all about. All i use is a puny little 4MP Pentax Optio. It has a great macro function though that i use for the up close shots. :)

    On to the update that i should have posted yesterday. I had a 'modding weekend' working on the case for over 10 hours in total over the two days. Unfortunately due to a Royal Mail strike the primer and black paint i have ordered didnt turn up. As i said before - the bolts did!

    [​IMG]

    I have been working on the following:
    1. Front I/O panel
    2. DVD drive cover
    3. Mobo Tray
    4. PSU Cable Socket
    5. Side panel & Aquaero

    Front I/O Panel


    Before i start - Please use your very vivid imaginations (yes, you are modders and have great imaginations!) to picture the 'inner cage' of the case in black. :)

    If you remember, this is what i had to begin with... a Lian Li I/O panel (i scrapped the coolmaster one after i found this one as i like the fact its all in one neat row like the original G5 ports) and some 2mm aluminium sheet, that after a lot of patience and filing looked like this:

    [​IMG]

    After incorprating it into the cage with my tried and tested method of using more aluminium as supports on the inside of the case and hard setting epoxy i was left with this. Note the ugly screws i use to temporarily hold the ports in place:

    [​IMG]

    Yesterday i coutersunk the screw holes so they will be flush with the rest of the case and also cut out some of the old plastic that used to encase the I/O ports on the original G5. The are grey but i will be painting them blue as this is the third colour i intend to use sparingly on the case. The Bulgin switch in the pic has a blue ring around it. :)

    Here are some more pics:


    I had to slice the ends slightly so they would fit:

    [​IMG]

    Original G5 plastic USB surrounding - took me a while to find these but i am glad i never through anything away! They make the ports look so much neater.

    [​IMG]

    Close up of them in place:

    [​IMG]

    Finished and ready for a lick of paint... when it gets here! :wallbash:

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]


    Front I/O Panel


    Here is the original mechanism from the G5 that i definitely wanted to keep as it rocks!

    [​IMG]

    I have sliced a bit off the bottom as its not needed and intend to attach it with two small bolts either side of the slide down cover.... countersunk of course! As bolts would have been quite tricky to attach i tried out my M3 tap to see if it really works. :)

    [​IMG]

    First time lucky!

    [​IMG]

    Followed by a little countersunk goodness:

    [​IMG]

    The contrast of the stainless bolt with the black cage should look stunning. :)

    [​IMG]

    Unfortunately in my haste to order the bolts i got the lengths slightly wrong so i didnt have bolts long enough to hold it in place but i did try a test run with my hand underneath - here is a small video clip:

    DVD Front Panel Action - by the way is there another way to incorporate a .avi into a post?
     
    Last edited: 29 Jul 2007
  7. Cyprio

    Cyprio G5 Supermodder

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    Mobo Tray


    This was just a matter of using the M3 button head and coutersunk bolts and taking some pics!

    Looking much cleaner than the usual mobo screws:

    [​IMG]

    Replaced the rivets with button heads as well:

    [​IMG]

    Used dome head nuts for the countersinks on the outside:

    [​IMG]

    All in place:

    [​IMG]



    PSU Cable Socket


    As i mentioned way back in the project log i will have to use a small extension from the PSU to the back of the case as a PC PSU doesnt fit flush with the cage's rear.

    I sliced out a square with my dremel, glued some small aluminium strips on either side to reinforce the bolt holes and then used a mixture of epoxy putty and more hard setting glue to get a lovely uniform surround to the socket. Once again much patience and lots of different types of needle file used in this process:

    Here she is (complte with countersunk sockets as standard - must have read my mind! :D):

    [​IMG]

    Testing out the fit:

    [​IMG]

    After some epoxy loving, sanding and needle filing:

    [​IMG]

    'Artistic shot' :)

    [​IMG]



    Side panel & Aquaero


    Now, onto what i spent most of today on. :)

    As you may or may not remember i had the side door water cut along with a piece of ACRyan Mirror Plexi. The window cut was amazing and spot on. The plexi however came back slightly chaffed at the edges and peeling back - i guess the water jet must have been too powerful. :(

    Here is the peeling mirror acrylic:

    [​IMG]

    And a top down look at the window cut in the door:

    [​IMG]


    The peeling acrylic made me think of using some black perspex i had to cut out an 'inner frame' for the window to hide the peeling bits - as you can only see through the panel when there is light behind it, a black background would effectively stay black. Whilst thinking of this i also had the idea to incorporate the Aquaero into the side panel :idea: :naughty:

    I had been thinking about putting it below the DVD drive on the front panel but didnt want to loose the uncluttered look of the G5 so this would be perfect. My plan is to have it in the top left corner, bolted to the black perspex underneath so you cant see the bolts on the window but to have the buttons come through both acrylics to keep the controller functional. Well that was my plan at least... read on for some :waah: followed by some quick thinking and hopefully a happy ending. :)

    Here is the planned cut out:

    [​IMG]

    Up close (i might add a logo to the bottom right, undecided yet though):

    [​IMG]


    I got off to a good start and couldnt help thinking how easy acrylic was to work with compared to aluminium - the dremel slid through it like a hot knife through butter!

    [​IMG]

    Quite messy though...

    [​IMG]

    Rough cuts finished:

    [​IMG]


    Next up - Aquaero hole drilling... template used.

    [​IMG]

    Then disaster struck - after drilling the 4 bolt holes without a problem i moved onto the larger button holes... with a loud "Crack!" the corner shattered. :waah::waah::waah:

    [​IMG]


    Im sure you have all had that sinking feeling whilst modding - when you have been working on a piece for over an hour and then something like this happeds.
    It's soo demoralising. :(

    But i'm not one to cry over a cracked acrylic panel... especially after i realised that because of the mirror effect you cant actually see the crack lines after they have been super glued back in place. :D:D:D

    [​IMG]

    With the Aquaero attached:

    [​IMG]

    And quickly power it up to see the effect:

    [​IMG]

    Behind the mirror acrylic it looks amazing - hard to get a good pic of it though due to reflection.

    [​IMG]

    EDIT: Just realised that i forgot to take a pic with the black acrylic behind the mirror so this was taken in my bathroom with my housemate holding it against the sink! It was the only place i could find with a bright enough white background to bring out the effect!

    [​IMG]

    As you can tell from the picture above i also messed up the mirror acrylic whilst drilling so will need to get my hands on another sheet.

    Cracked! :(

    [​IMG]


    Phew, quite a update. The case is getting closer and closer to looking like the real thing! So exciting! :)

    Hopefully next week i can post a black case...

    Cyp.
     
    Last edited: 29 Jul 2007
  8. SPQQKY

    SPQQKY Evil Modder

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    Video not working for me. I DLed it too and there is an error.
     
  9. Cyprio

    Cyprio G5 Supermodder

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    Hmm, thanks for letting me know. Just finishing this post and will check it out.

    EDIT: Can you check it again. I might have missnamed the .avi as .av. It works for me now. Not sure if there is a different way to display the video within the post itself?
     
    Last edited: 29 Jul 2007
  10. iwog

    iwog Linux cursed

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    Cyprio, here's a guide for making youtube clips from .avis's. Then upload to their site and link to it with the bit-tech youtube tag. Sorry about posting the whole thing here but its on a private site i couldn't link to due to forum rules. But i think this is the only way as bit-tech doesn't appear to support media embedding in their forums.

     
  11. flacowboy

    flacowboy What's a Dremel?

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    nice job so far sucks about the mirror panel
     
  12. Dean MF

    Dean MF PC Freak!

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    Congratulations on being selected as a contestant in the mod-of-the-month competition!
     
  13. Cyprio

    Cyprio G5 Supermodder

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    You too man!:thumb:

    Im speechless guys. This is an honour, it really is. It makes my aching 'drilling arm' worth it. :)

    I best get working to finish this baby soon.

    One small problem - i cant find a stockist in the UK for another AC Ryan Mirror2 panel... Kustom PCs (my normal supplier) is clean out of the stuff.:duh: And im still waiting for Royal Mail to stop striking and deliver my paint supplies!
     
    Last edited: 30 Jul 2007
  14. GuardianStorm

    GuardianStorm Minimodder

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    have you looked around locally? i get all my acrylic from a sign shop that is on the industrial estate near me. it might be cheaper than ACRyan stuff too (eg they might give you free offcuts :))
     
  15. Cyprio

    Cyprio G5 Supermodder

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    It's a two way mirror that i dont think you can find that easily i.e. from the outside it looks like a mirror but when you have a light inside (like the Aquaero above) you can see through it. I need it to be a 2 way mirror so i can display all the watercooling that i will be putting inside.
     
  16. Dean MF

    Dean MF PC Freak!

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    Have you tried going to normal hardware shops? Also, you get the exact same window tint (they use it on cars), where you apply the mirror effect yourself.
     
  17. Teyber

    Teyber ******

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    plexiglass sucks... sierously i cracked 4 windows using expensive 1/4" acrilic!!!(cracked 1, redid it, cracked that, redid it... et cetera)

    not a fun material to work with!
     
  18. Cyprio

    Cyprio G5 Supermodder

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    Dean: Are these tints two way in the sense that if you have a light behind it you can see inside? The ones i have seen on cars are generally quite hard to see through i.e. even if you go right up to them and try to look through you cant. Maybe they come in different grades? Thanks for the tip though, i will check them out.

    Teyber: Any tips on drilling acrylic after your woes?! I am looking into whether you can get special drill bits for acrylic - i wonder if wood ones would work best with a slow drill?
     
    Last edited: 31 Jul 2007
  19. Dean MF

    Dean MF PC Freak!

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    Yup, its EXACTLY what you ar looking for. It comes in rolls, made for car and house windows. It comes in different colors, darkness and reflectiveness.

    Our entire office building is covered with this. When the sun shines outside, you cannot see into our building at all, it looks like a mirror, but when its dark outside, and lights are on in the inside, it looks lmost completely transparrent. (So, I am not too sure if youre case will be transparrent in the day though :confused:)
     
  20. elbarto241

    elbarto241 What's a Dremel?

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    i dont see why sooo many people are having trouble drilling acrylic. i drill it VERY slow stopping every dozen seconds to clean the hole/drill bit and i always drill with wood backing the material. so far using these steps i havent had a crack yet :D
     

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