Hi All! It's me again, with another project and as with Tenuis, B2 is finished already. So as a result, this worklog will be other way around and I will start with final pictures first. It kinda spoils the fun, but I was just to busy to keep regular worklogs not only here but anywhere and I was also in rush to have it finished for competition deadline. So in short B2 was an attempt to build compact, positive pressure (provided by 2x 140mm intake fans) mATX chassis, traditionally minimalistic, but hopefully good looking. Those familiar with my previous work, might notice that the whole design is kinda derived from my older project BETA. So here it is: Now how was it made. As usual, it started with an idea, followed by some rough sketches... something like this: and some chassis modeling to make sure things will fit as they should. I've tried to design it so it is as easy to build and modified (if needed) as possible. The base structure is just 4 parts really, which I got laser cut to save some time.# I had to bend the longest part in correct angles, drill some contersunk slots, and make joining parts which are just aluminium bars, drilled and taped for M3 bolts. Here is some test assembly with some other small parts, which I made. And here, whole base chassis painted and assembled again . And that's pretty much it, when it comes to aluminium (easy) part of B2.
Very very nice as usual Gtek!! You have an eye for shape in your designs. Only thing I´m worried about are the surfaces, but this has nothing to do with your designs, more modding in general. I just don´t understand working with sensitive materials like shiny black acrylics. One fingerprint, and it´s ruined. One scratch, and it´s ruined. And it attracts dust like a vaccum. You´ll have to clean the damn thing every day. But hey, that´s just lazy me. Photos are amazing.
Fantastic work , as always, Gtek !!! I fell in love with Beta and now for B2 How did you bend the sides panel?
Thank you all for your nice comments! Thanks man. Yes you get finger prints, but once it's all assembled, you just wipe them off, and thats it. Unless you have some weird obsession of touching it all the time , there is really no reason why you should get any more palms It' not a smartphone haha. On the other hand dust and scratches are a bit of a problem, but you can buy products specially for acrylic that should solve this problem. Thanks! That I have to say, that even with my 7+ years experience with managing thermoforming and extrusion processes, was a nightmare =). Key thing with large pieces of polymer like sheet acrylic is even heat distribution. which in my case was provided by kitchen oven . Of course ideal solution would be just thermoform it properly on say sampling machine, but that requires proper tool, in my case 2 of them. So oven had to do... Than there is temperature, which must be just right, acrylic have to get kind of softer, easier to bend, but you cannot fully reach forming temperature, if you don't form it on the machine. cooling also has to be as even as possible, something like stream of cold water. It is worth noting that just like material expands slightly as it's heated up, it shrinks as it cooled down and again if you don't cool it on tool, but you just hold it in shape by hands, it's important which side of acrylic is cooled down first. I would say forget about heat gun, with large parts, as it's almost impossible to heat part up evenly, and it will just look terrible. You should end up with something like this test piece: But again, getting a shape that will fit perfectly is almost impossible, using this 'cooking' process, so I had to force it a bit with epoxy end some clamping
Thanks again guys! Well, I don't have one to try out in first place , but even so, part needs to be heated up evenly, ideally from both sides if it's 3mm thick like mine otherwise it will start to curl away from heat source as that side will heat up faster and expand faster then the other, which in theory shouldn't be that bad considering my shape, but I tried to heat it up in front of my gas fireplace, and it was kinda out of control. pre-heated oven worked best for me. edit: ^ of course, if you clamp sheet of material in a frame to control expansion/contraction and you bombard it with enough energy>heat, for long enough, it will heat up trough out and all molecular bonds will go loose and your sheet will be nice and flat again. but at that point, it will be soft as butter, and you need to form and cool it on a tool to get shape you need. and that's vacuum/pressure forming, which wasn't and option for me.
Ah, one of those magic products. Do you know what it´s called? Btw, if you´re not touching, you've got some good dicipline man. Those shapes really forces you into deep caressing
