Scratch Build – In Progress [Bit-Tech/Intel NUC Competition] Intranuc - Complete --- Final pictures

Relevant links.

http://www.bit-tech.net/modding/2013/06/14/make-your-own-intel-nuc-case-competition/1

http://www.bit-tech.net/modding/2013/07/29/intel-nuc-case-competition-announcement/1




Intro
Blah blah blah cut, thank you to Antony, bit-tech, Intel & everyone involved in running these competitions & for picking mine, I'll give it my best & I'll post updates as I usually do when I have something new to show, I'm last to start a log so didn't want anyone thinking I bagged the kit & went walkies so excuse the lack of workshop progress done so far, it's been all brain work since Wednesday so just stepping over to the physical now, there is some though.




System components

Intel WiFi module.


Intel 30GB mSATA SSD.


2GB Kingston RAM.


The center of attention.
Intel NUC D33217CK Core i3-based OEM motherboard.






That big bright yellow battery, think I'll make a predator stealth cloak by painting it green & sticking electronics scraps to it so it looks more in place, the Iguana battery.


The front USB port took a knUck in post but fixed it straight away.


No disassemble, yes disassemble.
Removed the stock cooler after carefully fixing the USB port to get busy with the design & it really kept me busy since Wednesday.

Top side.


Bottom side.




This NUC needs a home & a cooler cooler.




Final design

Underwear with hat & shoes on twirl.



Fully dressed twirl.



Better static detail looks.








Partial view of the light floor in the base & a closer look at the hat.


Compartment for a battery holder in the base to power a 100mm white LED strip light floor, I'll add a switch for it but I'll make that up as I get to it, might even need to add another layer to make the needed height for the batteries.


This cooler cooler is a cross breed of the stock cooler, a titan cooler & a piece of my mind.






First progress update.
It's printer friendly.




Bought the needed BGA heat sinks, laptop screws for mounting the custom cooler, 12mm acrylic slab & 10mm cube spacers, they are only drilled & tapped on 4 sides so added the extra 2 on the 8 I'll be using for this project.


Drilling cube spacers, they are brass & nickel plated, I loved how easy brass is to drill & tap, so soft.


Tapping to m3.


8 awesome cube spacers.


Back with updates soon.

 

def my pick of the bunch

 

Sweeeet...

 

Congratulations.
Spacers are the tricky bit IMO. The mounts are SOOOO tiny, it's like building a laptop or something.

 

Looks great! Wish I could get proper bench drill since I had big problems getting all my drilling square and aligned last weekend.

Glad to see your work is going on smoothly.

 

If its not asking too much, how can you find those cube spacers ?

 

Thanks Scott. =)

Cheers Mos

Woo hooo pretty stunned.
The use of spacers on this is like nothing I have done before, I'm enjoying it.

Thanks Evenge, got a tip for that in this update.

Sure, they are made in Germany, found them here though, they are awesome for scratch builders.
http://uk.farnell.com/jsp/search/browse.jsp?N=215992+110584534

 

Had a few problems with the design all related to the hex mesh, delayed me starting 4 times which meant sessions redirected back to the design, I added a line in the middle of the top panel, looks better.


The fasteners I'll be using.


Brass hex pattern fire guard I got for free, nice big sheet of it. =)


All the materials ready for action, mostly scraps. \o/


Here is a cheap alternative for easy accurate drilling, a 3mm or thicker piece of aluminium with a few holes in it aligned & clamped in place & simply drill through it but use some scrap wood underneath to save the worktop from becoming holy, also the holes expand from drilling through a lot but this is an excellent way to massively improve drill accuracy very cheap, I still use this method when I need 100% accuracy, you can buy drill guides made of stainless steel though but this method works good enough for me.


Back to the drill press to finish off the holes since I didn't have scrap on the work top & didn't want a holy top.


Cutting these little spacers was quite difficult to maneuver with virtually nothing to hold down, 4mm thick & 2mm thick.


Assembled with the cube spacers which need 2mm depth milling off an edge, mill drill for that on next session.




Progress should be more frequent now the design is good & I have everything I need to do this.

 

Looks great and thanks for the tip on the cubes

 

Awesome I've actually contacted Parvum about those, but they wouldn't share their source

/me orders a bunch

 

Brass hex mesh.
FREE brass hex mesh.
Me not having free brass hex mesh.

You really need to make some spare fingers. -Say, an aluminum stick with some rubber on the bottom. You only get the one set. They are expensive to re-attach, and over time they will remind you of all the abuse you've given them. We knew a doctor in Colorado that specialized in re-attachment of limbs. I've heard all the horror stories, and that shot with your thumb heading for the blade triggered a few.

Those brackets are awesomely tiny.

 

Seen them in the parvum log & instantly seen interesting potentials, almost asked them myself but I just googled "m3 cube" & found them on the first search page.

Did have 3 really big sheets of it, was my aunts, I kept the smallest sheet which is still massive & she scrapped in the rest, had to put some of it to use.

Menacing warning picture of fingers all over the place & my hand close ish to the blade, it's OK though I'm more of a danger to myself in the kitchen with a chef bread knife making a simple sandwich as proven last year but since you mention it I'll make a shaped heavy piece with soft grippy sheet stuck to the bottom of it to help me hold pieces down hard enough to keep it steady but also let me move it freely, should have made one by now but just haven't.

New update coming within the hour, just sorting the writing & pictures.

 

1mm mesh panels, drilling mesh precisely where you want to isn't so easy but it is with the guide.


Snip.


Shave, rip the templates off.


Woo hoo.


Laying these templates down was just ugh but once on it was easy.


Snip shot skip shave.


\o/








Was going to lacqodise the brass to a brown colour but I really like the brass on black. =)


More soon, soon more.

 

Juicy.

 

Just hope the top layer matches right.

 

Skipped the work in progress shots for these, was just some drilling like shown on earlier parts & more cutting & sanding edges & then cutting all the holes out.

Done a test fit of the hat assembly too.












Then later thought I want to see it together so put it together, plug is for scale.












Good session put in for this one, sides & top need bevels adding & the acrylic inner layer is up next along with first base.

 

mmmm, brass on black is my second favorite after copper on black; brilliant work as always Waynio

 

Thanks Ruairi first & second favorite, there is some copper in this in a moment.

 

I only intended to do the internal acrylic panels but ended up feeling really in the mood to mod my rear off so I did.

The secondary window panels.






Then thought why the heck not, 12mm acrylic for the custom heat sink & yes that is my blood on it, while opening the 2.5mm hole for 1 of the mounting screws the drill grabbed the piece & went berserk doing a super fun happy spin, damaged the first one & took a tiny chunk out of my thumb.


Then looked at the BGA heat sinks & cut a row off.


And added the single row to a full one.


Drilled a hole in the full one & cut away 2 thins which lets me use a laptop screw to apply pressure to the BGA sink straight through to the motherboard mount hole.


Looks rough but not bad considering I couldn't see where I was cutting.


Then did the 3mm alu spacer.


Then the 2mm copper first contact mount part which sits on both chips & yes it's a perfect fit & only touches the 2 chips I want it to.


Then the 1mm copper plate which spreads the heat more along with the BGA sinks.


3mm spacer.


12mm clear spacer.


1mm window.


Top 1mm alu panel.




How it assembles.














How it looks mounted but it will look better than this when it's all fixed together but up to the 3mm alu spacer is properly mounted, the rest is just sat on top for now.













More soon, I'm happy with this progress.

 

Those fins on the fan with the cover kinda reminds me of a titan.

Looking good dude.