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Scratch Build – In Progress Casdon 379 BACK ORDER SUCKS! Feb 26, 2008

Discussion in 'Project Logs' started by jhanlon303, 29 Jan 2008.

  1. Cheapskate

    Cheapskate Insane? or just stupid?

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    "There are some people..." :hehe:
    First off- NO aquarium bubblers! They are nothing more than an unshielded AC electromagnet, and radiate freeking massive EM interference.
    -Air frothing around in the loop is not wanted. If the front door res is connected to the loop with a T-line, (or a set of F-lines,) You could keep a decent size air bubble in it AND get a nice sloshing effect.
    -You could make your own waterblocks easily. You don't need high performance blocks on this system anyway.:D
    If you wanted to get really cheap, you could solder an aluminum plate to the top of the existing heatsink, and fill in the sides with JB Weld.:hehe:
     
  2. samkiller42

    samkiller42 For i AM Cheesecake!!

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    I must say fella, this is quality. Such an unusual idea, yet hilaroius at the same time. Can not wait to see the end result.

    Sam
     
  3. jhanlon303

    jhanlon303 The Keeper of History

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    Too Many Layers

    This is getting ridiculous. I'm going to show a couple pictures then I will discuss my new "better way".
    The case with the ribs and the inner liner I made.
    [​IMG]
    The plan was to make shims the thickness of the ribs and glue the shims to the case and screw the liner to the shims.
    Two layers of 2mm plexi needed for the shims.
    [​IMG]
    So now we end up with plexi holding up plexi. 2 layers of 2mm equals 4mm plus the .080 liner. Then the motherboard gets it's plexi "tray" to attach to the liner.
    [​IMG]
    Another tray for the HDD and one for the PSU.
    So now we have layers and layers.
    I live in Colorado! Layers are for clothing in our climate.
    Albert Einstein said "A thing should only be as difficult as needed". I agree!

    Go to the plexi stash:
    [​IMG]
    Grab an arm load of 5mm. My favorite anyway. Get the tool out:
    [​IMG]
    and get ready to build a proper inner structure. The ribs are for stiffness - I'll show you stiff! Say good bye to the factory ribs.
    [​IMG]
    I'm going to grind them out of existence and build a proper box with nice square corners that is a tight fit for the bottom, 2 sides and the top. Need some figuring around the wash powder bin but its going to be STIFF and removable. I can use the motherboard plexi as a template for where to drill the standoffs into the new 5mm side.
    Sorry for the rank but sometimes I find my self working hard instead of smart.
    Oh, and before I put on the eye ware and the earmuffs and start dremelling, I forgot this picture.
    [​IMG]
    Somebody was bound to ask
    John
     
  4. Trindee

    Trindee What's a Dremel?

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    Nice. I do have a question does that use an actual saw blade? Or just a dremel up right with a bit on it?
     
  5. jhanlon303

    jhanlon303 The Keeper of History

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    It's real table saw with a 4 inch diameter blade. You can really cut wood nicely, like for Doll Houses. The blades come in different teeth counts just like big saws. I think Makita or one of the other manufacturers also make 4 in saws. I have a stash of blades since I don't think it's made anymore. I also have 2 Dremel table lathes.
    John
     
  6. Trindee

    Trindee What's a Dremel?

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    Nice that is pretty cool. Now if I may and try to add a little helpful tip that worked for me. While cutting on a big table saw I noticed that if you take a stock of wood and run it over the top of the plexi while cutting it. It tends to help on chipping it less and with the thin stuff helps keep it flat on the table. I am not sure if you use this method or if you even need to but it did help me out a lot. I did set the blade to only cut about 1/16”higher then the plexi so that you are only shimming through the wood and not cutting all the way through it. I am just looking for new ideas and trying to learn as may ways to do different things as possible.
     
  7. Cheapskate

    Cheapskate Insane? or just stupid?

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    I have something similar to that, but it has a 10" belt-driven blade stuffed in the bottom. You need to be careful not to put your fingers under mine while it's running.:D
     
  8. jhanlon303

    jhanlon303 The Keeper of History

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    That's in the workshop. This little one stashes in a closet and and is quite handy. Of course being from Texas, yours is bigger.:duh: Everything's bigger in Texas. Saw that on a sign when I lived in Port Aransas.
    John
     
  9. Xtrafresh

    Xtrafresh It never hurts to help

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    let me guess, it was a big sign, right?
     
  10. jhanlon303

    jhanlon303 The Keeper of History

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    Yep! REAL BIG SIGN. They have this bridge going to Corpus Christy that a man could finish a six pack and a pint and still be on the bridge! They also have big storms - hurricanes. Nasty.
    John who lives in Denver with avalanche warnings everywhere.
     
  11. jhanlon303

    jhanlon303 The Keeper of History

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    Packaging Help Needed

    OK I am getting close. I need some opinions on packaging the internals. Pictures then words.
    Disk beside power supply.
    [​IMG]
    HDD mounted towards front.
    [​IMG]
    PSU reinstalled.
    [​IMG]
    I/O shield for grins.
    [​IMG]

    Now the question of which is better? The HDD mounted beside the PSU allows direct airflow from front to rear over the HDD. If it's mounted in front of the PSU, I still have room for the front fan and I can also install a small PCI card in the slots if I need to later. I don't know what for but someday? Everything I use is done with USB.
    Which approach should I go with? Why?
    John
     
  12. 500mph

    500mph The Right man in the Wrong place

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    Above the psu horizontally so you can still use the pci slot, and not blocking airflow in the front.
     
  13. jhanlon303

    jhanlon303 The Keeper of History

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    OK. This one may be doable. Slide the motherboard down a bit and put the Seagate on the top. Can't be horizontal above the CPU but it could be mounted to the top front to back. I NEED to keep the wash powder bin operational. See first post.
    Let me play! Good idea!
    John
     
  14. Cheapskate

    Cheapskate Insane? or just stupid?

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    I checked it, 8" blade 9 x 13" top, and completely open on 2 sides. It's scary to use.:D Don't get me wrong, I have a full size table saw too. (I was raised in Colorado. Is that why everyone here is taller than me?:hehe:) Thanks for saying mine's bigger! We all could use a ego boost like that from time to time.::D
    I'd say what you do depends on the powersupply layout. If you get one with a top mounted 120mm exaust fan, go with the first pic. It would draw air over the board and the HD. If you get a powersupply with front/back airflow, put the HD behind it.
    If you put the HD over the psu, the heat radiating from the psu will transfer to the HD.
     
  15. jhanlon303

    jhanlon303 The Keeper of History

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    New PSU and 5mm Liner work

    I was driving home from work last night and decided to look for a smaller PSU. I found this small PC repair and sales shop in my neighborhood. It's called PC City in Westminster, Colorado where I live. Small place with great people. I was looking at PSU and told them about Bit-Tech and my mod. The young guy showed me several new PSUs and I bought a smaller one. Still 200 watts. The shelf sign said HP Power Supply. Whatever. Here's the pictures.
    [​IMG]

    How they stack up:
    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    Everex PSU as installed:
    [​IMG]

    New PSU installed:
    [​IMG]

    I spent the rest of the evening cutting the clear 5mm for the inner case liner. Took longer than it should have but I was having a bad health day. I'll do the pictures of the liner tonight.
    John
     
  16. Guest-23315

    Guest-23315 Guest

    Looking Good!
     
  17. jhanlon303

    jhanlon303 The Keeper of History

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    Inner Liner complete

    OK. I promised the inner liner build up. Let's begin.
    I have heard and maybe seen somewhere a technique to "snap" plexi if it's thick enough. Since the piece I was using to make the liner was larger than my tiny table saw, I thought I would give it a try. I didn't want to go to the tack room in the snow and wind to get the jig saw.

    Piece and straightedge clamped to the workmate.
    [​IMG]
    Scoring tool used to score plexi. Plexi lined up and clamped to edge of workmate.
    [​IMG]

    This attempt broke cleanly EXCEPT the piece I needed for the motherboard side.
    [​IMG]
    Not to worry. Piece is big enough to get MB side by sliding pattern up to good piece.
    [​IMG]
    Remember this is just a prototype until I pick a color for the final plexi. The piece is now small enough for my tiny saw ! You peeps have seen the saw, you've others doing plexi, this is my HINT! Stop every 3 or 4 inches and clean the melted plastic off the backside. It builds up like this:
    [​IMG]
    Take your time.
    After the pieces are cut we need to change tools to get the edges ready for the IPS Weld-On. Switching to the small belt/circular sander:
    [​IMG]
    I couldn't find the hose to the shop-vac that fits the sander so I went ghetto!
    [​IMG]
    Crack me up! Old tube sock and a rubber band. ROFL!
    Now we need to clamp and gle the plexi:
    [​IMG]
    Bottom and the two vertical sides.
    Again
    [​IMG]

    Let the Weld-On cure. I use #3 which is really fast. And now we have a big U.
    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
    The blue in the picture is on the outside and will be removed. I had forgotten how hard it is to photgraph clear acrylic.
    Does'nt show real well at this resolution but this is the top with the cutout for the wash powder bin.
    [​IMG]

    Inserting it into the case:
    [​IMG]

    It is a tight fight but not too tight.
    [​IMG]

    Next update is to make plexi mounts for the PC components. I will use some of the 0.080 plexi to dummy up a complete new back for the case. Also coming up is a Victorian style wooden case to fit the washer for travel.
    John
     
    Last edited: 8 Feb 2008
  18. jhanlon303

    jhanlon303 The Keeper of History

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    Just a quick one

    Picture of all the original parts installed in the plexi liner:
    [​IMG]
    The black box is the original 3.5 in. bay audio and USB.
    YIKES!!! Cable management needed here:
    [​IMG]

    ROFL!
    [​IMG]

    Anybody got a 3 Cm. IDE cable. This is tight. Probably have to make my own. Duh! It's like narrowing a Ford 9" rear end to fit a 2CV. Really small.
    I'm going to make the plexi holders for the HDD and the optical. Still and yet nobody responds. This is why I do this for me. Nobody must think it's fun enough. If it's not fun, it's work. Gospel.
    John
     
  19. mandy_modded

    mandy_modded Minimodder

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    It's like narrowing a Ford 9" rear end to fit a 2CV.

    great analogy.

    keep up the great work this is so cute
     
  20. Xtrafresh

    Xtrafresh It never hurts to help

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    lol John! I'm also a bit bummed every time i do a big update. Nobody responds, maybe a few oneliners here and there... oh the woes of a modder!

    About the cable.... ACRyan makes these:
    [​IMG]

    I'm not sure this will work, since these two connectors are for master and slave. I never bothered to ask if this makes a difference, but if it doesn't, you have one less thing to worry about.

    Oh, and the above is noted for when i will write my next bestseller: "101 other uses for a tubesock" :rock:
     

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