Scratch Build – In Progress *** PHINIX NANO TOWER *** --- MOTY 2011 nomination !!!

Thanks! That yellow acrylic is a bit strange cause under the sun light it looks different than under bulb light I put white paper under that piece to make a photo and I think I may use some white selfadhesive labels for the build. It make sit more "visible", without the background it looks a bit green-ish or light yellow. I hope leds will make this yellow even stronger when light up.

Thanks man! I hope I will spend more time on it now during the summer. However still ahrd to work on it during the week, when I'm back home after 5pm.

Perfection - this word coming from you has a new meaning! Thanks Angel!
Its looks great, but as a "creator" I know about few imperfections, but shhh... let's not talk abut it

Thank you Mark! I would also like to see it finished already, but on the other hand I like to have it "in progress" - always something to think about during lunch time at work

Don't ask! I need to move it down to living room, put it all togather just to make photos!
But it is always great moment to see how it looks through the camera.
Thanks!

yep! it never ends!

Thanks man!



Thank you all for kind words guys!

 

The yellow plexi really does look nice, a very nice colour. I have seen yellow plexi before that has been milky or close to green but that is perfect. Eagerly awaiting your next update my friend .

 

This project gets more amazing every time I check in. I think you should add white or yellow LEDs embedded in the yellow plexi so it lights up. It would look cool under the mobo. But nonetheless.

 

Yay! An update. The FL yellow is a rare item here. It should really stand out...'specially under UV light. If I remember correctly, It's the most reactive color under UV.

 

Yes, LOVE that yellow acrylic. Really nice!

 

Thanks guys!

See, this yellow acrylic... hmm... is my pain in the b** actually. It looks nice in some light, which is shown on those photos. BUT it doesn't look that nice at most of the time. I need to choose how I'm agoing to light it up.

Ben from Phenoptix was very kind and sent me lots of different leds to play with: yellow 3,5,10mm, same UV, even small SMD leds in strips. Now, I tried few of them and I got funny results.
Cause this is fluorescent acrylic, it supposed to react on UV light and give full color. Things is when I used UV light on it it does light up like crazy showing evry single even mm size scratch and lightup edges like there is no tomorrow. There is only one thing.. color.... it is not yellowish yellow, it is kinda greenish yellow. When I used yellow leds on the other hand, it does light up in deep yellow.. but only opposite edge I used small square sample and when put led to one edge, plastic was a bit brighter but only front edge was lighting yellow.
Then I tried to use two leds: yellow and UV Result was.. well, it wasn't good
So now I don't know what to do. I may go with yellow leds in some places and UV in other.
Or should I just go with blue acrylic?

What do you guys think?

 

Well, what is you sanded the surface and edge-lit it using a white led? That ought to bring up the real yellow colour of the acrylic, because the sanding would produce thousands of small scratches that would break the light - this way you would not only light up the edges of the acrylic, but in fact the entire surface.

Give it a try with a small piece first and tell us what the results are.

 

Have you experimented with clear plexi (either frosted or clear) with yellow LEDs? You may get a good result that way.

Nutman is right, giving the tips of the LEDs a little sand diffuses the light and makes for a much smoother and even effect when transferred to the plexi.

 

Fantastic idea man! I have to try this. I was thinking about it in the past, but didn't try it.
I would need to use some smal grid paper, like 800 or sth even smaller...

 

Good idea - need to ry that. I know I was thinking about it as well. See what I wanted to get is nice yellow color evevn if PC is not on and leds are off. Clear would be clear basically, but as you said I'm pretty sure clear acrylic will give the best yellow look when lightup with yellow leds.
This could be a good idea too I think - I could use clear acrylic for some parts, it would be pretty misterious - when off there is nothing, no color, just all black.. but when turned on everything light up yellow... hmmm..... spooky
And clear acrylic is easy to get in 5mm thickness, where I what I would prefer to use for outside elements.
I will definitely try the clear one tonight and get back to you!

 

I tell you what guys - one of my ideas was to paint yellow plexi with white paint on one of the surfaces - same way I put white paper under that piece in some of those photos I showed. It would make this yellow really stand out. Or stick some white seft adhesive sticker paper under it. This could work for hex shape elements on front panel. But wouldn't on the other hand for other elements on the case I'm planning to make, where I wanted to use its edges...

Well, thanks for your ideas guys - I will try that all tonight and get back to you!

 

I've got some self adhesive window frosting film.

PM me the sizes you need and i'll pop some in the post mate.

 

Cool, thanks Mark, I'll try that.

 

Ah the weekend has almost landed and the weather is turning, will we see an update this weekend my good man?

 

Yes my firend, there will be an update
Right now it looks like its gonna rain but I can do few things in my attic without going out.

Now, lights. I tried different configurations, including white leds (I found some white 3mm leds from Phinix Cube project) and have to say that I am confused more than I thought I will be
Bad part is I cannot even show you guys what I came up with, cause dont know how to make photo accurate enough to show the result exactly like it is in reality.
So, I have two posibilities. UV or white led. White led gives better yellow glow of this acrylic, but no on whole surface of edge - I would need to use more than one led for each piece of acrylic to light it up evently. UV on the other hand gives me brither glow, which gets closer to green, but with on 3mm UV led I could glow almost the whole piece.
Yellow leds would good for giving the ambient light, beautoful yellow color.

But.....

what i also used is some strips of SMD leds uv and yellow. I also got them from Ben from Phenoptix. Ben sent me all the possible variations so I could play with them. And I PLAYED!
I have to say I love the llok of those SMD leds when they light up acrylic. It is fantastic!
I guess I just need to choose between UV or yellow now

 

heh I tried it again and I'm towards yellow SMDs

 

It's probably the viewing angle on the SMDs that does the trick, they're a 120 or 100 degree LED if I remember rightly. Can't wait to see some pics. Colour balance is a problem I've not really solved myself. Maybe one the forum's photography experts can help us out on this one.

 

Sweet work!

 

OK. To give you all some heads up what's coming this weekend...

I will have a lots of acrylic elements for my Tower cut out by Tom from ChilledPC, also ordered Tensol 12 glue for it.
Another thing is top panel which should be done as well and ready to show Same bottom acrylic panel with fantastic case feet from Bill.
I bought matte black spray paint for small elements like screws or pump stand so if it won't rain I will paint it and show til the end of this weekend.

 

/me was hoping for pics