Scratch Build – In Progress Project : eye-tx 29th Mar -Third update today and it looks like a case .... at last.

Bugeye having a go at not square, this will be awesome & already looks it.

Nice name for the project too.

 

Thanks Angel I'm really just making it up as I go along


I started today by drilling the holes for the screws that hold the top and bottom of the case together. Yet another jig , should be the last one



Then with all the parts screwed together I tacked the cross pieces in place with some glue .



When the glue had gone off I drilled and tapped for the screws that hold it all together and suddenly the frame was finished

Bottom half



Top half



Assembled



Still some excess glue to clean up but I'll sort that later




So that's the internal frame sorted I need to start making decisions on the external finish . I think the design has got something a bit retro about it so I think the surface materials should go that way too .

Thinking about this for the top and underside of the curved part .

Burr Maple



For the front and back I'm thinking about brushed aluminium . But I can't decide between natural or something dark , not black but a really deep blue ??






Thoughts or suggestions , no acrylic though

 

Thanks Waynio .... It's been a struggle not to get the ruler out but I'd slowly coming to terms with non straight things

Maple veneer ordered

 

Gonna be tasty as, can't wait to see it mate.

Little bit similar to a ps3 shape

 

It is a bit now that you mention it

I've also ordered some samples of anodised ali ... whole range of colours

I've gone off the blue because the only blues I can find are too bright . The gunmetal and tungsten finishes are looking favourite right now

 

I'd love to find a good local anodiser but if I can't I am really considering learning all I need to learn to DIY it this time, scary thought but might turn out to be pretty easy & not as hazardous as I thought as long as all the right precautions are made.

 

Wow, this looks amazing! The design in hole is terrific. And I like the marple for external a lot. About front/back I´m not sure... I guess it going to look good either way. Keep up the fantastic work!

 

The one I'm getting the samples from are up in Manchester so not that local to me but my parts are small enough to post . That said I'm sure there must be one near me in London somewhere

DIY anodising .... extreme modding or MADNESS I though at first but a bit of googling later and I can see where you are coming from . The kits don't look that expensive if you are getting a lot done , mind you I don't know how much it costs yet . The real attraction would be the control you get and once you bought everything each bit you do gets cheaper

If you do it this would really need its own thread .... the ultimate how to guide

I'm pretty set on the maple , I really want you use veneer for that part of the case . I looked at a lot of other veneers and seriously considered cherry and walnut but because the case is quite small I didn't think I was going to get enough area for the grain to work . I thought about pippy oak too but decided if I got that I was always going to think that maple would be better

The front and back panels I'm really not sure about yet and ali is the starting point . As I think about it I realise that what I'm after is a updated , slicker version of something like this ...





The thing is that these are a bit sort of naff really . I like the feel of them but there is something that doesn't quite work about them for me , I think it's the detailing . The problem is if you take all the knobs and dials away you aren't left with much . I like the natural ali finish but wonder if it's got enough going for it ..... but if I go darker then will it work with the maple

The good thing is that I don't have to fix anything to the frame so I can make it all up see how it looks and if I don't like it start again

Found a better reference of the feel I'm thinking about ....

 

As you say, it´s all about the small things. Knobs and dials for example, IMO it´s all about layout composition and contrast. And not overdoing it, like most people do when the have a "great" idea. I guess the main reason for me working with wood, is the potential of combinations material-wise, Most of the materials out there are quite "dead", and combined with the vivid of the wood, it´s a perfect match.

 

Wise words quizz_kid

I received my anodised samples today so just waiting on the maple and I'm going to do some mock ups I think . The design on the front panel is pretty clean right now but I'm starting to think that some sort of subtle detailing is going to help .

 

Was it anodising.com based in Radcliffe Manchester? I contacted them again & they got back to me & they are sending me a sample swatch also they are a very quick drive away from me so looks like I have a good anodiser to go to now.

Even considering stripping down stealthlow to get that done how I always wanted black & copper trim but really I think I'd just be happy with getting my current & future builds done.

Glad you mentioned where the anodiser were based, prompted me to go ask them again.

 

Yes , that's them

The sample sheet is a bit like having too much choice and I rather like the dark blue on there , I know it's not right though

Must admit I just asked them for samples and didn't check prices or if they would do small jobs . Had you tried them before ?

 

Too much choice is better than too little choice so sounds hopeful I asked them back when I wanted to get stealthlow done but never got a reply.

I have no idea on their pricing yet but Andrew said when you have the samples to give him a call to find out more, I have rough figures I expect in my head so if they are the same or lower then it's a deal for me. I'd expect for tiny pieces like what you want it should be really cheap mate.

Maybe just maybe the gun metal like you said or even a brown, the colour sample on the site aren't anything to go off really but maybe even the titanium colour but I'd expect brown to go pretty nicely with maple but I won't know myself until I see the samples.

 

No the colours shown on the site aren't a good match at all

The gunmetal is actually really blue ...

Looks like the choice is between the olive brown , titanium and the grey

I've also ordered some .8mm birch ply and some 1mm balsa , guess why

 

Got my swatch today & the gun metal is quite blue like you say so nothing like what I expected the colours your thinking of look nice though many of the others do too but it's using them on the right things. I'm drooling just thinking about being able to get my parts anodised now.

I'll guess either for a mix of them or your doing a big batch of this rig like you did the other one with a bit of choice, sure looking forward to seeing the end result though.

 

Yours is going to look stunning anodised a colour what finish on the ali are you going for .... smooth or are you going to brush it ?

This is definitely a one off , so just have to choose the colour once

That reminds me I have temps for a passive board in rebox that I have to post up

 

Well after a bit of head scratching and a lot of navel gazing I think I've got a direction for this to go in .

First step is some samples ..... so a bit of veneering to start with .

Burr maple veneer



I've got one of these at work



So getting a nice even coat of pva is easy



The veneer is rather wobbly and I've not used a burr veneer before ....



But I'm hoping 250kg will keep it flat .... I'll find out tomorrow

 

did you apply some veneer softeners?

burls are a pain in the butt to work with... veneer softener will make them pliable and wont crack when you make bends.

 

Noooooo I haven't , mainly because up until I read your post I had never heard of it

But with a bit of google research I can see some of it turning up in my life ....

I'm not to worried about this one as it's just for samples .

 

Wow, that burr marple looks amazing! what a texture!!! Looks like the surface of another planet or something. That´s a lot of weights there also... You don´t have any regular clamps?