Project Metaversa: LCD goodness (small update 17/07/05)

No, just no other vices to spend it on...

Nice to know I've acquired a reputation. Don't know how I got it, though...

Anyways, update: I made the final shroud for the BIX (the one you see in the picture is not the final version, I wanted a nicer finish, and an air-tight fit. Self-adhesive draught excluder is your friend... ). I took pics of the process, so there's a modding guide in it, but I haven't uploaded the pics yet. Which is a pity, because it looks cool.

The mounting bits are cut, now I'm waiting for the machine screws to arrive. Meanwhile, I have to start working out the whole wiring loom...

 

Flash. This is progressing very well.

 

Nice work on that aluminum plate you made The watercooling equipment looks factory done where it sits in the front.

 

That's the whole idea... I wanted a PC that looks like it came off the shelf from a shop, in the year 2050 or so...

In order to enhance looks, I made a prettier shroud (the earlier one was more of a trial, but gave me valuable ideas of how to do it...

Anyway, first I taped a strip of anodized aluminium from B&Q in paper masking tape, as there is plenty of risk of scratches in this little operation. I then wrapped it around the fan (you can only do this with a sturdy aluminium Panaflo, else use an old/broken fan or a wooden template)...



Then I made some more parts...



... and sealed the shroud and BIX with self-adhesive draught excluder...





(note the mounting rods through the BIX. They are 4mm diameter. You have to drill out the holes for this, but as long as you DON'T drill THROUGH the rad to the other side , that's not a problem. The rods will bend some of the delicate fins as they go through, but do not even touch the flat vertical canals through which the coolant flows, so you're safe).

Trim the corners of the seal once the lot is fitted...



... and there you are. A nice looking job or what?







I will do a more detailed guide at some point soon.

And the modding continues...

 

My god thats so tidy

And looks very much like to was factory made! Well done.

 

Update: the machine screws I ordered haven't arrived yet (bummer!) so I can't do the mounting mechanism today. Not detered however, I've proceded with working out the wiring and tubing details. Although I planned in advance, it's better to check things now to prevent unpleasant surprises... Hence I installed the motherboard to work out internal arrangements. And this led to more pics, pure eye candy at this point, but you will get the idea...



The blocks look pimp...



So do the rounded cables (Akasa. Good stuff! Well finished and very flexible)...



This got me thinking: I'm keen to keep these cables tidy, and I my mind went back to all those modded/customised car engines where the starter cables are neatly clipped together. Starter cables vary from 7 to 10.5mm in diameter. A rounded floppy cable is 8mm; a rounded IDE cable is 11mm. You know what I'm getting at...



These are "plug wire separators" (punch that in Google to find out more). They come in nylon but also polished or anodised aluminium if you want. Hose wire clamps allow you to attach cables to the case, again with nice milled and polished or anodised aluminium brackets. If you want to keep things simpler and cheaper, "T" clip wire separators are very useful as well...



Guess I'll do some car part shopping!

You may be interested to know that many MSI mobos do not only have a D-bracket status LED affair on a blanking plate, but also on the mobo itself... Works for me: more pretty lights = more pimpage. Anyway, I will be able to see them through the side window from where I'll be sitting.



To be continued... same Bat-time, same Bat-channel...

 

OMG, plug in wire holders - genius
Hmmm, I think I'm going to Halfords tomorrow!

 

Can't believe I didn't think of the cable tidies, I had tons of them in my old R5... Another idea to add to my list

 

looks nice, keep up the good work....

 

* bump *...

OK, installed the assembly mounting. Polished socket capscrews all over, of course. Nothing spectacular, but tidy. Pics to follow.

Wish that darn Tygon would arrive, so I can start working on the WC loop.

 

Beautiful work!



DDK

 

me likey! what beasty proccessing powa do u have under those shiny waterblocks?

finish it soon is looks niiiice

 

speechless...

 

I'm very curious on how you mount the waterblocks....

 

OK, the tygon has arrived (3mm thick walls; this is the daddy!) and I'm starting to design the loop. Problem: where to fit the flow detector... I also got some red/blue bi-colour leds (Thanks, Dutchcedar!); one of these will be a power light (blue is power on; red is: warning: pump failure).

I also received a 5" LCD colour screen (thanks, Scopedog!) which will go in the 3.5" floppy bay, and display Glint and MBM 5.

Now I'm pursuing the brackets:



(This pic depicts the bracket upside-down... d'oh!)

Originally designed for 1U rackmount systems, it is a space efficient way of making the most of your bays (since I sacrificed a load of them for the cooling system and the LCD screen).

One will fit a floppy as pictured, the other a 3.5" 6 multi-media card reader. This will go on one of the two Mobo USB 1.1 ports. (I got both of these already).

In the slimline DVD/CD-RW slot of those brackets I intend to fit two of these:



...which leaves me two out of four bays; for the HDD.

Each bracket also has 2 USB ports, which means I'll have to borrow Zapwizards idea of adding an internal hub to the system. Not a problem, since the mobo comes with a USB 2.0 PCI card, which offers one internal port besides the four external ones, to sprout the hub from.

Finally, behind one of the cover plates of the HDD bays I hope to hide this (if I can get my hands on one!):



... an Aopen BT02C Bluetooth module. That will take the other Mobo USB 1.1 port. This machine is going to be a real connectivity monster!

Lots of work to do... pics soon, hopefully!

 

Wow.

I was expecting something nice after seeing the attention to detail on some of the parts going into this project but...

Wow.


Seriously impressive work!

Can't wait for it to be finished.

 

Re: Project Metaversa: update (pics soon)

d00d, you're major restricting yourself, unless of course space is tight. Don't have a Lian Li so I can't comment on that myself.

Where do find those Aluminium Panaflo fans, anyhow?!

 

Hi,

Well ...

GREAT WORK , it really looks great !!


Your a true modder , lol

I can see that , because you have a Leatherman Wave

(I've got one too)



Leatherman ROX !! a modder's choice lol

That thing helped me out alot of time !!!



ok , back on the subject !

Your case looks fantastic , just one question

I see ur using a Laptop CD rom (or dvd or ...) !!

How do you connect it to a normal computer ?
They use different wires .. don't they ?? and not even a molex connector either ?

How do you connect it then ?


Thanks,
M

 

Thanks for pointing that out, Penguin4x4! I don't know whether I was asleep that post, but I knew that 6.9 GPM makes about 400 GPH, not 200; that is what I meant to type. So no worries about restriction there. And a four bay Lian-Li is indeed tight! But I wanted the thing to stay sort of portable and compact.

As for the aluminium fans: I got mine from eBay. Look for "Panaflo FBH-12G12L". They are not expensive (about $12,-- if you bid right) but they are getting very sparse lately, so good luck...

Lovah: I never go anywhere without mine! It keeps wearing a hole in my pocket... and it is amazing how often I use it even at work (in a Brain Injury Rehabilitation Hospital): tightening up wheelchairs, retrieving stuck floppies, fixing printer paper feeds, and only Thursday mounting a bracket on a bloodpressure/body temperature/blood oxygenation monitor...

As for connecting a laptop DVD/CD-ROM to an ordinary PC: about $10,-- / £10,-- gets you an adapter for that purpose, taking care of IDE and power connectors:

 

Hi

Ok , thanks !! I'l look for that I have a cd-rom of a laptop laying around .. that I don't use , it works perfect tough ... so this way I will get to use it


I also have my Leatherman with me ALL THE TIME, mine came with a belt holder tough , really handy ! , its kind a heavy to just put in your pocket

I don't work yet, still studying , but I use it for all sorts of things ... use it olmost daily ...

its expensive , but it sure is worth it !!


GOOD LUCK on your project , is gonna be sweeeeet

I've seen those water reservoirs alot lately .. LOVE them .. but I think watercooling is kind a difficult for me .. but I just want a water reservoir ... but its kind a stupid without watercooling , LOL

M