Project: mk.V (a UV circuitry theme) -=[FINISHED]=-

I'm not too enthused about the stiffness of the cables that came with the X-Connect power supply so I just order the necessary partage to make some of my own. I'll be able to cut them to whatever lengths I need, and they should be more uniform with the look of the whole machine.

No pictures today. I'm only partially finished with the new faceplates. I got all of the cutting done for the upper one, but haven't even started on the lower one. I also need to figure out how to get the CD-ROM door to work, then I need to figure out how to mount each faceplate in the drive cages. This may take me all weekend.

 

I've been suffering from some pretty wicked allergies laltely so I haven't felt confident enough in my own cognicence to work with power tools. While not working I did mentally work out the construction of a few key components.
Also, I'm scheming up a new addition that will unify the look of the wiring in the case. I've ordered almot $60 in raw supplies from performance-pcs.com which will allow me to cut my own molex extension cables to the lengths I need so that I can make uniform and clean power connections for all of the devices in the case. If that goes well I will also be making my own ATX power cable with the same wire.
The custom molex connections will have black connectors, some end type, others of a 90-degree type, and the wire itself will be UV reactive silver.


Here's what the upper faceplate looks like so far. The combo drive has a plate I will be bolting onto it to make a flush and stealth look to the drive. The eject button will be trigger with a spring-loaded bolt button thing. both faceplates will be back-lit with red LEDs.

And to filter the exhaust and intake holes in both faceplates I ordered some clear plastic mesh screening. I think I ordered a bit more than I needed...


To Do List
+ Machine new window
+ Finish Frontplates
+ Mount 5.4' LCD in lower Frontplate
+ Custom illuminated case badge (waiting for LEDs to arrive)
+ Customize Combo drive
+ Rotate Inverter 180 degrees and make short extensions for power power cords
+ Machine Power Supply exhaust "chimney"

I have exactly 3 weeks left before school starts again so I want to get everything finished before then. Once the big work is done I'll start experimenting with a mouse modification I've been wanting to finish.

I do apologize for not being detailed about everything I'm doing to make this happen. When I'm working I don't really pause to reflect for very long, and that leaves no time to take extra pictures. Once everything is machined and done I'll try to take pictures during the tear-down to show how I actually managed to do everything. The machine has yet to be built in a fully working configuration because the processor I will be using with this machine is occupied elsewhere.

 

Another crappy day. If I hadn't managed to atleast finish the window I would be in a very foul mood right now. My allergies are making it difficult to concentrate, and by 2pm I wasn't even capable of focusing well enough to accomplish anything. To make things more annoying, the frontplates I've cut are not pure acrylic, but some Acrylic/PVC mix that is completely unreceptive to the Weld-on solvent. What does that mean? It means I have to start them all over again after buying new sheets.

<sarcasm> Hooray </sarcasm>

The window.

The corner pieces are fused to the clear section so it's all one piece now.

 

I do like to look of the window and UV reactive PSU wiring should be original and cool. Can't wait for some more updates and sorry about your allergies.

 

Bored and ticked off that I didn't accomplish much I started fiddling around with winamp visualizations.
This AVS will be playing on the 5.4" LCD while I listen to music.


Try it yourself - http://www.captainslug.com/temp/CS_-_NMP.avs

 

I extended the power switch connections on the inverter box, which allowed me to turn it around 180 degrees. This will allow me to make a cleaner pass-through power cable for the video card and inverter. Don't have any pics of this, but it cleans up the wiring in the bottom of the case.

After that was done I filed down some clearance problems I was having with the front panel and the rail that holds the drive cages.

Then I played around with my new bage of UV LEDs and made an illuminated case badge out of some acrylic and another custom printed label. This was a serious pain to take a picture of since I had to set my own aperature and shutter speed. Here's the best picture I can possibly take of it.
It fills in the hole left behind by the reset switch I no longer need.


Tomorrow I need to go to the plastics shop again. Then hopefully I can start work on new faceplates. If I can't, then I'll machine the Power supply exhaust chimney. Or something...

 

I can't believe I've never seen this. I really love the internal attention to detail on the ducting and stuff. Really clean. Nice lighting too

 

Thanks. I don't know why this project is getting so little attention. Maybe I just chose too vague of a name for it...

I just finished the 5.4" LCD and intake bay but I'm busy working on the upper drive cage so I won't be posting any pics until later tonight. I've found a few more interesting ways to use circuit patterns and UV leds.
One the drive cage assemblies are done I'll have only a few minor details to work out.

Left to do
- Cable clips and general wire organization
- Power Supply exhaust chimney
- Custom cut power cables
- Combo drive modifications

 

After an all-day insane amount of work (including some crap I had to do in preperation for the ducts to be cleaned) I've finished both drive cages. The upper drive cage is for only drives and the fan controller. It includes a passive exhaust for the hard drives. The lower drice cage is an intake duct for the video hard cooling and an enclosure for a 5.4" video LCD for visualization and media display.

Both were machined (for the third and final time) completely from plastic sheet. More dark smoke-tint polycarbonate was used. The intakes and exhaust are caged off with clear thermoplastic mesh. I later wired a power switch and molex connection for the 5.4" LCD which allows me to turn the screen off whether it is receiving a signal or not. Tomorrow I will be drilling new mounting holes for the rheobus so that the control knobs are flush with the faceplate instead of being recessed.


Underneath the faceplate I applied an inward-facing circuit pattern decal. This is completely unappearant from the outside of the case until it is lit from the inside by either red LEDs, or a UV cold cathode. The effect is subtle, but interesting.



The machine has 2 lighting modes
Intense contrast

And subtle red


The most complicated machining tasks of this project are complete. Now all that's left for me to focus on are some detail parts that will allow me to further structure the completed look of the inside, and outside of the case. As well as adding small amount of functional improvement.

 

Wow, these took way longer than I expected them to. Partly inspired by cutesy Sci-Fi video games like Ratchet & Clank, I wanted to make my own power cables without using sleeving. In order too keep the wired uniform and neat, I machined some spacers out of plastic. I cut all the wire I needed to length. Crimped my own female molex connections. And attached 90-degree T connectors onto the cables where needed. All the needed supplies for this part of the project came from www.performance-pcs.com as they were the only US retailer I could find that sold the molex pins and the color of molex connectors I wanted.

Top to bottom: Fans-Camera-LCD Power cable, Video Card-Inverter Power cable, Drive Power cable


I'm waiting for a package to arrive on monday. At which time I can hopefully start working on an ATX Power cable with the same look as these.

 

Those are awesome!! Nice job dude!!! I'm really surprized that I havent posted in here yet. I've been folowing the thread for a while though! I love your cpu air channling device, looks awesome! And the UV, man, woW! I love it all!


Good job dude!!!

 

Thank you. And yes I have suspected there are alot of people lurking around this thread without replying. It has over 10,000 views and very few replies not by me.


All of the really hard work is finished. The few items that remain for me are finishing details that will help complete the clean look of this machine. I will need to revise a few though.
I'm considering clipping the LEDs off of the rheobus since I have no way to turn them off at night. I may simply make new LED light bays for each drive cage that I could plug into the same power plug that controls the lights under the motherboard tray.
I would also like to rewire the light switch cables now that I have enough wire and heatshrink to do so neatly. I may even make spacers for those cables as well.

Another fun week ahead of me.

 

I have to say, this is one of the most unique and individua mods ive seen in a long time. Where some people just copy alot of other ideas you seem to have your own genuine ideas that are really good. The UV mobo idea is really great, i can see it taking off. Anyway congrats on being individual and not doing what everyone else is doing.
mod on

 

I'm an artist in my spare time. So provided I have the time to plan and think throughout the process of whatever it is I'm doing I can always come up with something to solve whatever problems I foresee or run into. I have up until this point never had such a wide window of time to work on a complete machine so the added freedom is only adding fuel to the fire. I'm finding it hard to keep the new ideas in check, especially now that the end my winter break from classes is looming around the corner.

More suprises are in store. This project is about 80% done, but you're really only seeing completed units of work instead of what's really going on. Once all the real work is completed I'll have a breakdown of the entire machine and everything that's inside of it.

 

Beautiful work man. I love the idea of the power cables...

 

This mod deserves a lot more posts. Very creative mind at work here.

 

I like those powercables! and allso circuit-thingy

 

Really nice work man... I love that wiring

 

I won't be getting anything done today. Haven't been able to move my hands much since last night (I have arthritis).
Expect an update late Monday night or Tuesday.

 

*head bowed, hands in pockets* Uh, yeah...about not posting.....ummmm. *cough*

It really is great work. I read it everyday to check up. And you have a great touch with plexi. Topnotch