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

Hmm, I'll make one while I'm manufacturing the ATX power cable.

 

Almost forgot about these. These are basically hose spacers but I didn't feel like paying for a whole set, or coughing up $4 apiece. So I used some of my scrap ABS plastic to make some. These will help to keep the IDE cables tidy in the top of the case. And one of these will be screwed into the accent piece on the motherboard tray so that the cable will remain flush with the back of the case.

Yet another demonstration of my perfectionism

 

I can tell.


I really like the custom ATXP4 cable, by the way. And the cable spacers. I'll have a couple, thank you very much for offering, preferably with three holes: two for the rounded IDE cables and one for the rounded floppy cable (about 8mm diameter).

 

Yes, I'm one of those lurkers.

I really like the idea of using the cable spacing gizmos, I have toyed with this in my head but couldn't find any online that looked right and didn't cost my life savings.

The printed out techno-electronic applique thingys (they really do need a memorable name) look awesome! They improve the looks of the motherboard but still fit in with the general look of a motherboard (heh, I know so much about what to call the technical stuff [/sarcasm]).

Modular PSUs are awesome, right on with that!

Keep this up, I want to see it finished!

There, I think I avoided the 5 word "LIEK OMG NICE MOD DOOD" post.

 

Mwahahahahaha!!! I just thought of another part that I can customize that has never been considered before. I've already sourced the parts, but I'll post pictures and details once I'm finished with it.
Today I'll keep busy machining some clamps for Nexxo. I won't be doing the benchtesting right now because instead of swapping the 2.4c out of my old machine I bought a Pentium 4 2.6c for a price i couldn't pass up.

 

I finished the ATX power cable. Took FOREVER and was a huge P.I.T.A.
But its done and it looks faboo. I still need to test it with the multimeter some more.

(It's the one on the left obviously)
I'll get a better picture when my hands work again.

And as promised I took enough pictures throughout the process to write-up a tutorial on how to make your own custom modular power cables.
http://forums.bit-tech.net/showthread.php?p=851217

I have another suprise up my sleeve for next week so keep checking back.

 

Now that is one sexy setup you have going there!

 

Here's a better picture of the custom ATX power cable.

I took it apart and resoldered some of the pins this morning to make it extra sturdy. Due to the pin cross-overs the PSU end of the cable is a little tangled. Thankfully it won't be visible with the way the cable will be snaked onto the motherboard.

The primary reason for making the custom cables?
1. I don't like sleeving
2. This helps limit the color pallete of the whole machine to the four colors I originally chose
3. It fits the motif of the whole machine better

 

Lurking... what do you mean? Uh... about that, yeah, LOOKING GREAT.

Seriousally though, looking f***ing beautiful man. Nice job on the cables, and on the etching!

 

Oooh... purdy. great idea for the cable! Looks better, and I bet it makes it easier to snake around the case (or hide behind the mobo tray --although why you'd want to hide it...).

 

Just waiting for parts to arrive in the mail, and I'm starting the benchtesting process. I have one more part that I would like to make, but I'm not telling what it is just yet.

 

What parts are you waiting for in the mail?

 

I'm waiting for a Pentium 4 2.6c and a final set of parts for the "secret".

I do have something new to show. I was feeling kinda itchy to get something done, and since it's only the upper half of the mouse that I do not yet have the equipment I need to modify, I did the lower half to start with.

I took the mouse apart. Wired 2 red 3mm leds and 2 UV 3mm leds onto the PCB. Then I use an extremely long and shallow X-Acto knife blade to carve angular windows out of the sides. I then filled the windows with tiny pieces of the fluorescent blue acrylic I didn't really get to use in the case. After sanding the inside surface of those pieces and applying a number of small label stickers inside the case, the UV effect is quite powerful.

I think the red and UV mix quite well and I'm very pleased with the lighting choices I've made for this project.


As usual, my camera does a lousy job of accurately representing the UV effect.

Edit: I was messing around with the scroll wheel and discovered that the rubber ring can be removed from the plastic wheel. So I swapped with another mouse.

 

Lego?

A bit off topic, but is that Lego in that box under your table?



Yep, I'm one of those lurkers this mod is Epic, i'm watching it's every move,
Good luck with it

 

Yep. I still have around 100 pounds of Legos in tubs which are currently hiding under the pool table.

Legos exemplified and developed my attention to detail.

 

Well, not much going on right now. I'm trying to get parts for the "secret" and I'm looking to build a vacuum-forming table sometime soon. This I was messing around with plaster of paris in an attempt to make a releif mould of the top half of my mouse. It didn't go so well and I just ending up make a huge mess.

On Tuesday I bought a 20-inch CRT monitor for $20 through http://www.craigslist.org and while moving it I managed to pull all of the muscles in my right arm, so it's not working all that well right now.
I'm hoping that some much needed packages will arrive in the mail.

 

some really nice things happening in that case

 

SUPRISE!!! I've been holding back about this long enough and managed to get the parts I needed today. I'm making my own custom 3-Prong NEMA 5-15P to IEC C13 cable to match the Power supply and it's cables.

I had originally intended to use spacers, but that proved impossible due to the stickiness of the clear tubing I'm using as insulation. So, in a matter of minutes I taught myself how to braid the cables together in double-strand pairs.

The other connectors should arrive in the mail from mouser tomorrow.

Sources for Parts
NEMA 5-15P Applicance grade plug - Local electrical supply = $5.88
IEC 320 C13 plug - Mouser.com = $4
Clear 1/2" I.D. Nylon tubing - Home Depot = $5
18awg Blue UV wire - Performance-pcs.com = $0.29 per foot (x24 feet)

 

Ahhhh.... COOL!!!!

WAy to go!

 

Hey, not to spoil the fun, but you have to be careful with that wire on the mains cable. Your PSU is a 500W PSU and so it could draw up to 4.2amps, but 18 gague wire is only meant to hold 2.3 amps. Now I dont know a whole lot about electrical stuff, but I do know that, so you might want to check up on that. It looks amazing though.

One fix could be to run 2 wires for each live pin instead of one.

Looking forward to updates.