Project: Nostromo Blackbox - Unoffical Update 7/22/05

looks nice so far

 

Ruggerizing The Case

I am in the process of ruggerizing the case. I really want it to look and feel robust so I am adding metal edging and attaching them with pop rivets. (yes, I like the rivets) I plan on sanding down the corners and filling the seams with bondo so that they appear to be seamless. I guess I am about halfway done with attaching them right now. Here are a few pics of what I have done so far:

NOTE: Most of my pics are taken on my Dell box work bench. Heres how you make one: Take a full trash can and remove the lid. Take a Dell box full of old computer game boxes that you plan on getting rid of and tape the lid shut. Then place box on top of the trash can.

Front


Side


Top


Back


p.s. Word 2003 wanted to replace 'ruggerizing' with 'buggerizing'.

 

I like it so far! Good luck!

 

Unoffical Update 7-22

All the ruggerizing is done.

I have decided on how I am going to mount the rad and the extra fans. I have decided on what power unit I am going to use - lack of space is forcing me to go a none standard route. I need to find a local-to-me shop that will cut louvers into some sheet metal for the face and top. And I have to order some heat sink material that will be attached to the sides of the case.

So before my next 'Official Update' I need to mount the rad, fans, power unit, power plug and power switch. I also want to come up with a security feature so not just anyone will be able to turn on the pc (or turn off for that matter).

p.s. rest in peace my faithful nibbler. Damn that was a handy tool - it died last night. But then that means that I get to upgrade.

 

I love good, interesting themes like this...keep up the good work. And nice patriotic backdrop, I can almost hear the national anthem when I read your post.

Since you did such an awesome job of 'weathering' the Perforated case, will you do something similar in this one? Maybe some of the classic Aliens 'secreted resin' buildup, or acid burn marks like on the cryotube in Alien3?

Mentioning Alien3 made me think of something. Ripley pulled the flight recorder out of the escape pod and plugged it into Bishop's oven-baked head...do you have any intention of using that flight recorder for inspiration/design ideas? I guess it would be 57+(years between 2 and 3) years more advanced than the one on the Nostromo...

God I'm a nerd.

 

i demand official UPDATE!

Dont play with my heart man! i love your mods!

 

Thanks, I did not get to much done this weekend due to badly needed garden work that I had to do. Or else my wife (who is from Argentina) was going to remove my cojones....

Update: Garden work done, cojones still intact.

 

You know that is a really good question. Unfortunately I will be taking a LARGE amount of artistic license on this one. You see, I first came across the pictures of a flight data recorder and then saw that the cloner that I was about to throw away were very similar in size. That got my wheels turning and I decided to make it the Nostromo flight data recorder. I guess you could say that designs changed allot in the intervening 57 years.

My favorite of all the movies was of course 'Aliens' (number 2 for none fans), why: because all the hardware was believable. It would not look out of place on a solider today. IMHO. So I want my mod to look close to what is in use today and still look like it belonged on the Nostromo.

As for the painting: It may get weathered. that is still up in the air. I will wait for when the construction is done before I make up my mind. I may even ask you guys for your opinions on it.

edit: this is the pic that really inspired this mod:



those slots in the front could really pass for optical drives....

 

Jajajajajajajajaja.... Good to hear it.

 

Jajajajajajaja as well.

 

True. The film 'proof' is on your side. Anything that exists now will definately look at least as futuristic as the old school tech in Alien. I love watching movies like that and seeing the 'future' of computer tech.

Yeah, Aliens was the best. By far.

 

Vacation Time

Well, its time to put this mod and all WORK aside for a few weeks of down time. I had hoped to bring this box with me to Quackcon (of which I dont have a seat but we are going anyway) but thats not going to happen.

I'll get back on it when I am back in town....

Nostromo Blackbox is on HOLD for vacation.

 

Doh! Doh! Doh!

I'm looking forward to seeing how this project turns out. I'll keep an eye out for when you get back, mate.

 

Quakecon has come and gone... I had a great time, cant wait to go back next year. And yes its time to get back to work. I should have an update in a few days.

 

w00t! He's back!

*settles in with bowl of salted popcorn*

 

Genious!!!

 

great idea!!!!

what i've never got about black boxes is thats it's meant to survice the plane crash yer? so why don't they just make the whole plane out of the same matierial

he-he only kidding

looking smooth

 

kinda off topic but i just found this...

http://rap4.com/os/product_info.php...d/748?osCsid=595ee335e7ba56a5cdbe2c997d2797cb

it is an abomination to the aliens fanatics.... looks absolutely nothing like the pulse rifles and they're charging $1149 for it...

anywho... great mod, I loved perforated. seemed very remeniscent of the personal computers used in the colonies (shown on deleted scenes disk, without watercooling... and windows) I want to be able to do something similar but i'm broke and my modding skills tend to ruin things.

 

Hey, Jopers: http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a4_001.html

Creepy coincidence, no?

Buddha - Wikipedia's got a picture of a wierd one on their "Flight Recorder" page...czech it out.

Edit: This company, L-3 Communications, makes flight recorders. http://www.l-3ar.com/ Some ideas maybe...otherwise ignore meh.

 

I little much to pay for an obsolete paintball gun. hhmm - wonder what I could do with my old minimag..... never mind the bookkeeper* would never
allow it.

*=wife


edit: did you know that the original pluse rifles were made from Thomsen Submachine Guns? There are several build logs and how to's on them. Something that I would really like to do in the future.