small update jan 21 not alot got done today. ive had a few time constraints since the last update, but things have been getting done slowly but surely. i also ordered some leds today, and im going to put in an order for some colored plex and a few cables to get the system booted. the photos arent very good, but when they come closer to completion ill post more in depth photos and descriptions. first off, i had to post a photo of the completed hdd cage. it turned out better then i could have hoped for. looks very convencing to me. next is the rest of the chassi . started painting the rads two. started with a few light coats of paint on the heat spreader portion, and added some iron surfacer to everything else. it still needs another coat before the oxadizer. the caution paint will match the hdd cage also. i bonded the hinges to the new door. i decided to make the hinges look as if they were welded on. after the jbweld dries completely, ill run a bead of hotglue around its edge to make it look like it was welded on after the rusting solution covers it. i was really beginning to worry about my dual res mounting scheme. today i got a huge problem off of my plate. its not a very good picture, but i will explain more once the actual mounting starts to happen. finally, i also picked up some braided tubing when i went to lowe's. i have plenty of high quality tygon tubing, but i think this just might fit the theme better. ill test it when the system is closer to completion, and the better candidate will be kept. hopefully tomorrow ill have something else to post, but who knows. keep me informed guys by telling me what you think so far, and what you think would make the project more believable. discussion here!!!
discuss the thread here . im very interested to here what you think, and any suggestions you might have. its another weak update guys. i did a wee bit today, but the next should really put a dent in the project. as i said, its a small update, but i was rather pleased with the look coming together. i decided my 80mm blowhole needed a little extra umph. after all, they are the "radioactive" components in this mod. i had some extra uv leds laying around, so i grinded them to fit the premade led holes in the fan. 5mm led = ownxxord! i decided to only go with two leds in the fan because there will be two uv cathodes in the case also. here is a shot of the wiring. i wired straight to the fan pcb to save some mess. i was amazed with the look. these are very low mcd leds because the obvious uvness. they still really made the fan pop. case top almost completely finished. it took a good while to get that diamond plate to rust the way i wanted, but it was worth it i think. much more becoming shot! i had to throw this in. you can really get a feel for the final look of the case with the top, and hdd cage intermingeling. im probably going to start on the rest of the chassi tomorrow. i saved the best for last. im talking about this being only 2 uv leds, no flash. it looks amazing, imo. keep me updated guys, i really want to know how you feel about the project so far.
thanks for the replies. ive really been enjoying this project, and its really begenning to come together. tomorrow i should get some work done, but if not, it will be the next day.
Get a grill for the fan even though it looks very nice and bright at this point. But I think a grill would look better. What about ?
hmmm, nice job on this one. i just hope i can get started on mine before it looks like im ripping yours off too much. i was looking to use handles much like yours, dimond plate, braided tubing and simalar painting on the rads. id include the rusted effect, but thats a given though i do have a few unique ideas... and i hope they stay that way untill i finish mine, i think a couple of them will get picked up. fortunetly i have a different style of handle in mind, Dimond plate will be used alittel differently, and ill just have to rework my idea for painting the rads. but im going to go with the braided tubing still. my only concern about the tubing is that the walls might be alittel bit too thick, make sure to let me know how well thats going to work out. but hey, your case is definetly looking quite nice, and definetly getting me anxious to start mine. hopfully i can do that soon. just need to decide on what motherboard im going to use. then i can figure out how everything is going to lay out
its all right to rip things off of others thats y at the end you give a little credit to people who have helped make your project come along.
id just like to keep it as original as possible. but i think it will work out ok. ive got a few ideas i havent seen before
discuss the thread here . im very interested to here what you think, and any suggestions you might have. i did a little bit of work yesterday. my xbox project will soon be completed. i was going to go to the paint shop today to help finish, but it seems i got food poisen last night. ive been really sick for about the past 15 hours, so the update is kinda skimpy. hopefully tomorrow ill be back in full force. yeah... really blury picture. anyways, i got the optical drive cage painted. probably tomorrow ill start distressing it. also got the flat black on the rest of the chassis, but i havnt really had a chance to mask it for the yellow paint. i worked out how to take the ugly printed portion of the side panel off without losing strength. the dual res setup has been planned out, and will be executed within the next few days. this is just a picture of the cutout, much more sill has to be done. the rads are finished. they are really nasty, i love it!! at any rate, ill start work again when im not feeling so under the weather.
i really like that fangril, and it fits the project perfectly. ill look into getting one mainly because i need something to cover that fan up with, and i dont have any ideas right now. i wonder what the shipping to the US would be on that. drexial, sorry to have hijacked some of your ideas. i spent a few days looking at all the halflife two cases before i started on mine. i know that the rusted factory look has been done and done again, but i really started the project with intentions of being able to finish in a hurry. dont get me wrong, im taking my time, but when the final product is going to be rusty, you end up not having to be quite as careful. the project is definately coming together faster then anything else ive done before, and after its finished i can spend some time on a more "clean" looking project. i think you might be talking about the expanded aluminum in saying braided tubing? i cant be for certain, but its really given the project some umph. its very easy to work with, and comes in different thicknesses so as not to impead door clearence. hopefully tomorrow i can get some good stuff done. until next time.
well it seems ive just finally finished getting over the food sickness, and i have the energy to work on the case in addition to the will. i focused on the res's tonight, and i got them to their very basic stages. they are starting to shape up, but probably within the next one or two updates they should really start adding to the project. to start i just cut two ten inch segments of 1 1/4" pvc. simple enough huh... i then started working on the plugging apparatus (spelling!?). i really wanted to add these faucet nobs into the project, because they can really have that raw look to them if you ask me. i drilled a small hole about halfway into the plug to allow the bolt more hold when it is glued into place. this is shortly before they are glued into place. i used jb weld, so dont worry about them not holding together. skeet, tappin holes and taking names :nods:! the glue was left to cure overnight, and later test fitted. looks pretty nice, and will match much better when it is rusty. then the barbs were reemed with a drill press for less resistance. (right barb is yet to be violated). a 90 degree fitting is added to the end for connection to the other res. this is a shot so you can get an idea. both res's at about 90%. i still have to add two more barbs on the middle portion of the res's for return and output. remember this mounting mechanism. it goes with the project well, but i think the bolts will be cut down to keep the overall highth of the res's down. mounted. if you notice on the diamond plate there is are two strips of masking tape. one is going sidways, and is approximately where the barbs for intake and output will be added. sideview. the endcaps will have hex bolt heads running around the perimeter for an accent, and the res will have graphics, paint, and obviously rust affect added also. just a teaser of where the res's will be positioned. hopefull tomorrow there will be more pictures. keep the comments coming, i love to hear what you guys have to say. project discussion!!
tell me what you guys think. the res's might be a little out of place now, but they should look good in the end.
definetly going to like the Res's, ive decided to skip a large res in favor of just a tube runnign to the top with a fill point. i want it to be pretty extreme but still really portable.
