Project Switchbox :: First Peices :: New Project :: 4/6/04

Project Switchbox​

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Welcome to the Project Log for Project Switchbox. This is a long term all inclusive project where everything will be hand built and done as possible. You can see the sketchup to give you an idea of what the project is going to go to and give you some ideas to share with me. Lets talk about the project.

I am a Physics Major and we use lots of older equipment in our labs and classes, one of them is a giant switchbox for controlling multiple devices such as power supplies during lab. This project is my interpritation of what the switchbox is that we use. Looking at the front you can see that the case includes a giant switch panel with 5 switches and 3 knobs, an LCD and LEDs. 2 CDROMs are going to be placed below the panel, design borrowed some from the ORAC 3 Project. The front fans are in the same design as the now posponed baby bliss project. I will have the top swivel out with the hard disks mounted in the top of the panel to save space for the full atx motherboard. Finally the powersupply will be mounted external to the case with prapriatory connectors for the power and the normal atx power connections for the power.

I would like some sugestions from you guys on the case and the fabrication. I expect this project to take several months to complete as I can only work on it a little bit at a time. I hope you find that this project interesting and bring out ideas for your own case.

Until next time... Keep Modding

 

No sugestions or anything? I am going to start some of the pliminary building today so I will have some pictures up as soon as they are avalable.

 

Wow, that's gonna be unique. What materials are you thinking for design, Plexi or Metal...maybe wood?

 

it seems to be one ambicious project good luck on this

 

Well, I think the key is going to be careful planning with the case material.

For instance, it would seem best if the Sides and Bottom and Back were a single bent piece of material (ie Plastic or Metal and cut/drilled before being bent).

 

This should be quite interesting. Cant wait to see where you go with it.

 

I was thinking that the bottom and back are going to be one bent peice of plexi and the whole front is going to hinge up out of the way.. The front is going to be made out of 1/8 inch plexi that has been cut and shapped. It iwll have the same design as project baby bliss is the way that is looks in the front with the fans.

I have no intention of rushing this project and it will probably take some time. It is doable with some planning and work. The hardest part will be the external power supply with all the cableing. I am also thinking of a car style ignition lock for the sides but we will see if that transpires or not.

I can not decide if to paint the panels or to leave them in the colors that they are with the plexi glass. I like ORacs idea with all clear but then I like the idea of the rear painted plexi and the full gloss look.

Anyone have any ideas on it?

Until Next Time... Keep Modding

 

Looks cool. Are you still going to do this now, since it looks like Baby Bliss is back on track? Or is this one going to be postponed until after Baby Bliss? Or are you just going to do them both at the same time?

Anyways, should be cool.. and definitely unique

 

Baby Bliss is actually almost done... of close to it. I am going to be working on this one slowly, but my first priority is baby bliss right now. I am hoping to go full on that case in a few weeks but I will be doing parts of it here and there until then. I also am working on securing the parts for this project so I can go full speed when I do it...

 

After pondering the case for some time today I have come up with the overall theme that the case will have. Here are the main things to look for in it. I know that this is going to be a lot of work but I want this case to rival the HL2 case and compare to cases from people like zapwizard's ammo case and g-gemone. I know that that is ambitious but I want a mod to be even better than baby bliss...

1. Case painted hunter (army) green with lots of dirt and inperfections.

2. Grills in the front of the fans to allow air in and have that army look.

3. Locking cover over the cdroms with mesh inserts.

4. Ignition to start and power the pc. The power from the cdroms and a few other components will run through here. With the switch off the cdroms will not work protecting the cds in them at lan parties but keep the computer functional

5. 2 CDROM switches near the fan bus switches.

6. LCD screen and woindow lined by alluminum strips, LCD face with top of plexiglass. Window dark tinted and slightly aged.

7. 2 Top fans exhausting air out of the top of the case, 4 fans in all.

8. (The fun one) alternate plug in switches (like zaps case) for all components. PCI card and Video card obstructed by a door hinding all the cables. Cables will exit below the case.

9. Completely external power supplies with plug ins in the back for power and the atx connector. PS in seperate but functional box with only 2 or 3 cables going to main pc.

10. Tons of other electronics that I will not discuss here. Will see later.

11. Top of case hinges forward to get to components. HDD rack secured to this panel in the case.

12. Lots of screws and other things to give box a ruggid apearance.


As you can see this is going to be a big project. The case will be primarly plexi with some aluminum and other materials in the case. I hope that you will follow along and give sugestions along the way. This is my first really big project after baby bliss and it will be even bigger.

Until Next Time... Keep Modding

 

Just wanted to update this log.

I am taking tons of measurments for the case and am going to start contructing panels soon. The measurements are quite tricky and I do not want to cut panels twice. I will have more tonight...

 

Front Peices

Here are the first of many peices for the case that I am building







These are not the drives that I plan on using but I just used them to fit. They will be painted in a cooriponeding color when I get to that part of the project...

I need a sugestion on which button style I should use...







More updates soon... Until Next Time... Keep Modding

Oh ya, If no one is interested in the project I will not persue it.... but I think that It will be awsome, just giving it a little time.

 

Looks good so far, keep going with the log... want to see how it turns out

 

Yeah, Def keep going!

I like this one: http://www.ablbaseball.org/Other/Switchbox/button1.jpg

I think the idea of a larger "door" covering a few buttons would look good.

 

I like the first button style...

It seems a very interesting case.... Let's see

 

I'll vote for button style #1.

As for interest, if you want to do it, do it. I'd love to see how it turns out, but at the end of the day I'm not the one that will use the machine

 

Thank You Guys...

I am going to be working on the cdrom tray area first and then I will start the other peices of the front then start moving backwards... more very soon.

I like button set 1 also. I think that I will use it in the final project. Color Ideas? I like the green or brown or maybe rust or maybe not... ideas?

More to come tonight when I get off work...

Oh Ya.. this is a LAN party, HTPC box so I will not be usinging it as my main gaming machene... my main one is project baby Bliss...

Until Next Time... Keep Modding

 

grrren in color..not like nwon.,.....or forest...but soemthign neutral.....like a flat green.....ar maybe a variety of flat greens...........btw, i like button style #2,.........

 

ALL I SEE= X

 

Flat green, tank green, gungle green... I like...

I see it pics... try refreshing your browser... anyone else seeing x's