SketchUp The MNPCTech Case Design Competition, part II: Scratch Build

Yippee,
Cheaps made a Death Star! It's good to see a lot more folk putting the scratch in scratch build.

Bring on more guys, I like em!

john

 

@Editor- Nice one! The layout is very similar to what I'm planning for my next real build, only I have an *ssload of glass-green and black plexi ready for it.
I crashed SU 3 times last night. Do I win anything for that?

@confusis - Is that an import? Build custom radiators!

 

Sketchup crashed on me 3 times last night as well. Had WMP going while running SU and then all of a sudden screen turned black, music stops etc.. 3 times I had to go back and redo the exact same thing. LOL


how big is everyones file? mine is 16mb

how can I make it run smoother?

 

the plan was for me to actually build the mod after the competition was over.unfortunately i do not have access to the skills/tools to build a custom rad.
good thing is though most of the pc componentry (mobo, etc) i have modelled myself from existing hardware (i did post my card reader and asus m2nmxse board on jazzle's SU site)

 

Just hide all the parts that you are not working on. That'll make it a lot easier for your PC

mine is at 14 MB by the way

 

cre8serv, my entry for the last competition was 24mb in the end, and there was very little by way of textures or curves

 

-> talladega ] Mine sits at about 22mb now but creating things into groups/components and then hiding what your not using really speeds things up.. s**t like modders mesh, radiators, fans (or any other high poly unit) will just eat away at your precious resources.

-> Cheapskate ] Thats awesome man really like the thought of hiding all the HDDS and opticals behind the mobo with the psu & WC hidden in the bottom, cant wait to see that project log get under way


Well believe it or not I think I'm about done I would at some stage like to fit the WC system into it but I've totally given up on piping in SU as its really chewing me off
Ok so heres my final design


Project SIMX













Not a way out there design but still deviating away from the standard and most of all its buildable (seriously considering it now )
Cant wait to see how everyone elses turns out

 

watercooling piping in SU is an exercise in insanity.

 

Maybe theres a secret SU guru out there somewhere that fancies opening up there deep knowledge of the "follow me" tool lol

 

even that doesnt work very well for me. trust me ive spent a few frustrated hours when first designing cre8serv

 

Ah yes, watercooling tubing...... fun stuff.

What I do is at the opening of the fitting, I draw a line across the opening.from the center point of that line create a circle of whatever radius you want. I do 1/4" for 1/2"ID tubing. From the center point then, draw a line straight out about 1 - 1.5". Then do the same at the fitting you want the other end of the tubing to connect to. Then if those lines from each fitting have a clear path to each other, draw a line to connect to two. If they are not then make straight lines to connect them. Then you use the curve tool. What I do is start at the line coming out of the fitting. Start at the MIDPOINT of that line. It's a light blue dot then go along the line connected to it until the line turns PURPLE. Then you make the size of the curve so that the line is again PURPLE. Doing this seems to create perfect curves for me that never have any glitches i them. Do that for the other end as well. Delete the lines that are not needed. Then select the path that you want the tubing to follow. Then click the Follow Me tool and click your circle you made for tubing. It should create the tubing along your path.


If you want I could make some pictures explaining it for you guys having trouble. It took me a while to make them without glitches and such in them but since I've been doing it the way I wrote above I never have a problem.

 

One of my AutoCAD files for a uni project reached 278MB! lol It then refused to do anything else, couldn't add anything else to the model, kept saying not enough Memory.

That's what forced me to upgrade to 4GB RAM.

 

wow.... largest SU file i've made is 42mb.

Mine is now sitting at 18mb.

And this is with rectangle boxes for radiators, motherboard, videocard, hdds, dvd drive.

If I were to import the proper models with all the details and such I would expect the file to be around 50mb atleast.


Heres a new pic.

 

Anechoic! Sweet

 

Congratulations Editor22 for being the first to get at a completed stage!
Also, kudos +1 for providing every other contestant with a perfect example of how to do this.

I'm not sure to be proud or ashamed that we've all been beaten by a newbie lurker!

By the way Editor, is this going to be your final design and entry, or should i wait for a refresh? there's loads of time left

 

I have at least 5 designs in "amoebic" form. Just trying to find that slightly madcap yet buildable design, y'know?

And I don't want to do standard case shapes, I want it to be far from "a box". Will have a bash next weekend, if i'm sober.... its my birthday, so if i go out on the town with my friends, they'll try and get me paraletic.

Joe

 

Please delete, random double post occurence

 

Seriously nice work all!

For Cheapskate and all - scratchbuild sketchup could be made:



Couple plexi domes and a Death Star awaits.


This is what I meant by non case thinking. There is time for youse guys to do more.

Remember to "think outside the box"!

john

 

@editor - The trick to piping is to make big boxes along the planes you wan't to travel, add curves, and delete everything but the final line.
My plans were for a 1x1x2 box with an external plexi frame. I have the psu and drives in the top. The psu draws air through one side of a 2x120 radiator, and the exaust for the fan on the hardrive vents through the other side. I'm having trouble making it look interesting, so I'm spending a lot of time here...

My SU file is wandering around 27 megs right now, but it was my lone HD cage that killed me last night.
Go Moooooeh! Do that ami-thingie! I hate boxes too. That's why my real-life design is sucking.

@John - The mason jar lid base is an extra-special touch.

 

talladega & Cheapskate -> thanks for the tips I'll give them ago tonight and see what I can come out with. I was getting nice straight pipes before but it just doesn't look realistic until there is a nice curve in it or even a slight bend : /

Xtrafresh ->

Proud to have a newbie lurker out of his cave?

I might refresh once I've got the WC in place and also I might change one of the pictures to show the movable parts like the top section slides out to the left so the mobo can come out etc but thats about it