Scratch Build – In Progress Whaler's Heading, CM Modding Contest 2011 entry (4/25 Lighting test...)

So, this is a mirroring of my submission for the CM Case Modding 2011 competiton.

For those that know me, a bit before I start. 2011 has been a really interesting year already. I had a son in January, and in February I found out I'm losing my sight (it's repairable, but I pretty much have to go blind before it gets fixed) and between that and my generally declining health, this will be my last case mod for a while. After my surgeries and some time with my new boy, I might be in the mood to do this again. I'm not closing the door and retiring, I'm going to take an extended break.

At any rate, I'm buckling down to make sure win, lose, or throw cats I do things you've never seen before to hardware you won't believe in ways that beggar belief. I am pulling out all the stops this time-and I am gonna have as much fun as possible doing it.

So, a few pictures, and then I'll reveal where we're heading.









As you can see, this is hardcore server hardware. An Arima quad socket server board, sixteen ECC RDDR-2 PC3200 DIMMs, and four quad-core Opteron HE8437 processors form the core of this build. Currently, power is handled by the XFX 750 Black Edition PSU (I'm expecting this to change,) cooling will be custom liquid with self-built blocks, CM fans (to fulfill requirements as well as I simply like them,) Laing DDC pumps, and a few surprises in the radiator department.

Parts en route include a chipset block, GTX 470, GPU block base, and some kind of storage. Not much to go, and most is in motion already.

The case is this cabinet that everything is sitting on-once it has some feet, it should make a handsome sea chest. Planned mods are inlays of bone and corian for scrimshaw, inlays of "whalebone" (buffalo horn as they're both keratin and whalebone is banned,) knotwork beckets (handles,) and a custom window that I think will put smiles on faces. When I finish, this will serve double duty as an end table in a house full of cats, dog and baby. Therefore, this will be built to survive the next three Armageddons. It ought to be fun to do this one last time, so won't you join me as I destroy what's left of my sight-I mean throw down one last time.

The name? A reference to old map chests found on all whaling vessels. It's all the hint you're getting at this time.

 

Good luck​

Good luck this will be epic

for the disease

for the kid

for the wardware

 

Strange, but my first thought about the temporary blindness was "how cool!". Good luck with all yer challenges. May you emerge a winrar.

 

Good to see you back, man! -I'll leave it at that, 'cause I'd need to make a full list of all possible responses after that first post.

-On the modding side: Watch out when sanding the horn/stag/etc. I found out the hard way that stuff is quite nasty when turned into powder. It's hard on your lungs, and smells like what I imagine the *ss of the animal it came from smells like.

 

Wow, this is going to be very cool when done. Very unique to say the least! I wish you luck in the contest, and more importantly, in your fight for your vision. May you emerge victorious on both fronts!

 

All right, a history lesson for those uninitiated to the concept of scrimshaw.

Scrimshaw is considered to be the first original American art form. First practiced by native Americans as early as 800AD, it was named and brought to its apex by whalers in the 1800s as they worked on whale teeth and whale bones far away from home, then sold the work to supplement their meager incomes. During the height of whaling, any item possible was scrimshawed-in fact, the Pequod of Moby-Dick fame was covered in whale bone and set with whale teeth. Here's betting there was at least a bit of work in her.

Up as an example is my powder horn in progress, an item that's not actually part of the case but an example of scrimshaw work. The mistakes become a part of the character, but it's all made of scratched lines in my case. Some work with stippling (patterns of dots make by small holes) since this ws originally done with sailmaker's needles, but I work in scratches and am content with the results. YMMV, of course.





For me, it's back to bed. Serious infection is limiting my time up and around, here's hoping I have a prescription for it available tomorrow.

 

Man, I hope your condition gets better, sorry to hear about the health problems, I am rooting for your design, I see you are going with "quad damage" and that by itself is noteworthy

 

Ordering spree today, picked up a G1/4 tap, 11.8mm drill bit and a PNY GTX 470 so far today. Corian needs to be ordered, and I can start hacking at this case.

The goal is to make it seem as though there really is nothing odd about this from the outside, save the window to be inset in the top. Only there, and in the rear of the case would you see any giveaway that there is anything "different" about this chest.

At the moment, it's back to ordering. Trying to finish up everything so I can mod in peace...

 

Health before modding but what an exciting project! Good luck!

 

Wow, just wow what you have planned and I will definitly stay and watch.
As a few before said best wishes for your health and enjoy the time with the little one.

 

Something very different, good luck! I will be watching

 

So stuff starts trickling in...

Like the rest of my block bases...



A pair of new pumps...



Why a new pair? For one, I had a mismatched set, for two...

There's a secret to this set. You gotta see this.



All right, amps fell a bit. What's significant about that? Plenty.



Impeller designs are different, for one. The blue is the new one.



PCB is different. What's so significant? This requires more pics to illustrate.



Old pump, the coils are enclosed and they are soldered around the edges. PCB is honestly quite simple.



New pump, the coils are open and larger, there is an unused land in between the fan header and the 12v and the PCB is a lot cleaner. What's important about that unused land? PWM control. Solder a wire there and you get PWM pump control by the board. This board can honestly push all of it through the fan headers to boot-it's used to heavy loads on the fan headers. These fans ARE getting rewired to attach to the board. This will be fun....

Also, the video card came in.



PNY GTX470. Not too shabby for $139...

More to come this week, I got tools in as well, and Corian, and...

 

What kind of blocks are those Kayin?

 

Modified production bases off Asetek Waterchill blocks. Dirt cheap, and with laminar flow will be just fine for 55w processors.

 

Ahh. I was curious, didn't recognise the water flow pattern. These were the ones with a central inlet and dual outlets, like the Danger Den RDX back in the day were they not?

 

Spot on. These will be modified a bit before tops are slapped on. I have some ideas...

I don't like stock ANYTHING. You should see what I'm doing for a new knife.

 

Are you going to keep the 3 barb idea and use a custom top, or go even more outlandish?

 

3 port impingement will give way to two port laminar flow with some block mods. Past that, stay tuned.

 

Hmmm... Etched corian tops?


-Half the fun in guessing is ruining the surprise.

 

Today, I just saw the worst EVER abuse of USPS. This is further win.



What's in the flat rate box, you ask?





LOTS of Corian. About 45 pounds. Six 11 1/2"x13 1/2" sheets.

So how much does that cover?



Two sheets almost do it, and a third would finish it off. Leaving plenty of material for block tops, knife scales, and maybe even a cutting board. Not too shabby, I tell you! And, even better...



Roughing out block tops begins. I KNOW it's not even, that is intentional and not a performance issue at all. I need the overhang to work on the side finish.