Scratch Build – Complete ⭐ WOPR Casecon by RandomDesign

Finally after moving to the US from Germany, I got all my workshop items and will be able to mod again.

So here is my next project.
It be the computer called WOPR (War Operation Plan Response) from the 80s movie WarGames.



I will change the scale factor to fit it on a desk. Should be something about 75 cm in lenght.

The LED effekts will also be included, but not as many as in the original

To start the project, I made a 3D model in the scale factor I want to build later on.
The 3D model will also function as some kind of template later on.

 

Not to scale?
I think Hcp's build needs a mention here. Mostly as a cautionary tale of LED soldering burnout.

 

I could make it full scale since I am here in the US I got more space to work with
But its for a client who wants to fit it on his desk

Next, I converted the 3D model into a paper template for printing.
It is now 55 pages and 232 parts.



After printing, I redrew the folding lines, to make them fold easy. It is also better for gluing lateron.



Then everything was cutted out.





At the moment I am gluing all parts together piece by piece.

 

NICE PROJECT.

SHALL WE PLAY A GAME?

 

And the gluing went on and on and on .....





I reinforced some parts with card board to make it stronger for the following step.



So thats the case so far, still need to work on some spots, but I am happy with the result so far.

 

interesting approach with the paper mock-up, it's already a hell of a job, but all parts are much more easy to figure out I guess

 

Between the years I got some time to continiue working on the mod.

After the paper model was done, I applied a coat of fiber glass resin to strengthen the paper.
After everything dried, I got a nice sturdy model.





Afterwards, I started applying glass fiber from the inside. Have to do it area after area,
cause it needs to dry in between so I wont get any distortion in my paper model.
Will take some time due to the outside tempratures here in Ann Arbor at the moment.
Yes its freezing cold in my garage

 

Really like that you have done a model and using that to build the case out of fibreglass. Looking forward to the next update.

 

I realise now how I've been silly to think that it was only a mock up ...I am litterally amazed by your technique of strengthen it with fiber glass , genious idea , it opens a new possibility to realise complicated shapes without a 3D printer...

 

This technique has its advantages, that you can basically realize any shape or form. Did it for some of my other projects as well.
Still sometimes when the paper is not 100% straight you need a lot of efford to fix it after the glass fiber cured. But after you apply body filler any imperfections will be
nearly invisible. (At least I hope so )

 

So I continiued applying the fiber glass piece by piece.



Finally, after everything was done, I could trim the excess.



And this is, how it looks from the inside now. The surface will be also painted at the end to blend with the case/hardware.

 

Ew. Looks like cold chicken broth jello.

 

I think more like cut jely fish. I made the pictures after the las coat of resin, thats why its still glossy. But as I said will be dulled down and painted.

 

I started to sand down the fiber glass to make the following layer of body filler as thin as possible.
After sanding the paper down, I also could work on some rough spots or on spots were the fiber glass had som imperfections.





Then body filler was applied.





After hardening, I sanded everything smooth.



I decided to work area by area, so I coul concentrate on getting every surface as perfect as possible.
So here are the first two surfaces already done. The openings will be taken care of later.



And then, returned to sand the paper down.

 

looks like the sanding job requires a gas mask

 

Oh, I've got to see how this turns out!

Subbed.

 

Man you have your work cut out. I wish you all the best, that thing is going to eat the hours

 

Time again for a small update.

This time I worked on the stand of the case. I applied some body filler on the bottom side and sanded it down.



I sanded until everything was smooth and on the same level.



Then the body filler work continiued.



I removed the paper from all openings to get a better feeling for the final outcome.
The first parts are nearly done yet, still some fine tuning on the edges needed.

 

You've made a lot more progress than I expected since it's winter.

 

Yeah, its freaking cold in my garage right now. Wearing two sweaters at once most of the time. But the temperature does not do you a favour in the curing times od glas fiber and body filler.