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ZapWizard's LAN PC -Custom Ammo PC -Completed Jan 18 '04

Discussion in 'Project Logs' started by ZapWizard, 3 Jul 2003.

  1. ZapWizard

    ZapWizard Enter the Mod Matrix

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  2. sheardjr

    sheardjr Minimodder

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    .
     
    Last edited: 23 Apr 2016
  3. Gewehr98

    Gewehr98 What's a Dremel?

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    Been lurking for a while watching this one...

    Congrats on your win, Zap.

    Not to be a jerk, especially on my second forum post, but there is one thing that I'd change, though, and that's only because I have a Rad Safety Officer license from the NRC - Your label, even though it's "weathered" and modified, states that you are carrying Transport Index Category III radioactive materials. This means the radioisotope being transported inside that case exceeds 50 millirem/hour at the surface of the case, or 1 millirem/hour at 1 meter from the case. (HOT, as in dangerous to human physiology hot!) Activities that high require exceptional care, and can be transported only in exclusive usage closed vehicles designed for such materials. Mis-labeling, to include putting radioactive stickers on non-radioactive containers, is also in direct violation of U.S. Codes, Title 10 CFR 39. Unfortunately, the federal folks, myself included, don't have a sense of humor with stuff like that, especially post 9/11, dirty bombs and suitcase nukes and all. I don't know if you've taken that computer as carry-on luggage through an airport yet.

    There's a couple ways to fix it: Put Category III radionuclides in it and get the proper licensing and paperwork, or modify the label further so it can't be mistaken for a U.S. Department of Energy decal. You guys are good with your graphics, I'm sure you can come up with a label that doesn't look too close to the real thing, and will keep you out of hot water. For a quick read on what NOT to label a non-radioactive computer, see here:

    http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/basic-ref/teachers/labeling.html
     
  4. Bluebark

    Bluebark What's a Dremel?

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    I doubt it...The first Fed or Cop to see the sticker would have whisked him away for a long interrogation in a room with no windows.
     
  5. Bob 1234

    Bob 1234 What's a Dremel?

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    Re: Been lurking for a while watching this one...

    Zap, do that! do that!, then you won't have to rely on LEds to make it glow :thumb:

    -Bob
     
  6. redhawk

    redhawk What's a Dremel?

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    Computer modding is science fiction. If you look at lots of computer mod sticker they have radio active sticker, poison skulls, HIGH Voltage Warnings, etc.
    It's a computer. Sci Fi FICTION!


    I say congratulation ZapWizard. I envy you getting to meet Tech TV staff members.

    Had to be an awesome experience. Say hello to Leo for us. I love their shows.

    I usually hate trophies, but that is one I would love to have.

    Great Job ZapWizard

    :thumb:
     
  7. Gewehr98

    Gewehr98 What's a Dremel?

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    Caveat, Bluebark...

    True, if they were Feds or cops who knew what those labels meant. Those who work around the Nevada Test Site definitely would. Those who are working anti-terrorism cases probably would. Those who set up speed traps on Route 66 probably wouldn't. The new Federal airport baggage checkers? I dunno, but I sure's heck wouldn't want to be the test case, especially if they're confiscating such benign things as nail clippers. ;)
     
  8. redhawk

    redhawk What's a Dremel?

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    If airports were doing their job by stickers, we all would be in big trouble.

    Do you think they look for terrorist that label their devices. "Bomb inside"?

    They should, and do sniff each laptop or suspicious case ,and place the sample in the scanner. They look for explosives. Real explosives. I am sure real bombs were never labeled. :idea:

    :wallbash: :wallbash: :wallbash:
     
  9. Gewehr98

    Gewehr98 What's a Dremel?

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    Redhawk, you are absolutely correct, computer mods are based on fiction.

    And you're more than welcome to use that excuse if you're ever asked about something on your computer case that violates the law.

    Is anybody gonna go after ZapWizard for his bogus radiation sticker on the ammo box computer? No. Not me, anyway. I've had to use those labels when transporting those materials over public highways, and when I do my day-to-day Air Force job. I know that if I misuse those labels, I stand to lose my NRC license, and possibly be prosecuted. I'm not blind, I see ZapWizard's efforts for what they are, functional artwork. But I am also aware that something on that case ain't quite kosher. And the more exposure his computer gets, via all the printed and electronic media, the more folks who make their living working with the subject of that label will see, and maybe cringe, at the potential for trouble. The wrong person sees that, and says something to somebody...

    I'm not calling ZapWizard a thrill-seeker for living on the edge, no more than folks who have AMD logos etched into their cases or frosted on their plexiglass windows even though it may be copyrighted. What concerns me, though, is considering how much time and effort he put into that computer, I'd hate like hell to see it get the wrong kind of attention, or even confiscated, because a certain kind of label looked "cool" for the project. That would suck, especially for a fictional representation. Problem is, when there's teams out there looking for bad people using radioisotopes and building potential bad things based on mixing those radioisotopes in either fissionable quantities or dirty bomb quantities, their sense of fiction or humor is considerably diminished. :(

    Redhawk, sounds like you're telling me a case with an authentic-looking Category III radiation sticker wouldn't even get airport inspectors to bat an eye or take a look inside after using an Alpha/Beta/Gamma survey meter? (The swipes they do are for high explosives and other contraband that can be detected with portable chromatographs, not radionuclides) Times are hard, even joking about having something bad while standing in line in the airport results in arrests. I wouldn't ever dare anybody to try to transport something like that through security checkpoints, but if you feel you could do it...
     
    Last edited: 23 Nov 2003
  10. Penguin4x4

    Penguin4x4 What's a Dremel?

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    I know of only 5 other people who are in to computers, and only 1 even remotely cares about modding, :wallbash: :wallbash: :waah:
     
  11. ZapWizard

    ZapWizard Enter the Mod Matrix

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    Gewehr98 thanks for the info.

    I am aware of the concerns around the label.
    My brother is in the military and also transports this stuff.

    When I transport my case (Shipping) the label is covered and not visible.
    Also I will never transport this case by plane, either it will be boxed and shipped, or trasported by my self.

    If you still think it is a concern, would simply changing it to Radioactive without the 'III' would make it with specs?
     
  12. Gewehr98

    Gewehr98 What's a Dremel?

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    Zap, the one thing the NRC reiterated several times during our certification...

    Especially when we were tasked to do reactor runs between an Air Force facility and irradiation facility, was that if we were not transporting radioactive materials, or if the activity at the surface and at 1 meter from the surface was less than Category I, there should be no label. If labels were present when there was little or no measurable activity, then that was also a violation of 10 CFR 39. DOE and NRC-approved labels offer the transporter a certain amount of protection, to include extra response measures in the event of an incident on a public highway, or when the materials are involved in an accident outside normal channels. The Minuteman and Peacekeeper missile transport crews were very much aware of how it works.

    Case in point: In 1997 a partner and I were transporting a few vials of irradiated materials from Aerotest's reactor in San Ramon, CA to McClellan AFB near Sacramento, via eastbound Interstate 80. They were in a lead-lined 55 gallon drum bolted inside the back end of our 8-passenger blue Air Force Ford Econoline van, with Category II placards very similar to yours placed squarely on the sides and rear of the van, per the regulations. A CHP Mustang came zooming up alongside us, then backed off and snaked back and forth with his lights on across all the lanes of eastbound traffic, gradually slowing down until there was no traffic behind me at all. THe CHP purposely blocked traffic from approaching our van to preclude any incidents involving radioactive materials on California interstate highways. They felt it was worth the extra intervention compared to the inevitable consequence management if there was a radiation incident involving their highway.

    My best advice is simply to redesign your label, using the common radiation symbol, but make it considerably different from the examples listed in the URL I posted above, such that there will be NO confusion with the real thing. How different? I don't know, but if somebody with an NRC license feels uncomfortable about it, like myself, then it's really only a matter of time before it catches somebody else's eye who just happens to be in that line of work, too.

    You're artwork has become famous, and rightfully so considering all the hard work you've put into it, but that exposure can be a double-edged sword if you're not careful. We used to call ourselves "kit-bashers", but be they kit-bashers or case modders, it's an extremely resourceful bunch of folks, and I'm certain you can come up with something similar that steers clear of potential trouble.
     
  13. Jaguar_Infinity

    Jaguar_Infinity Just some guy

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    Re: Zap, the one thing the NRC reiterated several times during our certification...

    Firstly a big congrats to Zap :clap:

    erm isnt telling us stuff like that breaching some kind of secrecy or confidentiality act or whatever? :eyebrow: I must say you are putting up what to many would seem trivial points but i can understand where your coming from, if one person does it thats no problem, but if one person like Zap does it, and does it so well that it gets the media attention it does - which is a credit to Zap - then others will follow. At some point it will get to the stage where so many people see these stickers that when they come accross the real thing they won't treat it with the respect it's due. It seems a shame for zap's pc though as the current sticker really does make it looks right.

    It also seem kind of scary that the US forces readily transport material like that around the country in cars, here in the UK people would be mass protesting that if they felt it was going on so readily. We even get protestors protesting about 3 ex-USN warships coming over here to be decomissioned because they have asbestos throughout them.
     
  14. Gewehr98

    Gewehr98 What's a Dremel?

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    No, no security breaches.

    No worse than when you see those convoys on certain highways in the Great Plains States, with the armored personnel carriers and Peacekeeper missile transporters carrying you know what.

    We get plenty of protesters, too. Vandenberg AFB gets them often enough that the security forces are qualified on horseback to patrol the vast areas of that base for protesters prior to launches.

    Funny thing is, for a lot of radiation therapy for cancer patients, the most potent of the isotopes has to come from a reactor shortly before it's introduction into the patient's body. An example is the little pellets implanted (guess where?) to fight prostrate cancer. They have a fairly high specific activity, and the beta or gamma emissions have a "best if used by" date from the time they exit the reactor where they were created. These are transported via commercial or private carriers on surface roads. They use placards very similar to ZapWizard's.

    Anybody here old enough to remember the reason for Eisenhower's Interstate construction project? ;)

    I'll throw out a hint, it's spelled out in the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1944...

    Now, as not to hijack ZapWizard's thread, he could also get the tritium lights as sold commercially for night sights on guns. If he felt like spending enough (LOTS), it could light up quite nicely, and could potentially emit enough beta or gamma to warrant at least a Category I sticker. Gotta be careful, though, enough ionizing radiation really raises hell with semiconductor devices. In that respect, the vacuum tube electronics of the MiG-25 as delivered by Lt. Victor Belenko aren't too far off base. :D
     
    Last edited: 24 Nov 2003
  15. redhawk

    redhawk What's a Dremel?

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    Re: No, no security breaches.

    Looking for Stickers I presume?

    Just messing with ya. I think you are doing a fine job protecting the world from ZapWizard's dangerous computer. I can't believe anyone would go on and on and on, about an old ammo box this way.

    :idea: Maybe we should get congress to pass a law that say "When Modding a computer, you must clearly post a legal disclaimer on the side facing the user".
    This way anyone walking past your modded computer would know, WHOOO, it's just a computer and not a dangerous terrorist bomb, or worse a radio active container that has lights. :eeek:
     
  16. Gewehr98

    Gewehr98 What's a Dremel?

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    You read me wrong, Redhawk.

    I'm not protecting the world from ZapWizard's computer. I'm trying to protect ZapWizard and his now-world-famous computer from those whose sense of imagination and humor has been stifled or surgically removed since 11 September 2001. Or haven't you noticed the change in atmosphere since then? Paranoia now runs rampant, hence federal airport baggage inspectors. I'll give you a hint, flippant replies seldom make things go more smoothly in those environments...

    In other words, I didn't post to just f**k with ZapWizard, unlike your replies to me. As part of my nearly 20-year career, I flew through Chernobyl's plume in 1986, using an airplane configured to detect, track, and sample radioactive debris. We still do the same mission today, your tax dollars going to training ad nauseam against the possibility of another accident, or intentional event. So when the aircrew is relaxing between sorties and browsing bit-tech.net forums (yup, case-modders in the military, too!), and sees this ammo box with a big honkin' Category III radiation sticker, of course questions were asked. And I want to prepare ZapWizard for when he eventually gets asked questions, too.

    Read up on our mission, if you think I'm bul$h1tt1ng you:

    http://www.globalsecurity.org/intell/systems/constant_phoenix.htm

    http://www.globalsecurity.org/intell/systems/images/wc-135b.jpg

    changed your pic to a link, no bandwidth stealing please - eddie_dane
     
  17. tommarndt

    tommarndt What's a Dremel?

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    you know you probably shouldn't post pictures that aren't in your signature in a thread that isn't yours. It's just not nice. Like thread-hijacking. I'm not trying to protect the people on this forum from you and your picture, i'm just trying to protect you from the people on this forum.
     
  18. Wicked Li'l Bender

    Wicked Li'l Bender What's a Dremel?

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    Can't we all just get along????

    Zap, I think the AMMO PC is really awesome, and I appreciate the heads up on the sticker situation, Being that I am prior Air Force and that I have worked in a field not too dissimilar as our nuke troop there. But it doesn't hurt to err on the side of caution, Thank you for your posts about the labeling and I hope that wee can just press on. Zap, If you could ever find the time to throw an e-mail my way or any such offering of your precious time that would be great!

    Please let me take this moment to speak what's on everybody's mind here in the Forum,
    "Break out the DIGI and grace us w/ summore PICS of your works in progress and updates..."

    :dremel:
     
  19. ZapWizard

    ZapWizard Enter the Mod Matrix

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    Re: Can't we all just get along????

    There is a lot of updates coming... but not until after thanksgiving.

    Gewehr98, thanks for the info, but please change your image to a link.
    Again, this PC will never travel by plane, but others wanting to attempt a PC like mine, should listen to Gewehr98, thank you.

    Updates coming:

    LCD Screen -(I finaly got a screen, used but still working)
    Processor, motherboard, harddrive, and graphics card upgrade.
     
  20. Gewehr98

    Gewehr98 What's a Dremel?

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    No problem, ZapWizard!

    One gets spoiled on broadband, and careless with image links. Thanks for making that a link, instead of an image. Thread hijacking isn't a good thing, either, even if unintentional :(

    I see Sportsman's Guide has those ammo cases for sale fairly cheap, but before I start building something similar, I have a question...

    Do you get any RF interference from having the monitor near the unshielded MoBo, Video Card, and associated parts? Or is the length of the video cable enough to avoid that? I noticed a good bit of interference when I'm testing computers without cases near a monitor, hence my asking.
     

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