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

kudos


were u get ammo cases

 

Man this looks awesome Zap! One question for you. With those magnets being so strong holding the front on, does that mean if you ever need to take the front off you would have to remove everything from the back side and push the front panel out? Just wondering since I didn't see any handles or anything. Not that I imagine you were planning on having to remove the front very often.

 

I bought the ammo case at: www.colemans.com

The magents are just strong enough that pulling a cable won't yank the front off.
It's not soo strong that you have to push it from the back.
I can remove it by pulling on the fan control knob, or getting a grip near the VFD, not perfect, but again like you said, I won't have to take it off very often.

 

If you have screw-on connectors, you could just connect one or two, and pull those too.

 

or you could attach some of tose round metal handels

i see them on almost all of the old military gear, all the ones they might need to get behind the face of. they arent very big and im sure you could put them on both sidse of the VFD thus allowing them to be somewhat centered. i think it would look great.

oh well just my idea, nothing spectacular


but zap you put out some of the sickest mods i have seen
this one by far the best. keep up the great work

 

thats pretty cool
where'd you get the box?

 

Great work so far Zap - another winner

I've got the "routing" attachment for the dremel too, and haven't tried plexi - I did aluminum and wasn't entirely impressed with the combination of its and my ability

as for the fan grill - stick with your original plan - the chrome grill snaps it out of the retro look... (It would be like some actor wearing a wris****ch while playing the part of a gladiator or something )

 

Nice work, Sir! I do like the rugged finish! Just a question about those xlr plugs u used. Are they "strong" enough for the current that will run through them? I dont know the correct word for it, but wont they burn or melt?

 

sinizterguy... (Please read the posts guys)

Well I don't care if the PC looks retro, as I want it to look like less of a radio, and more like a military scientific insturment.
So the fan grill is staying. I added trim around the edge and removed the sticker. Images later

Yes, the XLR plugs are very strong and have thick terminals and solder connections. They can handle the power that will be needed.

Next I will order the new motherboard.
This PC may not be 100% complete until october, as I want to use the best graphics card for Halflife 2
(Please no chat on graphics cards in here)

 

You were saying there were paint markes etc on the case, in most War films etc when there's a device like this in action it almost ALWAYS gets shot, a couple of bullet holes in the case would be slick.... I remember I used to have a little model train that produced smoke from cooking oil.. a little smoke slowly drifting out of bullet holes would be bling bling... (if only a little OTT)

 

Hmm, bullet holes are a negative...
Also smoke with the PC components would really just create tons of dirty PC parts. (Bad for CD-Rom, and heatsinks)
I have finalized my plans for the glow effect.
I will use two extreme brightness LEDs on each end of each slot.
(9000mcd 45degree angle Green LEDs)
A single 2000mcd red LED lights up about half of the slot.
So two 9000's would really light it up bright.

Both sides will be lit up, and I think I will stick in a small battery to make the case glow, as I carry it into the LAN.
(This all may change)

 

Or just get some black anodized aluminum thumbscrews and attach them in the front of the panel to allow you to remove it a bit easier if you need to. They might not stick out that far and interfear with the lid closing.

 

just about sums it up

 

Are you going to make the slots 'shiny-er' by painting them a high-gloss finish, or just leave them how they are?

And with the battery thing, you could wire up a circiut to switch to the +5v standby on the psu so that when you have it plugged in, but not on, you can still ahve the leds shining, w/o using the batt. Similar to what you have done with the mpc. However, dont go overloading it again

 

The slots reflect light perfectly...so no modding will be needed.

Well the PSU wont be plugged in.
I want it to glow WHILE carrying it around, no wires connected.

I have come up with a sweet sticker for the front of the case... more on that later..

 

How are you going to adapt the cables back to normal, Zap? (I'd assume that you'd solder the cables to the MB.)

 

There are a couple options I have, but I won't decide until I get the acutal motherboard.
I can either re-adapt them to normal jacks, on the inside, and plug them into the existing jacks on the motherboard.
OR I can internalize the motherboards jacks.

I am ordering the motherboard this friday.
Along with the LEDs and some other parts.

 

Wow,
I amazed after readin this thread for the first time, how do fit so many great ideas in one project?!?!?!

Oh and good to see your usin a Tt fan!

Ttuser

 

Explain how please.

I happen to have a 19 pin connector and several misc ones similar to yours. I want to make a pc controller and USB hub with them. I was wondering how you would do it so that I could do it differently.