Dave's Christmas Tale [aka TIP-3000 Revival]

[DaveW]

Hello all, and welcome to my Christmas tale. This is a tale of underdog triumph, with chuck-key's and darkness, gremlins and dremels. I hope you enjoy my tale of woe and happiness; for it is my Christmas present to the TBCS community! (as if the new skin wasn't enough!)

It all started on a short winter's day. As the days grow colder, the night grows longer. The days bite into your skin through even a Scot's heavy attire. Large yellow machines spread grit on your car to prevent you from slipping, and cause mayhem in the process as people swerve across the road to avoid them. the sunlight bathes our homes for less and less as time goes on, culminating in the shortest day of the year just before Christmas itself-the 22nd of December, the birthday of this fine and handsome narrator.

But this 22nd of December is a different story indeed, because this 22nd your omnipotent narrator's birthday is on a Saturday. As people flock from all around the world, even as far as Prestwick (http://maps.google.com/), to revel in his generosity and to take advantage of his offer of free beer. Although many have offered the idea that I, your loving narrator, have always existed, I can reveal that this is not so. Yes, in a few days time, I will be 21 years of age!

My father's gift was one of full highland dress, which I resolved to wear upon my birthday. Wanting everyone to look nice, I even spent money buying a lovely dress and jewellery for my fine girlfriend. Everyone is happy!

...Or are they?

Yes, as is often the case there is someone who is not happy with this situation. The long months have taken their toll on my beloved computer, the TIP-3000. After a myriad accidents she lies, forlorn and lonely. Filled with dust, her fans screech for air, her twin hard drives Samsung and Seagate baying for cool air. Her door, once a novel attraction of the case, has been torn from her hinges. The dials, knocked out. The paint, chipped.

No, the years have taken their toll on this TIP-3000.


http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/davew/christmas/P1050576.JPG

"Why must it be so?" I cried in anger. "Why must the TIP-3000, which has won me so much in good reputation and hardware prizes, be left to rot in such a manner? Surely my creation deserves better!"

The TIP-3000 has won me competitions, and the hardware has been sitting around, doing nothing. A new Core2 Duo sits nearby, tempting her. It doesn't seem fair. But your narrator is a busy being; he has work, and much more besides, to worry about. So the TIP-3000 sits along, waiting for the day when her dreams will come true; a day when the creator, her master, will come remember her.

The TIP-3000 loves her master very much, and she knows when he gets a chance, he's going to fix those lousy hinges, he's going to fix that chipped paint. He's going to get those hinges working, and clean out all that dust, and he's going to make me look like a star!

Well, that day has come. TIP-3000, I will have you looking spectacular for Saturday. When all the other geeks are here, they will be in awe of your beauty. I wish I had time to fix all the problems you suffer from; that cracked rail brings a tear to my eye whenever I see it. There is, after all, only so much I can do before you are no longer the TIP-3000.

I started by removing the door, and removing everything attached to it. Thrusting my hand out, I grabbed a flat-headed screwdriver; just the tool for the job at hand. Placing against the edge of the old hinges, I brought down my hammer with a crash, sending the old unwanted hinges across the room in a cloud of shattered bondo. With the door free, and the hinges removed, I turned my attention to undoing the damage.


http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/davew/christmas/P1050547.JPG

Taking a bowl of fresh water, I searched for some unused wet-paper. With that in hand, I gently massaged the remaining bondo away from the door. Taking this opportunity, I rub all over the door, smoothing out the imperfections left from so long ago. Soon, she's dirty and smooth, needing only some warm water to clean her up. With a toothbrush and towel, I clean every inch of her facade, leaving it to dry.


http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/davew/christmas/P1050558.JPG

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/davew/christmas/P1050555.JPG

What will happen next in this Christmas tale? Will I forget about the TIP-3000? Will her dreams come true? Will her hardware arrive on time? Will she rejoice in Vista or XP? Join me tomorrow to find out, my eager listeners, on Dave's Christmas Tale!

[.Maleficus.]

Oh noes!!! The TIP-3000 has gone to shambles! It's like Britney Spears! Once beautiful and loved, now lonely and dusty!

This is awesome, I can't wait to see this come back to life. This was seriously one of my favorite worklogs on here, and I'm glad it's back.

[jdbnsn]

Never! TIP-3000 is the David to time's Goliath! All hail fem-puter...I mean, all hail TIP-3000.2

[Trace]

Wow, creative writing. Only 20? I imagine your in collage, being able to write like that.

Can't wait for tomorrow.
+Subscription

[NightrainSrt4]

TIP-3000 was THE mod that inspired me to start modding. Yes there were others that were great and awesome, but none pushed me to actually try my hand at it. My original concept for the mod was a tribute to TIP-3000 in many ways. But, my methods changed, and so did the concept for the mod.

Can't wait to see her back in tip top shape. It saddens me to see her in that condition.

+Rep for a great mod. I never got around to doing that once I joined back then.Thanks for getting me to actually try my hand at modding.

[noopypoop]

Wow how could it get destroyed like that? Excuse me, i meant how did she get destroyed like that?:)

[slytherock]

How are you gonna fit that cycle rim on your case :think:
















:D

[jdbnsn]

TIP-3000 was THE mod that inspired me to start modding. Yes there were others that were great and awesome, but none pushed me to actually try my hand at it. My original concept for the mod was a tribute to TIP-3000 in many ways. But, my methods changed, and so did the concept for the mod.

Can't wait to see her back in tip top shape. It saddens me to see her in that condition.

+Rep for a great mod. I never got around to doing that once I joined back then.Thanks for getting me to actually try my hand at modding.

I agree, I don't think Dave gives himself enough credit for this project (even if it's under the weather at the moment). I was a regular member when he started it and we had talked about what he was going to do and tossed around design ideas and then I dropped off the map for about six months. When I stopped back in the first thing I saw were his completed pics and my jaw dropped. Beautiful!

[NightrainSrt4]

It was an awesome mod. Like I said, it was the one mod that got me to mod. Actually, it was the reason I clicked the register button on the forum too.

It was just my style of mod, and I only wish I could ever make a mod that looked as good as it.

[noopypoop]

It was an awesome mod. Like I said, it was the one mod that got me to mod. Actually, it was the reason I clicked the register button on the forum too.

It was just my style of mod, and I only wish I could ever make a mod that looked as good as it.

:eek: DONT CALL THE TIP 3000 BY THE NAME "IT"! THATS DISRESPECTFUL!!

:D

[.Maleficus.]

That reminds me, are we ever going to see Part 2 of the Integration Project?

[The boy 4rm oz]

Mate I followed this mod right from the start. It's a shame that all your extrema gaming finally brought her down lol. +rep for original project and the modifications to come

[Scotty]

So Dave will you learn your lesson, and not leave an Orange case outside in case Magpies gang rape it? XD

Thats if its still staying Orange...

[Gun Down]

When will the next update be, I liked the TIP-3000 a lot i cant wait till this one is done.

[DaveW]

Oh, it's still staying orange. Thanks very much for the feedback guys, I had no ideas how many people liked this project! The second part of this worklog is coming very soon.

-Dave

[The boy 4rm oz]

The second part of this worklog is coming very soon.

-Dave

YAY, more good news.

[DaveW]

[Chapter 2 : Noir]

I woke up to my breath forming clouds in the air. It's cold this time of year, sure, but it's never cold enough for my girl. She's a real ice queen, daring the mercury to stoop to her level.

She's the one who hurt the TIP-3000 in the first place. Maybe she's jealous of it, wishing I spent the time with her instead. All I know is that having them so close together is dangerous.

My throat feels like I swallowed sandpaper. I tried to drown my pains in whisky, but that plan just came back to bite me in the ass. Eventually I got out of the bed and tried to figure out what the hell I was going to do with my day.

I looked at all the mess from the night before. I'd taken apart the TIP-3000, turned it into a `choose your own pun' adventure. Either 3000 parts or a junk tip. I sighed, my breath forming another little white cloud, and got to work.

The first port of call was that damn door. Now I'd got rid of those hinges, I had to find another way to keep the damn thing on. Luckily, I knew just what to do. I whipped out a long hinge and measured some holes. Picking up my drill, I realised I didn't have the right tools for the job. Typical.

I got in my car and set out. I knew a man who knew a man, who could help me out of this sticky mess. The traffic's always terrible this time of year, all the people running about trying to get a present for Granny. I just turned my heater up and enjoyed the warmth. When I got there, I ordered some bolts and bits. As usual, the guy behind the desk has more balls than brains. I was too tired and cold to call him out, so I let the wise ass off the hook. I took my parts and drove home.

It's always good to be home, specially on a day like this. I sat down and tore open my package to see if the stuff was any good. It was. Aluminium bolts with a heavy hex head, and a pack of ten drill bits. I'd seen the screws online for £1.30 each, and I got 50 for £2.50. It's always good to know people.

I loaded my drill and measured up some holes. I knew this was going to be a pain in the ass, but I got lucky and the holes matched up. More or less. I took some wet n' dry to the panel again and got rid of any burrs and blotches. Another little wipe, and she was ready for some paint.

I hate painting. I always screw it up. The fact that everything was frozen didn't do much for any shreds of confidence I may have had. I wanted to put on the first coat inside, but the damn lights were out. So I grit my teeth and left them outside. The first coat went on easy. I'll have to be patient to find out how that worked. I'm not bothered though-for this mod, I got all the time in the world.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/davew/christmas/P1050569.JPG

It's getting on in the day, and the ground is still frozen. I decide I gotta clean up the case a bit, and to get all the crap out I'm gonna need one hell of a tool. The good news is I know just the thing. The bad news is it's at the bottom of a damn ice slide. I tried to get it up by hand, but the weight just kept pulling me down again. Eventually, I gave up and defrosted the ramp with antifreeze and hot water. Now I could finally get out the big dog.


http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/davew/christmas/P1050592.JPG

Of course, I'm referring to a 50 litre compressor. With 2 horsepower of crushing, you sure don't want to mess with this bad boy. I acquired this a few months ago, and I've been waiting for a chance to bust it out. I filled the tank and got the hose. Before long i'd blown anything that just smells like dust to the high heavens. That case was clean enough to eat your breakfast off.

I got out some window cleaner. These guys will try to sell you all sorts of crap. Stuff for cars, stuff for glass, stuff for wood-the truth is, window cleaner will do the lot. After a quick wipe down she's looking like I just repainted her. I just hoped that these parts would still look this good next to the parts I'm actually repainting.

I decided that I wanted to try something new with those drive bezels I made. So plain, so boring. And I was already taking the top layer from my grilles, so why the hell not? I took the lot into the cellar and sanded them with down. With the bezels, I drilled some holes for these bolts, with the plan of cutting of the ends later. Some snitch had told me once that when the grease from your fingers gets on bare aluminium, it can stick forever. The only way to avoid this is by wrapping the lot in something protective till it can create it's own layer of aluminium oxide. I wrapped mine in kitchen towel, and left it till morning.

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/davew/christmas/P1050570.JPG

Finally I decided I'd had enough. I got a lot done today, but a man can only do so much. I leave the rest till another day.

I guess there's a lot of questions to ask here. Is this the beginning of a beautiful friendship? What do you know about a dwarf named Al-Khali? I guess you'll just have to wait and see. Play it again, Sam.

-Dave

[b4i7]

this is a very beautiful case dave, and im sure you got some crazy ideas stirring around up there for it now... cant wait to see it :D

[The boy 4rm oz]

this is a very beautiful case dave, and im sure you got some crazy ideas stirring around up there for it now... cant wait to see it :D

I agree 100%. That case front painted black looks so bad ass.

[Drum Thumper]

Looking good Dave....is the TIP going to be ready for Fall of 2008's Fallout 3?

Inquiring minds want to know!

[DaveW]

Oooh Yes. It's finished now, but I'm having trouble getting the time to sort through my photos and write up a worklog.

I also screwed up somewhere and hooked up a potentiometer the wrong way round. I may have blown it now, so only one of my meters is working. Trying to decide: is it worth dismantling to fix it? I do have a spare potentiometer, but not spare time...

-Dave

[The boy 4rm oz]

You will figure it out.

[DaveW]

Guys, I'm so sorry I kept you all hanging for a year. Even though it's my borthday I'm gonna give you a present, try and get this finished tonight. See if I can find the pictures, I want to get something productive done tonight. :)

Oh, and I'll have a message for you all at the end! So tell your friends, I'm finishin' the worklog!

-Dave

[Drum Thumper]

A message at the end huh? Why do I get the feeling that TIP-3K just turned into H.A.L.? :D

[The boy 4rm oz]

Glad to hear you haven't abandoned your revival mate. Can't wait for the update.

[jdbnsn]

WooHoo!!! I'm so glad this mod is still on the table! I'm going to need your help myself soon regarding PIC use for LED array control (hmmm....as I recall that is the reason I first contacted you on the boards about 3 years ago). That awesome book you gave me might answer the questions first though so I need to consult it first. Viva La TIP-3000!

[Drum Thumper]

There ya go Dave, have your 6th light green bar. You've more than earned it.

[DaveW]

Sorry for the delay, things keep happening...soon as I can find the time I'll post the update. Finally found the pictures, so I just need to take off from where I left off...

-Dave

[Drum Thumper]

Four months. To some, that's not all that long. To others, it is an eternity.

Dave, where's the end result? I'm dyin here!

[DaveW]

Merry Christmas...2 years in the making, here is the third and final part of Dave's Christmas Tale.

Chapter 3

I've kept you waiting, haven't I? I'm sorry; I really didn't mean to do that, you know. That's the thing about stories thought, isn't it? They never really end. Of course, you can point any part and say "it's finished", but it wouldn't really be the end of the story. It seems like I kept you all waiting for the last piece of a puzzle you all wanted.

A short story I started writing 2 years ago and left unfinished resulted in more e-mail than I could have imagined. I felt like the Grinch who stole Christmas. I do hope you'll forgive me.

Now, where was I? Oh yes. I'd just repainted some parts, cleaned up the rest, and put those little screws on the drive bezels. Well, I had a lot of plans for those little screws. I had a computer shell, stripped bare of parts. All the complex wiring and lighting is gone, waiting for new hardware, hardware it got in abundance. A new motherboard, CPU and RAM were thrown in along with the old hard drives, graphics and sound cards.


http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/davew/christmas/3_1.JPG

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/davew/christmas/3_2.JPG

Now it was time to work on the case lighting. I decided to substitute the strip-lights, which buzzed and faded, with LEDs. Then I could also get rid of the little transformer, and hide the source of the light. Little orange LED's were the solution; I took a bunch of those and made them into ribbons. This didn't really work out as I hoped; they were a little messy.


http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/davew/christmas/3_4.JPG

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/davew/christmas/3_5.JPG

I also modded up the the side panel. I always felt that the diorama thing could use more stuff, so I added exactly that; more stuff. Then I started putting everything back together. The front door was re-attached with a piano-hinge and rivetted into place. Things were really shaping up.


http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/davew/christmas/3_3.JPG

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/davew/christmas/3_6.JPG

Of course, that meant there was a lot of wiring to do. The way I'd done the wiring on the TIP-3000 was to make the wires into a feature, instead of hiding them. In order to do this I'd used about twice as much as I needed to, and it made it difficult to work with. It's surprising just how much cable I had, and how easily I was able to tuck it all away into corners.


http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/davew/christmas/3_7.JPG

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/davew/christmas/3_8.JPG

Finally, the side panel went back into place and the mod was done. The little screws that inspired me to change the mod were fantastic; I like them so much, I think I'll be making them a major focus in my next big mod. The lights didn't turn out as I wanted; they were too dull, not producing enough light to illuminate the hardware though the perspex. Overall however, I was pretty happy with the results.


http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/davew/christmas/3_9.JPG

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/davew/christmas/3_10.JPG

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/davew/christmas/3_11.JPG

The computer served me well for two years, before I retired her this week, two years later. Out of respect, the TIP-3000 was also retired. She'd been through hell; 3 years of housing powerful hardware in dust-ridden environments, my own sloppy craftsmanship and the calculated vengeance of an ex-girlfriend scorned. My new computer lies in a cheap cooler-master chassis, power oozing out of the seams like light under a door. This hardware was meant for bigger and better cases.

For the TIP-3000 however, this is the end of its story. Or is it? The calm, empty shell sits near to me now. Parts of it I'll recycle, and parts of it will be binned, but the idea, the photographs...stories never end, and something like the TIP-3000 has already outlived the hardware that filled it. Who knows how long its story will go on for?



http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/davew/christmas/3_14.JPG

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/davew/christmas/3_12.JPG

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/davew/christmas/3_13.JPG

As for what I'll do next? That's a story for another day. Merry Christmas everyone.

-Dave

[Luke122]

Hahahaha... awesome! Thanks for the Christmas laugh!

[jdbnsn]

Wait a second, you aren't tossing that thing are you?

[Trace]

<3 the story Dave

[Drum Thumper]

Tis not the tale, but he who tells it.

Bravo for finally finishing it up.(?)

Edit: one note--next time you have colored plex, use clear LEDs for lighting. Using colored LEDs already diminishes the spectrum of light being emitted, and when you try to shine it through colored plex, you end up diluting (for lack of a better term) the light even more. I learned this while working on Frankenstripe.

[DaveW]

Wait a second, you aren't tossing that thing are you?

Yeah, pretty much. Got something else planned. :)


Edit: one note--next time you have colored plex, use clear LEDs for lighting. Using colored LEDs already diminishes the spectrum of light being emitted, and when you try to shine it through colored plex, you end up diluting (for lack of a better term) the light even more. I learned this while working on Frankenstripe.

It's always fun to learn the hard way. ;)

-Dave

[Airbozo]

Great story Dave, Thanks!

[Kayin]

I love the ending! Excellent tale!

[BerticusPryme]

god rest that beautiful case. She has seen much and holds many stories. Maybe the case will find its way to another aspiring modder and serve as a worthy container for the hardware. Awesome story Dave. Cant wait to see the new planned idea.

[The boy 4rm oz]

I was wondering what happened to this after Christmas last year Dave, congrats on finally finishing it all up.

[1y2w]

the pictures are interesting