The Captain's Choice Radio

[Vision]

It's been awhile since I've touched a paint can or dremel, and I'm excited about this one. So without further ado- The Captain's Choice Radio, now available exclusively in a ship wreck somewhere in the atlantic!

This is what I have to start with. I ran into it in a antique shop, no internals and no knobs.
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa274/reecetucker/Captains%20Choice/p_00120.jpg
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa274/reecetucker/Captains%20Choice/p_00121.jpg
I already took what little was in it out
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa274/reecetucker/Captains%20Choice/p_00119.jpg

The first chalenge is size. A matx mobotray fits in this thing pretty nicely, and its deep enough to just accomodate the 6 inch high cooler I'm planing on using. I should be able to stuff a harddrive and a optical drive around all that. But the power suppy is a problem, for they are pretty large. I'm pretty greedy in this project, trying to stuff a matx system in this little beast.:devious:

Looking at it, I'm pretty sure the only way to get it in is to have it partialy outside the case. I'll have to make a expansion for it. looking at all the options, I think the bottom is the easiest and best place to put it.In short, Akward on top, unballancing on the sides.
Course, this looks alttle silly (sorry again for the bad pics)
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa274/reecetucker/Captains%20Choice/p_00122.jpg
I think I'm going to built some feet to raise the main body up, and have the powersupply extrude out the bottem partially, gaining alittle space inside.With any luck, it might only be something like this high, and the feet will help make it look less stupid
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa274/reecetucker/Captains%20Choice/p_00123.jpg

Thats all for now, hope to have more done today.
vision

[Vision]

got alittle done this morning. I did some brain storming for the feet, and noticed that the tognue part of some tongue and groove flooring I have looks similar to detailing ont he bottom of the original case.
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa274/reecetucker/Captains%20Choice/p_00126.jpg
So I came up with this for a feet plan
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa274/reecetucker/Captains%20Choice/p_00125.jpg
Not much more done for that as of yet, but I did start making the backplate for the piece. This is the mobotray I have for the project
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa274/reecetucker/Captains%20Choice/p_00128.jpg
Im going to use the same tongue and groove pieces to make the back plate. Here's some pics of laying it out with untrimmed floor pieces
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa274/reecetucker/Captains%20Choice/p_00129.jpg
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa274/reecetucker/Captains%20Choice/p_00130.jpg
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa274/reecetucker/Captains%20Choice/p_00131.jpg
I measured it up, trimmed the pieces, and put a quick jig together to keep it square as the glue dries. Hopefully it works out ok
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa274/reecetucker/Captains%20Choice/p_00133.jpg
Now I gotta go write a paper for school. sigh, school getting in the way of mod...
vision

[slaveofconvention]

Try making up paper or card accurate size models of your optical drive, hard drive, psu etc - so you can have a test fit and finalise your design before you actually start making cuts which are irreversible - you might surprise yourself with what you can get in there, with a little luck....

[LiTHiUM0XiD3]

the only problem i can see with this... is that by havin wood on all sides... and lotsa hardware in a small box u might be makin a computer sized sauna... otherwise tho totally kick ass...