Gamecube HTPC

I must have a thing with working on Nintendo based systems. Before I am even in the final stages of completing 3xNES I got the itch to build something else. I had this Gamecube case sitting here next to me while working and just kept staring at it. Must be going crazy cause all I could see in my head was different things I could do to it.

Unfortuanly after a recent issue with my hard drive I lost the starting pics I had of tearing down and cleaning up. This Gamecube had been placed in a play area in a McDonalds. Originally it was removed because it wouldn't spin discs anymore. The store manager wanted me to fix it, but that kinda fell to the side after he moved and I moved. First I had to peel off the velcro on the bottom and wipe up the sticky soda that was all over the bottom of the case. The I proceeded to drill out the 'special' screws that Nintendo uses to close up the console. Took a while but was finally able to get rid of those screws. Then I cut back the posts and got to thinking, how am I going to make it so I can secure the case together, back to a good friend Faststeel, basically a 2 part epoxy that hardens to a hard rock like filler. I think I saw some used on TSG's bulldozer case. so I filled in the holes. Once dry I drilled through the center and made sure I could feed a few screws through with nuts on the end. worked out perfect, just enought screw poked through to attach the nut and hold the case together.

Next i had to figure out how to attach the nut in so it would be secure to the upper part of the case.

What I did was drilled into the side of the case and drilled a counter sink to place a screww just flush with the side of the case. Once the epoxy I applied driedthis got sanded and filled in with bondo. On the inside I put the screws in the bottom of the case and attached the nuts on, then placed a large chunk of Faststeel around the anchor screw in the side of the case and covered the nut on the bottom. Once dry I pulled the top and bottom apart and had perfectly lined up mounts.

Again bad luck and stupid me, not backing up my files regularly, I lost all the pics I had during building of the project. With the console I have hidden the door on top, and the open button on the, lots of bondo and sanding later you almost can't see it. Only at certain angles really. Redid the power button, set a switch at the bottom that will allow me to use the power button as a power button and set another switch from an old CDROM at the bottom of the reset button for a CD/DVD/Blu-ray Drive. Now yes, most of this case is complete.

I did dumb and painted it all nice without cutting out the slot for the drive. :banghead: I'll just be super careful when I do have to cut it. I decided to go with a hunter green, still no airbrush painting system here so I had to go rattlecan. Came out better then I tought it would. Nice and smooth. Did 2 coats of basic grey primer, tried to use black but it really made the bondo stand out when applied. sanding with 320 in between. Then 4 coats of hunter green gloss, again sanding with 320 in between. Best paint job I think so far. Then I decided it needed an LCD in the front, so I filled in the spaces for controllers and after the bondo had dried cut a window for a PRO-LCD to sit behind. Don't know why but I sanded with it still in and the plastic wrap came off so the window is frosted now. probably will replace later but I like ti look for the most part.

Put together with LCD in. I painted the faceplate with classic gray. Felt that was the best match for a cartidge look to 3xNES and just felt right here too.

front shot, stupid flash was on but I think it shows the shime nicely. and I know I still see where something had messed up the paint. But this is primarily for me so I'm not worried. If I had been doing it for someone else it would have gone bakc down to the plastic.

One shot with the LCD going, looks better in the dark. Anyway, this project like 3xNES is about 94% complete. Don't want to cut the back plate without an idea where a pico-itx board will sit. Put out a few emails inquiring about sponsors, who knows maybe they'll bite, If not 3xNES will hold off on an upgrade around christmas and I'll sink some cash into this to get it up and running. After this I have a few more ideas rattling around in the brain pan. But we'll see where those go. This'll get some more update hopefully and be completed sooner then later.

sweet!