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The bubble lights look awesome & cool thinking on switching the fan blades, I've often thought it would be great is some fans had better motors, & now you've gone & done it :) I don't know the techy side if they'll be fine, but I don't really see why not, transformer fans ftw :D.
I'm still loving this work, more and more every day!! congrats on the sponsors and on the lights!!!
oh my god that bouble light looks amazing! do the fluid just have a low boiling point or something? Thats a wicked cool idea man!
+rep!
I think it's an alcohol based liquid, so yeah it has a low boiling point, and since it's sealed it has nowhere to evaporate to. I've always loved them during christmas time, never thought you could work it into something though. Nice.
Been a while since I updated this, and I'm sorry to say there are no updates today, just a question for the masses.
I'm going to have eight fan/speed control knobs on the front of this case, via two 4-channel controllers, and I'm trying to think of something I can use for the knobs themselves. My first thought was Bakelite knobs off of some old electronics, and that would work, but the odds of finding eight identical knobs are slim in my area, and I was thinking something older-looking would be better. The best I could come up with were small valve handles like these, in brass. Problem is, they have to be tiny, like an inch in diameter.
http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:V...na.cn/0/0</a>,
Anyone have any suggestions?
Edit: Small brass dials off of combination locks would be absolutely perfect, but cost-prohibitive. :)
I think those valve handles would look great.
maybe find a model ship and use the steering wheel from it :? or something to that effect
Now that's an interesting idea. +rep for creativity :DQuote:
Originally Posted by SXRguyinMA
These would also be great, but McMaster doesn't have them small enough. Which means they don't exist.
Cabinet knobs
or something like this?
http://unimaxsupply.com/tatparts/1nuts.htm
What about keyholes and brass skeleton keys?
What do these look like?Quote:
Edit: Small brass dials off of combination locks would be absolutely perfect, but cost-prohibitive.
Oooooooo... I love the bottom right, #4bc-132, those are very cool.
Yeah I like the bottom right as well.
Sorry, I missed this the first time. I'm thinking like these (only smaller):Quote:
Originally Posted by Mach
http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:h..._dial_Yale.jpg
A friend of mine suggested these:
They're *perfect*, but I can't figure out the size. It's an HO scale Ajax brake wheel from a model train setup. HO scale looks to be 1:87 (correct me if I'm wrong), anyone know how big an actual brake wheel is/was?
Post office box combination knobs!!! I wouldn't have thought of that in a million years. :D
HO scale is tiny. G Scale is what you want.
http://modelrailwaystation.com/model-train-scale/
Those wheels are about 16" inches (varies depending on train) in size so G-scale (assuming 1:24) would be 2/3". Still pretty small.
:), I've got a couple doors in the modder closet that you're welcome to. Unfortunately the knobs are aluminum. I can grab photos if you're interested.Quote:
Originally Posted by blueonblack
Like this http://cgi.ebay.com/1958-Vintage-Pos...item4ceef1923f
I'd love to see some photos, when you get time. :up:
You don't know what I would give to see the entirety of your "modder closet".
Yes, I've changed it again. I've decided to use just one DVD drive, that's really all I need anyway and it frees up a lot of room. I decided to run two fan controllers on it, for all the fans and also speed control for the geartrains.
I made a mistake on the rear panel. Since I would have to build a new panel for that, and also a new panel for the front due to the changes, *and* since I plan to rebuild the left side panel also (just not satisfied with it), I decided to build a whole new case. I was worried about space and this was a good opportunity to make some. Here are a couple of comparison shots to show how much bigger the new case is than the old:
Quite a bit more room, but I still managed to keep it with a reasonable footprint, unlike my last creation.
I also, for one of the few times in my life, have bowed to function over form. I decided against the custom water-cooling loop I had in mind, which was to be made of solid acrylic tube and copper elbows. It would have been very cool, but parts fail, far too often, and I really wouldn't want to take it apart. So the whole build has now taken on practicality as an imperitive. Hardware should be easy to access and easy to replace if needed. I'm going to have to take a whole different approach to the build.
So anyway, pics of the update. The new front panel is almost done:
I kept the bubble tubes in the same spot, but the rest is new. I moved the single DVD drive to the right, and will stealth the door in an industrial style. The fan controllers are to the left, and I have to find better knobs for them.
When I started this I planned to have a pair of gears linked to the hard drive activity leads on the motherboard so they spun when the drive spun. That idea didn't work, as any motor I found with a decent response time drew *way* too many amps for those leads. That's where the gauge below the DVD drive comes in. I'll have to do another writeup on that when it's done, but the front that's mounted there is from an old voltmeter I found at a flea market.
The switch on the left is the power switch. Here's the back:
It's not a momentary switch, but it is a three-position switch. I'll just hook the power leads to the two prongs on the switch that close in the middle position. That way to turn the machine off or on I just turn the knob fully from one side to the other. Cross the middle position on the way and it acts as a momentary switch. The feel of the switch is perfect, but I have to make a baseplate for it with some writing of some kind.
I've gotten the holes cut for the front inputs, two USB and one eSATA.
When I'm done there will be two magnets inset into the wood, one on either side of the ports. When not in use, this beautiful brass gear has an iron back plate on it, and will stick to the magnets to cover the ports. The stem on the gear even works very well as a handle.
On to the inside:
In place of the custom water loop I've decided to use a Corsair H50 closed-loop water cooler. Cosmetically it's wonderful, and with the addition of some paint and a few well-placed doodads it will be absolutely perfect.
The fan controllers are visible there, as well as the DVD drive. What you're seeing in the pic is an acrylic drive box that I made for it, so that I can paint it and make it fit the theme, but if the drive fails I just have to replace the drive, and not worry about having to paint anything again. Practicality. :)
That's about it for now. VGA cooling is next I think. The cooler I have is great, but it doesn't have any sort of ducting to either draw in ambient air or to expel the hot air, so I'm going to try to route fresh air from outside the case straight through the cooling fins, with no chance for it to go anywhere else first. I'll be using this little crossflow fan:
That's it for now, more news as it happens. :D
Looks great, I love the new front panel!
I really like how you staggered the fan controllers, you get a great effect on the front panel. I also like your cover for the USB and e-SATA port, excellent work.
Just another parts question for the masses. Anyone know where I can find more of these?
It's a faceted lens for a light bulb, only about 1/2" in diameter. My Google Fu has failed me. I got this one off an old electronic test board of some kind I found at a flea market, but there's nothing else there that has them.
Edit: Correction, I had the source of this item confused. I got this from a friend who acquired it from an aircraft boneyard.
Sorry my friend, I haven't been able to find anything like that off the shelf either but I have thought up a way for you to make something similar yourself.
We all know you can get surface mounts for LEDs right. So why not combine THIS with THIS and possibly make your own? Of course they will be smaller in size but could possibly save you a headache. If you use a white LED and frost the bulb with some sand paper you could get a nice glow.
You could also try making holders from scratch from some plexi or alu, you could still use the jewels to get your desired colour and shape.
That is outstanding! I can adapt that idea to many things, including one that I was still puzzling over. Some engineer at MSI really loves his lights, and decided it would be a good idea to embed a ludicrously bright blue LED into the upper portion of this motherboard that flashes like a HDD activity light. I've been wondering how to deal with it, and these plastic jewels are just the thing. If I put a light red one over it, that should turn this annoyingly bright blue LED into a nice dim purple, and look old to match the theme.
Edit: I have since realized that this won't work, as I won't be mixing blue and red light, but instead filtering blue light to the red wavelength. It will be red. And that's all right.
Not I have to figure out how to give plastic a patina. :D
Thanks!
Edit: Modder's intuition tells me that Mach has a drawer somewhere dedicated to nothing but these lenses. In several sizes and colors.
lol
The green ones are glass dots from 1950s cars. They were apparently used as insert for tail lights and come in all sorts of colors. The rest came from a local electronics surplus store. I can check for a particular color if you're interested. Note dime for scale.
http://shop.ebay.com/i.html?_nkw=tai...286.m270.l1313
Here's the gas lamp pipes that I was telling you about. They're a little bit bigger than 1/4" thick and about 8 to 10 inches long.
Here's an auction to give you an idea of the different shapes that you can find.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Ornate-Antique-V...item483a944572
Not a problem, glad I could help :D. I am very interested in how this all turns out.
Ooooooo, the pipes are beautfiul! I'll have to think on how I could utilize something like that.
On the lenses, if you can find any purple ones please let me know, the smaller the better. Appreciate it!
I did some digging and came up with these. They are Fender Amp panel indicators.
Red -
http://www.newoldsounds.com/index.ph...roducts_id=146
Violet -
http://www.newoldsounds.com/index.ph...roducts_id=151
They come in all kinds of colors including clear.
Not a bad price either. Hope this is what your looking for.
Absolutely perfect! THANKS!!!!
That.
Is.
So.
Cool!
I've been working on some finish and paint on this thing. I got the new panels finished using the same color as the last one but with an extra coat for a little more shine. After buffing it with 0000 steel wool I got a very nice satin look.
Also been doing some rust painting again. Remember these?
Now they look much better.
Can you believe I DID that?? :D The motherboard tray and expansion slot covers are done also, and the optical drive box I built is almost done. That is turning out very well.
those came out great! nice work!
Wow, nice rust!
...ok, that just sounds weird...
Are you going to be aging the wood any?
LOL.. I should follow this thing more closely. I saw your post from May about the jewel light, and I instantly thought, "That looks like the one on a vintage fender amp!"
Then CJ beat me to it.. also in May.
:D
Yeah, yeah, I know. I've been busy. Hope to have some more pics of the newly-aged components up soon. Next will be the angle iron I made for the corners and then to age and dress up my H50 cooler.Quote:
Originally Posted by Luke122
No, I don't think so. There are a couple of chips in the veneer, and with that, the old controls gauges and gears on the outside and the rusted angle iron all the way around it I think it will look perfect as is.Quote:
Originally Posted by x88x
I seem to remember you mentioning something about a Jacobs Ladder to me once. Well if the High Voltage is too much, this might be the perfect solution. http://hackaday.com/2010/12/12/jacob...using-el-wire/
Now that is exceedingly cool. +rep for the find, thanks!
I'm also seriously digging whatever that light is to the left of his Jacob's ladder in the video, you have any idea what that's called?
You are very welcome. I check HaD about 15 times a day and when I saw that I just had to show it to you. Thanks for the Rep!
Yea it looks like a plasma tube to me as well.
As much as it saddens me to say it, as of today this project is offically dead.
Countless hours and many dollars went into this project, but I enjoyed it and learned a lot from it. And that's really what modding is all about for me.
Hopefully someday you will come across some other derivation of the theme from me on these pages, as I do love the way it was going, but I promise you I won't subject you to Clockwork vIII. :)
