Im not normally a big fan of the antique brass style rigs, but this is just too beautiful. i love the look so far!
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Im not normally a big fan of the antique brass style rigs, but this is just too beautiful. i love the look so far!
This mod is outstanding...each page brings something new and suprising! Keep up the fantastic work bro! +rep!
Wow, I finally took the time to get caught up on this (~4 pages), and I continue to be amazed by your amazing work, Mach. It is truly a work of art, and I cannot wait to see the rest. :D
I was following this on the Hardforums but couldn't comment since you need an offline based email.
Anyway, I think the detail you put even into parts you cant see is astounding, keep it up man!
Thanks for the kind remarks and thanks fractalzero for taking the time to register. Also, Kayin, while I am flattered by the compliments, I'd prefer another chapter in Fatal Optimization but I understand that the Muses can be fickle mistresses.
Sorry for my absence of late. While this is not an update, I did want to let you know that work is underway albeit slowly. I've received a custom PCI-E extender this week that I hope to get some time to test this weekend. Fingers crossed for me that all goes well please. :)
I'll see what I can hammer out for you. I'm sure there is something in this box...
And updated. Go get your word crack.
@Kayin, Heh, heh...better and better still.
In case anyone is wondering what that exchange was about, Kayin is a man of many talents including word smithing: http://fataloptimization.wordpress.com
Appreciate the kind words.
Now back to the modding!
Berserking on demand has staggering potential from a military perspective...at least the American CIA thought so. Between 1945 and 1964, titled with the innocuous names of Operation Paperclip, Artichoke, and MK-Ultra, the CIA contracted 149 projects to investigate chemical, biological and radiological means to alter and control human development. Over 80 institutions participated including 44 universities, 15 private companies, 12 hospitals, and 3 prisons including Eli Lilly & Co., Harvard University, Fontaine Pharmaceuticals, and the Rockefeller Foundation.
Authorized by American President Truman, under the code name of Operation Paperclip in 1945, the US began the quiet recruitment of Nazi scientists after WWII. Initially their focus was on aeronautics with the successful recruitment of key scientists like, Dr. Herbert A. Wagner, an expert in the field of control and guidance systems, and Wernher von Braun, the central figure in Germany's pre-war rocket development program.
But then in 1946, Operations Paperclip's remit fractured into multiple "dark" projects, many specifically targeted at human experimentation.
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Let's do this thing... You're going to get your money's worth on this update. First and most notably, I have a new sponsor. :) :) Galaxy has graciously agreed to sponsor this project with a new 9600 GT LP LP. This card is essential to this build so many thanks to Galaxy and Shane!
Second, I've been fairly cagey about the case but since you got a glimpse of it in the video, let me give you the full run down.
Its a 1940s Arvin space heater manufactured by Noblitt-Sparks. Sizewise its small; not the smallest SFF case but enough to give me headaches. :)
Quote:
In 1941, Noblitt-Sparks began producing its first private-brand merchandise. Such production was brought to a quick halt after the United States entered World War II late that year, and by 1942 all production efforts were geared toward the war effort. During the war Noblitt-Sparks produced a wide range of military products, including chemical and incendiary bombs, rocket-launching tubes, steel containers, fire extinguishers, anti-tank mine parts, radio communications equipment, and parts for military vehicles. In 1944 the company purchased a former furniture plant in North Vernon, Indiana, and began producing boxes for the bombs being made at its Columbus plant.
The heater's art deco lines as well as it's manufacturer's history made it destined to be a Bioshock mod.
Here's what the final should look like. I'm still debating colors including plating vs powder coating and I'll need your opinion but that's a later update.
This mod and it’s back story came together through a series of surreal connections and coincidences, if I can take the time to share one. One of the inspirations for the story was spawned from the 2K Games Bioshock 2 viral marketing campaign at www.somethinginthesea.com. In fact, the secret message in the runes was coded from there. In the campaign, if you sent a letter to a fictional detective then 2K sent you swag. I received the old record that you see in the video and a membership card.
The card came with typos on my first and last name (likely due to my poor penmanship). While Arvin isn't my name, it is the name of the heater. And that's just one coincidental connection to this mod that makes me love this build. There is still a ways to go and a few surprises yet but I am going to be sad to see this one end.
Back to the build and the welding hose clamps where we left off, the nice thing about brass and copper is you can anneal it and shape it however you want.
Hose clamp meet stingray
From the bottom side, the clamps are secured to the wood base with brass nails :)
I trimmed off one side of the hose clamps to clean up the look.
A few wing nuts, threaded rod, and solder = hold down thumbscrews.
The base isn't just there for looks. Most of the wiring will be hidden in the base as well as the DVD drive. One of the challenges of found case modding is figuring out how to mount the hardware. For the DVD, I needed some way to make mounting and adjusting the DVD position easy.
I found brass bolts like these in the plumbing section at my local DIY. They're bolts for a toilet.
Soldered to brass cross braces to support the DVD. You get the idea.
The HD and platform for the circuit board
Attached with 3M VHB tape to the DVD. So by turning the nuts on the screws, the drive can be lowered and raised.
Testing with wing nuts and knurled nuts
Knurled nuts are apparently used for lamps, again from the local DIY.
The brass hold downs were a bit of a change in plan with a rethink in the base mounting. So experimentation with different coverings and coatings ensued.
After several iterations and days trying brass/copper foil and mesh...
I came back to using a heavy canvas lining (which feels right for the mod). Now I just need to learn how to sew it together.:) Once the lining is complete, I've got the front switch, HDMI port, and wiring holes remaining to finish off the base before I can send it out for final finish.
On the wiring, I started looking at the graphics card setup. While the mini-itx MB does have integrated graphics, part of the design challenge was to include a graphics card for better performance. Given the size constraints, a few unique things were needed. To minimize the visible wiring and the tubing routing, the graphics card is mounted off board and upside down.
Casey at http://www.adexelec.com/ helped find the right PCI-E extender. Thanks Casey!
Cable-gami anyone? It took a pad of paper to figure this out.
The folding flips the card side connector upside down.
The other necessary thing is a performant graphics card with low power requirements and a small footprint. The best one that I could find was the Galaxy 9600 GT LP LP. The LPs stand for Low Profile Low Power. It’s the ideal card for what I have in mind.
Thanks Galaxy and Shane!
This card is a tiny half height card at 8 x 2.25 inches. Also check out the lack of power connector on the right side of the PCB. I've got a max of 200W to play with on this build so every little bit helps. One less set of wires to worry about doesn't hurt either. [H] did a great review of the card last year that gives all stats if you're interested. For this build or for a lower power home theater PC, the card is a great balance of power and size.
Testing the card with the motherboard everything was aces running at a cool 60W with DVD playback.
The only thing that glitched was the modded xbox 360 power supply. When I swapped over to an unmodded one then everything worked. I'll need to cross check my soldering.
From the back side, the mounting doesn't look too complex. Huh, mounting for what?
Something naked this way comes.
Not sure if you noticed these in the video and pictures from Vintage Laser.
Laser block :) or layer cake block that are stacked pieces of sheet brass soldered together.
Because the laser can't cut copper, I had to go old school on the 1/8" copper. :)
I plan to solder them together and no, I have no idea what I am doing. Should be fun. :) Any bets on whether it'll work? Opinions vary from it'll leak or that performance will be too poor. On the last point, I don't think it'll matter much given the cooling requirements of the card. On the first, stay tuned to find out…
Thanks for looking and many thanks to my sponsors!
Bitspower
Galaxy
HardwareLabs
Outstanding! Interesting how this has gone from Norse mythology all the way around the bend to Bioshock. Love the choice of case and your hardware-fu is still unmatched. :)
Beautiful craftsmanship, as always. I can't wait to see what the full thing looks like when it's actually together. :D
Are you going to be adding feet of some sort, or will it be sitting on those brass brackets?
OOC, how many pins are there in that main connector? It would be awesome if you could incorporate not just the power but HDMI and USB as well, so you could have just a single cable running to it.
Hey Blue, thanks! The mythologies of Bioshock and the Berserkers are intertwined. :) Hopefully the remaining updates will make it slightly clearer.
Hey x88x, Thanks man! Not sure yet. I'll probably add some small rubber dots to keep it from scratching the desk either on the brass or the leather. On the power connector, there is nine but I'm using 8 for the xbox 360 power. A single cable would be nice. The usb will go out the front behind the logo when needed and the HDMI will exit the back or the side although the back right of the power connector seems likely right now.
Hmmm, oh well. Yeah, I don't know of any round 35+ pin connectors... I do remember seeing one once that was part of a sound system, but it was probably ~3" in diameter...a little to large for this (of course, it was probably more like 100 connectors...).
Whoooooo.....! Mach, I am becoming a real fan of you. I really love your Art deco/Steampunk style your the Retrosmith.
:) Thanks Cheron!
Don't thank me. you are great! and you do really inspire me with this and your other mods. I was wondering if you ever continue with Retromod. I really loved the way those tubes looked. but first finish this one I will be here to the end.:up:
I need some help. Which deco design, do you think work best for the graphics card waterblock.
@Cheron: Heh, heh, yes the ghosts of our unfinished mods haunts us all. :) I'll finish it eventually. I really tore off more than I could handle with the sliding door. After this project, I'll have enough "know how" to tackle it (I think). I've got a few other mod ideas in the backlog that may have to be done first but we'll see.
For your perusal,
1950s Rauland Amplicall
The bigger brother was seen on Perry Mason and Star Trek.
Vermorel Copper Tank Sprayer - This was supposed to have been the case for Bärsärkar-gång but the SFF heater took control.
These soldiers are hamming it up with one in the trenches during WWI.
Here a case that I am currently chasing. I bought one from ebay and it was perfect but the seller said it was lost in shipping. There's a 3 slot on ebay now but I'm looking for a 4 slot. Anyone runs across one, let me know. ;)
I'm going to vote deco design #2, simply for the symmetry. The wave action at the bottom of the others throws me off. Although I'm sure any of them will look excellent once you touch them, Midas.
I vote for #1. It feels...less busy than the others.
this and +repQuote:
Originally Posted by blueonblack
I like how the second one incorporates the top of the piece into the design.
Thanks for the feedback! :) Modder consensus seems to be 3 is too busy. The split is landing between 1 & 2 probably closer to 2.
A few folks suggested a mix of the two patterns. How about this? Are the waves too much on this one also? Keep in mind the brass piece is 2.5 x 5 inches.
I was going to vote for #1 but the new pattern is spot on.
Oooh, I like it, especially how it draws the physical shape into the design (which I assume was rather the point). Also, personally, I like the waves, especially if you're trying to relate it with Bioshock. It gives it a nice feeling of context. I think the multiple layers of waves in #3 was a bit much, but just one is perfect.
I vote for the new one also. :)
Ill second the new one... If its a bioshock theme it looks perfect. Requiem!!
It's still a little busy for me, but much better. If you want waves, definitely go with the new one. :)
Wow thanks a bunch everyone...this really helped! Still liking #4 but here's some others that folks suggested.
AAAACCCKKKK!!!!! So many choices........
I realy liked #4 the nyou put more up, now it's a toss up #4 or #5.
Agreed; tossup b/n 4&5. 4 if you want to go for the feel of Bioshock during the game (s, I assume; haven't played 2 yet). 5 if you want to go for the feel of Rapture as a thriving metropolis.
Ooo! Ooo!! #5 FTW!!!
Take the buildings from 5 and replace the triangles in 4 with it. Then remove the swoops from the top part so its just the straight bit.
Also the greyed portion at the top will be one layer lower correct?
Basically 4 and 5, mostly 4
Thanks! I'm going to run with these two:
They seem to have the best mix of all the attributes folks liked.
:eek:the new 1st one (with the city) is so awsome! +rep for haveing suck an awsome mod
Yes! It felt like something was missing from the city one, I think that semicircle was it.
city with semi-circle gets my vote
#5!! and +rep... I love your work mate!!
Thanks guys! Next update on deck....
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From well intentioned beginnings, Operation Paperclip quickly devolved into unethical and morally questionable sub-projects. Conspiracy theorists suggest that the turning point was the recruitment of Kurt Blome, an expert in bacteriological warfare. Likely, the USA's recruitment saved Blome from the gallows as he had freely admitted to conducting human experiments prior to the Doctor's Trials in Nuremburg. His recruitment also signaled the end of any limits imposed by Truman on Operation Paperclip. Additional scientists engaged in human experimentation were actively recruited including Hermann Becker-Freysing (later convicted and sentenced to 20 years for, among other things, force feeding prisoners seawater), Brigid Tenenbaum (camp prisoner turned "das wunderkind" scientist), and Siegfriend Ruff (acquitted of killing 80 prisoners in experiments in an isobaric chamber set to simulate high altitude flight).
Emboldened by their success recruiting these new researchers, the CIA broadened their recruiting to other countries including Japan, the former USSR, and China.
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I've been busy with a little research regarding block graphics. Let's start from here and work backwards.
Part of the reason that I wanted to build a set of layered block for this project was so I could etch the blocks or rather, sandblast them. I haven't seen too many people use this technique but have seen glass carvers do amazing things. Here's the top piece of brass polished for blasting.
By the way if you are trying to tap a waterblock and have a drill press, a 1/2" hole in a 2x4 makes a good guide. I tapped the holes now instead of later so the thread is to bottom.
It took asking 4 sign shops to find one that could cut vinyl as small as the design. They did an awesome job. Some of these lines are tiny.
Let's talk sandblasting equipment. This is the gun that I bought from a discount hardware store called Harbor Freight. Its pretty bad but serviceable if you're optimizing on costs vs time.
Here's my $20 blasting cabinet. One clear storage container and a couple of rubber downspout couplers.
A pair of old rubber gloves glued in place with a hole for a vacuum line and compressor line. Its not completely sealed but is at negative pressure with the vacuum so no worries.
5 lbs of aluminum oxide. With the cabinet, I was able to recycle most of this to shoot it multiple times.
Great compressor for airbrushing not so much for sand blasting. Too small.
Shop vac to keep the dust down and negative pressure in the cabinet.
Blasting a couple of test pieces.
Shooting until the compressor kicked on and then waiting till it stopped, I was able to etch some relief but it took a long time and multiple goes.
The vinyl sticker worked very well as a resist. After about the 4 or 5th pass, it did cut out the holes but it patched ok with some painters tape.
The detail is impressive; both with the vinyl and the etching. You could etch PCBs using this technique.
All in all a successful experiment. It worked reasonably well but I'm going to find someone with a serious setup before I try the big block. My compressor and the gun hopper setup is too small. Off to see if I can rent a pressure pot and a real compressor. :)
Oh yeah it works very well on acrylic too.
Next time, how do you braze a layer block? More experimentation underway.
Thanks for looking and many thanks to my sponsors!
Bitspower
Galaxy
HardwareLabs
Beautiful work, I'll be looking for the brazing update. :)
