I don't know much about security cameras but at lot of rooms have that two-way mirror stuff. At least in 24 anyway. :D
Also, I think you mean transparent, not opaque.
Maybe you can find a reuleaux triangle bit or sander for the recess:
Printable View
I don't know much about security cameras but at lot of rooms have that two-way mirror stuff. At least in 24 anyway. :D
Also, I think you mean transparent, not opaque.
Maybe you can find a reuleaux triangle bit or sander for the recess:
Hey guys!
Thanks, cellsite60! :)Quote:
Originally Posted by cellsite60
Thank you, artoodeeto. I really appreciate the kind words. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by artoodeeto
The pump/res combo is the swiftech MCP350 with XSPC res top. Here are the dimensions.
The pump base is about .8".
Yeah, that's a good point. I didn't have anything with me that was between 150 - 600, so it probably didn't help.Quote:
Originally Posted by x88x
Thanks! :up:
Thanks! The router table really is awesome. Such a useful tool. I'm already thinking up a hundred different things that I could do with it on my next build and a few things that I could do with this one.Quote:
Originally Posted by msmrx57
Thanks, Waynio!Quote:
Originally Posted by Waynio
Yes, they will work with aluminum just fine. In fact, the bit that you've seen me cut the plexi with is the same that I use for cutting aluminum with. It's a bosch upspiral 1/4" shank carbide tip. I used it in my RotoZip before. Works great for both plexi and aluminum. :up:
*Phew*. I'm tired. :D
Been spending a lot of hours in the shop lately.
First, some more fun with the unibits. I have a few different ones, and they all seem to cut different into this plexi. The fatter one has a better cut and gives me edges that are as smooth as a baby's behind. The skinnier ones with more depth leave a little roughness behind to sand away.
I'll have some pictures of the actual Zero Gravity shelves drilled with these in the next update.
Pieces laid out for cutting. I'll be cutting two 22.5 x 8" panels, one for the roof of the case and one for the floor.
Out comes the trusty (?) jigsaw.
So the jig cuts came out "ok" as they always do and were filed down. And one of these pieces served for the new floor in my case to cover those ugly vents. Remember this?
Now, with the improved look.
And into the Zero-G Chamber.
I'll be cutting vents in this new floor only where they are needed.
*Takes a breather and a swig of bottled water*
Ok.. then I went to work on the roof of the case.
Ugly mesh vents.. and more than are needed...
Out you come, ugly mesh vents. Mr. Dremel, get to work.
That's looking better. And since I hate jigsaws (I guess hate would be a strong word, but I dislike them for their inaccurate nature) I will clear these out with the routing table, instead.
Important safety tip: Whenever placing your piece on your routing table, always make sure that you are holding it securely as above before flipping the switch. That bit will grab into it easily and fling it across your table if you don't.
And at all times, if not using a miter guide, make sure you are holding the piece securely with both hands to minimize kickback and keep your hands and fingers as far away from the bit as possible.
Clearing out the right side.
A very clean cut, even before filing.
Now for the other side.
And the short sides.
And then we have the completed piece.
The new piece for the roof will overlay from the inside. Since the Cosmos has a shell, you won't be able to see the top/outside roof of the frame, but I wanted it to look nice, anyway.
Both the floor and roof will have to be cut in certain places for the shell to fit back on properly. But.. let's save that one for another day, shall we!?
Well I think that's about enough for now. Thanks again for following the making of refleXion.
:up:
Wow, I can't get enough of this build! The different ways you put the router table to work are amazing, especially as it seems to be incredibly accurate compared to most other methods. I'll be putting that high on my list of tools to get once I have a workspace. Looking forward to the end result, keep up the good work!
Wow, I'm increasingly jealous of that routing table. :P I was envisioning long hours of grinding and filing...and you get a great straight line so (relatively) effortlessly.
Bad luck with that new saw blade. Maybe you just need a finer toothed blade?
Thanks, Main. I really appreciate the feedback. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by TheMainMan
Actually, I was having a blonde moment. I put the blade on backwards. :facepalm:Quote:
Originally Posted by x88x
I know that many of you are probably tiring of shop pictures, so I put a short collage together of previously unreleased shots. refleXion has been in the works for awhile, but I'm doing my best to ensure that the long wait will be worth it.. both for me and for those who have followed the project since its inception.
-Michael
Ooooh, pretty. Especially that second to last shot, with everything inside. It really pulls the look together beautifully. :D
Some new photos of all the blocks on the new board. I've been held up waiting on some raw materials to get here. I ordered some Lexan for a new idea that I'm hoping to incorporate into the build. More to share on this soon.
Nice. I love the solid (nickel?) SLI connectors.
Thanks, me too. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by x88x
Ok guys, you will soon see refleXion in motion in full HD video. I'm finishing up some film tonight of the full board layout with all the waterblocks as you saw in the pictures and will hopefully have this online for your viewing pleasure either tomorrow or Saturday.
Here's a 720p shot from the video scaled down in size to 1000x.
So being a rookie to the forum i just stumbled on this thread thanks to the feature. And I now have to say that if I get fired for reading for the last hour and a half and not working I can safely blame you as the cause! This build is absolutely mesmerizing! Your attention to detail reminds me of myself, however, I unfortunately don't have the means or an impatient partner to deal with. Mad props on this build though for sure.....I'm pretty sure I puked in my mouth a few times because this thing is so sick/buck nasty! I love it.....and as much as I can't wait to see the build finished...I hope it takes you at least another five months. (Purely for the stake of aesthetics) It's ALL in the details! Rock on man!
LOL. Don't let me interfere with your job, bud. :redface:Quote:
Originally Posted by burntheland
Thank you so much for the kind words. They mean a lot. I'm very happy that you're enjoying the project. There are still a lot of surprises ahead, so stay tuned.
In fact, one is to follow here in just a moment...
http://vimeo.com/10476537
Enjoy,
Michael
Very nice video! 8) +rep for that and an awesome build. :up:
Thanks for the rep. ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by msmrx57
So now I'm going to share with you what I've been working on for the past two weeks.
Often when modding, you feel as if you've encroached on a new idea, but being able to put it into practice isn't as easy as it often seems it will be. So when you're able to make something work as you've imagined it, it brings a special sense of content. ;)
I present to you a new way of shelving Lexan and Plexi, the Dovetail.
This is an ancient practice, actually, but I have never seen it done on plastics or glass before. It's often used as a method of bonding two pieces of wood together and is used in dressers and desks commonly. But could I get it to work on Lexan.. could I get it to look clean and bond securely without adhesive. That was the question and was my goal. I wanted to discover a way of bonding two or more pieces of Lexan together without using adhesive such as Weld-on or epoxy. That's fine for many, but I just don't like using adhesives on glass because it always leaves a residue behind that's visible to the eye.
For those who aren't familiar, this is what is called a "Dado" or half of a sliding dovetail--
In the most basic terms, it's an angled groove that serves as a keyhole of sorts for an adjacent piece to slide in and bond. Here's how it bonds together--
Notice how, when cut accurately, it bonds nice and clean. A perfect fit--like a key into a keyhole. And it's a snug fit.. no adhesive of any sort needed as long as you cut the key or what is technically called the "Tenon" correctly.
To cut the dovetails, I use dovetail bit at 4mm depth--
But-- you've seen how it looks on wood already, so let's view it on glass.
You can see how I can hold it, and it hangs firmly in place. In fact, chances are you could not force it apart with your bare hands; it would take a rubber mallet to separate these two pieces.
The edges of this Lexan had not been sanded since these were just used as test pieces. To sand out the saw marks, I use my power sander--
--and to get the finer imperfections out I sand by hand with 400, 600, 800, 1000, 1500, 2000 grit and then finally aluminum/metal polish to get to perfect transparency like on the flat side of the glass/Lexan.
More to come in the next update on this. I'll show the actual shelves which will be going into the Zero-G Chamber being fit together by this method.
Thanks for checking in.
8D That...is awesome. I never would have thought to try a dovetail with plexi, +rep I'm definitely looking forward to seeing a sanded fit. :D
Awesome! I was considering joining acrylic sheets by slotting them (tongue and groove) before welding them. I hadn't really considered a dovetail though. I wonder if it's 'oil tight' without welding?:whistler: I might add that to my to-do list of experiments.
Thanks, guys.
mDust--it's very tight. I had to tap the pieces together with a rubber mallet. I didn't want there to be any wobble whatsoever, yet at the same time I was careful not to make the join tight enough to crack the Lexan.
The only way I can dislodge the pieces is to stand on one with my foot and pull up on the other. And even that takes some force.
Some may view this as a simple discovery, but I'm very excited about it. This will give me the perfect clean look that I'm going for with the transparency effect of the Zero-G Chamber. :D
Yeah that's going to turn out nicely. Is there a way to cut a dovetail as shown without a router?
No, I think that a router is necessary for this.Quote:
Originally Posted by burntheland
BLAST! Anybody got a router for sale? Maybe for 100 bucks? lol
I used to work with a guy that could cut "perfect" dovetails with a handsaw. He also made hinges with only hand tools. He had almost 30 years experience and learned the wood working trade from his grandpa. One of a kind woodworker.Quote:
Originally Posted by Xion X2
I absolutely love the dovetail idea! It really works for this build.
Keep the great work coming!
Master craftsmen can often create workarounds.Quote:
Originally Posted by Airbozo
I'm far from a master craftsman and need a decent set of tools to do it. :D
I can see a handsaw being able to work with larger pieces, but it could be really tough with something this small. The dados are only 3/8" in diameter, so they're quite small.
Thanks for the compliments.
I wish I could have learned more from my friend. He is retired now but creates lots of wonderful items for friends and family.Quote:
Originally Posted by Xion X2
For me working with plexi is always more difficult than wood. Plexi shows more mistakes.
For the edges, have you looked into "flaming" them? I have not tried it, but have seen a tutorial where a guy uses the flaming trick and the edge looks like smooth glass. I will find the links if you are interested.
BTW: I like all the nice comments you are getting on OCN too.
I'd be very interested in seeing that video if you could find it. :up:Quote:
Originally Posted by Airbozo
I've tried some flame polishing but haven't had a lot of luck thus far. It's possible that I just haven't perfected the technique yet.
OCN is a great group. Those guys are very supportive. Great group here as well.. just not as much traffic.
I think I remember my Father flaming acrylic stuff when I worked at his place a couple of summers. He works at the company that makes the bakery cabinets for places like Horny Tim's.
I found some info on flaming edges:
http://www.eplastics.com/Plastic/Ple...ishing_Charges has some warnings but you won't be silk screening. lol
http://www.ehow.com/how_5075416_poli...glas-edge.html Another short page.
Good info Starlite KNight +rep
I used t owork in a sign shop and we did flame edge on some plexi signs, the best advice is use some scraps and practice. :banghead: The smother that the edge is the easier it is. It's a combination of the right flame/heat and distance from the plexi combined with keeping the flame moving. With pratice it gets pretty easy to get consitant results. From the attention to detail that you've shown, it shouldn't be a problem for you. :up:
I used the tried and true sand then buff with dremel and novus plastic polish method :D
Ive been following this build for months, anyway question on the dovetail with the lexan. Would the dovetail also work as a seal to prevent leaks? like from mineral oil and such?
From a wood working perspective.....yes, but only to be trusted with a sealant or gasket. Adjoining materials being flush do not always account for an "air-tight" seal. It is always recommended that you use a sealant or gasket when building any type of structure that is made to hold water or be air-tight. Besides, when working with computers all it takes is one drop of water to ruin the whole project. Granted mineral oil is a different monster in comparison to water, and plexi is a different monster in comparison to wood...but I would just assume play it safe when it comes to any types of liquids.Quote:
Originally Posted by Okele
If someone has done the dovetail alone to seal liquid I would love to see how you went about it.
Thanks, Starlite. I'll check those out. :up:Quote:
Originally Posted by Starlite KNight
Yep, best to smooth the edge first.Quote:
Originally Posted by msmrx57
That's the second time I've heard of the Novus polish, so I'll have to pick some up.Quote:
Originally Posted by SXRguyinMA
Quote:
Originally Posted by Okele
Good info. :up:Quote:
Originally Posted by burntheland
My sleeving came in as I mentioned, along with my fans. So here are some pics from last night's photo session.
Love Nils' drawings. The space theme made me smile. :)
mmm tasty
oh and on the Novus - get #3 and #2, 3 is coarse, 2 is semi-fine. #1 is just a general cleaner, doesn't do too much as a "polishing" compound per se
Check out my Rockin Case build, theres some shots of the results I got with it there
Cool. Thanks for the suggestion. I'm going to pick up some of this tomorrow. Where do you usually get yours? I'm hoping that my local chains have it and I don't have to order it online.Quote:
Originally Posted by SXRguyinMA
most motorcycle shops will carry it as its popular with the dirt bike/atv crowd for fixing small scuffs in the plastics. They might have to order it, but can definitely get it. If you cant find it let me know and I'll get it for you from my shop and send it out :up:
every time i look at photos of this build my pants get tighter....wtf? lol
Thanks. I ended up ordering some off ebay. Should be here next week. :up:Quote:
Originally Posted by SXRguyinMA
Afraid I can't answer that one. :eek:Quote:
Originally Posted by burntheland
Not a lot of progress has happened with the build in the last week as I've been quite busy at my job. In the interim, here's another sleeving pic.
Tease.
