Book of Knowledge - My Home Server

In the planning stages, I've been working in sketchup here for a couple of hours and here is what I have come up with:

I screwed up and I think I'm going to be reversing the internals (The motherboard and PSU) so that they hand on the other wall that is currently plexi.

I also need to widen it a bit. Its at 5", but with 3/4" MDF (which is what I'll probably end up using, it'll make the hard drive a squeeze.

Moe's Tavern is still on, but has been moved to the back burner. This is a slight bit more important to me at the moment, and should go quicker.

Comments, suggestions are always welcome.

-Trace

P.S. I'll try to have updated sketchups in a little bit

Updated Sketchups:

I'm undecided about using the plexi. Thoughts?

I also am contemplating modding the PSU and shrinking the width and making the whole setup fanless.

The Specs will be an Atom 330 on a mini-itx board with a 1TB harddrive.
It'll be low power so I think I can get away with fanless everything if I make the "pages" area of the book a mesh.

Thoughts?

Size wize this case currently is 16" tall, 5" wide and I want to say 12" deep.

Side note: Do not render on your atom processor. It is the slowest thing known to man. I have an i7 at 4Ghz I should be doing it on but my sketchup wasn't working on it.

OHHH you! This should be cool! And I wouldn't use plexi, I would make it look like a book, then you can open it an surprise!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Mark_Hardware

OHHH you! This should be cool! And I wouldn't use plexi, I would make it look like a book, then you can open it an surprise!

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+1 on that idea!!! The book-look should be great!!! maybe like one of those antique books...

Thanks guys, keep the ideas coming!

Edit: Chaksq threw out the idea of a picopsu. This would allow this build to be tiny. I'll be resketchuping what that would look like. Stay tuned

New Sketchups: New Dimensions: 4" wide, 8" deep, 12" tall

Added "bronze/brass" text and showed possible location of secret power button

An Idea of size:

hmm one way to have the button hidden is to have it touch and to make it touch sensitive have two wires close to each other and have them hidden so when you touch it you close the circuit

I guess I don't do much reading; the title was on the wrong side of the book.

Here's a fixed look at it: (the power button would be in a similar location)

I built a cardboard version to get a feel for the size, which is as good as this mod can get until I order and receive parts. I want to make this as thin and small as possible, but don't have all the measurements I need. I feel that it's still a bit too big, however it is really small! Pictures are in order I imagine so for for your viewing pleasure, I now present my cardboard mock-up:

Marking for cutting:

My cardboard pieces cut out:

Built, standard soda can for size comparison:

Parts I'm looking at:

MoBo/CPU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813186184
Ram: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820227494
PSU: http://www.mini-box.com/picoPSU-90-80W-power-kit
And I already have a 1TB drive I will be putting in.
Total cost (approx): $180
I have a max budget of about $250 if you have a suggestion for a diff MoBo/CPU, RAM, or PSU. Needs to be 100% fanless.
Input, suggestions, ideas?

as far as construction goes check out hobby lobby or a model store and pick up some polystyrene, do a search for project dma dn you can get an idea of how to build the book. out of the stuff. looks good so far

Thanks, I'll look it up!

See if you can't add a little 'dimple' line on each side like you'd find in a normal hardcover book.

Dimple- Check

I Have hardware I purchased today, I will post pictures later.

New Hardware! ASUS AT3N7A-I with a 120Watt picopsu and my 1 TB HDD:

Setup and installing WHS:

Got pieces of wood cut at Home Depot:

Gluing the front block to the MoBo mount:

Same as above with hardware test mounted:

HERE I leave you a guide to make a touch on-off button, it's on a spanish web but it's transated, maybe you can make your own guide in eng!!

I like the second design a lot!! you have to think in the ventilation too... I'll make it like a "Book-ish" grill in bronce or something similar, with tiny holes :up:

Can't wait for more updates!!

That guide is quite confusing...

Sketchup V3 (this time rendered on my i7 in < 15seconds:

This is a cool project with a catchy name, keep it up =)

Going to my workshop, will have an update later tonight

Cool project, Trace!

Love the sketchup work. If I can make a suggestion, I'd make your lettering on the front of the book in some ancient cursive like Lord of the Rings or something. I think that it would add some authenticity to it. :up:

Keep up the good work. This will be a nice project if you can pull it off. I'm about to begin work on a server, myself.

Thanks for the kind words! I just hope this project is 1/100 as good as yours! :up:

I haven't decided on a final lettering yet, but it will definitely be something that looks old!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by crenn

That guide is quite confusing...

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Cause google's translation isn't perfect... you'll have to put emphasys :redface:
Is basically a switch that activates when you close the circuit making GND with your body :up:

Sorry, update will come tonight. Had to help my father with preparing for his lawsuit.

UPDATE!!!1!1!!!!! (these pictures from last night and earlier today)
The goal of last night was to countersink the hinges and drill the motherboard standoff holes to be able to mount the MoBo.

An Idea of Clearance:

More progress will be happening over the course of the next week. Stay tuned for an update.

Big Shout out to our new member BSMods. I met him at Rods and Mods and he fabbed up a HDD mount for this out of modders mesh. Thanks Bob!

Hi Trace-

Glad you got that hdd cage ok. I would suggest either painting it black or hitting it with something gritty for a natural look.

Can't wait to see it installed.

You are very welcome btw. Thanks for the shout out.:)

lookin good! this thing should be awesome!