BLACKOUT
More to come,... soon to be complete.
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Ok,... I got my Criticool Waterplant reservoir. It's very cool looking, no doubt. I definately have plans for it. It comes with 4 ports, 2 of which I dont need,... but do:) There are 2 of which I don't need for circulation but I do need for my temperature probe and the othr I am going to use for an UV LED. The reservoir came with 3 1/2 OD fittings and 2 end caps to block off the 2 extra ports if not needed. Well,... the 2 end caps are actually perfect for the insertion of a dallas 1-wire temperarute probe and a 5mm LED! It's goign to lok so pro when it done. Here are some pictures of the reservoir,...
Here you can see some slight imperfections:( Not that bad though,... it will end up being covered up anyways.
Here is two shots of of where I might put the pumps and radiators,... I will probably put them just where they are seeing that space is limited. I kind of like where they are. I'll show you guyz what I have in mind for the reservoir placement later. Pictures,...
I got a sheet of UV green acrylic!!! Sweet! It got a 4' x 8' sheet too!
I went to Home Depot and bought alot of stuff needed for my project. I got a huge 3/4" x 4' x 8' partical board that I had then cut in half for me. I am going to use that for my work surface. I also got sheet metal that I will use for the radiator shroud and for covering up the mobo and the back of my drives. I got 1/4" acrylic for my windows too. I had or am having some trouble with getting clamps for my hoses. I found the clamps that have a small screw at the top but the rings are to small for the hoses. I want the small screws instead of the big ones. I found these 2 clamps at Home Depot that have the small screw with a big enough ring but thats all they had. I only found 3 at Loews. They said they dont know where I got them from, they can't find them. So,... I have 5 and need like 11 more:( Anyways,... I installed the blocks and the hoses to connect the three blocks to see how they would fit and to see how much room they would take up. They take up more room then I thought. I have a find another place to put my reservoir because of it. Not a problem though. Here are some pictures,...
Here are some more pictures of my progress,...
My work area,...
My work table. I made this table just for this project. See the 2 x 3's bolted to the underside of the table,... I'm going to bend some sheet metal over the table and those 2 x 3's and use that are for bending acrylic.
Side panel half taped off,...
Side panel ready for markings,...
Marked with rounded corners,...
My snack,...
Window cut out,...
Rounded corner,...
Some of the tape peeling up,... not good, but not a problem.
Panel ready for filing,...
I sandwiched the panel between some 2 x 8's to and some long clamps to get it to stand striaght up and to cut down on vibration while filing.
Here are some pictures right before I screwed up the 1/4" acrylic.
Hobbes,... I have the 1/4" bit too. The collar on the bit is to low from the the bit cuts. So, if I was to run the collar along the edge of the acrylic I'm cutting(which is actually what I want), it wont round the edge enough. I need to lower the bit a little more to get a good round edge but if I do that the collar wont be touching the edge of the acrylic I am cutting. Thats why I had ran the collar along the other window. Now,... because I had to run the collar on the other window I needed a small space between the two windows so that the bit didnt cut the window that the collar is running along. I got some 1/8", I'm just going ot use that instead. I think it will be better anyways.
Some progress!!! Thank you god!!! I finished the windows!!! But,... a problem with the tint arose. There are alot fo bubbles around the edges. It's from the acrylic being so flexible. What is happening is that the acrylic is bowing out where the bolts are holding to the windows up to the side panel. I tried loosening them a bit but no cigar. What I am going to do is buy some of the adhesive tint. That should solve my problem easily. Here are some pictures,...
My waiste:( Theres like 2 - 3 attempts in there. I was cutting the two windows together so for every one mistake there was two. Oh well.
The two completed windows,... I taped them together this time around. It worked VERY well.
Here's the side panel after center punching one of the marks where a bolt will be.
One of my lovely rounded corners,...
Another rounded corner,...
One of the side panels complete and ready for a window,...
Ok,... here they are,... drum roll!
With a little uv something inside. The uv stuff will be much brighter once I have all 100 uv LEDs installed. Right now I am using two little uv flashlights. the overall look of it though will be dimmed like this though. This is exactly what I want. It's so HOT!
So what do you guyz think so far?
Ok! NOW I FINISHED THE WINDOWS!!! I went back to my acrylic shop, E&T Plastics and bought see through smoke colored acrylic, basically,... tinted acrylic. It cost me $56 for a 4' x 8' sheet. I just got done a bit ago with them. They are flawless! No deformities what so ever! No bubbles and there never will be! I love this stuff! I am going to use some more of it to make my radiator housing so that it matches the case. I still have the UV green acrylic too that I am going to use. Here are some pictures,...
Here's one side with a uv green fan lit up inside,...
UV green fan up close,...
Same fan farther away,...
From the side you can see how dark it gets when there is hardly anything lit up inside.
Ther other side of the computer along with the other window,...
Through the window but out in the open,...
The other side of the window,...
Check Takealot Specials and Woolworths Specials.
Ok,... here are some pictures. Not alot of progress because I spent alot of time trying to figure out how to build these housings. Well here are the pictures,...
Here are some pictures of the brackets I made and soldered to the radiators. Simple copper pipe that I had cut down to about a 1/4" each. Easy.
Here are the pictures of what is going to be my side panels for my radiator housings. I am using the scrap aluminum from when I cut out my windows for the case side panels. I taped them together so they could be cut together.
Heres a drawing I made to give you guyz an idea of what I am trying to accomplish with the radiator housings. IT is incomplete though. I left out the canopy that will protect the radiator cooling fins and hide them too. Maybe later I will make another drawing to show you what I mean.
Ok,... here are some more pictures. I jhust got down filing the radiator side panels. I still have to cut out windows for them.
Now check this out,... I was throwing around the idea of making the edges of all my side panels look like whats in the picture. They would all be jagged, serrated, and aluminum looking as in the picture except the edges for the side panels will be saned reall nice too. what do you think? Should I just leave the edges alone? I like it. I think it will clash nice with all the aluminum bolts that are holding up the windows.
Also,... I was going to name the case "Black Ice" but I decided not too, I think. I am not sure. So,... I need some suggestions for you guyz. I need something that is some what approriate to the cases design, even the case isnt done. But I am sure you guyz have a good idea of what it is goign to look like finished. So let me know and if I like it, I will use it! Post away,...
Here are some new pictures,...
A diagram I had drawn to help figure out how to bend 1/8" aluminum. After each bend I gain 1/16". I need to subract it from everything after each bend.
Here's the free aluminum cut to size,... Thanks Chris
Here are the bends I made,... the bends are dead on but the dimensions are off.
Here you can see that I'm about an 1/8" off.
But here you can see the bends are right on,...
It works! About time too! Check it out,...
Heres a shot of my bending rig that I just got done assembling today. I thought this up last night at work and then went shopping as soon as I got off, LOL.
You probably already know how I do it just from looking at these pics. Now,... these vise are somewhat,... crappy. They are ok but the pipe vise on these vises are crooked. I tried filing them straight but they are just way to crooked. Maybe I should of spent the extra $30 each and got the best model they had,......... NAH. So, instead of using the pipe vise portion of the vises,... I just rest the pipes where you see them now. They line up straight when clamped and I cant complain about that.
Heres a shot of a scrap piece clamped and already bent. I didnt use any heat.
Heres a side shot,... see the right angel aluminum? Thats how I know where the pipe is going to bend the aluminum.
Another shot from under,...
See the bend line,... the bend starts right after that line! Not a 16th or an 8th before and after, RIGHT AFTER.
Another shot of that bend line,... also you might be able to see where the pipe actaully squished the aluminum to much. I have to ease off the vise a bit.
Here you can see the radius line and the right angle that gets lined up with it.
So far it works very well. There is one thing I have to take care of and that would be to add a stopper or something to keep the work under the pipe from moving back while pulling forward to make the bend. No biggie. Tell me what you think.
OH MY GOD I FINISHED THE PRCATICE SHELL!!! IT'S PERFECT TOO!!! Look,...
This is after the first bend,...
Setting up for the second mark for the second bend,...
Clamped and ready to get bent:)
Bent,...
ALL FINSHED!!! Look how good it came out!!! SWEET!
I am now ready for the real aluminum. I am not going to to start that today and maybe not tomorrow either,... I have lots of drinking and clubbin to do alcoholic:. Till then!
The first housing shell is bent!!! Oh yea! Tell me what you think!
I have 3 sheets total that can be used to make these housing shells. I am making these shells slightly smaller then the side panels so that I can sand down the side panels flush with the shell. I think I will bend all 3 of them and then pick out the 2 best shells. This shell is about 97% accurate. While bending,... one side of each bend was slightly off. I dont know why. I had to pound those sides into shape. I am thinking that maybe it my bending pipes. I am going to get new ones before I start the other 2 shells. Anyways,... it's all good!
Just got finished with the second shell,...
My new bending bars,...
Cleaning up the edges trying to make sure I dont file to much in one spot. I need the edge as straight as possible.
Clamped and ready for the first bend.
After the the first bend,...
The second shell along with teh first shell.
The second shell is I think slightly larger, I think. The shells have no form so it hard to tell. But I do know there is a slight difference bewteen the two. Thats ok though seeing that I am not trying to split hairs here. The one thing that I might have to do is make new sie panels for these shells. I should of made the shells first and then made the side panels after. It would of been easier that way plus the side panels could be filed down to fit the shells perfectly. I think the side panels I have now are a tiny bit to small. Like I said before I think. Its hard to tell but I am pushing more towards YES, they are a bit to small. I have to make a third shell now. I want to see how that one comes out. The second shell was alot easier to make this time. I didnt have any problems with any sides of the bends having a slight bow to them. So I think the second one is more accurate, I think. Once I have the third made I will choose from the three the two I will use.
Ok,... I finished the third shell and here is what I got,...
Heres one side of shells 2 and 3 side by side,... you see how perfect they fit together. Thats what I am looking for.
Here the other side of 2 and 3.
Here are some aerial shot of 2 and 3. You see how they fit together? they look like one big shell.
Now heres shell 1 with shell 3,... explains itself. I knew shell 1 was messed up from the begining. I think it was because of the bending pipes.
Anyways,... I have to clean up these shells, trim the slack off that is. Then after that it will be time to make the new side panels. Till then,... OH and gruntman,... thanks for making me a sticky. Never been a sticky before:) *FEELS SPECIAL :=: *
Today was very repetitious:( But it all paid off:) Check it out,...
Here I am marking and cutting off my brackets,... 16 total:(
All of the brackets ready for drilling,...
Center punch for accuracy:)
Brackets installed to side panel,...
But,... it's kind of snug:(
I have to drill out the bolt holes a bit so I can adjust the brackets just a bit to relieve the shell. Just a bit though, the shell has to be forced into this position because right now it's slightly bowed from bending. My brackets are off by a hair. In the morning when I get home from work I will fix that and start the other panel. So far so good.
More pics and progress!!! I have to go to bed now but as soon as I get to work I will type out some comments.
Drilling holes through a side panel with a bracket.
Cutting off bolt slack,... just thought of something,... I still have to install a window for each side panel. Those bolts are going to be to short now, crap.
Housings almost complete.
My new fans. These suckers are nasty!
More pics,... and a VIDEO! I made a quick video of all 6 of my YS-Tech fans running. Pretty loud. Anyways,... today I got alot down but not,... I had cut out the holes for the radiators, what a pain.
The video.
http://images.gruntville.com/casegal..._Tech_Fans.wmv
I did some work today even though Im suppose to be spending time with my gurl,... shes sick though so she dont care. I got the radiators mounted inside the housings. Here are the pics,...
I am so close to finishing these housings!!! I finished one of the bottom panels and it looks nice. I am almost done with the other bottom panel.
Fitted, ready to be bolted,...
Bolted.
Ok,... so I wasn't able to get the fans installed today. I forgot how much of a pain in the @#$ cutting holes in aluminum is, took a bit longer then I wanted. I'll finish it in the morning. Here are my daily pics,...
LOL! I love this picture!!! So funny!
Marking my bottom panels for fan placements,... or the holes. I used my old compass with and exacto kinfe:)
HOLE SAW! HOLE SAW! HOLE SAW!
I have shinny aluminum boobies.
One method of cutting out the holes,...
Another method,...
I also tried cutting out a hole as one piece using the dremel. I thought it would be easier. It wasn't. Cutting out holes suck. Oh well.
I got the fans installed and ready to go. I have to go to home depot to get some more bolts. I am most likely going to get the hex bolts but for now I am going to use these,... they are more like tools then just bolts. Anyways,.... some pics to get you through your day:)
Now it's time to grind down the side panels flush! I cant wait but at the same time I dont want to! I am tired of filing:(
Some more pictures,...
Going to Home Depot.
Took a picture of this dork wearing dirty unfashionable overalls,... I think he was going ot Home Depot:)
Ok, we're here,...
Got my modding coffee.
Got my package today with some small computer stuff inside.
I ordered some more uv red sleeving today and instead I got red sleeving. Now,... the thing is that the last order of uv red I got this other stuff that looks very orange. I know that uv red is a cross between orange and red but this stuf looks orange to me. What do you guyz think? I am goign to to send back all of it and they will send back 40' of UV RED.
After I got the fans installed I wasnt able to do anymore work on the project so thats why there are no project pics. Tomorrow morning I will start on grinding away the side panels and even cut out the windows for those side panels. Anyways,... till then. OH check this out,... my gurl said something funny the other day. She is looking to get a desk for herself. Now we live together in her parents housse. Space is very limited. Out of frustration she asked me "why do we have to have two computers?". LOL!!! I was like,... "what are you asking me? I dont understand your question?" She's like "why can't we just have one computer and just share.". I was like "WHA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!" Do you think I should tell her now or later that I will be building another low end computer right after this one? LOL. I love my gurl.
Geeez,... I dont feel like I got anything done today. I woke up kinda late, 10am, an then I had to run some errands but still,... I got several hours in and I was only able to grind down the side panels for one housing. I still haev to hand file that housing to its finish for sanding. I originally was goign to use a hand grinder for the whole thing until I realized that it would take foooooor everrrrr. So I broke out the jig saw and started cutting off as much as possible and then grinding the rest. Well,... tomorrow moring I am goign to start the other housing and hopefully I will get the hand file some. Here are the daily pics,...
Huuuuuuuuuh,... back in the garage.
Breaking out the big guns today. This tool freaks me out!
After some grinding and jig sawing,...
Some more grinding and jig sawing,...
More,...
Finished,... grinding and jig sawing. Time for the good old flat bastard :shock:
Do you guyz know of anyone on this site that works on thier project everyday other then me?
YO YO YO,... check it out.
I did some coarse buffing to get out some of the tool marks but I have some more to go. Once I am done with the coarse buffing I will cut out the windows for each housing.
I'M BACK!!! All you people need to come back and read my log:( I have pics!!!
I found these copper elbows at Home Depot. I am going to use these to connect the rads together inside the enclosure.
They aren't all that restrictive.
The one side of the elbow will slide right into the rads. The other side is stretched so the 1/2 barb won't fit very well. It'll be very loose. So, I will screw/ solder this other piece in the photo, into the elbow and then the 1/2 barb will screw right into that. I will probably solder the barb too. Dont want to take any chances.
All the aluminum I got within the last couple of days. The 9" cut stuff is from my friend. The two other big sheets I got for $16 from a scrap yard.
My Sponge Bob ball.
Here I started. I am filing down this piece down to size. This is going to be the main shell.
I am filing my marks in half, literally. It has to be perfect.
All done. Thats long as hell. I got this piece from my friend. I offer him cash but he wouldn't take it. What a good guy.
The piece is 8 1/16 from one end to the other. Perfect.
Here's my PSONE LCD:) Can't wait:)
Tomorrow morning I will start bending the main shell. Check back.
Going to have a romantic dinner with this beautiful women.
She is waiting for me to put the D@#$ camera down.
I won these when we went bowling tonight:) I love sponge bob, sponge bob loves me:)
Ok,... have some pics for you guyz. I'm not done with today, I'm just on break:) I even made a video of me bending a corner. I thought you guyz would want to see how I do it through video.
Here I marked two lines on both sides of the sheet that run the length of it. The outer most lines are where the bolts are going to be. The inner most is the cutout lines for the rads. I did this to assure that when I go to cut and drill later that everything will be straight and EVEN.
As you can see the rad overlaps the two inner lines, this is good seeing that you won't see the edge of the rads on the other side. You have to be careful not to cover up to much of the rads seeing that it will restrict air flow.
Here I marked my first bend and clamped what is now angled steelto the sheet. Last time I used 1/8" aluminum and they bent a bit. This time I dont have to worry about that. I used larger clamps too.
Here you can see the steel right ontop of the line, no more no less.
Locked and ready to go!
A quick undershot.
My foot. This is how I bend the aluminum.
Bent.
Nice perfect bend.
See the lines as they wrap around. They are still straight:)
Here's the video I made to give you guyz a better idea of how I do this.
http://images.gruntville.com/casegal...ngAluminum.wmv
A little OT kitty love.
Ok,... here's what I got done today.
Now thats perfection:)
Check out how close the width and length are to the case. It's goign to to look like an extension of the case.
What do you guyz think about the lower profile or height? I cut the height down by an inch. I made that last two 4.5" for a reason. The reason being to help rid of the fans center dead spot. The extra room between the rads and the fans allowed for a little bit of turbulance(sp?) to help get air to the entire rad surface. But I didnt think it would be all that noticeable if I knocked out an inch. There about a half inch bewteen the fans now. Let me know what you think. This is probably it for the day seeing I have to go get my gurl from work now and then I will probably spend some time with her. So tomorrow morning this will continue. Till then,... night.
OHHH YEA! Check it out!
Here I center punched where Im going to drill out the enclosure. I used the same bolt pattern of the case windows.
Heres the front panel punches. They are closer togther because the low profile height.
Grinding away the edges of the brackets with a belt sander. I grinded all of them together so they are all the same.
Here you can see the results. Very nice.
All the brackets ready to be drilled.
The top of the enclosure with the top brackets installed. I got rid of four bolts total off the top with this bolt pattern. Not as many this time around:)
The underside of the enclosure.
The top of the enclosure up against a window. See the bolts and how they line up?
Bottom brackets installed:)
The side looking in.
The bottom of the enclosure.
Still have to install the front and rear brackets.
THE MONEY SHOT! Look how sexy that is!!! The bolts line up perfectly!
I told you guyz I would make you a prefect case if I started over and so far,... so good:) This thing is going to to look SICK!
I am so tired, you have no idea. I have only been getting about an hour of sleep everyday. This is also my second time typing this out because the site asked me to log in after clicking the submit button to post and it lost everything. Anyways,... sorry I didn't post my pics earlier. I was way to tired. I'm going to do it now.
Here, the front and rear brackets are installed.
I'm trying to figure out where the radiator cut outs are going to be. I just cant cut them anywhere because I have to make sure the fans will be directly below and easy to remove. Can't really explain right now but when the time comes I will enlighten you.
:shock:
The cut outs are finished. I even cut away teh slack a the bottom of the shell where the bottom fan panels are going to be.
Another shot.
Now,... tomorrow I am going to make some side panels. Maybe the bttom fans panels too if I have time. Originally I was goign to have one big fan panel but then realized how big and flimsy it would be. It would bend out of shape with very little effort. So I think i will make two fan panels and a third little panel for the hoses to pass through. Let me ask you guyz something. If I was to make a couple of single rad enclosures,... how much do you think I could sell them for?
Ok,... I replaced one fo the brackets and still hve to cut out another side panel. No biggie. I also figured out how to mark the holes on the other side of the brackets for mounting the side panels. Check the pics,...
The enclosure almost done. I took it apart to work on it today.
I marked out two side panel to be cut. Huh?!?!
LOL, you da man Sponge Bob:)
I bought this the other day too. I got it for a 100 beans. A router table with a router:) This will help with cutting the acrylic panels. Sponge bob stop humping the router,... :roll:.
Cutting the side panels out.
HEY! Your getting kind of close that line bro!
"WHAT??? I CAN'T HEAR YOU!"
Side panels cut and sanded down. This was the aluminum I got fromthe scrap yard. I had to sand the corrosion off.
I used this blade to line up the brackets on the scored lines. Notice one side is flat and the other side is sharpened. This is to make sure the brackets are right over the line:)
Here is the template I am using to mark the holes on the other side of the brackets. These holes are to mount the side panels. These hole have to be perfect.
Ok,... I just got home and I'm about to go and install my moms new bathroom stuff. I'm taking my gurl along with me for an extra pair of hands. I am going to ask my gurl once done if I can have some time in the garage. IfI do I will post as usual. You think she'll let me? Before I go I'll leave this with you guyz,...
I got this balloon from work last night. I saw it in one of the nurses station and had to have it:)
Also,... I told you guyz I was cutting wood a couple of days ago,... well some of the wood was rotted out. I found these nasty lil S@#$% inside. Cool. I ended up cutting one in half and the head off the other :-=-:. There heads are hard!
I just got done installing the side panels. Here are some pics for you guyz. I am going to start on the bottom panels.
Ok, here's the deal,...
Remember this? You see how I cut the ends of the shell? I cut everything away except for the tabs for the bolts. I didnt want to do that this time. I just wanted a nice flat edged panel. Well,... I did that for a reason.
This is the reason. You see how the fan overlaps the shell. I need to get around that without having to cut that portion of the shell. I probably see myslef cutting away at the shell but not as much as before. Have to think. I'll figure it out at work. In the morning I will start making the bottom panels. Till then.
Ok,... here are the pics I took earlier,...
Here are my notches. I slanted the edges so they didnt look so hard on the eyes.
Much better then having the corners squared off.
I drew out on a sheet of aluminum the panels I needed from the bottom of the enclosure.
Just got done jig sawing the panels out.
First panel filed down to size. Funny thing is that I thought my notches were cut perfectly and my panels were cut and filed perfectly but when I went to slide it into place it was off. The only thing that was dead on was the width of the panel. The one side of the case fits the panel pretty damn good though. I just thought that it wouldnt matter what side the panel was on. Dont know whats off. Weird. It might be a little bit of both adding up to a total off, you know? Good enough though:)
See it fits pretty good. I actually want to file it down so there is tiny gap all the way around so the panel will fall right out when unbolted.
Fans fit nicely.
Ok,... here are the pics for yesterday and today.
Here are all the bottom panels I finished cutting yesterday. They are pretty much perfect. There are like two slanted corners that have a little gap but I dont care.
This is my new and effective way of drilling fan holes. Depending on the size of the hole saw, I center punch all the way around the hole and then hole saw them, easy:)
Works good so far:)
Hole sawing complete. Commence jig sawing.
Jig sawing complete. Commence filing and sanding.
Filing and sanding complete. HOW HOT IS THAT! this desrves a Paris Hilton, "That's HOT."!
Now I have a busy weekend. I might be able to do some more work but if not then monday will be the next day. That day i will bolt the bottom panels and then cut the windows. Let me know what you think.
BIG UPDATE! Today I got alot of work done! Very happy with the progress that was made today. The enclosure is almost done. Look,...
Here I just got done drilling the holes to mount the fans.
Cutting out the corner of a window. Such technique 8).
Done jig sawing out the windows.
Just got donw filing the windows out.
Installed.
Oh yea.
Check out them curves.
Ontop of the case.
So sexy.
Perfect.
Yummy.
So what do you think? Well,... I was doing some thinking and thought that instead of polishing it out that I would sand it done to a coarse but not so coarse finish and leave it that way. I did that for my last computer and it actually looked nice. Let me see if I can dig up an old photo of it,...
Progress and pics. I started sanding today and realized that I didnt mount the radiators! Can you believe that? Oh well,... now I know what I am doing tomorrow::
Side panels filed flush to the shell.
I sanded, using a circluar sander, out all the marks. It lefted a coarse finish.
Heres the finish I want. I only did one piece to see what it looks like. It s a difused looked. I think it will make the tinted black look real nice.
Thought I would share this with you guyz,... I was cutting wood after working on the project and I hit this one log with one hit and it split in half and this is what i found. The coolest thing I have ever seen.