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Thread: Project : Deuce

  1. #1

    Default Project : Deuce

    (EDIT: 5/11/08 approved per CS)
    This update brought to you by the letter "P", and the number "2"...
    I'd like to introduce you to a sweet sponsorship that just blossomed!


    http://www.palit.biz

    Palit is making a very strong push into the American enthusiast market, and with recent reviews of their technology implementations being very strong and promising.... I don't see them going anywhere but up! To work with the Deuce theme, I was shipped 2 qty of their 1GB 8800GT video cards, for a total of 2GB of frame buffer luvin! Perfect! 2 of everything thus far... people are going to start wondering if I am OCD on the number 2, hehehehe! But I'd like you all to welcome Palit into the worklog!








    ***Note***
    I am leading off to all of my fellow TBCS'rs with a very sincere and heartfelt apology. Due to a grossly huge brain fart, I neglected to start my log on my current mod over here. I realized my mistake last week and am now in the process of bringing everyone in this forum up to date with my current project. The oversight was totally mine, and was not meant as a slight at this incredible forum. And "yes", the brain fart was a SBD...

    Thanks for reading...
    -=TD

    /***Note***

    Deuce , 2 of a kind, 2 of what you want.... having a deuce is a good thing. This new rig is going to be an exercise in 2.

    Dual Core CPU (Opty 185)
    2GB of RAM
    2 Hard drives
    2 video cards (SLI) (2x 7900GTX 512MB cards)
    2 water loops
    2 reservoirs (dual EK MultiOption reservoirs)
    2 pumps (Swiftech MCP350 and 355)
    2 water colors (TBD)
    2 Radiators
    2 120mm fans on the top rad

    You get the idea!


    It will reside in a Thermaltake Armor chassis. Mind you, this thing is HUGE!!! Plenty of space for all this magic to happen! I brought the side window panel on vacation with me, and went to town on it this week; It will be another hot rod themed build, except this onw will be a hot rod paint scheme from a Hot WHeel part. Stylistically, it will be very influenced by the build out of a Deuce coup.... but it will have modern flourishes....

    The paint job will be based off of this:


    Deep blue/purple on the base, and gloss black across the top of the cabin area. seperated by a flaming green stripe. Looks bad ass!!!

    So I startes planning out my window. And after several days with a pencil, I hace the draft.


    Keeping a mental note on the location of the cross beam. as well as the drive bays in the front. I shaped the main window to show off the motherboard, and to keep the integrity of the side panel locks. I added in a smaller window to the bottom area to break up the look of the "single large window":


    note the stock that still remains around the flames and the corners. I learned something from blingGreen, and that is to make sure you leave the tips of the flames until the last This will keep you from applying a lot of pressure to the tips, and causing it to bend. So, you will see the flames work through in a few pictures....

    Here is some more material removed from the flames... see them starting to form up?


    Workng through the flame centers....


    Now.... here I go.... the side panel sitting at around 85% completion!!

  2. #2

    Default Re: Project : Deuce

    the paint job that I am going for is based off of that HotWheel If you will notice the cut of the window, and you draw the green stripe about 2-3mm above the curve, you will see how the green flamed strip will progress and divide the colors. Black will be on the top and front, green flame stripe, and then the candy blue/purple will be under the stripe... make sense?


    Just got home from Arkansas... I have a ton of unpacking to do. More later!

  3. #3

    Default Re: Project : Deuce

    (jump forward 8 days after the above posts. It was July 30th, and the natives were restless... )

    "YO TECH!!! GET OFF YOUR BUTT AND MAKE AN UPDATE!!!!!"

    ....

    So... I have been busting a hump in my garage at my new house, trying to get more schtuff unpacked and moved into it's proper place, thusly getting it out of the garage.

    Well, I made a significant amount of headway in organizing the garage this weekend, and that new found space same in really handy! As I got more done on the mod! (interesting how, if you have the space to stretch out, your work seems to flow more easily! )

    Using a 5/8 inch bit, I drillled out the ends of the top of the vents on the side panel, I then used my dremmel to cut a clean line down to the other circle. This made my lines nice and straight (for the most part) and the ends nice and round (again.... for the most part!)


    And how will it look on the side of the case?



    I then also started popping rivets like a mad man on the case, parted the whole thing out and started marking up my next cut lines, and putting everything in the utility sink for a good rinsing. Dust and crap all inside this thing.
















    I am hoping to get a new type of color process on the frame, we'll see though if I can make it work with the vendor. (fingers crossed)

    Quakecon is coming up later this week! Cant wait to see everyone that will be there! And I'll pour some out for the brothers and sisters that could not be there.

  4. #4

    Default Re: Project : Deuce

    (Jumping to Sept. 4th... it's been rough....)

    Well... to take from a great historical reference....

    "The tales of my demise are greatly exaggerated..."



    Sorry for the delay folks. It's been a rough few months. "RL" just does not want to mesh well with my computer modding!

    But... I have made progress, both directly and indirectly, on this mod.

    1st... directly!

    This will likely be the *only* time you will ever see what I am about to show you. I worked with Arctic Mods and DangerDen to have a part made that did not previously exist! Originally I had ordered the acrylic tops, but in a different model, and was chagrinned by my stoopidity! Funny thing... Koosah acrylics did not fit my NV-78 blocks (hence why they are for sale in my For Sale forum!) So, after much gnashing of teeth, I contacted the two companies, and worked it out with them to create them out for the NV-78 SLI kit.... and voila'! You will notice that the only thing tipping you off that these acrylics are something different, are the blue edges. Normal acrylics are crystal clear. But in normal light, the edges give off a baby blue hue.







    But put them under a black light, and the fun REALLY begins!


    Mind you... the black light is actually about 1.5 feet away, to give you and idea on perspective on how sensitive the acrylics are to UV light! 8O

    Next up, the indirect benefit of the work "slow down"....

  5. #5

    Default Re: Project : Deuce

    I have been trying to work with another painter here in the Dallas area that could perform a specific type of painting. I will place one more call to them tomorrow, and I hope we can work something out... but I grow weary of the non returned phone calls. As such, the frame has just been a sticking point. I'm afraid to paint until I knew how the frame was going to turn out.

    SO.... in response to the joker taking so long to work with me.... I took the time to ready my airbrushing system!
    This was my old workhorse, heheheh!





    I put the splitting manifold in place for a 2nd air line that I plan on running to a reel that will be suspended from the middle of the garage ceiling. I will attach another hose on the manifold, route the tube neatly, then terminate it to a 50 foot hose on the reel. I'll run my air tools off of there (when I get them... and can locate the damned hose reel buried somewhere in my frikken garage!!! )












    That all adds up to a 21 gal compressor with 2 moisture traps terminating to a 3 way manifold .

  6. #6

    Default Re: Project : Deuce

    (Sept. 16th... a black day... *grin*)
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vijgkWRlWSI


    This might kinda sum up my last few weeks...

    between weather screwing up my painting environment, and some unexpected delays....

    well... I'm trucking again this weekend, trying to make as much headway as I can!


    This is my first video so go easy on me...

  7. #7

    Default Re: Project : Deuce

    (Oct 11th, I have reached my breaking point and I make my decision on the frame)
    Well... moving from the video, I'll post up pics of the forward movement, as well as a little bitch-fest I am going to go off on for a bit...

    Panels are progressing nicely! Not the clossy mirror smooth finish I want, but that will be after I clear it a few times... WOO HOO!!







    the ripples will go away after I clear and sand it.

    Now... I Have been trying for the last 2 MONTHS to get my frame parts to a specialized painter in the Dallas area. I am not going to even do them justice by posting up their lame ass site, or their lame ass business name. Just suffice it to say that if you are in the Dallas area, and you start talking to Phil from the Colony, hang up and walk away. You will save yourself a buttload of misery. This job is not hard. Ive already done a ton of work to make it easy. But, I guess there just was not enough $$$ at the end of this rainbow. Bunghole stopped returning my calls. Kept trying to reach him to setup a meeting where he would just *look* at my frame pieces.... never even got that far. emails unanswered, phone calls unanswered.... very unprofessional. Phil, I hope I catch your paint equipment on liquidation, because there is *NO* way you can run a business and stay in business operating like that. VERY un-professional. I could have sent a ton of advertisement your way. Possible new avenues of income... but you had to screw it up, and throw off my build. Fine.....

    So, I started looking for other options, but everywhere I went, the costs were more than I was wanting to bear, and the finish was "a special order" or something like that. Essentially, I came to the realization that "it's up to me"... so, I took a few days off earlier this week (Mon/Tues) and drove to talk to a my last few possibilities. That drive it home for me, and I went to work on the frame on Tuesday afternoon/night. Popped the remaining rivets, and decided on how I wanted to do my frame.

    I shot a test piece just to see how the colors would lay after multiple color coats and a couple of clear coats.

    Please pay no mind to the specs of dust on the top, this was a POC piece to see how the colors would work... I liked... it is a metalflake/sparkle base, with a tranparent top color coat. Duplicolor Metalcast. I shot this stuff on blingGreen, but the frame was not disassmbled, and it was one coat of green. I've learned a bit since then, so I'm trying to make this one a bit more durable and glossy...







    That lat pic kinda captures the sparkle below the paint... looks mighty fine... :mrgreen:

    So I finish popping the rivets out of my frame:






    String them up like they are in a meat market... hehehe... "Now serving number 2!" LOL!

    Hit them with self etching primer:




    Then the Metalcast flake basecoat:



    You can see a bit of the shimmer of hte silver in that last shot...

    And started mowing through the frame pieces with my cans of blue Duplicolor Metalcast (love this stuff!):









    I ran out of paint... but I can buy more, and recoat in a few days after this has cured. After I get a few more color coats on these parts, they will get clear coats. Prolly 3-4 coats. I really like how the little drive cage came out, and hopefully I can produce a whole case like that. I am also contemplating putting some designs on the frame to make the paint job a bit more than just a color job. Stay tuned on that.

    Also, I worked out a problem that was with my beautiful NV78's. The water block acrylics were accidentally cut to duplicate. When you are running a SLI setup, and passing the water between the two cards, you need to have alternating inlets to accomidate the pass-between barbs. I worked with Danger Den (class act that company, they made a fan out of me!) to get another acrylic top cut out. It is now installed, and leak tested. All good.

    That said, I have a space NV78 UV blue acrylic top if anyone has an NV78 water block and are looking for a way to spruce it up!

    More as I craft. Sorry for the pause in updates. I had hoped to come in with a screaming "bang" if I could have had the frame painted how I wanted... but now... well, it's time for plan B, no... Plan C... nope.... D! Yep! Plan D!

    Chin up! Let the journey begin, cuz it is about to get hectic!

  8. #8

    Default Re: Project : Deuce

    (Oct 23rd... tornado references and all...)

    Any of you seen the movie, "Twister"? Yeah, this next set of pics reminded me of the Aunt's house that had all of the metal sculpture in her yard... hehehehe

    We had some beautiful weather and I used that time to put the Metalcast parts outside to cure. Yummy...




    You can make out the metal flake effect in these shots. No, that is not dust!







    After they cured, I took them down, into the garage, and used a hydraulic rivet gun. If you have a good compressor, and you pull things apart all the time... find one of these tools. It will save you immense headaches from when you scratch your paint using a manual squeeze rivet gun... never again. This was SO, SO much easier...




    The frame is now assembled and looking good!



    This will be one of my secrets. Here is my acrylic for the mod. I'm thinking that the way I am going to mount the upper rad is going to be very unique, assuming that I get it right.

    But, I dont wanna say too much and jinx it, but I will say that the acrylic is going to be BEAUTIFUL if I get this right...


    More as I go. Updates are really going to start flowing over the next few days...

  9. #9

    Default Re: Project : Deuce

    (Oct.28th... and I needed holes)

    So... lots of work done today...

    Did a lot of cleaning up on my top cut. It was while I was working on that piece, that the realization hit me... I'm still missing my power button frame!!! A bit of quick engineering, and the blessings from my dearly departed father in law, and the inspiration hit me... I was given a lot of his tools from his shop, (to which I am forever grateful, Herman. May my work be inspired by your spirit, I miss you bud.) and I remembered that the power switch in question had a 3/4" hole requirement. Herman had given me several chassis punches, and I looked through them, and lo and behold... I had a 3/4" one! So, figured out where I wanted the switch to reside, popped it with a center punch a few times, and drilled the center hole. Then, placing the punch pieces on the hole, I wrenched them through. How on EARTH did I do this before... wow!










    The results speak for themselves. no edges to file either!


    Start priming it and getting it ready for color:




    First of several color coats:



    I also painted the inside of the bottom panel of hte computer. I have been debating back and forth these last few weeks on how I was going to paint it. I then decided that it would make a nice contrast to the blue frame, I'm hoping I am right.


    This is a flexible color lighting system that I will be integrating adjustable pots to control the flow to Reg, Green, and Blue. There are 4 LED cannons, and each cannon has the RGB leds inside them. A twist of the dials will allow me to create any color ambient light I want out of the guns! I have my primary lighting color scheme already worked out, but these, I think, will ad some nice accenting








    The front bay adaptor had to be changed to black to fit the color scheme of the computer"


    This is just me being happy. The side panel... has not been clear coated, and has not been buffed with polishing compound. No wax... polish... nothing. It just looks that good...


    Now, tonight, I used my striping tape and my auto mask, and created a paint mask for me to paint my panels with. Remember, they will be black on top, green flame stripe separating, and blue in the base. I plan on burying some graphics in the flame job, as well as in the blue... so be on the lookout!


    More tomorrow!

  10. #10

    Default Re: Project : Deuce

    (Oct.28th... break out the airbrush and lets PARTY!!!)

    Work today was on the bottom "blue" section of the panels...

    Metalcast base coat i nthe appropriate sections.




    I then started applying a background pattern of what I hoped would be a random background pattern of flames...




    Over the tope of it with Metalcast blue




    After 4 coats, starting to come together


    I had layered the designs, starting with a pearl blue flame, then a white flame, then a set of black flames. The blue I wanted to come out as a set of Ghost flames, as the Metalcast blue would disguise the base blue flames... or at least I had hoped.

    As it turns out, it came out better than I planned, as the blue flames appear/disappear depending on where you are in relation to the panel... it is a really sweet effect.

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