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Thread: Water Cubed

  1. #1
    iShot the Sheriff jdbnsn's Avatar
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    Default Water Cubed

    I recently finished school and have found some spare time so I decided to work on a mod! I can't take credit for the idea, someone else mentioned it in the "idea zone" some time ago but I really liked it. I am rebuilding slapped-together media center computer to resemble the Beijing National Aquatics Center otherwise known as the "Watercube". Here are some pics of it in case you didn't see it during the Olympics...










    This build is going to be done on a very tight budget so no new shiny components and such, just enough for a few sheets of plastic scraps (I think it is polycarbonate) and some angle aluminum stock.
    "At the midpoint on the journey of life, I found myself in a dark forest, for the clear path was lost..." -Dante Alighieri

  2. #2
    iShot the Sheriff jdbnsn's Avatar
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    Default Re: Water Cubed

    I started by cutting a motherboard tray...


    Then using the aluminum I built slide rails on top of a square flat-stock spacer to lift the board to the correct hight...








    Then I built some locking mechanisms to attach to the slide rails so I could secure the MB in place...






















    "At the midpoint on the journey of life, I found myself in a dark forest, for the clear path was lost..." -Dante Alighieri

  3. #3
    iShot the Sheriff jdbnsn's Avatar
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    Default Re: Water Cubed

    Then, using more of the plastic sheet I made a base-tray to house the wiring and provide an easily modifiable mounting surface...







    I'll clean that up and paint it later. For now, I used more angle aluminum and made some braces on the inner perimeter to both strengthen the shape and provide a mounting edge for the lid...





    Then I built the lid...


    Next, I needed to find a way to mount the hard drives. There are two 750GB drives and one 250GB system drive here. I used some U-shaped aluminum to build a couple of mounting rails with thumb-screws to allow for easy removal if needed...





    Here is how the layout will be...



    Next, I needed some walls...












    "At the midpoint on the journey of life, I found myself in a dark forest, for the clear path was lost..." -Dante Alighieri

  4. #4
    Banned Eclecticos's Avatar
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    Default Re: Water Cubed

    Looks incredibly clean and well constructed so far. +Rep
    The base tray was an excellent idea, great way to hide wires.
    I also like the slide rails, an interesting approach to mounting the mobo.

  5. #5
    Anodized VitzĄ^'s Avatar
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    Default Re: Water Cubed

    that looks super slick, really nice, looking forward to the final outcome!

  6. #6
    iShot the Sheriff jdbnsn's Avatar
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    Default Re: Water Cubed

    I got a little more done today. Here are the guide rails fastened to the base...




    and the rear plate...





    currently quite ugly, I'll clean this up later...













    Here is how the motherboard tray will attach to the base, these guide rails allow for a nice snug connection and the thumb screws allow for easy removal if needed...












    "At the midpoint on the journey of life, I found myself in a dark forest, for the clear path was lost..." -Dante Alighieri

  7. #7
    iShot the Sheriff jdbnsn's Avatar
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    Default Re: Water Cubed

    Here is an over head shot showing the interior platform...










    I need to free up some space so I'll shorten up the molex connector a bit, later on I'll shrink-tube the tips and make a new, clean connection...








    Time to set up some airflow...








    I'll install a second fan on the other side tomorrow.
    "At the midpoint on the journey of life, I found myself in a dark forest, for the clear path was lost..." -Dante Alighieri

  8. #8

    Default Re: Water Cubed

    Beautiful. +rep
    Please read the TOS regarding links in signatures. We don't take kindly to that sort of thing. -The Mods

  9. #9
    Stupidity feeds my children blueonblack's Avatar
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    Default Re: Water Cubed

    Excellent work so far, love it. +rep
    “Do not trust people like me. I will take you to museums, and parks, and monuments, and kiss you in every beautiful place, so that you can never go back to them without tasting me like blood in your mouth. I will destroy you in the most beautiful way possible, and when I leave you will finally understand why storms are named after people.”

  10. #10
    Ride on, Bucko. FuzzyPlushroom's Avatar
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    Default Re: Water Cubed

    Man, I love that motherboard tray. +rep much deserved.
    Quote Originally Posted by Mitternacht View Post
    Everyone else had quotes, and I didn't. I figured the next funny thing I see I'd throw in my sig.
    Quote Originally Posted by Luke122 View Post
    Jon, the whole post is about building a bong that changes its own water.
    Gee, it damn sure took me long enough to find and add the origin of the first quote...

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