Plexiglas cutting/design help

[Fuganater]

I am starting to rethink my design for Maximus Servers... firstly a name change and a change to the windows. I'm feeling "inspired" by the nanx tower in the CM11 competition and I think a honeycomb type server case would be sweet.

Here is what the window would look like on the HDD side of the case.

How does that look? Too exact? Should it look a bit more crazy?

Here is my idea for the front. Its really rough because I can't figure out how to do it in Sketchup yet....

Here is how I want to arrange the front fans. No reason other than might look cool.

The BIG question.. How do I do this? The spacing is only like 1/8" and idk if I am that good.

Really need help on this. Huge thanks to anyone that can help!
Cheers.

[Fuganater]

Ok I lied... After messing in Sketchup for the past hour I got a good mockup of the mesh I want.

Somehow I would like to get the Orange on here too.. or would that be too much orange in front of the Orange fans?

[RogueOpportunist]

Hmmm, what if for the HDD window you made a honeycomb pattern on the actual window part, like say via etching with orange side lighting or even going a step further by etching deeper channels and running EL wire through them and around the border of the window giving you some super-glowing honeycomb look... Dunno if that would be too bright though, could always undervolt the EL wire.

Looking at the front I have to admit I like your first draft better, having the round edges of the circular cutouts in with the straight line look of honeycomb patterns just doesn't sit right with me... Makes it look more like a flower than a honeycomb... but that could just be me.

If it was me I would probably make the front look something like the HDD window except instead of plexi/EL/etching I would follow the honeycomb through with the metal, then for the places where there is no fan opening you could fill them in orange and the places with the fan openings would could open up but have the orange fans pushing light through or something? Make it look sort of like a closed/open honeycomb... I'm makin dinner right now so can't draw what I mean but to give you an idea of the look I found this pic with google...

[Fuganater]

Interesting idea but idk how/if I could do that.

[Beta-brain]

If you don't want to do etching by hand you can use plasti-kote glass frosting

You can cut those shapes from plexi even with 1/8" between them, drill small holes around the edge of the hexagon inside the edge line and then cut through the holes with a fret saw or dremel or small file and use files to smooth up to the edge line, a file is more accurate and easier to control than a screaming dremel a bit delicate but can be done.

If your cutting a lot of plexi that has exposed edges that will need smoothing and polishing you might want to get a plexi scraper and have a look at a short tutorial I made here.

[Fuganater]

I bought that scraper just a few days ago for this project.

[Fuganater]

Here is a better one.

I'm starting to rethink the mesh idea. Maybe I should just find some modders mesh and bend it out a little bit.

But I'm working on a new window idea. Here is the new mobo side window.

Here it is with the Orange Plexi part.

Looks ok?

I'm thinking about making the HDD side irregular looking too. Thoughts?

I also still need advice on some precision cutting tools for pelxi.

[Fuganater]

bump

[mDust]

Mixing organic and geometric shapes has always looked weird to me. It's pretty rare to find 'neat' geometric shapes in nature, so that's probably why. The blobby window constructed of hexagons looks 'off'. That's my opinion though.
The orange is translucent acrylic to be lit?

If you want more responses, I could say something controversial to start a discussion...but it tends to derail the thread.

[Fuganater]

Yes I'm going to use SMD LED strips to light it. Now you have me redoing my design lol. I can't find a honeycomb mod anywhere to look for ideas.... I'm still trying to figure it out.

Suggestions welcome.