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Thread: Lean and Green - modular dual PC scratch build

  1. #41
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    Default Re: Lean and Green - modular dual PC scratch build

    Well that sucks bud! At least you got the toughest parts done, and everybody makes mistakes now and then Best of luck on try 2, and keep at it!
    Quote Originally Posted by Outlaw
    Will have another Aldersan pic in a bit.


    Myrmidon

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    Default Re: Lean and Green - modular dual PC scratch build

    Quote Originally Posted by Aldersan View Post
    Well that sucks bud! At least you got the toughest parts done, and everybody makes mistakes now and then Best of luck on try 2, and keep at it!
    I recover from disappointments pretty well especially if I can still use it for another rig but the type of accidents that can happen like dropping a piece that took a long time to do & it mangles, those are a bit harder to get over because it ends up on the scrap pile.

    I sorted my project folder out so I won't go printing the wrong model again.

    I'll be back to progressing tomorrow, just had a little checkpoint break after the 10mm alu marathon.

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    Default Re: Lean and Green - modular dual PC scratch build

    Preparations, wow nearly a week of prep work lol as well as waiting for other bits.

    Figured I should do an update of some sort & make this as a mini tutorial project interval, not been slacking much at all & this bit took many many hours to do overall although I have been enjoying some more skyrim with some of the time I been waiting for extra supplies but mostly been preparation work.

    3d concept, I keep all individual pieces as groups which keeps them as individual components so they don't become stuck together in the design that are easy to move around so I can just select 1 & edit it whenever with minimal fuss.


    Here is how I work out what dimensions of material I need for curve pieces, triple click a curve piece & measure each section on the outside of a curve which gives really close accuracy, would give perfect accuracy but when you get odd measurements like 1.56mm or 1.63 is says it like 1.6~mm so I add up to the closest big measurement which I note as 1.7 to be safe so I work entirely with 0.1mm difference for any pieces like that & then I can sand down the super faint difference to perfection & do the same for any cut outs like the round bars I'll be using on this piece, makes the holes a bit oval when it's laid out in 2d but should allow for the same as the model.


    Separating every piece including curved pieces ready for 2d printing on a-4 paper & adding 2 2mm squares with crosses inside them for every joining edge, then finalise the last save with camera parallel projection & then standard camera view as top, ready for layout.

    A-4 is 297mm x 210mm but when setting things up to print I pretend it is 280mm x 190mm which prevents where it won't print on the paper so you keep all your needed lines, yes you can choose to print without borders but I think this way give best accuracy especially on a budget printer. I could give it a bit more than what I do but I like to keep it safe.


    Layout which lets you dump your sketchup model & make multi page printable pdf file templates, you don't get this part of sketchup on the free version though but if you look around you can find ways to buy a student license which is a heck of a lot cheaper than the retail version meant for commercial use.




    Multipage pdf file ready for printing.


    And all the little files ready to print.


    Printed all of them & I have them in 2 different stacks, 1 for the gaming rig & the other for the HTPC, next stage is to cut them perfectly with a nice steel ruler & razer, tack them together perfectly measuring all the while & then using the spray glue to mount the templates to the materials ready to cut/drill, think prep work takes the longest to be honest but it should let the progress really flow fast once it's done.




    One of the stands side panels after cutting, I have quite a bit of spare 10mm alu from the big cut outs & 1 of the pieces I will make drilling, tapping helpers which can clamp to any panels, even edges & ends of bars so I can drill perfectly where I want to & drill perfectly straight with a manual power drill, so yep more custom tools to be made for doing this how I want it.


    Currently at 5 big steps forward & 3 big steps back but with a load of prep work done lol.

  4. #44
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    Default Re: Lean and Green - modular dual PC scratch build

    Wow, lots of work put in to this! It's gunna be great! And yeah, a lot of prep work done, but I'm sure it will pay off when you get to the difficult stuff!
    Quote Originally Posted by Outlaw
    Will have another Aldersan pic in a bit.


    Myrmidon

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    Default Re: Lean and Green - modular dual PC scratch build

    Quote Originally Posted by Aldersan View Post
    Wow, lots of work put in to this! It's gunna be great! And yeah, a lot of prep work done, but I'm sure it will pay off when you get to the difficult stuff!
    I seemed to have gone to the same level of design work as someone who has parts made with CNC on this one but I shouldn't have much stalling from here.

    One thing I'm a tiny bit worried about with the gaming rig is with the 10mm mobo spacer mounts I'll be using I should have 1mm space between the cpu cooler & side panel if I do go for the be quiet dark rock pro heat sink, hopefully it will be spot on or even 2mm space, either way it will be cutting it fine.

  6. #46
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    Default Re: Lean and Green - modular dual PC scratch build

    With all the work you've put into planning this thing, it should go just fine Best of luck, and keep up the hard work!
    Quote Originally Posted by Outlaw
    Will have another Aldersan pic in a bit.


    Myrmidon

  7. #47
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    Default Re: Lean and Green - modular dual PC scratch build

    Quote Originally Posted by Aldersan View Post
    With all the work you've put into planning this thing, it should go just fine Best of luck, and keep up the hard work!
    Thanks Aldersan.

    Here is the bits I needed to cut the prints nicely.


    Back to the 10mm alu, turned out it was delivered next door & the courier didn't leave a note so I waited in 2 full days for nothing, annoying to say the least.

    As soon as I lost a cold, my bro gave me the flu arrrrrgh lol but I wouldn't let it hold me down, figured if I stay in bed groaning or sit at my pc moaning I may as well mod on because I'll feel like crap whatever I do except making progress really appealed to me after so little lately.

    I could have done pictures again but I already done that for these htpc pieces but in wrong size so I thought an ultra speed video of the whole cutting process which is 3 hours 38 minutes at normal speed but I reencoded it twice at 12 speed so 24 speed but doesn't add up for the 1 minute 30 seconds of fast video but whatever.


    Ooohh I wish I could work that fast.
    My first & only youtube vid until I get around to upgrading my camera to a 550d.

    I only intended to do an example of how slow it cuts for 1 straight edge but thought meh I'll do a full panel, used my old kodak z950 which is why it isn't great quality.

    I'll be going quiet again now until I have the other panel & the front low piece done so I can move on to the easier to cut panels.

  8. #48
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    Default Re: Lean and Green - modular dual PC scratch build

    Great work! Hurry up and get the other pieces done, I want more updates and pictures and ridiculously fast moving videos
    Quote Originally Posted by Outlaw
    Will have another Aldersan pic in a bit.


    Myrmidon

  9. #49
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    Default Re: Lean and Green - modular dual PC scratch build

    Quote Originally Posted by Aldersan View Post
    Great work! Hurry up and get the other pieces done, I want more updates and pictures and ridiculously fast moving videos
    Lol, I'll have a go at getting the other 1 done today & maybe the front low piece also then I can take a good big sigh of relief of getting past the 10mm alu.

    If I get it done by a reasonable time today I might even have a go at making some sandng blades to get all the edges real nice.

  10. #50
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    Default Re: Lean and Green - modular dual PC scratch build

    LOL I just couldn't go to bed with being eager to try the sanding blade idea out since all the 10mm alu is now cut.

    First up I tried making a simple sheet at the size of a band saw blade, it snapped as soon as I tried tightening it.




    This is the example piece fresh after cutting.


    Next I cut double wide to fold it over, this allows for it to be used even at high speed & has some flexibility to it but is still quite prone to ripping out of the holder but as shown on a bit of the front piece it does the job nicely but takes too long to get the finish I'm after, want that finish & better, no teeth marks at all & possibly a polished edge I should have tried to quad it up which should give it pretty good strength which I'll try when I go at it next.








    Other thoughts to do it is card in the middle of a folded piece of sand paper or if I want really stiff then something like the band saw blades but without the teeth & smoothed edges all around, 1mm aluminium might do, or 0.5mm stainless steel which I think would be the ultimate for doing this & would be reusable over & over, I do know I'd be best starting the process off at 100 grit or maybe even less to get the bulk of the teeth marks out & maybe work towards 1000 or 2000, it's getting rid of all the teeth marks that's going to be time consuming, from there it will come to a good shine very quickly.

    Here is how the stand side panel was intended to look like with the htpc side panel & a shot of all the 10mm alu freshly cut ready for smoothing, I'll be saving getting rid of teeth marks & polishing the edges until the last step of the project but want to get prepared for how I'll do that.



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