[CIP] Core4
Concept art Core4
Because my current project XIXIV is finished I started brainstorming about a new project, which now goes by the name Core4.
At first I named the project "Quadcore" because the design looks a bit like an Energy Core and is nearly symmetrical on four sides. But I found this name referrin too much to a certain processor type and after a little brainstorm session the name Core4 came up. It has the same general idea behind it but without referring to a certain product. In addition to that it's also my 4th mod (after my Xaser, Silvertec and ofcourse XIXIV).
In the design proces of this project I have put less boundaries to the design than usual, the project is more or less no "must do" because with the nearly finished project XIXIV I have got all the pc storage room I need, but I can't help being addicted to casemodding and can't resist working on something new.
While designing this project I never looked at functionallity within my personal situation, but simply designed something which seemed really cool to me to build and is a big challenge to my skills because building it contains techniques which I never used before, like milling acryl-panels into rounded continuous shapes with the help of molds and a manual milling machine.
Below you will find a detailed building description of the project. I know the risk of someon stealing the design is there, but I asume that other modders prefer to do there own thing instead of copying other peoples designs. And I just cant resist showing what I'm up to if everything turns out te be possible for me.
First of all I will mill a baseplate for the case from MDF or 15mm plywood of which you can see the bottom view above. In it there are different kind of holes of which the use will get more obvious furtheron in this description.
In the three square cutouts on the sides 3 acryl-panels will be mounted in which (sponsor)logo's will be engraved or etched.
(next to these panels another cutout will be made to mount 10cm ccfl's to enlight the logo's).
The side which doesn't contain a panel will be the rear of the case where the cabling will go into it. It might be that I will place some feet under the baseplate so that the cabling can go underneath it..
Once turend over, there wil be 4 MDF or 15mm plywood panels mounted on the baseplate, which together form the base of the case.
In the round holes in the corners 4 aluminium tubes will be mounted which will be equal in height with the base.
In these tubes 4 acryl tubes will be placed of which the outer diameter will be 1mm smaller than the inner diameter of the aluminium tubes, these are meant to ease the construction.
On top of those 4 other acryl tubes will be placed, at this moment the case is almost at its maximum height.
Out of acryl panels I will mill a number of layers which have the basic shape of the case.
On this image you can see the bottom one. This one goes over the acryl tubes and the square hole in the middle is 5mm smaller that the wooden base on all sides. This way it can be mounted to the base.
Within the center square hole another panel will be mounted which is 1mm smaller on all sides (I will be needing this 1 mm gap to keep the meshx core accuratelly in it's place further on)
Than small aluminium tubes with the same diameter as the 4 tubes in the base will slide over the acryl tubes, these 4 will be firmly attached to the acryl tubes (not the base).
Yet another acryl layer will be placed on top of those, slightly bigger on the outside than the first one.
At this moment I can also place a square core of meshx which is the exact same size as the scuare holes in the acryl layers. The bottom of it will slide into the 1mm gap that was created in the bottom layer
In the same way as above multiple layers will be made. In the middle 2 layers will be a tiny bit smaller again, just like the bottom layer to give it a bit more dynamic looks. These smaller layers will also have a different color than the rest.
Once the semi-final layer is placed a square transparant acryl panel (window) will be mounted in the meshx core at the same height as the semi-final layer.
Than the final layer can be placed, once again a bit smaller than the rest, the square in the middle of this layer will be smaller, or maybe even contain a logo cutour. This way it overlaps the top edges of the meshx core.
The last 4 aluminium tubes will be firmly mounted to the acryl tubes again, this way the entire top of the case can be easilly seperated from the base (see below)
In the 4 acryl tubes I will mount CCFL's, of which the wires will inivisibly go thrue the tubes into the base of the case.
4 plastic cabs will be place on top of the tubes as a finishing touch.
And there it is, the completely build up case!
But some hardware will have to go into it as well ofcourse.
Because of the first aluminium tubes are mounted to the acryl tubes, the entire top of the case can easilly be sepperated from the base.
Which leaves us with just the base.
On this base the hardware will be mounted, with the PCI tray in the bottom so all wires can be attached invisibly inside the base.
How I am exactly going to mount the hardware will depend on the hardware itself and I think it's best to figure this out at the moment the case is build up in general.
In addition to the above, here's an exploded view of all parts of the basic parts of the case.
Finally, if everything will be possible for me, here's an impression of what the case should look likewhen it's completely finished.
The materials and the most important tool
Before I start posting the actual work on the case here are some picture of the materials I have gathered for the case so far (thanksAC-Ryan!).
For the build of the case one certain tool will be used quite a lot, I’ve been thinking about buying one for quite a while, but now I really had to and I’m very happy with my new plunge-router :*) (a new word added to my English dictionary, I hope it’s the correct one) complete with a set of different router-bits..
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Originally Posted by FrooP
