Project Stealthlow

[Waynio]

Ok so this is why I like the little tabs, they are highly functional & show the fact that the window is flush to the alu curve bars which in itself is pretty cool but also it makes taking the window out or the bottom panel out incredibly easy with only needing to untighten the tabs a tiny bit to flip them up or down which releases the panels, also no excess forces.

Anyway on to making the full lengths strip tabs, here is 2 25mm strips cut with the jigsaw.

Also before moving on I put the mounting bar back in for holding the bottom of the window in place as it bulged out a tiny bit & I didn't like that & was scared stupid of wrecking the window while drilling & countersunk the mounting holes lol, it went fine thank goodness .

So the actual bending of the copper strips was soooo much more difficult than I anticipated & done heaps of different methods to get the curves I was after but as usual the top curve was a PITA .

This is the first thing I really don't like with the copper strip tabs, with it being 3mm thick (I should have chosen 2mm) I think it's tougher than the aluminium as it's pulling the alu curve out by a good 2mm on the top curve, not good.

I placed the left side vent meshes in for a glipse of how it might look .

I don't like it as much as the tabs but even though it cost extra to get this copper piece I'm kinda glad I did even if it was just to put the idea into practice to see if I like it or not, sometimes you just know straight away if you like something or not & this is 1 of those things I don't like, doesn't look as good to me & it's a massive hassle with installation & that was without having the window & vent meshes in, so yep I'll be going back to my original tabs & I'll straighten out these copper strips & put them aside for other projects.

So up next is taking measurements of the bottom optical tray, eject button & vent location & designing it & making it .

[Waynio]

Got the alu curve bar fixed back in shape after the copper ripping it out of shape, it also ripped the helicoil out & knackered the thread for the helicoil so called for drilling the mounting hole with a 4.5mm bit & whacking a brass thread insert in place but it's sorted now, phew .

Run a little test on countersinking the mesh holes like I did on the back panel, 1 side deep countersinks, the other tiny countersinks, bit iffy with the holes close to the edge as shown but I do quite like this effect what do you guys think.

Also smoothed off all the tabs by brushing them & they are to a nice colour now, the next stage for these is to polish them.

Anyway I'm back to where I were the other day but with cleaned up tabs & cleaned up curve bars.

So now I need to get the optical drive mounted back in the case so I can take measurements for the bottom front panel design .

[msmrx57]

Looking awesome! I like it with the tabs better as well, I can't quite put my finger on it but it just "works". The vent panels are a nice look.

[licenseless]

you know what... that copper look has just grown on me man... THAT IS NICE!!!

[mDust]

you know what... that copper look has just grown on me man... THAT IS NICE!!!

I like the two tone effect as well. It's not just nice, it's great!

[Waynio]

Looking awesome! I like it with the tabs better as well, I can't quite put my finger on it but it just "works". The vent panels are a nice look.

Think what Gtek said earlier about not adding too much was very correct , guess it was just too much copper, thanks mate .

you know what... that copper look has just grown on me man... THAT IS NICE!!!

Thank you licenseless .

I like the two tone effect as well. It's not just nice, it's great!

Thanks mate .

Took the measurements of the locations of the eject button, optical tray & where the front vent should be, then designed it & went to work on it, still need to re-make the alu panel as I carelessly turned the piece while being distracted by something so cut it in a wrong spot accidentally, also need to do the diy mesh on the copper panel but got a few shots while there was a touch of blue sky & it really was just a touch .

[Blibbax]

/drool

[Waynio]

/drool

Hehe Cheers Blibbax .

Re-made the front alu piece & brushed it & laid a mesh template down on the copper piece & spot drilled, drilled with a 3.5mm bit & then a 7mm bit & then countersink madness .

[Waynio]

Nearly had a disaster for my power drill, jigsaw & fretsaw as I forgot about a spot in the garage that leaks when raining heavy, the jigsaw & power drill escaped the water but the fretsaw was covered in it & it also lost it's ability to tighten up the blade properly before this so I took it all apart to dry it all off & to see why I can't tighten it, figured as much the thread had worn away & I've barely used it but didn't let it put me off using it & wooooo I love using it for complex cuts, really really nice, but want to get a better one as I could only use the pin less blades a couple of times, it has a really crappy method for using pin less but it's fine for pinned blades so I'll stay with that until I can afford a new better one .

I got the feeling whenever there was too much copper built up in an area it didn't quite make me smile or it did & then I'd be saying to myself it needs something else so I set about designing a different alu panel to break it up a little & man am I glad I did , been a while since I've cut something nice like this & it's got me hooked on the fretsaw .

But was all out of 0.7mm alu so had to use 1mm, the copper sheet for the mesh panel is 2.25mm so the 0.7mm made it a perfect flush fit so think I'll have to either sand the copper panel down 0.3mm across the whole face of it or just give a faint bevel on the alu panel.

I think this piece might have come about from the moral boost from comments so thanks everyone & keep em coming .

I'm going to add something different in place of the stretched copper tabs also .

[licenseless]

if you ask me... this is much nicer and goes with the flow of the case than the copper tabs (and i know it was just used to clamp stuff down but it still looked better)

thats just my opinion man... but keep up the good work