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PapaRubbery
n00b
- Joined
- Apr 3, 2010
- Messages
- 3
G'Day [H]!
First post, long time lurker. Never really had anything of my own to contribute to these forums; but now that I have, I give you my first documented worklog. A little about me though, my name is Alex, I'm 20, and live in Melbourne, Australia.
This project is not my first attempt at modding per se (having put together computers for a while, and having done minor alterations - painting, cutting holes for cables, etc), but it is my first major project.
I have my own small website ( www.circleofzinn.com ), so updates will be found there and amongst a couple of other forums I frequent ([H] and Bit-Tech). But enough of the formalities, onto the modding!
About a year ago, I made the change from a E6200, 2GB RAM, 8800GT (starting to show it's age) gaming rig to a AMD 945, 4GB RAM, 275GTX for some extra power. Everything was running smoothly - so smoothly in fact, I considering selling off the old rig. But then the need for a media server overcame the family and the old girl now resides as a torrent box/home server for us. I ended up changing the 8800GT to a 4850 as we toyed with some light LAN gaming, and really needed the HDMI connection to the TV. Now that that has kind of died off, it's resumed it's place as a media server.
However, a full tower chassis next to a TV is unsightly, loud, and really bloody big! So the goal of this project is to stealthy hide it amongst the Xbox360, Wii, Amp and DVD player. However, the cabinet has a lot of height restrictions - namely it won't accept anything taller than 130mm. Not a lot of area to play with - especially for a ATX motherboard, and full sized PSU! While I hope to get them all in such a restricted space, I have my doubts and may start the search for a SFX PSU and mATX motherboard sometime soon. But until then, progress - for the good of all of us (except the ones that are dead);
What you can see above is the mounting plate for the back of the chassis. The MEDIA piece will wrap around a Lian Li motherboard tray I picked up on sale from PCCG here in Melbourne.
Above that is the front panel - those Aperture Science logos are 120mm wide and look dead sexy with some blue LED 120mm Nexus fans behind them. They should draw sufficient airflow into the case, and are silent (always a plus when watching the quiet scenes of films to not have it ruined by WHUUUUUUURRRRRRRRRRR IM A FAN). The Aluminium angle is an idea I am toying with - to make an alu frame to really accentuate the timber and aluminium fusion that will be seen from the back panel.
I am trying to use my CNC for as much of the work as possible, as then I can run it for an hour or so it let it cut, and continue on my merry way with other things, such as procrastinating about studying. Also, it makes a hell of a lot of noise, so working in the shed whilst it's running is damn near impossible, even with noise cancelling safety ear muffs. My poor neighbors!
(Yes, I need a case for the CNC-computer - that's another mod for another day!)
The above will act as the side panels and should be sufficient to vent out the heat. They were relatively simple to machine out of 12mm plywood, and as you can see, fit the Lian Li 80mm fan from the motherboard tray. For the more astute readers, they would have picked up on that meaning I bought two motherboard trays. In my defense; they were on sale and who can resist having another tray for build testing? Better to be sure nothing is dead on arrival before pouring hours into getting everything working and just right.
Followed up by marking out some Aluminium angles to act as more aesthetic bracing to the front panel. These will wrap around the aforementioned panel. I draw the lines, then start with a hand file. That gives a sufficient grove for the Dremel to cut into and follow a straight line - at least that's the theory. The right angle is there because I'm pedantic, and a little crazy for ordered systems!
As you can see from the rear of the panel - I've done a very messy job! However, this wont be seen, and the grooving was to allow me to get a dremel in to clean the CNC cuts. This front panel was the very first thing I cut on the CNC, and was cut from scrap panel. I could re-cut it and make it perfect, but even then it would lose all it's appeal. Sometimes things are better if they aren't perfect, yaknow?
While sitting on Ebay looking for a bargain cheap scroll saw ($90AUD!) I happened to come across an auction that was ending in 20 minutes. After securing, paying, and having it sent the next day, the hard work of the seller and AusPost was undone by a delivery person (not my usual delivery man - he's a champion and wouldn't let this happen) dropping the box as I was coming to the door. The fracture on the neck renders this useless and the dent on the motor casing is really just aesthetic; but either way, I'm one tool less in my arsenal.
Until next time; thanks for reading!
First post, long time lurker. Never really had anything of my own to contribute to these forums; but now that I have, I give you my first documented worklog. A little about me though, my name is Alex, I'm 20, and live in Melbourne, Australia.
This project is not my first attempt at modding per se (having put together computers for a while, and having done minor alterations - painting, cutting holes for cables, etc), but it is my first major project.
I have my own small website ( www.circleofzinn.com ), so updates will be found there and amongst a couple of other forums I frequent ([H] and Bit-Tech). But enough of the formalities, onto the modding!
About a year ago, I made the change from a E6200, 2GB RAM, 8800GT (starting to show it's age) gaming rig to a AMD 945, 4GB RAM, 275GTX for some extra power. Everything was running smoothly - so smoothly in fact, I considering selling off the old rig. But then the need for a media server overcame the family and the old girl now resides as a torrent box/home server for us. I ended up changing the 8800GT to a 4850 as we toyed with some light LAN gaming, and really needed the HDMI connection to the TV. Now that that has kind of died off, it's resumed it's place as a media server.
However, a full tower chassis next to a TV is unsightly, loud, and really bloody big! So the goal of this project is to stealthy hide it amongst the Xbox360, Wii, Amp and DVD player. However, the cabinet has a lot of height restrictions - namely it won't accept anything taller than 130mm. Not a lot of area to play with - especially for a ATX motherboard, and full sized PSU! While I hope to get them all in such a restricted space, I have my doubts and may start the search for a SFX PSU and mATX motherboard sometime soon. But until then, progress - for the good of all of us (except the ones that are dead);
What you can see above is the mounting plate for the back of the chassis. The MEDIA piece will wrap around a Lian Li motherboard tray I picked up on sale from PCCG here in Melbourne.
Above that is the front panel - those Aperture Science logos are 120mm wide and look dead sexy with some blue LED 120mm Nexus fans behind them. They should draw sufficient airflow into the case, and are silent (always a plus when watching the quiet scenes of films to not have it ruined by WHUUUUUUURRRRRRRRRRR IM A FAN). The Aluminium angle is an idea I am toying with - to make an alu frame to really accentuate the timber and aluminium fusion that will be seen from the back panel.
I am trying to use my CNC for as much of the work as possible, as then I can run it for an hour or so it let it cut, and continue on my merry way with other things, such as procrastinating about studying. Also, it makes a hell of a lot of noise, so working in the shed whilst it's running is damn near impossible, even with noise cancelling safety ear muffs. My poor neighbors!
(Yes, I need a case for the CNC-computer - that's another mod for another day!)
The above will act as the side panels and should be sufficient to vent out the heat. They were relatively simple to machine out of 12mm plywood, and as you can see, fit the Lian Li 80mm fan from the motherboard tray. For the more astute readers, they would have picked up on that meaning I bought two motherboard trays. In my defense; they were on sale and who can resist having another tray for build testing? Better to be sure nothing is dead on arrival before pouring hours into getting everything working and just right.
Followed up by marking out some Aluminium angles to act as more aesthetic bracing to the front panel. These will wrap around the aforementioned panel. I draw the lines, then start with a hand file. That gives a sufficient grove for the Dremel to cut into and follow a straight line - at least that's the theory. The right angle is there because I'm pedantic, and a little crazy for ordered systems!
As you can see from the rear of the panel - I've done a very messy job! However, this wont be seen, and the grooving was to allow me to get a dremel in to clean the CNC cuts. This front panel was the very first thing I cut on the CNC, and was cut from scrap panel. I could re-cut it and make it perfect, but even then it would lose all it's appeal. Sometimes things are better if they aren't perfect, yaknow?
While sitting on Ebay looking for a bargain cheap scroll saw ($90AUD!) I happened to come across an auction that was ending in 20 minutes. After securing, paying, and having it sent the next day, the hard work of the seller and AusPost was undone by a delivery person (not my usual delivery man - he's a champion and wouldn't let this happen) dropping the box as I was coming to the door. The fracture on the neck renders this useless and the dent on the motor casing is really just aesthetic; but either way, I'm one tool less in my arsenal.
Until next time; thanks for reading!
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