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The surprise will come soon. :cool:Quote:
Originally Posted by Wezly
For now, another teaser.
http://img511.imageshack.us/img511/7641/dsc12130001.jpg
http://img715.imageshack.us/img715/6651/dsc12110001.jpg
http://img195.imageshack.us/img195/3922/dsc11950001.jpg
Let us now if the polished caps are good :) Because i would do the same in my build just to have the bling bling effect :D
And you made my day with that teaser!
Will do, nigelke. :) I know I keep saying it, but I plan to test the Foxconn tomorrow to ensure it's still fully operational.Quote:
Originally Posted by nigelke
I'll report back once I've tested it.
I freaking hate you X, I wish I never looked @ that picture because I'm toooo eager now :-)
I'm sorry man but since the worklog is huge and full of renders which i can't make sense out of, could you tell me why the upper case plate is flipped 180 dgrees horizontaly?
The build is great, i love the zero gravity chamber and that sidepanel I just can't understand why the top plate would be like that
Umm... wow... just wow... (long pause...)
Okay, got my words back. This is an amazing build!
What camera and lighting setup are you using for these shots?
-TadZilla
Have you thought about where you will route your wires from the PS to the main-board and PCIe? Doesn't look like a lot of room left for routing?
:hehe:Quote:
Originally Posted by dingdong555
Sure thing, masxerofkartis! It's flipped 180 degrees because I *&#&@ it up!Quote:
Originally Posted by masxerofkartis
Good eye, my man!
Luckily, it wasn't riveted down yet. ;)
Thanks, Tadzilla!Quote:
Originally Posted by TadZilla
Nikon D40 DSLR and two softboxes.
I'll be routing a section out of the zero-g chamber on the bottom on the back end where the PSU sits to route the cables. This will allow me to direct them out of view straight to the motherboard backplane. There is a place below the GPUs that is already cut to route cables, and I'll be cutting another section just to the right of the 24 pin and probably the SATA as well.Quote:
Originally Posted by Weevil
When it's all finished you should hardly see any cables. :)
I guess shazza was right when she said it's not the camera that makes the pictures as I have the same one as you, and my photos look like :banana::banana::banana::banana: compared to yours:rofl:
Very nice pictures and build, can't wait to see more!
nice build and very clean work :)
@Xion take your time :)
Hooooollllyyyyyy Craaaapp. That's Gorgeous!
Now, that front panel, i am guessing you are going to buff those scratches out?
The amazing work continues I see... Love it!
Keep on working on this masterpiece! :up:
Holy crap, I cannot wait to see that EVGA board in there!
And the top is not backwards, it's "reflected."
Thanks, woffen! :up:Quote:
Originally Posted by woffen
Thanks, generics! I appreciate the feedback!Quote:
Originally Posted by generics_user
Testing now. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by nigelke
Thanks, vistageek! Yeah, nothing is painted yet. After all the case panels are cut for wire management, everything will be sent off to be sanded and powdercoated.Quote:
Originally Posted by vistageek92
:up:
Thanks for the continued support, Linuxfan!Quote:
Originally Posted by Linuxfan
I like the way you think, Wezly. Unfortunately, I can't take credit for that one as I just &#^@ it up by putting it on backwards. I plead not guilty by reason of insanity as I snapped those photos at about 3am, 4 hours before I had to get up and go back to work.Quote:
Originally Posted by Wezly
Still waiting on the next round of parts to arrive. This is what I'll be receiving:
- eVGA X58 SLI LE motherboard
- EK X58 SLI LE black acetal mosfet/NB/SB chipset block
- 2x Cross-SLI GPU fittings for parallel flow
- New thermal pads for Koolance ram blocks
- 6-32 Black oxide set screws for SSD holes
And, most importantly, I FINALLY, after four months into this project, have a workspace! Today I reserved a 10x20ft. storage unit with electrical for all the fab work that's left to do on refleXion. This will help speed the project along (much needed, right!?) so that it should be completed soon.
Thank you for all the kind words and PMs that I've received on the project and the photography. You guys are awesome. :cool:
ooohhh i hadn't realized you were getting everything powder painted. Geez, i've fallen in love with the bare metal look with this build lol
*** Update! ***Quote:
Originally Posted by vistageek92
I just purchased 3 lbs. of "Starlight Black" powdercoating for refleXion!
http://img188.imageshack.us/img188/7177/img0921vw.jpg
http://img190.imageshack.us/img190/7263/img0902o.jpg
http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/3...rlightweb9.jpg
oh my, beautiful.
ahh now, i can see that on refleXion.
Also, and this is the first time that I've seen these, some Scythe Slipstream "Slim" 120mm fans from Performance-PCs.
Update 2/18 -- Decided not to go with these below. Am keeping Swiftech MCR220s and running 120x25mm fans.
Only 12mm thickness! These are critical as they will allow me to run an XSPC RX240 on the roof of the case as opposed to the much thinner Swiftech MCR 220 to give me much better cooling for the CPU, mosfet, RAM and chipset.
http://img716.imageshack.us/img716/4...1212sl1201.jpg
http://www.performance-pcs.com/catal...ducts_id=27033
I'll run these in a push-pull config on both the top and bottom rads. Their CFM/decibel rating is so-so, but I'm willing to sacrifice that to give me more room inside the case. It is really, really tight in there with the two XSPC 240s, 5970s and the Zero-G chamber. :)
:eek: daym super classy paintjob
Just to clarify, that's just the powder and not my parts. I'm having this shipped to me to have a local outfit apply it. But hopefully mine turns out as well as it shows in the pics. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by aka_GK
I saw this stuff online about a month ago and just had to have it for refleXion. Nothing else would fit it better.
Nice choice for your powder coating.
Hmmmnnn ... your choice obviously, but I probably wouldn't sacrifice 25 cm fans in order to use the XSPC 240 vs the Swiftech. Is there some aesthetic reason you prefer the XSPC? (But then, since it will be a while before anybody tests these 12cm fans with radiatiors ... you can tell us how they work).
And, as an aside - which bit do you have for your Rotozip - the one you showed with your first cuts?
Thanks, Shazza. Are you sure about the fans? These have a 45cfm rating which is in the vicinity of a lot of 25mm fans out there, and the RX240, last I checked, was just about the best performing 240 rad out there. I'm afraid the Swiftech rad wouldn't be enough with all that I'll have on this loop. In fact, I'm near certain that it wouldn't be unless I put some really powerful fans on it.Quote:
Originally Posted by shazza
I was editing as you responded - I don't see any test data on these fans yet, so who knows? I'm skeptical of manufacturer's CFM ratings. Also, the XSPC rads are good, but the Swiftech is a heck of a performer.
another edit (it's late, I need to get some sleep, I think) - Check out skinnee's Triple Radiator Comparison - you'll see there's very little difference between the XSPC and Swiftech. That's the 360 version, but no reason to expect surprises with the dual rads.
Hmm. I wonder if we're thinking about the same rad as this one is very thin. It's from the quiet power series. The RX240 is twice as thick. Good point about the fans, though. I'd forgotten that we have a pretty thorough testing ground here for 25mm fans.Quote:
Originally Posted by shazza
About the RZ bit-- it's the same one you've seen me cut with in all the pictures. It's a carbide milling bit from Bosch--much stouter than the bits that come with the RZ and cuts much quicker. Looks like a drill bit except it has a flat (not pointed) tip and the cutting grooves are sharper.
Edit: Thanks for the link. Reading now.
Edit 2: Well, it looks like I'll be canceling the order for that other XSPC RX240 and the thin fans and just going with some good 25mm fans. Thanks shazza! Really surprised at the MCR's performance in skinnee's testing. Had no idea it was that close.
So, you took the pictures late, but when did you put the case together wrong? :rofl:Quote:
Originally Posted by Xion X2
Oh that's right, you didn't rivet or screw it together yet....
I'll let you off the hook this time....
I can't find the link that fast, but I remember someone (I believe Martin) said something about slipstreams not being that great for use on rads. I don't know whether the same goes for the 12mm versions.Quote:
Originally Posted by shazza
about caps polishing :)
i tried to remove labels from caps with nitro paint solvent and it goes really quick :) question? can i damage caps (aluminium) with nitro solvent?
just remove all labels from caps on dead abit ip35 pro :) in about half a hour
will see if any chemical reaction going to happen with caps
how is everything getting cooled with just the double ??????????? confused
this is moving right along and continues to look better and better. That powdercoating should look really sweet.
I finally broke down and bought a proper 4' lightbox myself just yesterday via Ebay. I look forward to taking it out for a photo spin when it comes in. I've seriously got to work on my photography. I recently bought a Canon SX120 SLR which would help the situation immensely compared to my old point and shoot camera. Its not as nice as a D40, but its a lot cheaper and should do what I need it to do.
love the powdercoating :D
Good idea, illidan! Be sure to report back as I'll be interested to see how this works.Quote:
Originally Posted by illidan
Hey, pingpong--Quote:
Originally Posted by pingpong1455
Two rads and two loops. It's probably getting a little confusing at this point because I know I've swapped some parts in and out, but this is the current setup:
Loop 1: DDC w/ XSPC Res Top, Swiftech MCR220, Noiseblocker Multiframe fans @ 72cfm-- RAM, CPU, Mosfet, NB, SB
Loop 2: DDC w/ XSPC Res Top, Swiftech MCR220, Noiseblocker Multiframe fans @ 72cfm -- GPU1, GPU2, GPU3, GPU4
This is a lot of components to have on even two loops, but given that the DDC and XSPC Res Top is a stellar performer, and that I'm running med-high speed fans, and that I'm running low restriction blocks, I think I'll be ok.
I'd like to overclock, but I'm not looking to set any records or anything with this build. My primary concern is aesthetics at this point.
Nice purchase, voigts! If I could offer some advice, I would say to begin learning all about shutter speed, aperture and lighting. Just my humble opinion, but I feel that these make up 75% of your shots.Quote:
Originally Posted by voigts
It always helps to have a nice light source such as it appears you've purchased, but there are a lot of techniques in using it that you'll soon discover can alter your photos dramatically. Having the above basics down will help you a lot.
Good luck in your ventures into photography!
Thanks, nigelke!Quote:
Originally Posted by nigelke
Short update-- (sorry, no pictures)
I'm in the process of moving all of my tools into a local storage unit that I've just rented out as my new workspace as there remains some fab work to be done before refleXion is ready to go off to paint. So this will help speed things along. I have almost all the parts now that are going into refleXion. The EK chipset/mosfet block should arrive today, and I'll snap a few pics so that everyone can see how it looks on the board.
so far no changes :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Xion X2
here some (bad quality) pictures
http://img717.imageshack.us/img717/2156/18022010295.jpg
http://img709.imageshack.us/img709/1363/18022010296.jpg
http://img13.imageshack.us/img13/7427/18022010297.jpg
http://img534.imageshack.us/img534/2665/18022010298.jpg
Puzzled ?Quote:
GPU1, GPU2, GPU3, GPU4
Gotcha, illidan. I was only counting that as 2 x GPUs, but now I understand ;)
Great job on those caps, illidan!!! :D
Good news, everyone. I'm running on the Foxconn board right now as I type this. So the work on the caps doesn't appear to have done any damage to the board. At least not short-term.
I did get a good scare when I first booted as I had a "AMCI BIOS NOT INSTALLED" error, but after resetting the CMOS and going into the BIOS and loading the defaults, everything is working fine. Probably just pressed a jumper switch or something when I was working on the board.
But she's up and running, and everything appears to be operating normally.
While I will probably do this with my new board as well, I would advise anyone who attempts this to be extremely careful and cautious. Do so at your own risk as this voids your warranty, so if anything happens during the process, then you are likely out a motherboard and whatever you paid for it.
Photos of the new motherboard and EK full chipset block to come soon. Setting up the studio now.
Moar
(again, in all caps)
Shots from the studio--
http://img64.imageshack.us/img64/8055/dsc12250001.jpg
http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/9223/dsc12280001.jpg
http://img687.imageshack.us/img687/6506/dsc12390001.jpg
http://img9.imageshack.us/img9/4497/dsc12190001.jpg
An added, unexpected benefit from this new board is that not only does it match my color scheme a lot better because of the mostly black connectors, but the few connectors on the board that are a grayish silver match these DangerDen nickel-plated blocks almost perfectly. :)
http://img685.imageshack.us/img685/92/dsc12590001.jpg
http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/2787/dsc12640001.jpg
You may notice that I've removed the stickers from the SSDs to give them a cleaner look. I also have some 6-32 set screws on the way to fill those holes on the sides (thanks again for the suggestion, KG.)
In addition, the Zero Gravity Chamber center panel window that they're mounted to has been framed in black to dress up the piece by hiding the rough edges of the perspex. The chamber still needs a little more work before it's fully complete to my satisfaction (meaning that it looks polished enough to appear factory-made), but it's getting there.
The EK full cover chipset block for the eVGA X58 SLI LE in nickel/acetal. This thing is beautiful.
http://img687.imageshack.us/img687/7449/dsc12720001.jpg
http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/198/dsc12690001.jpg
http://img687.imageshack.us/img687/3937/dsc12750001.jpg
http://img685.imageshack.us/img685/3031/dsc12850001.jpg
http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/8525/dsc12880001.jpg
http://img198.imageshack.us/img198/1074/dsc12950001.jpg
http://img195.imageshack.us/img195/4484/dsc12960001.jpg
Very fine craftsmanship, Eddy. :up:
The block's not installed yet because I first need to test this eVGA board and make sure it's not DOA.
More to come into the weekend.
really sweet stuf you got there :D
Also love the photography skills ;)
Superb as always... I'm running out of words here.
beautiful
what else to say :)
Wow men, nice shot you got there!!!! Itīs going to be great when you finish the work.
PS: Do you recive my PM?
amazing! cant wait! :D
Very nice!
please stop the pictures :p: i almost drooled on the school computer
Your new EVGA motherboard certainly fits in with your planned colour scheme. The clear CPU block and your new full cover chipset block will look great together. Looking forward to seeing them all on and tubing fitted. I take it you are going to polish the caps on your new board too. Looking great as always :yepp:
Love the new board, definitely liking it with this build much more than the Foxconn.
*the usual*
:up:
You need to polish the caps on the GPUs too!
It took a couple of days but I made it through the whole thread.
Absolutely Amazing!
Amazing Concept.
Amazing Rendering.
Amazing Salesmanship.
Amazing Descriptions.
Amazing Craftsmanship.
Did I miss anything?:D
I would suggest checking your lighting ideas for the Zero-G Chamber as the perplex is quite reflective and later changes might be hard.
Thanks, nigelke! I'm glad that you guys are enjoying the pictures as I enjoy taking them. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by nigelke
Much appreciated, ding. Little by little we're getting there. Hopefully it'll happen before you run out of words. ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by dingdong555
Thanks, illidan! And thanks for experimenting with the caps. I plan to try the same thing as it may be easier than polishing down to the aluminum.Quote:
Originally Posted by illidan
Thanks, Sharko. I replied. :up:Quote:
Originally Posted by ShArKo
Thanks, Mabyboi! Your continued support is much appreciated.Quote:
Originally Posted by MaByBoI
Thanks, Shazza!Quote:
Originally Posted by shazza
Hehe. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by pingpong1455
Thanks, Red! I agree.. this board really looks as if it were made for my components. The color scheme matches beautifully. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Red-5
And yes, I'll most likely be polishing the caps on this one as well.
Yeah, no more red. The red clashed terribly. :shakes:Quote:
Originally Posted by Liderc
Wezly... :rofl:Quote:
Originally Posted by Wezly
These 5970s are the cost of about 7 of these eVGA motherboards. Although polished caps would look beautiful on the 5970s, I'm not sure I'm willing to risk that one since it voids the warranty. I have to draw the line somewhere. :D
Thanks, mate! More assembly shots.. gotcha. I should have some of those over the weekend as I'll be heading to my new workshop tomorrow to do some fab work. :up:Quote:
Originally Posted by p0Pe
Civilian: :up:Quote:
Originally Posted by Civilian
Thank you very much for the wonderful compliments. They are much appreciated.
The chamber will be well illuminated from the inside in a way that it should rid the perspex of reflections such as shown in the photos above. Reflections show on the perspex most when it's sitting at an angle, and the Zero Gravity Chamber is constructed in a way that you won't see the perspex at an angle too easily since it's framed by the windows. :)
Thank you for all the support, everyone. It inspires me to keep moving forward. The case frame will get a lot of work this weekend. I plan to tie up some loose ends like:
- Resolving that side panel latch problem (for those of you following since
the beginning when I pointed it out)
- Cutting a new floor and roof for the frame (I don't want any unnecessary
vents showing)
- Creating corner supports for the Zero-G chamber half of the case since
the drive cage/supports were removed
- Cutting/drilling the motherboard mount for cable management
Some other tasks that lie ahead before things are ready to go off to painting:
- Designing custom radboxes for both top and bottom MCR220s.
- Drilling the tube routing and cable routing holes into the Zero G Chamber
A lot of this is work that I haven't been able to do in my limited workspace. So now that I have a workshop, things should begin progressing quicker as we reach the home stretch of the build.
Before long, refleXion will become reality. :)
Anytime, sir.Quote:
Originally Posted by Xion X2
Fair enough; slacker :shakes:Quote:
Originally Posted by Xion X2
I kid, I kid. I didn't expect you to, but I thought I'd propose the idea since no one else brought it up...
Keep up the good work mate, it's looking good.
Just read through everything. I have the same motherboard (EVGA x58 LE) and am really liking the nickel and clear acrylic.
Wondering if you had contacted EK to have them make a LE full coverage block in nickel and clear acrylic?
It's cool, Wezly. With as Xtreme as this build is, you just know that I'd thought about that already. ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by Wezly
Thanks, KG! Good to see you around again, bud.. seems like it's been a while. How are things progressing with the new build? Still mapping out everything?Quote:
Originally Posted by kgtiger
Nope, I didn't contact EK about that. I'm not sure if he'd be willing to do that for the LE or not as this doesn't seem to be a best-seller board yet (although I do like it a lot.)Quote:
Originally Posted by shawnoen
I'm headed over to my workshop now, so I hope to provide some more updates by tonight. Thanks, all!
http://img638.imageshack.us/img638/8...c124200011.jpg
Made a lot of progress on the build today. :)
So today was my first day in my new workshop! Yeah, yeah.. it's nothing really that special. Concrete walls, a single light bulb with a string attached hanging from the ceiling (that's why I bought that new double-head 1000w Halogen monster that you see in the above picture there.) Probably rats scurrying somewhere about behind the concrete walls.
But hey, it's 10x20 ft, gives me plenty of room, and I have a heavy metal garage band just a few doors down from me so I never have to wear headphones. :lol:
But seriously, today was great. For the first time since I began refleXion--which is now about 4 months ago--I had both the space and privacy I need to really push this thing ahead and into the home stretch. I've fallen so behind on my fab work, and now it's time to bring all that up to speed so refleXion can go off to paint and start looking a little sexier than the scratched up aluminum it's wearing now.
So, we begin by taking a look at the motherboard tray. As you can see here below, in its current state it looks quite ugly. It has a bent side and is overlaying part of the pump windows on the Zero Gravity Chamber. Two big no-nos for this build. I want that back side looking clean even though it won't be seen a lot of the time.
http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/6379/dsc12040001.jpg
Yuck, right? It gets even worse. You can see here that not only is it covering part of the pump windows, but it's angled in and pushing the Zero-G Chamber lop-sided.
http://img29.imageshack.us/img29/6686/dsc120500011.jpg
So, this thing is getting hacked today. If you look at where my fingers are resting, this is where we'll cut--right along that bend.
http://img29.imageshack.us/img29/629/dsc12060001.jpg
If you look just to the right of my fingers in that above picture, you'll see a threaded screwhole. Not the ones for standoffs but to the left of them. There are three of these running vertical along the Zero-G Chamber. Perfect. After we cut this piece, we'll drill matching holes into the Zero Gravity Chamber to mount it to. This will both look clean and provide more stability for that motherboard tray.
This isn't a flat piece, so finding the right tool to cut on it was tricky. A jig won't work, because the edge guide has nothing flat to sit on. Neither will a circular saw.
Well, I've been waiting to put this dremel of mine to good use (other than polishing nickel as before) so it looks as if it's time for it to sweat a little.
Here you'll see that I'm lining it up along that bend. We'll cut this piece lengthwise along that bend to give us a smooth, flush fit against the Zero G Chamber.
http://img697.imageshack.us/img697/7364/dsc12070001.jpg
To cut, I'm using the heavy duty quick fit metal grinding wheel. Such a big name for something so small (actually, I just made that up.. I think. I don't remember what it's called, exactly.)
Here we go.
http://img199.imageshack.us/img199/1...c120800011.jpg
It's doing a great job so far. This began kicking up some metal dust, so I strapped on my 3M multi-purpose respirator. Don't wanna be breathing this stuff. Sorry, I don't have a pic of it, and you're probably better off not seeing it on me. My face is scary enough without a bio mask.
http://img29.imageshack.us/img29/3271/dsc12090001.jpg
Still doing a great job but that grinding wheel is vanishing right before my eyes. I have a feeling that most of the dust I'm seeing around me is this thing practically vaporizing before my very eyes.
And here, off we go.
http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/4...c121100011.jpg
This actually worked better than I thought it would. It was the perfect tool for the job since this was thin aluminum that I was working with.
To get this nice and smooth, though, we'll hit it with a file.
http://img199.imageshack.us/img199/1271/dsc12120001.jpg
And.. after about 15 minutes of filing this is how it looks afterward. A nice even cut.
http://img413.imageshack.us/img413/2544/dsc12140001.jpg
Running my fingers along it, it still felt a little rough and sharp--even after 15 minutes of filing. So I broke out my new toy, a Black and Decker multi-purpose sander.
http://img199.imageshack.us/img199/6...c121900011.jpg
This thing is slick. It has 4 quick attachments for different uses. An orbital, a mouse, a flat belt and... well, the other escapes me at the moment. Trust me though, it's cool.
http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/3937/dsc12160001.jpg
I slapped the orbital attachment on it, and this really got the edges nice and smooth.
So, let's fit her and see how she looks.
http://img199.imageshack.us/img199/4...c122200011.jpg
http://img690.imageshack.us/img690/5691/dsc12230001.jpg
http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/1069/dsc12240001.jpg
I'm liking that a lot. Looks much better.
(To be continued.)
I was looking for something in your build log to prove your just gifted beyond the average joe, and now I've got it. It's near impossible to make such a straight cut with a dremel, you sir are amazing:up:
ooooooh looking good, great to hear you got your own little work center now.. i used to work out of my garage and that was a massive pain. (my excuse for my choppy cuts) but your doing a beautiful job. NOW HURRY UP! :D
Framework - Part II
Next item on the agenda was to tackle those corner supports.
To provide some history, the drive cages were removed from the Cosmos so as to make room for the Zero Gravity Chamber. However, when doing so, the corner supports for the frame were lost in the process.
So then I was faced with the task of either making some from scratch or modifying the drive cage. And.. you guessed it. I've never passed up the chance to rip up some metal.
Here in this pic you'll see the right side of the drive cage that was removed. You can see how there's no room for it in the frame, and I wouldn't want it in there, anyway. I removed it because I hated how it looked in there to begin with. But it served an important job which was to provide support for the corners of the frame.
http://img28.imageshack.us/img28/613/dsc12270001.jpg
So.. don't panic when you see this below, but one night when I was bored and sitting in my small apartment and stewing about not having any workspace, I took a pair of aluminum sheers to one side of the drive cage--more out of frustration than anything else.
http://img192.imageshack.us/img192/5...c122800011.jpg
So.. yeah.. now it's obviously time to clean this piece up...
And we're back to Date with a Dremel, the sequel.
http://img193.imageshack.us/img193/448/dsc12290001.jpg
And my poor metal wheel grinder has just about had it.
She's going...
http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/3271/dsc123000011.jpg
Going...
http://img192.imageshack.us/img192/4...c123100011.jpg
And then gone (see, you don't even see it. I think it went up in a cloud of dust around me.)
Good thing I'm restocked.
http://img192.imageshack.us/img192/128/dsc12320001.jpg
Now we've finished cutting that corner off the drive cage that'll be used for the corner support on one side.
http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/743/dsc12350001.jpg
And here I am fitting it on the frame, to illustrate.
http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/892/dsc12380001.jpg
Another thing these pieces do is hold part of the front case facing in place. You can see all the notches/clips that fit together.
http://img717.imageshack.us/img717/9139/dsc12400001.jpg
So, it was important to save this piece. It would've been a pain to build it from scratch again.
Now the other side. This side had yet to be demolished by the aluminum shears.
http://img717.imageshack.us/img717/6854/dsc12440001.jpg
And, we'll go ahead and prepare for the inevitable...
http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/5620/dsc12450001.jpg
And, off she goes.
http://img715.imageshack.us/img715/5334/dsc12460001.jpg
Here's a nice shot of the piece that we're keeping for the corner support.
http://img29.imageshack.us/img29/2013/dsc12480001.jpg
And here are both corner supports fitted back onto the frame.
http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/3536/dsc125100011.jpg
http://img716.imageshack.us/img716/2253/dsc12550001.jpg
More to come in the next few days. :wave:
Great fab work mate, your ploughing through those dremel blades!
Thanks, R32; I appreciate the kind words. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by .:R32
Thanks, bud. I love my workspace. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by MaByBoI
Thanks, callen. They go fast, but they get the job done. :up:Quote:
Originally Posted by callen_1
I need to check out your project as I saw that you posted another massive update.
Love the dremel work, I'm a big fan of chopping things together, it's a lot of fun and makes me feel like my case is one of a kind, like yours is turning out to be.
Thanks, Liderc. It is starting to take on its own identity and feel exactly like that. :up:Quote:
Originally Posted by Liderc
Once the first power tool came out I stopped reading and just looked at pictures; they're informative enough.
Loving the way it's picking up speed again. I can see it reaching the event horizon before swirling inevitably into a singularity of class, style, and shininess.
:up:
Glad that you obtained good place to work in! :up: But I guess lighting is a bit insufficient to take good pictures
Speechless... Amazing work mate.
Looks like you found yourself a nice work area. Only sad thing is pictures now have a yellow tint, because of those pictures being taken in that yellow light. Are you planning on setting up your studio in there?
Excellent work mate. :up:
I am glad you have found a place to play, it's always nice to be able to stretch out abit, hay.
You should look at getting some fluorecent lights, even 70-100 watts would be heaps and they are a heap cooler. Plus the 1000w Halogen will chew through the power.
I know it's winter and they might be nice and warm, just be careful with them as you can easily burn your self on the outer shrouds as they get damm hot.
As for my build I am waiting for the mobo I want, to be released and I have a few thing that I need to do around home first, like make a desk, but I will get there. :yepp:
Keep up the excellent work mate. :up:
Great work :up::up:
and nice work with the dremel :up: doing a straight line is not everyone can do ^^
just great to see how this build is going :)
I wish i could have the same skill with a dremel.... i just kinda hold it and close my eyes and swing... almost lost a thumb :D
Love the "singularity" reference, Wez. Thanks. :up:Quote:
Originally Posted by Wezly
Thanks, GK.Quote:
Originally Posted by aka_GK
And.. uh-oh.. I've shot myself into a corner with the studio pics and now have a standard to live up to.
:p:
It took a lot of color balancing just to get them to the level they're at as the halogen light just drowns the entire room in yellow. The pictures look terribly jaundiced.
Thanks, ding! How is the Hulk doing these days? Are you still making fine-tuned adjustments or is it complete?Quote:
Originally Posted by dingdong555
Awesome build, again!
Not planning on using this space as a studio mid-project since my tools are all over the place, but after the build is complete, I'll certainly think about it. There's plenty of room; I'll just have to bring my backdrops and lights over. The project "build" video, which will hopefully be completed within the next week (been delayed due to certain parts which are on the way), will probably be shot at this location since it's more opened up.Quote:
Originally Posted by vistageek92
Thanks, KG. :up:Quote:
Originally Posted by kgtiger
I hear you on the flourescents. I'll look into getting some tonight as I'm now getting a lot of complaints about the photos. :p
I could probably use a little more light in the work area, anyway.
Appreciate the props on the dremel work, nigelke! Thanks!Quote:
Originally Posted by nigelke
Alright, no one let MaByBoI near a dremel. Or attach a rubber wheel on the end of it when he isn't looking. :pQuote:
Originally Posted by MaByBoI
As for updates, tonight I'm headed back to the workshop again to experiment with the top and bottom panels for the frame. I plan to overlay these to cover the ugly vents that are currently showing in both the floor and roof of the case. The new vents will be cut to fit the actual components that are going in.
Eh, I'll explain it all later...
i think you should leave the outside of the case metalic and buffer and shine it like you did your caps :D
+1Quote:
Originally Posted by MaByBoI
I have to say i was almost disappointed when he said he was powder coating. Over the last months, i have just fell in love with the raw metal. It never accured to me that he was planning on painting it until he said something about it a couple days ago and i was like :eek:
But its his build, and either way i think its going to be absolutly amazing, screw that it ALREADY is amazing. :cool::up::shocked:
BTW, the way you went through dremel wheels is reminiscent of the first time I opened a coconut.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MaByBoI
Hey, guys. As always, I appreciate the feedback. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by vistageek92
That said, this is my thought on the issue of painting the case exterior.
Don't forget that the side panel has a mirrored window. So I think that the window will be accented better with some color around it. If I make the entire side panel just like the window by buffing it into a nickel-like shine, then the window will not really stand out as much. And that's really the signature of this build at this point.
You open coconuts with a dremel? :poke:Quote:
Originally Posted by Wezly
Was able to get a little more work done last night. Some of you will also be glad to know that I installed a flourescent overhead work light in my shop, so the picture quality in the shop should be improving. Still won't be studio-quality, but they should be much improved. I'll post another update tonight if I have time.
On a related note, does anyone know of a good heavy-duty grinding wheel for the dremel? The ones that come with it wear out really easy.
Good to hear you got more lighting, and you ALWAYS have time to post an update here :DQuote:
Originally Posted by Xion X2
for the dremel... arent there diamond tipped wheels? i know i've seen them at canadian tire here in canada...
or another place for diamond tipped: http://www.dremel.com/en-us/Attachme...l.aspx?pid=545
otherwise there are metal wheels: http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/brows...%252523199.jsp
Grinding wheel - as in for cutting? The one's MNPC-Tech sell are good.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MaByBoI
Quote:
Originally Posted by shazza
Not for cutting, for grinding. (I know I've mixed up these terms recently.) These have a different shape than cutting discs. They're in the shape of a cork. They have the same effect as sanding but are more brute for faster filing/sanding of metal.
What I need to do now is to grind down the slight lip on the corner pieces smooth so they'll mount flush to the front of the frame.
On my way to Home Depot now to see if I can find something that'll work. I'm hoping that I can find a bit for the dremel to do this and don't have to buy a grinder.
Sweet, found an all-purpose grinding/sanding kit with the stone grinder bits included for my dremel. Will give these a run tonight to see how they do.
Like I said, first time I opened one. It was also the last :rofl:
Can't wait to see what's next. I think I enjoy large updates with more wait-time instead of teasers...
Gotcha, Xion - I wasn't sure which you were referring to. Now - get back to the grind :p:
No problemo. Like I said, I was being a bit unclear.Quote:
Originally Posted by shazza
Uploading some more pics for another update. :cool:
:bounce:Quote:
Originally Posted by Xion X2
*runs to get popcorn and kleenex*
So last we left off we had worked on that motherboard tray and the corner supports for the frame.
Here she sits under her new work light, a daylight flourescent with two bright bulbs. Waiting to be attended to.
http://img196.imageshack.us/img196/3...c126400011.jpg
But wait. Those corner supports aren't done quite yet.
Let me preface this next part with saying this. I imagine there are two camps out there. Those who think I'm a ridiculous perfectionist and those who probably appreciate my attention to detail. Well, the reason I'm so picky is because, when I began this build, I said to myself that no matter what lengths I had to go to, the finished product would look professional as if built by a case manufacturer. That was and still is a key objective of mine with refleXion, so this next piece you're about to see is a direct result of that drive.
Here's a close up of the corner support. Notice running along the bottom that there is a rough lip that's left over from the dremel cut:
http://img692.imageshack.us/img692/6892/dsc12660001.jpg
This lip will not be seen easily as it will be behind the front of the frame. But for one who would look closely after the case is complete, they would see this:
http://img717.imageshack.us/img717/4959/dsc13010001.jpg
See how the lip, being a rough cut, doesn't allow the corner support to sit flush with the frame of the Zero G Chamber? These two pieces will be bolted together, so I'd like as clean a join as possible.
So, time to break out the dremel again to grind these supports down. I'll be grinding off that lip that's keeping the pieces from sitting flush against one another.
Let's get the dremel ready.
http://img651.imageshack.us/img651/802/dsc12700001.jpg
And away we go.
http://img683.imageshack.us/img683/2...c127400011.jpg
Ok, stopping point. Look where my finger is resting. To the left we haven't touched yet. To the right, we've hit with the grinding wheel. See the difference?
http://img692.imageshack.us/img692/5405/dsc12770001.jpg
But.. wow.. these things go about as fast as the cutting discs. After just grinding half the corner support, look at what's happened to our wheel.
http://img682.imageshack.us/img682/2...c128500011.jpg
Not good. Definitely need something stronger.
It was at that moment that I was reminded of my first job out of high school. To put it plainly, it sucked. I worked in a warehouse doing some pretty hard labor. The company I worked for built huge carpet carousels, and one of my tasks was to grind hundreds of galvanized piping day after day with a small handheld grinder to prep it for welding. And then I thought, you know, I didn't do that stuff with one of these hollowed out, cheaply made grinding/sanding wheels. What I used was a diamond-cut steel bit. So there has to be something better out there for this job. And hopefully Dremel makes it.
Time for a trip to Home Depot. And when I got there, I found just what I was looking for. A large multi-purpose grinding/sanding kit.
http://img62.imageshack.us/img62/7385/dsc12840001.jpg
That's what I need. Grinding stones.
Let's give them a whirl. I'll try this one out first.
http://img651.imageshack.us/img651/3027/dsc12860001.jpg
http://img651.imageshack.us/img651/2219/dsc12870001.jpg
http://img268.imageshack.us/img268/1064/dsc12930001.jpg
Ahhh yeah, now we're getting somewhere. This is looking good, but it's left some rough edges that need to be treated with the file.
http://img682.imageshack.us/img682/1...c129400011.jpg
You love me in my ninja work gloves.
Take a look at the two corner pieces now. Notice the difference.
http://img682.imageshack.us/img682/3...c129500011.jpg
http://img534.imageshack.us/img534/9020/dsc12970001.jpg
And now, look how well this new corner piece joins to the frame as compared to before we hit it with the grinder.
http://img192.imageshack.us/img192/3271/dsc12990001.jpg
Looking a lot better. :yepp:
More to come tomorrow.
Superb man! Also i like the new lights, we now have some nice white light back into the pictures!
Also, what program did you use for your "refleXion" logo?
Thanks, bud. Yeah, the flourescents make a huge difference in picture quality. I did the best I could with those halogen lights, but they're just too much yellow. Besides.. it kept tripping the breaker due to the 1000w it was sucking down, hehehehe.Quote:
Originally Posted by vistageek92
The side panel logo or the project name logo on the pictures? The side panel was done in Autodesk 3DS Max. The project name logo was done in Photoshop.Quote:
Originally Posted by vistageek92
A sneak peek into the next update.
http://img268.imageshack.us/img268/7857/distress.jpg
:cool:
"Plexi in distress" :D
and yeah ninja gloves :rofl:
absolutely agree with you about all that grinding and filing, we are spending so much time to do this builds - they must be perfect after all that :up:
Absolutely. :cool:Quote:
Originally Posted by aka_GK
The Ninja Gloves look sweet in the pics. Imma have to break them out again.
Fantastic updates bro!
Looking forward to the finished rig... :up:
Definitely looking forward to this! Work your magic mate :woot:
grinding refers to sharpening, a grinding wheel is to make a knife o whatever uses a blade similar to that cut more easily by making it have less surface area thus exerting more force, What you are looking for is a sanding wheel since a grinding wheel will make that surface a poor quality knife.
It turned out pretty good though, i knew that unsanded edges are bad but not that bad, well done for the effort you put into this
Sorry man, it was looking at me?
http://i45.tinypic.com/332lysm.jpg
Looks good mate, glad your happy with the fluorescent lights. :up:
I think I'd vote for the ridiculous perfectionist myself. :p:Quote:
Originally Posted by Xion X2
I have sat and wondered why in the world I have found myself multiple times over stressing and spending inordinate amounts of time on minor details that don't show up in pictures and that no one else will ever see. I have concluded that it is definitely the sign of a sick mind.
Heyyy, it's my man Nashaz. You've been MIA for too long. Thanks for the props. :up:Quote:
Originally Posted by Nashaz
Will do, callen. Thanks. :up:Quote:
Originally Posted by callen_1
Great acrylic work in your project, btw. I'm looking forward to seeing the final effect.
Thanks, masxerofkartis! I appreciate the positive feedback.Quote:
Originally Posted by masxerofkartis
Just wait until he chews through that plexi. Then you'll see this: :DQuote:
Originally Posted by dingdong555
Love the lights, KG! I feel like I'll have a nice suntan afterwards, but they work great!Quote:
Originally Posted by kgtiger
Nah, not sick at all, friend. It's the sign of a great craftsman.Quote:
Originally Posted by voigts
To me, a build means a lot more if every last detail is given special attention. I equate it to the kind of polish found in a BMW or Mercedes vs. what you'd see in a Taurus or Cavalier. (No offense to any Taurus or Cavalier owners out there, but you get the idea.)
To me, going that extra mile gives a build a certain polish that is special. And that's what I'm striving for. :up: