--- r e f l e X i o n ---

[kgtiger]

Keep up the good work mate, it's looking good.

[shawnoen]

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?

[Xion X2]

Anytime, sir.



Fair enough; slacker

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...

It's cool, Wezly. With as Xtreme as this build is, you just know that I'd thought about that already.

Keep up the good work mate, it's looking good.

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?

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?

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.)

I'm headed over to my workshop now, so I hope to provide some more updates by tonight. Thanks, all!

[Xion X2]

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.

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.



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.



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.


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.



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.



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.



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.



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.



And.. after about 15 minutes of filing this is how it looks afterward. A nice even cut.



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.



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.



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.







I'm liking that a lot. Looks much better.


(To be continued.)

[.:R32]

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

[Mabyboi]

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!

[Xion X2]

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.



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.



So.. yeah.. now it's obviously time to clean this piece up...

And we're back to Date with a Dremel, the sequel.



And my poor metal wheel grinder has just about had it.

She's going...



Going...



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.



Now we've finished cutting that corner off the drive cage that'll be used for the corner support on one side.



And here I am fitting it on the frame, to illustrate.



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.



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.



And, we'll go ahead and prepare for the inevitable...



And, off she goes.



Here's a nice shot of the piece that we're keeping for the corner support.



And here are both corner supports fitted back onto the frame.





More to come in the next few days.

[callen_1]

Great fab work mate, your ploughing through those dremel blades!

[Xion X2]

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

Thanks, R32; I appreciate the kind words.

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!

Thanks, bud. I love my workspace.

Great fab work mate, your ploughing through those dremel blades!

Thanks, callen. They go fast, but they get the job done.

I need to check out your project as I saw that you posted another massive update.

[Liderc]

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.

[Xion X2]

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.

[Wezly]

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.

[aka_GK]

Glad that you obtained good place to work in! But I guess lighting is a bit insufficient to take good pictures

[dingdong555]

Speechless... Amazing work mate.

[vistageek92]

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?

[kgtiger]

Excellent work mate.
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.

Keep up the excellent work mate.

[nigelke]

Great work

and nice work with the dremel doing a straight line is not everyone can do ^^

just great to see how this build is going

[Mabyboi]

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

[Xion X2]

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.

Love the "singularity" reference, Wez. Thanks.

Glad that you obtained good place to work in! But I guess lighting is a bit insufficient to take good pictures

Thanks, GK.

And.. uh-oh.. I've shot myself into a corner with the studio pics and now have a standard to live up to.



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.

Speechless... Amazing work mate.

Thanks, ding! How is the Hulk doing these days? Are you still making fine-tuned adjustments or is it complete?

Awesome build, again!

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?

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.

Excellent work mate.
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.

Keep up the excellent work mate.

Thanks, KG.

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.

Great work

and nice work with the dremel doing a straight line is not everyone can do ^^

just great to see how this build is going

Appreciate the props on the dremel work, nigelke! Thanks!

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

Alright, no one let MaByBoI near a dremel. Or attach a rubber wheel on the end of it when he isn't looking. :p


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...

[Mabyboi]

i think you should leave the outside of the case metalic and buffer and shine it like you did your caps

[vistageek92]

i think you should leave the outside of the case metalic and buffer and shine it like you did your caps

+1

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

But its his build, and either way i think its going to be absolutly amazing, screw that it ALREADY is amazing.

[Wezly]

BTW, the way you went through dremel wheels is reminiscent of the first time I opened a coconut.

[Xion X2]

i think you should leave the outside of the case metalic and buffer and shine it like you did your caps

+1

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

Hey, guys. As always, I appreciate the feedback.

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.

BTW, the way you went through dremel wheels is reminiscent of the first time I opened a coconut.

You open coconuts with a dremel?


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.

[Mabyboi]

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

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

[shazza]

Grinding wheel - as in for cutting? The one's MNPC-Tech sell are good.