Project: Redemption

[GLScooby]

Well I've been gaffing this off for a while now, so it's time to make good on at least one of those New Year's Resolutions.

Here is the worklog for my next machine.

This rig used to be a server for a hospital. My Dad does contract Desktop Support for the IT Dept. He was about to toss this thing in the trash bin when he remembered my request for him to keep his eye peeled for any useful components or cases he comes across. He gave me a call at work and told me he had a case for me. I was all ears. He said it was big. He wasn't fibbing. He brought it to me and I just about threw up when I saw that not only was it big enough to affect the tides, it was a Compaq. I have a certain aversion to the so-called Tier 1 OEMs anyways, and Compaq is the crown jewel on my list of proprietary-non-upgradable-yukko's.

Then something happened. The Humanitarian/Modder/Geek/Mechanic in me took over. I saw flashes of the opening clip at the beginning of the 'Six-Million-Dollar Man'. I can rebuild it. I can make it Better, Stronger, Faster.

Redemption.

The Humanitarian in me said, "I will redeem this machines' soul and try to make it respectable again."

The Modder in me said, "Look at all the room for windows, fans, lights, and LEDs!"

The Geek in me said, "It will have the finest components and will perform like a champion" (NOTE: the Geek in me is unaware of my account balance, hence the delay)

And finally, the Mechanic in me said, "Knock off all this stupid typing and let's get to frikkin' work."

I spent about an hour unclipping and unscrewing the arcaic hardware from the belly of the beast and when I saw the case in all of it's naked glory............

.........my mind went completely freaking blank.

I had no idea of what I intended to do with this gargantuan hunk of steel. (It is a heavy pig, even empty.) This has been and still is, a work, AND conception, in progress. To those of you who have done original conceptions, (Zackbass, web56n, DRxAndy, TAZ, Adisharr, GaryUT, DS, and any others) did your projects go like this at any point in the building? Every time I have decided on how something is going to be placed, the next step gives me a new idea, causing me to take two steps backward. Oh well, onward.

DISCLAIMER: The mods and materials for this project are conceived from ideas from many people, not just me. Modding is ART. Just as you see influences in classical paintings, you will see some of my modding influences from some of you. I have been a member of Sharky forums since its early days (had to re-register after the format changed) and have been a thread lurker for the most part. I don't post alot, but I read ALOT. I pay attention to things that are posted and have gained much of what I know about computers right here.

I dedicate this project to those of you who have helped and inspired me. (Yes, even you DS.)

So let's put a fresh reinforced cutoff wheel on the Dremel and get to work!

[GLScooby]

I'm getting the pics, hang on!

[Ashpool]

If we would get a pic somehow, then we'd get a better picture on what you mean.

Edit: Damnit, seconds late ><

[knuckles644]

Not only that, you have a great sense of humor.

I can't wait to see this...

[GLScooby]

I didn't get pics before the disassembly, so here is a few I took after some of the work was in progress.

The victim:




The evil that was pulled from the carcass:



Some of the future tenants:



I needed a mounting tray for the mobo and a hard drive cage, so I went to the computer show when it came to town and picked up a cheapie case for $7.00 (WITH a PSU!) and promptly hacked it up for pieces. I'll probably use the LEDs too. Here are the remains:

[knuckles644]

THAT IS A JOKE! IT CAN'T BE! IM MELTING! THE LIGHTS ARE GOING DIM! THIS MUST BE A DREAM!! AHAHAHA! YES A DREAM!

How tall is that thing? 3 or 4 feet?

[GLScooby]

The first thing I actually have decided on is mobo orientation. I am going to rotate the mobo 90 degrees to the left and have the I/O ports on the BOTTOM. All of the I/O's will be inside of the case. This makes for a hassle every time I need to get in, you say? From a previous thread in this particular forum, there will be a remote I/O box connected via jumpers from the main box. No pics of that one, still working on it. Here is the cannibalized mobo tray and I/O plate from the sacrificial cheap-o case, installed.







The back of this thing had all kinds of useless holes and ports with rolled edges. It took me hours to cut all of the rolled edges off. Here's the result:



And a filler piece inside (and another for the outside, not pictured)

[GLScooby]

24 inches tall, 22 inches deep, 9 inches wide.

Don't laugh, you'll give it a complex....

If this thing never gets done, I can always put a mailbox on the front of it and move in.

Section 8 housing for geeks.....

[knuckles644]

LMAO!!!

[number1sixerfan]

omg that is a huge a** case. It's steel too? Jesus wait until all the parts are in it.

[DRxAndy]

when i was planning for a new casemod to work on, the first idea that came to mind, was zelda. I mulled over it and wanted to be 100% sure, so i came up with a couple other themes, mostly movies - but none of them had what i wanted as much as zelda.

in the planning for the zelda case, i had hundreds of ideas rush through my mind over the span of time
the fangrill design, the front bezel, the interior and exterior color scheming, the drives, the fans, etc etc

once you get an idea, everything usually comes into place
haha well it does for me anyway

now onto comments about your case
daaaaaamn! that thing is huge!
it also has plenty of great potential too
you're going to need some wheels

[thrawn86]

You could fit some SERIOUS cooling into that case Like, a whole bunch of radiators. and stuff.

how much does it weigh?

[zackbass]

Originally posted by GLScooby
This has been and still is, a work, AND conception, in progress. To those of you who have done original conceptions, (Zackbass, web56n, DRxAndy, TAZ, Adisharr, GaryUT, DS, and any others) did your projects go like this at any point in the building?

It happens all the time, and often for much longer periods than I'd like. Those are the times I usually just walk away from the project for a while (hours, days, weeks). Then something new hits me and I go running for my sketchpad and get back to work.

You've also got the "blank paper" effect to deal with at the start of a project. It's hard to visualize what you are doing until you have something done that you can build on.

As for getting new ideas in the middle of building, I've come up with a satisfactory solution. I'm doing all my work on paper and with CAD software before building. It's probably not a good solution for your situation, but I highly reccomend sketching what you want everything to look like before building.

About your case's size, start worrying about part placement
right now. The size will give you a false feeling that there is plenty of room, then once you near the end you find out that a key piece won't fit. Take a look at the radiator on top of my case:

http://members.lycos.co.uk/zackbass1...%20quailty.JPG

That was NOT planned. The radiators I got were too big (they can easily passively cool my P4, GPU and NB) to fit inside with all the parts already mounted.

Oh yeah, my case is 22"x25"x7.25", you are not alone GLScooby!

If you plan on doing a lot of sheet metal work there a few tools that I highly reccomend: A set of aviation shears, a Pop rivet tool (if you don't already have one), and a Roper punch.

You mentioned taking ideas from other people. Everyone here has been influenced by other members, some more directly than other. CrawlingEye gave me the idea for the water in the frame of my last case. I hope you DO take some of our idea and make them into something real.

I hope to see some awsome work! I absolutely love to see heavy fabrication in custom cases and new ideas and I know that you can pull it off.

[TAZTG]

Originally posted by GLScooby

.........my mind went completely freaking blank.

I had no idea of what I intended to do with this gargantuan hunk of steel. (It is a heavy pig, even empty.) This has been and still is, a work, AND conception, in progress. To those of you who have done original conceptions, (Zackbass, web56n, DRxAndy, TAZ, Adisharr, GaryUT, DS, and any others) did your projects go like this at any point in the building? Every time I have decided on how something is going to be placed, the next step gives me a new idea, causing me to take two steps backward. Oh well, onward.

I dedicate this project to those of you who have helped and inspired me. (Yes, even you DS.)

I agree with what you and Zack or stating. Alot of you have inspired me with my MODS. DS with his painting expertise (Inside of Case)! Scoob with how clean his system looked! DRxAndy & GaryUT for their Sleeving! Zackbass, web56n & Adishar for their planning and Attn. to Detail!
I am also like you when it comes to the actual Modding, I jump right in with a vague idea and then have to take two steps back because of a better idea. I have this problem when I go to stores and see Modding Gear all over the place. Hmm that would make a nice case or hmmm I could run my cabling through that or I could use that tool for future modding. Its an Addiction and I Love It.

Now comments on that Monster you will be redeeming. I like the idea of the I/O's staying inside and having an external box. Will you be making custom connections on the inside to the outside(Mobo-Ext.Box)? Keep us posted Scoob & Thanx

[San7a]

Scoob, you're the man. You still have my pump and rad?