*giggles*.... lol?
Thanks for the levity guys.
On to the matter at hand....
Here are some images of techniques that might be useful to modders:
This is why I really need a table saw.
Using a level, a 90-degree angle, C-clamps, and the end of a tape measure is not the most efficient or accurate of way of cutting panels made from any type of material.
<OT> … that is what I have until I can clear the cupboards for the DeWalt table saw that I have my eye on…next week, maybe? *hopes*
Again… an overly-complicated way to match dimensions whilst ensuring 90 degree angles while bonding. Lol….
When possible it is a handy and extremely accurate to use existing hardware as templates… please note that this should be done with great care unless the component is dispensable.
Here is what Santa brought me for Christmas:
Ha! No more buffing large areas with that Dremel…yay!
But in situations like this the Dremel is once again in the limelight.
When cutting multiple holes at one time, I have found it to be a good idea to mark which holes are which…. I have erred here on several occasions…D'oh! Marking the holes saves me from a lot of aggravation and embarrassment.
For larger holes (> .50") I use a Forstner bits. These bits must be started slowly until the bit has started to shave material and has seated itself inside the hole that is drilling. If care is not taken, then the acrylic can chip or crack and the bit may also have a tendency to travel.
Tower top panel windows:
Tower Assembly
Completed Tower
Raptors (taken from Gemini) and Zalman coolers (lol…mounted upside down intentionally).
The stock anti-vibration bushings were great and all if they were to be used in a stock case. For what I hoped, they proved to be as useful as a flaccid member in dire need of Viagra. I dug through my hardware cache and was able to come up with 8 sets of hardware that might do the trick. I apologize for the lack of quality on the close-up… erm… I had turned the Macro function off and did not realize it until it was too late.
Case Fans
One of the gripes that I had with the Gemini project was the cooling for the motherboard module. I was determined not to make that mistake again. This iteration will have dual 120mm intake fans on the front. Most of the time I use filters on intakes (rads are the exception) as my cat sheds at an alarming rate. I decided not to use filters, but acrylic grills instead…. this was a choice based on vanity; I hope that I do not regret the choice…
Too complicated:
I simply need the fans to run at full power when plugged into a 3-pin connector. A quick mod will take care of that. Note that staggering the connections in the line will alleviate the "Boa constrictor that just ate" look.
ah. That is much better:
I have had to re-fabricate some of the panels. I messed up the rear doors to the HDD chamber something fierce, and the front window panel for the mobo module was a little skewed… nothing a Dremel or Cordless can't fix… I hope.