FEATURED Build Log: Water & Wood

There are plexi etch kits you can buy. It's tape etc covering the areas you don't want to get umm.. sandblasted I think.

http://www.glasscrafters.biz/www/pdfs/GC_Cat-58.pdf

MIAHALLEN said:

Is there a better way to do that than freehand with my dremel?

...then I could edge light it too

Click to expand...

Any place that does laser cutting will most likely be able to do laser etching for you as well. I would contact the guys that are sending you the rad grills and ask them if they do etching, or maybe find a local shop that will do it for you.

If that's no option... steady hand + dremel and you're done.

Ohh, Danger Den will do it, Open a ticket. They do custom etching, just give them the info on the size of the plexi, and send em' pics.

Just mask the panel off for what you want etched and what you don't want etched and take it to a body shop, or someplace that does bead or sand blasting, chances are they will do it for you real cheap and fast, and be happy to help.

While I do appreciate all your ideas....you have to keep in mind that asking anyone to do anything is a challenge for me here (I'm still in Japan , and I still don't speak Japanese)....which is why even difficult things for me, I still take on if possible.

I'm not saying I'm scared to go ask, I'm just saying the pain and agony associated with trying to get something done would preclude it from being as simple as it sounds (trust me).

The link I posted is masking material and a can of sandblast material. Not as good as laser etching, but it should work well. I'm sure getting it from the states will be kinda hard but doable.

http://www.glasscrafters.biz/www/pdfs/GC_Cat-58.pdf

I'm sure someone in Japan has it too, they do hobby stuff also.

MIAHALLEN said:

While I do appreciate all your ideas....you have to keep in mind that asking anyone to do anything is a challenge for me here (I'm still in Japan , and I still don't speak Japanese)....which is why even difficult things for me, I still take on if possible.

I'm not saying I'm scared to go ask, I'm just saying the pain and agony associated with trying to get something done would preclude it from being as simple as it sounds (trust me).

Click to expand...

Ahh i figured you spoke the language, since you are a smart individual

I can understand the pains of trying to communicate while not knowing the language. Spent a few weeks in europe and i don't speak anything thing but English and bad english.

Thanks Conumdrum.....I've gotta be able to find stuff like that on eBay I'd imagine. But I'm tempted to not be patient and do it with my Dremel for a simple "shape outline" type approach, course I could always blast it afterward, or redo it altogether when I got the stuff later. Thanks again for the suggestion.

@ TJ, yeah I'd have learned the language by now (I've been here over 5 years), but I've been too busy benching

LoL, come on 5 years? Had to of picked up some by now. What part of Japan are you in? I want to visit Japan some time, it is a place of great interest to me.

What kind of sleeve did you use for your cables? I'm trying to find some white that does not let the color of the wires bleed through. Tis a difficult procedure.

I know a little....enough to get me in trouble

mdpc sleeve, its nice....although I've very intrigued by Team ColdZero sleeve which is thin enough to allow for heatshrinkless ends

ColdzeroTeam said:

"heatshrinkless" sleeved psu cables

Click to expand...

ShortAlieN said:

LoL, come on 5 years? Had to of picked up some by now. What part of Japan are you in? I want to visit Japan some time, it is a place of great interest to me.

What kind of sleeve did you use for your cables? I'm trying to find some white that does not let the color of the wires bleed through. Tis a difficult procedure.

Click to expand...

Miah knows all the important stuff like, "Show me to your ln2", "where does one procure large amounts of electrical power", and "No i am not godzilla, but i may have played him on tv".

Just read the entire thread, that build is amazing! I'm surprised the desk doesn't start moving across the room from the force of the fans!

MIAHALLEN said:

I know a little....enough to get me in trouble

mdpc sleeve, its nice....although I've very intrigued by Team ColdZero sleeve which is thin enough to allow for heatshrinkless ends

Click to expand...

I bet.

I figured it had to be mdpc, everyone likes their stuffs. order I shall. Thanks.

TsunamiJuan said:

Miah knows all the important stuff like, "Show me to your ln2", "where does one procure large amounts of electrical power", and "No i am not godzilla, but i may have played him on tv".

Click to expand...

Alright, I've got a faily decent update today...I've made a lot of progress on the door.

I actually had a look at things back at the beginning when the desk was disassembled.



There were already holes in the side pieces which were intended for use as peg holders for the adjustable shelving, and they were perfectly spaced for the hinge brackets.



However, they were too close to the edge, and the door would have been sitting out about 10cm away from the desk front. So I drilled some new holes a little further back.



The brackets were mounted with plastic anchors.





And the hinge clips right on.



But, the hard part about the hinges is the need to inset them into the door. I started out by marking the locations.



Then drilled some of the area out a bit.



Then completed the process manually with a straight chisel.





This keeps the hinge fully hidden when the door is closed.









In retrospect, I should have done the front door modifications before the hinges, but its too late for that now. I've decided to do a hexagon shaped (not equilateral) window with the Japanese characters for "water & wood" etched into the plexi window and edge lit.

I knew measuring and getting everything lined up properly would be a challenge, so I went slow and took all my measurements three or four times.



Then I placed and taped down my character templates.



And proceeded to cut them out with an exacto knife.





Next I busted out my Dremel for some etching action.....I'm working on a time lapse video showing the process...I'll try to get it posted soon




Next I rounded off the hexagonal edges....





....and proceeded to etch the boarder the same way I did the characters.



Then I mimic'd the shape of the window boarder with slightly larger dimensions onto the door.



And as with the window, I used a CD-ROM to mark the rounded corners of the shape. The CD came in extra handy for marking the center of the radius so I could drill out the corners with my hole cutter.





last thing for today's update, I had split a small bit of wood when I was carving out the space for the hinges.



I threw some glue in the gap and tied it up to dry.

Great stuff dude , subbed

FYI for future exploits miah, they make a bit for those hinges (well they make serval but those are common hinges). It basicly just bores out a flat hole for you to pop the gide into then you screw it down. (this is done without going through the outside of the door obviously).

As for the glue, Most wood glues dry stronger than the wood so your in good shape.

Thanks TJ

Here is the etching time-lapse video ....sorry my big fat head keeps getting in the way

You did that in the house? Man your wife must really really love you That or you must be amazing at cleaning

Yes in the house....in my workshop room I don't have a garage or anywhere else to work....but we have a nice vacuum