The Console Project by Navig

OP

Navig

Senior Case Master

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Joined

Dec 7, 2003

• May 10, 2007

• Thread Starter
• #21

Medium Density Fiberboard. Summary of pros n cons. Strong, sturdy, easy to work with. Dirt cheap. Painting of cut edges is a problem--any water based paint, the fibers stand up, giving it a strange texture. You can find certain types of sealer paint. Or do what I plan, line the cut edges with melamine tape.

 

Oroka Sempai

Member

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Joined

Jul 22, 2004

Location

Port Elgin, Canada

• May 11, 2007

• #22

This is genius for housing a HTPC. Everything close by, and tons of space to add more HDDs.

 

Sleepy_Steve

Member

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Joined

Dec 3, 2004

Location

VT... or MD

• May 11, 2007

• #23

I should design and build a sub enclosure for my car... But do I re-use the MDF from my home made bookshelf? Or do I go out and buy a fresh sheet of the stuff?

 

JamesXP

Epic Fail Guy

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Joined

Apr 18, 2007

Location

England

• May 11, 2007

• #24

With building an encosure look for a good design, 1inch off can make a difference ;],

I wouldn't just make a box either.

 

OP

Navig

Senior Case Master

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Joined

Dec 7, 2003

• May 28, 2007

• Thread Starter
• #25

I'm going to summarize several weeks of experimentation into bending large plastic panes with this picture:








Done twice, I mounted these bad boys with tape:





A little quick test with possible lighting:





Next step: mount the hinges, and trim the doors to size.

 

djrussell

Member

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Joined

May 25, 2007

Location

everett, wa

• May 29, 2007

• #26

wow, that's wild. if you're going watercooled, it'd be neat to route out channels for the water tubes to run through.

 

xanderjobizzle

Member

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Joined

Jun 11, 2003

Location

Kansas City, Mo

• May 29, 2007

• #27

This looks really cool.

Good Luck!

 

OP

Navig

Senior Case Master

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Joined

Dec 7, 2003

• Jun 3, 2007

• Thread Starter
• #28

Okay, now I could use a little advice/suggestions.

Doors have been cut and hung:




Any suggestions on how to latch the doors closed? I had all along assumed I do something like door magnets, but now I think I might take the opportunity to do something a little more unique. Must be sleek and functional!

navig

 

OP

Navig

Senior Case Master

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Joined

Dec 7, 2003

• Jun 6, 2007

• Thread Starter
• #29

So I was sitting at my desk this night, and all of sudden Console PC ver 2.0 came to me. So I've spent the last half hour sketching it out!





Sorry, the pencil didn't scan so well, but I think you can make out the general details. What is the point, you say? Its a combo console for your regular "TV" rack equipment, plus a full sized case built into one.

Sure, you can buy media center cases that will go into a standard rack. But can they offer full ATX sized motherboard running a 3x120 watercooled loop, overclocked quad core with SLI, and 6 terabytes of storage?

navig

 

asusradeon

Member

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Joined

Oct 25, 2004

Location

127.0.0.1

• Jun 6, 2007

• #30

Oooo.. thats looking goooooood...keep us posted !

 

OP

Navig

Senior Case Master

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Joined

Dec 7, 2003

• Jun 7, 2007

• Thread Starter
• #31

Alright, got my doors mounted and my catch mechanism installed. Here's a test run of what it looks like to open my system:

 

Hazaro

Member

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Joined

Apr 25, 2007

• Jun 7, 2007

• #32

Nice and simple, now get a system in there!

 

OP

Navig

Senior Case Master

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Joined

Dec 7, 2003

• Jun 11, 2007

• Thread Starter
• #33

Update:

Backplate is made and secured:







Front Switch Panel, testing the LEDs:







And mounted:





I'm also starting to prep the body for paint (all the white stripes are edge trim tape for the rough cut edges).

 

sephiroth_749

Top ranking SOLDIER officer

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Joined

Jun 13, 2006

Location

Park Hills, Missouri

• Jun 11, 2007

• #34

wow this thing is awsome one of these days when i get really bored ima have to try to make some this amazing(after i screw it up a cople of times)

 

asusradeon

Member

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Joined

Oct 25, 2004

Location

127.0.0.1

• Jun 12, 2007

• #35

its looking good m8, i like the led switches..

 

OP

Navig

Senior Case Master

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Joined

Dec 7, 2003

• Jun 21, 2007

• Thread Starter
• #36

Painting Painting Painting....






Here are a couple of finished panels:



Bulletproof matte black.




Here a little test sample for some bling I might add:




(Instead of a rectangle of black tape, imagine "Navig" in a nice font).

 

EmAn

Member

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Joined

Feb 20, 2007

Location

Germany for now.

• Jun 22, 2007

• #37

its been a while since i have checked this project and it is coming out nice!

i really like the whole thing... but... how many fans and how loud are they going to be?

also it would be cool if you could fit a ps3 in there and have it folding!

 

OP

Navig

Senior Case Master

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Joined

Dec 7, 2003

• Jun 22, 2007

• Thread Starter
• #38

I've got it currently planned for 3 intake fans, and 2 exhaust fans, probably all yate loons. Its not a big deal, with most of the body work made of MDF you can hardly hear fans at all.

For this first build, being my first ever attempt at woodwork, I kept it a simple (if large) computer case only. Let me tell you it will be a pleasure to install things into this case. Everything has plenty of space with tool free slots. There will even be a rack behind the vertical mdf strut to stow all those power supply cables.

I may or may not install a triple radiator and watercool it.

If you wanted to put a PS3 on it you could just put it on top--the entire top will be a useable flat surface as you can see here. Simple, sturdy, functional.

Now I may go on to build this version 2 which will have plenty of space for standard a/v components.

navig

 

OP

Navig

Senior Case Master

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Joined

Dec 7, 2003

• Jul 6, 2007

• Thread Starter
• #39

Here are some update pics.




All the panels are painted. Maybe a second name for this project should be the Ikea project! Its really only comprised of what 6 panels, 2 plastic windows, a backer, and some hardware.


Here's it going together:






Here's a test pic of a possible backlit logo panel (that I hinted at above):





Not sure I'm going to keep it. We'll see...

 

lenix

Member

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Joined

Jun 21, 2005

• Jul 6, 2007

• #40

mmm sweet dude, great job