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Yaytay's yet another TARDIS ITX box

Started by yaytay, Mar 29, 2007, 04:41 am

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yaytay

Mar 29, 2007, 04:41 am Last Edit: May 19, 2010, 01:16 pm by Scarfwearer
It seems I need another computer in my house and this one just has to be a TARDIS.
It's going to have a 26cm bas and stand about 40cm at the shoulder (I haven't planned the roof yet).
It's based on the new series models, simply because they are lower and thus suit my needs better.

Inside it'll have an ITX board, a gigabit switch and an wireless router, all running from the same power supply.
I'm hoping to get the top sign, windows and (less sure) top lamp all illuminated when the PC inside is on.

Very early days so far, the base and corner pillars are cut but not finished.
I'll get photos up when I can, but my digital camera is currenly in too many pieces.

throgmorton

Nov 14, 2007, 04:51 pm #1 Last Edit: Dec 29, 2009, 02:36 pm by scarfwearer
Thats fantastic! A very pleasant and functional TARDIS, even her indoors could not complain at that LOL.
Chris E.

yaytay

Apr 13, 2007, 03:22 pm #2 Last Edit: May 19, 2010, 01:12 pm by scarfwearer
Progress so far.
457728650_a078b52765_m.jpg

The main body is up and I'm currently working on the bevel around the base.
Still need to do some more finishing (quite a bit of sanding), and I keep forgetting about the extra cladding that the roof corners need.
Then it'll be time to put the wall finishings on.

Still very nervous about paint - I just can't seem to find the right colour over here (and If I don't do some kind of weathering the whole thing is going to seem very flat).

The window holes are a terrible mess 'cos I don't have a decent jigsaw here and cut them with a dremel router.
But the edges will all be covered over, so it doesn't matter.
Found some excellent textured translucent plastic material for the windows in Staples (not sure if that idea came from this site or another one).

yaytay

May 01, 2007, 02:37 pm #3 Last Edit: May 19, 2010, 01:12 pm by scarfwearer
Well I've nearly finished the "making" section, and on to the very scary "painting" section.
479937363_740a1f61e9_m.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7793265@N03/

I'm still working on the back panel, which is obviously more awkward because it has the computer panels coming out of it.
I've made a little Cat6 patch panel, so the IGD and switch will be entirely hidden inside, which is a lot neater than I had planned.

I'm not happy with the lamp, but at least I can remove it and put something better on later.
The wire mesh around it is a last minute addition, which is why it doesn't fit  :)

And then on to painting, which still fills me with dread.

karsthotep

May 01, 2007, 03:39 pm #4 Last Edit: May 19, 2010, 01:12 pm by scarfwearer
beautiful beautiful work.  I look forward to seeing the techie transformation, I am an Network administrator for a small bank so I am watching eagerly as the updates come. 

Karst
I want notes, lists and answers by the time I finish this here Juicy-a-Box! WARNING: I am Thirst-ay! And it is Fruit Punch! And it is Delicious!"

yaytay

May 13, 2007, 03:39 pm #5 Last Edit: May 19, 2010, 01:13 pm by scarfwearer
It's gone blue, and ****** **** what a transformation that makes.
The first coat, on top of the white primer, is really patchy and gives a really nice battered look to it, but I still thinks I need to do more coats and hide the brush strokes.

It's starting to look like a TARDIS :)

yaytay

May 20, 2007, 04:05 pm #6 Last Edit: May 19, 2010, 01:13 pm by scarfwearer
tfgtr65exzMy motherboard is dead!

Yesterday was a bad day - I discovered that I really can't solder at all well (I'm still blaming my soldering iron) and when I put all the guts together the motherboard was as dead as a proverb and wouldn't even beep at me.
Oh well, another one one order.

This morning I set about the final bits for the shell, windows, lamp, signs, etc.
And promptly broke the lamp!
The lamp's a bulb with the insides removed, so it's quite fragile and I have to hacksaw the base off.
I managed the sawing perfectly on the first one a few weeks, then broke it whilst trying to fit the cage around it.
And today I broke the second one whilst sawing.

But at least it's solved my weathering problems, the shell now has patches of blood on it! :)

yaytay

May 20, 2007, 05:57 pm #7 Last Edit: May 19, 2010, 01:13 pm by scarfwearer
You can see all these photos at http://www.flickr.com/photos/7793265%40N03/

The box together in one piece:
506149140_6e0fc3e42d_m.jpg

And in the dark:
506149148_9215a8713e_m.jpg

This shows it without the back panel:
506149158_bd1773a0d9_m.jpg

And with it:
506149176_f778fba70f_m.jpg

I've got to weather it yet, but that's too scary!

I replaced the broken bulb lamp with a sawn down solder tube, that still needs some tidying up but I think I'll stick with it.

On the back panel the two round holes in the bottom left are power and power switch.
The big gaping hole is where the back panel for the motherboard goes and the two smaller gaping holes will be the patch panel.

The top and bottom panels are grills from a house vent to allow air flow.

When I've got a working motherboard I'll put up some pics of the guts.

Oh, it's all held together with blu-tac at the moment!

chriskingbees

May 20, 2007, 06:55 pm #8 Last Edit: May 19, 2010, 01:14 pm by scarfwearer
Superb stuff. Well worth the "Blood"
Well done
KB

yaytay

Jun 06, 2007, 01:35 am #9 Last Edit: May 19, 2010, 01:17 pm by Scarfwearer
Well it's been a few weeks since I posted any progress, and that's mainly because I've been too busy on my little box.

This is probably my favourite picture of it:
532450150_475060af88_m.jpg

But here's a few more anyway (the full set are at http://www.flickr.com/photos/7793265%40N03/):
532450254_0698b9db43_m.jpg

Here's the guts of it:
532545607_53b62863a4_m.jpg
The 12cm fan underneath is in front of a drive cage containing a 500GB disc and an 8GB Compact Flash card.
Then there's the EPIE EN1200 motherboard and on top of that a table (with lovely ventilation holes) for the switch and IGD to sit on.

532450016_61d417639d_m.jpg
That's it sort of half together.

And a final one in the dark:
532545383_86f8965396_m.jpg

Now it's all software from here...

kiwidoc

Jun 06, 2007, 02:03 am #10 Last Edit: May 19, 2010, 01:14 pm by scarfwearer
Yaytay, that kicks butt!  That is (and I hope I don't offend anyone else) the single coolest miniature NST build I've seen - the windows are brilliant!  I find that inspiring, I'd love to have one myself but wouldn't have the foggiest idea where to stay equipment-wise so I'll just admire yours.  Well done!!

DoctorWho8

Jun 06, 2007, 03:20 am #11 Last Edit: May 19, 2010, 01:15 pm by scarfwearer
Can I get that in a Macintosh?
Bill "the Doctor" Rudloff

yaytay

Jun 06, 2007, 05:24 am #12 Last Edit: May 19, 2010, 01:15 pm by scarfwearer
Hmm, a Mac?
It could probably be done by ripping a MacBook to pieces.
It would still be wider than the (very conveniently square) Mini-ITX boards, but could probably be mounted sideways (on the wall).
Then you'd have problems mounting the disc drives, but after a bit of rummaging around dead cases you could probably find a drive cage small enough.
But I doubt you'd be able to fit the IGD and switch in there too.
The DLink IGD that I've got barely fits as it is, and the patch panel is squeezed in so badly that the back wall is actually squashed out (you can't tell from the photos  ;) ).

I've just realised that now this is done I have to find somewhere to put all the bits of wood and computers that I've accumulated.
Ah well, time to start on K9....

dalethetimelord

Jun 06, 2007, 05:24 am #13 Last Edit: May 19, 2010, 01:15 pm by scarfwearer
Now that is gorgeous.  Love it.  And I think it makes you Model Rebuilder of the Month, with 300 karma points.  Nice one!!

D.

tardisamd

Nov 13, 2007, 03:51 am #14 Last Edit: May 19, 2010, 01:15 pm by scarfwearer
very very nice build there, i plan on building a TARDIS of my own within the next month, but I have great ideas for cooling, hiding wires, accessibility inside and to the CD ROM Drives.  I need to do up some plans for this and if anyone can offer help I appreciate it.