Project: Water Cooling Turbine

[rendermandan]

Well, here is tonight's update.

I stopped picked up some semi-translucent plastic as a backer for the bottom section,

I cut it to shape and set it aside.

Then came the task of cutting all the small strips to add to the sides.

Too bad half way thru, I almost sliced the end of my left middle finger off. I was holding a straight edge and pulled a razor blade right across the tip. -I didn't get any photos.

Then I glued the sides, front and back together and added some gussets for strength.

Then I glued on the little strips:

then I glued it to the tube:

Then just for fun, I checked to see how the tubing would look:

Thats it for now. Tomorrow I'm going to get working on the cover that goes over the radiator.

Later,

[rendermandan]

Thanks for everyones encouragment on this! I really appreciate it.

So, as promised, here is another update.

I had some blue CC tubes that I never turned on inside my case, so I took those out to use in the base. They will only light up the base area. with that Translucent plastic film I showed earlier.

Then I worked on the front and back of the cover for the radiator:

Here is a shot installed on the tube.

Then for grins, I hooked up the fans to test airflow. WOW does having two of those fans move a lot of air!!! It literlly felt like a vacume at the front of the tube. Here is a shot with the flash on:

and with the flash off, The bright blue really washes out the image. I will have to play with the settings to try and get a better shot.

Thats if for a few days, I am going on vacation tomorrow and won't be back untill this weekend, So everyone take care, Later!

[rendermandan]

Hi everybody, I'm back from our Vacation. Unfortunaly my wife's father passed away while we were gone, so we had to cut our trip short. I still managed to find a little time to get a little modding done, so here it goes.

Here is a shot of the sides attached to the radiator housing:

and some braces on the bottom:

Then I mocked up the removable top:

and here it is all together:

Then I turned my attention to the 3 tapered rails that run along the tube.
I used a thin sheet of plexi sandwiched between two plate sheets.

I left a recessed in the bottom edge of the rail:

\

The recess area is for the glow wire I purchased.

Here are some shots of it lit up:

And with the lights out:

Then pictures really dont' do it justice. it is much brighter than shown in the pics and looks great!

One down, 2 more to make, then I can mount them on the tube.

[rendermandan]

Thanks everybody, dgrmkrp, You are right, there is a cap on both ends that does hinder the airflow into the fins. however after testing the airflow and feeling how much air moves thru the tube when both fans are running, I thing it will be ok. There is a ton of air moving.

as for how its going to tie into the case... I'm not really sure yet. I have some ideas for the case, but for now I'm just concentrating on the top. FYI, my current computer case is all aluminum silver and clear plexi with blue lights everwhere.
here is a shot:

so obvously, that will be next.

[rendermandan]

I had some time to get some stuff done this afternoon. I ended up getting alot more done than I thought I would have.

I finished making the other two light rails.

I got both sides of the back tube wraped in the trim.

then before mounting the rails, I took a piece of plexi and melted it to match the ouside of the curve for the main window.

as I heated it with a torch, I used tape to help pull it down to match the tube.

This is the final shot with it all taped down ready to cool.

Then it came time to fit the light rails.

I had to add trim to the intake end of the tube:

then I cut a slot for the wire to tranition from on rail to the next. the other transition happens inside the back box.

here is a light rail attached to the side

with the lights off

so what do you guys think?

Up next comes some serious thought as to the size and shape of the window and how I will cover the edge to make it look good.
I know I have to order more glow wire so I might get some other goodies too.

untill next time,

[rendermandan]

Tonight I added a cover over the glow wire in the front, although its hard to see being white, the flash kind of washed it out.

Then I laid out the shape of the tube window:

and using a dremel, I cut it out:

here is the final window:

Here is the piece of plexi I heated and bent to match the tube:

and here it is taped to the tube:

Just for fun I installed the blue CC lights and tested the cover for the bottom.
I think it is alittle too bright. I might have to come up with something a little less intense for the bottom light.

I then traced the shape of the window onto the plexi and covered it in tape to protect it.

Cut it out:

So my final thoughts on the window were to "MAYBE" laser etch something in the plexi. lets say TBCS? or logo or something. I'm not sure yet.

happy modding, later!

[rendermandan]

well, to play off your idea of having it fade in and out, what about motion?

maybe I could use a pair of these:
http://www.xoxide.com/sunbeam-meteor-light-blue.html

that way I won't get the heat buildup with cc tubes.

[rendermandan]

You are correct, Spawn, I don't wan't to see any brown tubing. I'm trying to figure out how to install the window and still paint it. Like I said earlier, I may be forced into painting sooner than I had hoped.

Just as small update tonight.
I started to trim the underside of the front. You won't see it much, but in my opinion, attention to detail everwhere counts!

Here is what started with, I added a few trim pieces around the edges:

Then I simply added a few layers of board down cut to random shapes. Note: this area will not have any glow wire.

The only other thing I got done was to rough up the surface for the other side of the tube:

Like I said, just a small update tonight, I'm waiting on the extra glow wire that should be here Thursday.
and an update on doing the laser etching. I will have to wait on that. they guy that I know that has access to it teaches at a local high school and he informed me that he won't have access untill school starts, which is at the end of august.

later,

[rendermandan]

jbdnsn, I agree, I have to find someting not so bright that does not give off much heat. I thought about wiring up some led's myself, not sure exactly what I'm going to do yet.

As for painting, thanks for pointing me toward Commando's tips, I have access to an airbrush, but I don't have an air compressor, so I have to figure that one out. But Yes, I will be air brushing it to make it look liked weathered metal. I really like the paint look on Crimson's Doom 3 case, but I dont' want to copy it exactly. and I want it to look more like the insides of a futuristick turbine.

Thanks again!

[rendermandan]

Here is tonights update. I started to layout the framework for the recessed glow wire lighting on the back side of the tube:

Then I taped the glow wire along next to it just temporarily.

Here is the framework all finished: -note: wire has been removed.

and here it is at night:

Then I proceded to layer the covers over the top of the wire:

and her is the effect it gives. The picture really does not show how bright it its. you can see how the glow lights up the other "layers".

I am going to finish the covers and add more layers as I see fit. but the wire will be removed for painting. After its painted, I can run the wire back around the path and tuck it in between the tube and the first layer of cover. but the entire thing will be hidden. all you will see will be the glow radiating out from behind the multiple different layers.

What do you think?