Project: Deuce

[Tech-Daddy]

Deuce , 2 of a kind, 2 of what you want.... having a deuce is a good thing. This new rig is going to be an exercise in 2.

Dual Core CPU (Opty 185)
2GB of RAM
2 Hard drives
2 video cards (SLI) (2x 7900GTX 512MB cards)
2 water loops
2 reservoirs (dual EK MultiOption reservoirs)
2 pumps (Swiftech MCP350 and 355)
2 water colors (TBD)
2 Radiators
2 120mm fans on the top rad

You get the idea!


It will reside in a Thermaltake Armor chassis. Mind you, this thing is HUGE!!! Plenty of space for all this magic to happen! I brought the side window panel on vacation with me, and went to town on it this week; It will be another hot rod themed build, except this onw will be a hot rod paint scheme from a Hot WHeel part. Stylistically, it will be very influenced by the build out of a Deuce coup.... but it will have modern flourishes....

The paint job will be based off of this:

Deep blue/purple on the base, and gloss black across the top of the cabin area. seperated by a flaming green stripe. Looks bad ass!!!

So I startes planning out my window. And after several days with a pencil, I hace the draft.

Keeping a mental note on the location of the cross beam. as well as the drive bays in the front. I shaped the main window to show off the motherboard, and to keep the integrity of the side panel locks. I added in a smaller window to the bottom area to break up the look of the "single large window":

note the stock that still remains around the flames and the corners. I learned something from blingGreen, and that is to make sure you leave the tips of the flames until the last This will keep you from applying a lot of pressure to the tips, and causing it to bend. So, you will see the flames work through in a few pictures....

Here is some more material removed from the flames... see them starting to form up?

Workng through the flame centers....

Now.... here I go.... the side panel sitting at around 85% completion!!

more tomorrow, as I am tired tonight

 

[Rob Williams]

I am so looking forward to watching this come together... great color scheme and theme plans! With two of everything, this thing is going to be a monster, especially with the water cooling. Are you going to use blue-colored coolant, or does purple coolant exist?

 

[madmat]

Very nice. I like the flames, flames are always a good thing

 

[Tech-Daddy]

I am so looking forward to watching this come together... great color scheme and theme plans! With two of everything, this thing is going to be a monster, especially with the water cooling. Are you going to use blue-colored coolant, or does purple coolant exist?

It is funny you would ask this, as I intend on making a custom color for each loop. I have bought 6 colors of UV reactive water dye, 3 of them are primary colors, the 2 others are secondary, one is a visual clear additive that when hit with UV emits a sparklinng blue.

I have already begun mixing the colors to see if I can get the hues that I want in the loops! And "yes", they do make a purple dye. It is very difficult to photograph, and the "flourescent" color is more of a pastel purple. Going to see if I can get it down a few color registers into a more royal tone. Not sure I can do that though...

And MadMat... you will have more flames... trust me! It is not going to be a ton of them like I did in blingGreen, it will be a bit more subtle.

 

[moon111]

I wonder if Billy F Gibbons is in the market for a new computer.

 

[Tech-Daddy]

A ZZ Top rig.... that would be cool!!!

 

[madstork91]

Texas... Need I say more?

 

[Tech-Daddy]

"YO TECH!!! GET OFF YOUR BUTT AND MAKE AN UPDATE!!!!!"

....

So... I have been busting a hump in my garage at my new house, trying to get more schtuff unpacked and moved into it's proper place, thusly getting it out of the garage.

Well, I made a significant amount of headway in organizing the garage this weekend, and that new found space same in really handy! As I got more done on the mod! (interesting how, if you have the space to stretch out, your work seems to flow more easily! )

Using a 5/8 inch bit, I drillled out the ends of the top of the vents on the side panel, I then used my dremmel to cut a clean line down to the other circle. This made my lines nice and straight (for the most part) and the ends nice and round (again.... for the most part!)

And how will it look on the side of the case?

I then also started popping rivets like a mad man on the case, parted the whole thing out and started marking up my next cut lines, and putting everything in the utility sink for a good rinsing. Dust and crap all inside this thing.

I am hoping to get a new type of color process on the frame, we'll see though if I can make it work with the vendor. (fingers crossed)

Quakecon is coming up later this week! Cant wait to see everyone that will be there! And I'll pour some out for the brothers nad sisters that could not be there.

 

[Rob Williams]

How'd QuakeCon go? I want more updates as well.

 

[madmat]

What new color process? Powder coat?

 

[Tech-Daddy]

Hehehehe... sorry guys. It is a simulated chrome finish that is painted on, and the guy that has the equipment is missing a specific chemical for the process. It is hung up in a shipment from Canada currently. I've also been trying to get something unique for the NV78 water blocks on the video cards, I have them ordered, just waiting for them to come in.



I have been WAY busy with work the last few weeks, and this weekend, I am out of town in Arkansas... hopefully I will be able to throw down some progress this next week.... sorry for the delays guys!

 

[Rob Williams]

Modding > Life

I kid! No worries man, take your time. It will be worth the wait, I'm sure.

 

[Tech-Daddy]

Well... to take from a great historical reference....

"The tales of my demise are greatly exaggerated..."



Sorry for the delay folks. It's been a rough few months. "RL" just does not want to mesh well with my computer modding!

But... I have made progress, both directly and indirectly, on this mod.

1st... directly!

This will likely be the *only* time you will ever see what I am about to show you. I worked with Arctic Mods and DangerDen to have a part made that did not previously exist! Originally I had ordered the acrylic tops, but in a different model, and was chagrinned by my stoopidity! Funny thing... Koosah acrylics did not fit my NV-78 blocks (hence why they are for sale in my For Sale forum!) So, after much gnashing of teeth, I contacted the two companies, and worked it out with them to create them out for the NV-78 SLI kit.... and voila'! You will notice that the only thing tipping you off that these acrylics are something different, are the blue edges. Normal acrylics are crystal clear. But in normal light, the edges give off a baby blue hue.

But put them under a black light, and the fun REALLY begins!

Mind you... the black light is actually about 1.5 feet away, to give you and idea on perspective on how sensitive the acrylics are to UV light! 8O

Next up, the indirect benefit of the work "slow down"....

 

[Tech-Daddy]

I have been trying to work with another painter here in the Dallas area that could perform a specific type of painting. I will place one more call to them tomorrow, and I hope we can work something out... but I grow weary of the non returned phone calls. As such, the frame has just been a sticking point. I'm afraid to paint until I knew how the frame was going to turn out.

SO.... in response to the joker taking so long to work with me.... I took the time to ready my airbrushing system!
This was my old workhorse, heheheh!

I put the splitting manifold in place for a 2nd air line that I plan on running to a reel that will be suspended from the middle of the garage ceiling. I will attach another hose on the manifold, route the tube neatly, then terminate it to a 50 foot hose on the reel. I'll run my air tools off of there (when I get them... and can locate the damned hose reel buried somewhere in my frikken garage!!! )

That all adds up to a 21 gal compressor with 2 moisture traps terminating to a 3 way manifold .

 

[Greg King]

Absolute sickness. Are you planning on building a small booth as well?

 

[Tech-Daddy]

Absolute sickness. Are you planning on building a small booth as well?

Yep. I will have a track mounted curtain that *hopefully* will allow me to create a booth "as needed".... but I dont think I will need that right now. I close the garage door, it is just about as good!

Just on those hot days, it would be nice to open the door and move some air...

 

[Greg King]

Hell, you have it all right there in your garage. So when does mass production start?

Seriously, looking good so far. We all can't wait to see this project finished in it's entirety.

 

[NicePants42]

SO.... in response to the joker taking so long to work with me.... I took the time to ready my airbrushing system!

That all adds up to a 21 gal compressor with 2 moisture traps terminating to a 3 way manifold .

Holy crap. Hang on while I go set up my 7-axis machining center, powder coat oven and continuous cast bar mill.

One thing on that blue UV plexi - the red UV plexi that I worked with a while ago tended to wash out when left in sunlight. I advise you to keep those blocks in the dark until you get them installed.

 

[Tech-Daddy]

Holy crap. Hang on while I go set up my 7-axis machining center, powder coat oven and continuous cast bar mill.

One thing on that blue UV plexi - the red UV plexi that I worked with a while ago tended to wash out when left in sunlight. I advise you to keep those blocks in the dark until you get them installed.

Are you serious?

How big is your oven? That (powdercoating) is one of the next items that I am going to cram into the garage! But I have to build a subpanel for that. At which time I will likely redo both panels Replacing my main box, and augmenting it with a sub panel exclusively for the garage.

And thanks for the tips on the acrylic. I am keeping them wrapped and boxed unti lI deploy them on the rig!

 

[Tech-Daddy]

Hell, you have it all right there in your garage. So when does mass production start?

Seriously, looking good so far. We all can't wait to see this project finished in it's entirety.

It is going to be fun! I've been out blowing paint trying to get my paint application style refined with my air guns. Getting better. Patience is the hard thing for me...

I might get a drying lamp if I can find one used. that would help...

As for the "mass production", hehehe, nothing yet. I've always been one to fully commit to a plan of action, and this garage is result of probably 3-4 years of purchases. Some I had room for, some I bought for "when" I would have the room. That compressor I actually bought it over a year ago. It has sat, in it's box, for a year... waiting on a house for me to put it in! Insane... I know.

Don't hate me... just enjoy the fruits of my illness!