Buttons and feedthroughs

I guess I should be offering something more than just a button/feedthrough update, but this was not an easy task. To get all the holes aligned and the perfect size was quite a task. Still I am very happy with the result. Tomorrow I´m going to install the thermometer and power socket. I´m also tinkering with a volume button solution. Could be fun! Things are speeding up! This project is now closing in on one year from I first started. Serving a family, refurbishing a house, working 100% as a teacher AND taking a uni course doesn´t leave much idle time ;)

About the picture: It shows the back panel of the Weecade. On top you see the air vents that are going to be covered with perforated steel from the inside. Below them you see the large "logo window" that will be sporting a acrylic window with the "Project Peach" logo in grey "ice" foil.

The connectors at the lower part is from the left: Marquee light, "Logo window"-light, black ON/OFF-button. USB 1/2 and 3. They´re for keyboard, mouse and external drive/CD-Drive. The weecade has a wireless card so it´ll be online from birth. The small little pin at the bottom is the volume button. I am going to sink the button about 4mm into the MDF....hopefully....

Tomorrow I say!!!

Regards

Bjorn

IT´S ALIVE!!! Great success I say!!

Good news everyone! Science has been done, and it is a success. It runs silent and...deep? I feared the worst when it came to tapping power from the PSU to the amplifier-card as I´ve heard rumors about massive noise issues. Luckily there was no problems at all :) When I first tried to start it up I had some issues due to the fact that I had put the "Reset" cable on "Reset". I was supposed to be on the "Power" pins on the mother board. When it finally fired it was like I just had inventet penicillin or something. This was a massive science-leap for such a scatter brain as my self. Epic times! PS: It´s supposed to be alot more tidy in there...

But it wasn´t easy. Because I installed the Noctua 90mm fan, it just made everything so much harder. I don´t think the fan was even needed... Positioning the motherboard was also a real hassle as there just weren´t enough room. It worked, but it was pure Hell to get to all the screws.

Tomorrow I will drill holes in the backplate to include the following: ON/OFF-button, marquee lights and back logo light, three USB feed throughs, thermometer and power socket with ON/OFF-button. All the Weecades I´ve seen has used a mounted MDF-plate connected to the cab and not to the back panel. I know this is not the best solution, but there is no room for mounting such a plate. I´m going to make a template for the drilling as I will surely drill myself in the head if I mess up the back plate. It has taken me forever to saw, rout and drill. Fingers crossed!

I´m also getting my hands on a second hand (FREE!!!) 120gb 2.5" harddrive from my friend Stig. Then it´s all about the control panel... which I dread... WHY oh WHY did I make it out of sheet steel. Why not MDF? I have developed such an intimate relationship to this material. It is almost a part of me now. At least my nose agrees! Dusty stuff...

It was so hard to leave the workshop today. I had to pick up my daughter from kindergarden, but I wanted so bad to stay for more science (Christ, I´m 14 again...). Tomorrow I´m back on the horse and hoping for more win! It´s just standing there waiting for me ;)

Stuff is really speeding up! Stay tuned for updates tomorrow! This stuff is crazy fun!

"Oh, in the name of God! Now I know what it feels like to be God!"

Frankenstein (1931).

Regards

Bjorn

The Belly of The Beast

My apologies people. I´ve been so busy with work and family. I do believe we´ve had the flu like ten times this season :c/ Right now the cab is at my fathers workshop, and I am seriously considering setting up my own garage here at home. This hobby is without doubt turning into a lifestyle ;)

I´ve been fearing this part of the process a lot. One of my shortcomings in life, is that I do stupid mistakes. What looks good now, might be totally messed up ten minutes later as something else should be in its place. The installment of the 90mm Noctua fan (centered) messed up many of my layout options. The psu was especially hard to fit as I need alot of room around it for cables and so on.

You´ll probably notice that the motherboard-power cable is a bit short. I´m currently looking for an extension for this so that I can reach the motherboard and keep it all as clean as possible. The motherboard needs to be elevated a wee bit so that I can utilize as much of the space as possible. I also need to install a 2.5" HD, CD-Drive (Might skip and go for USB install), USB-WiFi and powercables.

The motherboard is Atom based and has passive cooling. I´m trying to push a lot of fresh air through the cab to keep it happy. The Noctua fan is running at 1000RPM with a resistor connected. I have the option to run it at 1300RPM if needed.

My weeks to come look a bit more low key so that I might focus on attaching the parts and moving on the the most dreaded part: The damn control panel ;)

Cheers!

Bjorn