Project OSIDIAS begins!

[craigbru]

Hey guys!  I though I'd take the time to repost the planning thread for my next project.  It's been an ongoing thread at bit-tech for several months now, but I thought I'd get you guys in the loop.  It was started before I was a member here, so I apologize for the cheap copy and paste job I'm about to do.

I'm also going to repost with everything unedited.  While some things may seem out of context, it's probably the best way to show the evolution of the project.  So, I hope you enjoy it, and I appreciate any comments you might have!

Feb. 6

Hey guys, I'm throwing around ideas for another new case...  I've been sketching up some ideas and wanted a little feedback.  Keep in mind that what you are about to see, is unfinished, and missing some key details.  However, I like the concept, but I want your opinions on how it all fits together.

Okay, here is the core of the case.  It's SFF of course, and it's damn tiny due to efficient space usage.  I'm planning a DFI X58, SLI, full size PSU, 4 full size hard drives, pico, and watercooled CPU in this little package.  Due to it's design, it should also run fairly cool.  As of now, I don't plan on deviating much from this except for details like adding mesh, or possibly windows.



I was then inspired by a RED camera cage I saw, and wanted to add a more industrial and sci-fi look to the case.  The following is what I came up with.  Of course it's subject to revision, but wasn't sure how it all fit together.







Opinions?

Feb. 8

I've been playing around... what do you think of holes?  Or maybe some variation of this?



Okay, one more here.  I added vents to the side panels.  What do you think... too many holes?  They will have mesh behind them, with the exception of the most forward hole, that will have a window...



Feb.10

Well, I didn't have as much time as I had hoped for last night, but I did make a few small revisions.  I made the side window slightly smaller, and added another opening beside it.  Even thought the window is still larger than the rest of the openings, the spacing between them is consistent.  Also, I added matching holes the the 'cage'.  I'm unsure about the abundance of holes now, but I need the airflow.  There will also be mesh behind them, so they won't stand out as much as the vents, for example.  Speaking of mesh, I created some mesh with 1mm holes...  Lol, talk about a CPU killer!  I'll have to revise that...  



Now, this next part is just for Xtra.  He wanted to see the interior arrangement....









Feb. 14

...and we have a name for this project... It will be OSIDIAS, and I've got to give my wife credit for coming up it. It's sad how much I concentrated on this trivial little detail, but I was convinced that I wanted something completely original. I think I've found it.

Over the last few days I've been making up a parts list. It's amazing how much aluminum will find it's way in to this box. I'm planning on making the outer shell out of a single piece of aluminum. I'll cut all the holes, then bend accordingly. Should be fun, huh? Also, as mentioned earlier, I'm going to braze all the parts together. This will free up any concerns about fastening parts together, and will guarantee a rock solid case. I also like the idea of no exposed fasteners anywhere on the case. This will be a new technique for me, and one that is rarely used in modding in general. I'm sure it's been done, but I can't name a project that incorporates it.

Feb. 16

I managed to get the interior tray about 90% finished over the weekend.  Here is a pic of what I've got so far.  Most of it will be bent out of a single piece, and the rest will be brazed together.



Another updated pic...

[craigbru]

Feb. 20

Okay guys, I've been playing around with renders.  Since I'm using ViaCAD, Kerkythea isn't as easy to use as with Sketchup.  I've basically got to export a .dxf, and then import it into SketchUp.  However, when I do, not everything gets exported.  I'm not sure how to fix that yet, but I'll keep playing around with it.  So, the render below is missing a few components...



Feb. 28

Okay, I've got a small update here.  I've added the LCD to the front, and an Aquaero to the right side.  There's also a new reservoir on the rear, but I've got to finish a little tube routing before you see that.





I probably should have added a few comments.  The LCD is capable of rotation and swiveling.  Left, right, up down, and portrait/landscape.

One more thing... I've started to order a few parts...  

One more small update here.  I've finished the interior tubing layout.  Simple and efficient...



Mar. 3

I've got about 90% of the details finished on this case. I'm still tweaking though. Last night I managed to make a little more room for larger fans. Originally I was only planning on 25mm thick fans, now I've got room for my monster San Ace 1011's. This thing might have enough thrust to fly. I've also got to do a little more interior parts placement. The Pico-ITx was originally located on the lower right rear, but I've since added the Aquaero to that location. That means I need to find a new spot for the Pico. I'm also looking for room for a Multiswitch, and USB hubs. I'm also thinking of adding a single SSD to the system for my OS. That would make for a total 5 drives. A SSD for the OS, a pair of Velociraptors in raid 0 for games, a 750gb drive for data and backups, and another 750gb drive for the Pico.

Mar. 5

I've got a quickie ViaCAD render here.  No time for anything prettier, but I thought I'd show you the color scheme I'm likely going to use.  Although my Duality project may be postponed, I loved the colors enough to use them here.  Before settling on the orange, I ran through a rainbow of choices, and came back to this.  It just stands out.  :thumb:



Just a slightly better render...



Mar. 23

Okay, I'm sure you guys are tired of seeing all the lame render pictures in this thread...  I assure you, these are different though.  Dark~3nergy has put his talents to use for me, and created the following...







Many thanks go out to D~3 for all his time!

Okay, thanks in part to partial inspiration from this thread, I came up with an idea I'm going to expand on.  I've long thought about having fun with transparent LCD's, but redders' thread made me consider it all over again.  So, it was time for a little experiment.  The following is a standard 7" LCD removed from it's housing, and with all backing and polarizing film removed.  What we have here, is what I intend to use as the side panel windows on OSIDIAS.  For lack of a better term, I'll call them active windows.  You can see that as long as there is a light source behind the LCD, dark objects and text is shown through.  Granted, colors would be washed out, but the concept is still sound...





This could be fun!

Apr. 22

It's been awhile since I've posted an update.  So, I figured I'd get you all up to speed on how I've been spending my time.  Project: Hutch will be getting some long overdue attention soon, but in the meantime, I've got some new hardware to play with.  Although I've not started an official log, there have been some parts arrivals for Project OSIDIAS.  

I've got an Asus Rampage GENE II, Intel i7 920, 6GB OCZ Platinum, and a SilverStone DA1000 PSU freshly delivered.  I'll be pairing the new parts with my existing EVGA GTX 260's.  There may be a video card switch in the near future, but I'm using what I already have for the moment.  Also arriving shortly, will be a slot load Blu-ray drive.  All the above parts will be the heart of OSIDIAS, and I'll have a running system long before the project is actually finished.

So, how about a few hardware pics?













As of now, I've got most of my software and games installed.  Although I've only been using the hardware a short while, I can tell you this...  It's the best hardware combination I've ever used.  Everything is rock-solid, and I've not had a single error or glitch in two weeks of a fresh Vista 64 install.  I'm really looking forward to getting the CPU on water and hitting the overclocks.  Stay tuned!

May 11

Just a non-update update here...  In between all of other miscellaneous projects (including current, but not log-updated Project: Hutch), I've been giving OSIDIAS's design a slight tweaking.  One of the benefits of delaying the start of a project, is that it allows new and alternative ideas to come out.  Ideas that may not have been possible if work was already underway.  One of the things I realized, is that I may need to find away to attach all the ribs to the interior of the case.  They will need to slide out with the motherboard tray.  This will require them to be mounted to easily removable frames of their own.  It's not really a big deal, but will require some interior redesign.  I've also found the need to widen the case itself by a single centimeter.  That change alone allowed for the following...

The biggest idea came to me as a sat at my desk listening to the whine of the fan on the Via pico-itx board in the Rogue.  I've got no way to quantify it, but it seems lightly louder than before.  So, I've decided to 'Langer-ize" it.  In Jesse's outstanding Prometheus log, I suggested the possible use of a Cooler Master Aquagate Viva for watercooling the pico.  Well, I'm now taking my own advice.  I've found room for a secondary watercooling loop...  Utilizing the Viva's pump and radiator, as well as some very creative parts placement, will allow me to ramp the insanity up another notch.  Stay tuned for updated sketches...

[craigbru]

June 23

I've been pretty busy lately, but I thought I'd show you one of my interior revisions.  I've changed the internal supports to something a little stronger, and changed the layout slightly.  In addition, the case is now able to fit most any rad up to 56mm in depth.  Also, I've made room for the second radiator (Aquagate) for cooling the Pico, a 3rd fan over the video cards, and finally room for my Wintsch Labs peltier block.  I've got to draw the block in CAD yet, but it should fit.  Once I get that done I can get the tube routing planned out.  More to come!



June 27

I just can't stop revising...  I was looking at the newly added 70mm radiator, and I got to thinking... It's just not big enough.  Granted it's plenty for the Pico, but what if I ditch the idea of watercooling it, and add another radiator to the main system?  Well, with a few small revisions, I now have room for a X-Flow 240.  Why the X-Flow?  I'll need to relocate the G1/4 fittings, and this rad would allow the most workable solution.  I won't be able to fit 120mm fans on the second radiator, but I'll make sure it does get some air.  Details are to be worked out on that yet...

[craigbru]

June 29

Here is what I'm planning on using for the case itself.  You can't go wrong with carbon fiber, right?





Since the case will be formed out of a single piece of material, I'll be experimenting with some reverse molding and vacuum bagging techniques.  It's either going to be the coolest thing ever, or a colossal failure.  I can't wait!

[craigbru]

Well, that pretty much gets the planning up to speed. There are no doubt huge holes in the posts above due to the reposting, so feel free to ask questions, and I'll fill in the blanks. I'm still tweaking small parts of the design, but it's almost finalized and ready to go. Stay tuned!

[craigbru]

As the beginning of this project gets closer, I've been receiving a steady stream of parts and materials.  Of those parts and materials, the carbon fiber is probably the most integral.  With it, I'm hoping to take what I hope is a pretty cool concept to begin with, and take it to the next level.  While there are many cases made of aluminum or even wood, a case constructed of carbon fiber is a much rarer occurrence.  Fellow modders Langer, MKmods, jhanlon303, and rendermandan, have all worked with it in some capacity, and I owe them credit for inspiring me to use it here as well.  With that in mind, I went ahead and ordered an orange carbon fiber/kevlar blend.  This particular fiber will be used for the side panels and ribs on OSIDIAS.

So, without further delay...



And one more pic...



More to come!

[craigbru]

Now, this is completely off-topic, but how many of you have visited my site lately? Not only is it always updated first, but I posted about an upcoming experiment... I'm getting set up to do live streaming from the workshop. I'm not entirely sure how successful it might be. Heck, it might even be a complete distraction. I thought it sounded like fun though. For now, I'll send out messages via my @craigbru twitter account when I stream. My plan is to be tested and tweaked in time for the beginning of this project. Stay tuned!

[phinix]

Hi Craig! Your plan is amazing man... hmm.. by live steam.. do you mean I'll be able to see your bottom online, when you gonna bend over that mod?
Cool! That is sth interesting:)

[craigbru]

Thanks man!  You won't be able to see much more than my arms or my head when I mod.  The camera is currently a top down view of the workbench.  I ran a live stream test yesterday afternoon, and it appears to have worked very well.  I just need to work on getting a little better lighting.   :cheese:

[craigbru]

Despite the lack of 'real' work done on this project, I've still been collecting a steady stream of parts.  One of the most anticipated of these parts arrived in a box from Aqua Computer in Germany.  Inside was the electronic heart of OSIDIAS.  These parts will be responsible for monitoring almost every electrical aspect of the case.  From fan speeds, to temp monitoring, to lighting, and even powering up and down.  Although I've got much detailed planning to do to make this all happen, I'm looking forward to the challenge.

So, what did I get?  Here are all the parts laid out for inspection.



One of the most critical parts, is this Multiswitch.  It is controlled via USB through the Aquasuite software.  This will be the electrical switching station for anything having on/off requirements.  The lighting would be a good example of this.



Next up is the new Aquacover for the DDC pump.  All specs aside, it was just too damn good looking not to throw in the system.



Now we have the new flow sensor and inline temperature sensor.  Both of these parts are very high flow, and low restriction.



And finally, we have a VFD Aquaero.  This is really the brains of the operation.  Everything starts here.  All monitoring and control runs through here and the Aquasuite software via USB.  The Aquaero will be linked to the secondary Via pico-itx system, and a touchscreen LCD.  These components working together will allow seamless and automated system control and monitoring.



One last thing worth mentioning, is the Powerbooster modification made to the Aquaero.  This addition is a special cooling block and a small hardware modification of the Aquaero which will allow you to use a Laing pump on fan channel 1. The other three channels will be able to handle 15W instead of 10W.  This increases the available overall power to 45W.  It's more than enough in my case.  



Now, to go play with some hardware...

[phinix]

Really cool stuff man!
Can you tell me how that Multiswitch really work? Does it mean you can plug in cables from for example lights, leds, cathods to control them by software through USB?
What else can you plug there?

[craigbru]

Really cool stuff man!
Can you tell me how that Multiswitch really work? Does it mean you can plug in cables from for example lights, leds, cathods to control them by software through USB?
What else can you plug there?

Exactly, you can control anything that doesn't need a variable output.  This means fans and pumps could be controlled as well.  The software allows you to even set up scripts for certain things.  For example, you could put a CCFL or LED on each output and program them to flash or turn on in sequence.  Or you could set up LED's to turn on or off at preset limits like temperature.  There are so many great options.

[craigbru]

There's a funny thing that happens when you are planning a project way longer than you had anticipated.  Changes.  Changes happen.  Many changes actually.  Although I've stood by the basic form factor I had first envisioned, things have been in a constantly evolving state.  A tweak here, a tweak there, in the ongoing pursuit of perfection.  Every last detail is being planned and thought out in advance.  Just when I think I've got it nailed, another idea pops in to my head, and I'm revising again.  Now, I can't keep this up forever, and I'll soon have to commit to a design plan, but until that happens I'm going to have a little fun.

So why the rambling intro?  Well, I've got another idea.  This one is slightly more costly, slightly more unique, and way more insane. In fact, this sort of thing wouldn't even have been very economically feasible even a year or two ago.  What sort of thing am I referring to?  UMPC's... Yes, why stop at 2 systems in a single machine, when you can have 3.  Do I have your attention now?

Here's what I'm thinking...  As OSIDIAS stands right now, I've already got a 7" touchscreen on the front.  This screen was to act as the control interface for the pico-itx system, which in turn monitors and controls almost every aspect of the main system.  If I replace that touchscreen with a UMPC linked via a wireless connection to the pico, I can retain the same functionality through software.  The biggest advantage then, is the ability to remove the UMPC and control the system remotely.  On top of that, I've got still got all the original functions of the UMPC itself.  Overkill?  Nah, there's no such thing!  So, stay tuned for updates as the plan gets revised and implemented.  Insanity has reached a new level...

I suppose you want to see the UMPC I plan on using, huh?  



http://www.myviliv.com/eng/product/x70ex.asp

[hugh]

all looks stonking.

a thought though, is the systems running dependant on the pico being operational? or is that just the monitering (i assume more than the monitering). as personally i'd be a bit cautious about having the running of the main one linked to the running of the pico, just an example, the OS in the pico could fail you somehow, wuld that mean the whole mahchine is totally out of action until it can be re-setup? and owing to no dvd for the pico, i assume custome speciic software for the conntroller boards etc, then the thing would be out of action for a while unless the owner (am i right in thinking this isn't your machine?) was rather head smart

[craigbru]

The main system can run independently of the pico.  That's essentially what the Aquaero is for.  It will monitor and control at default settings if the pico is down.  There will be a hidden power button to power up the main system should there be any serious issues.  Also, every component including the pico will be run off the main PSU.  As a matter of fact, this is my own system.  It's replacing my Rogue build...

[craigbru]

I really need to make an update here!  The Viliv has arrived, and I'll be doing a video review of it shortly.  In the meantime, I've been playing with other ideas.  You see, with the addition of the UMPC for system monitoring, I needed a reliable way to relay information to it.  I have been toying with bluetooth, but have a 2 device limit on networking them.  So, wi-fi was the next obvious choice.  That brought it's own set of issues.  The pico must always be on and networked, the main system may not always be, and the Viliv must also always be networked.  I also want to ensure the Viliv and pico always have internet access.  Not that big of a deal, right?  Well, Samurize needs static IP's for relaying information, and while that is great for home use, what about when I go to a LAN?  The IP's are subject to change, and that would throw everything off.

So, what's the fix?  How do I get static IP's?  The easiest way is to use an access point, in this case, a wireless one.  Everything is wireless capable anyway, so I can assign each adapter it's own IP, and they won't change regardless of where the system goes.  That's where this comes in to play...  It's the smallest AP available.



Okay, with that out of the way, I have 3 devices inside of OSIDIAS that need ethernet connections.  The main system, the pico, and the access point.  That leaves the need for a switch.  This unit from Bytecc is the absolute smallest I could find.  Everything must be internal!



Believe it or not, I've found room for both of those components inside the case without inhibiting airflow...  When I get a chance I'll get some updated pics posted.  Stay tuned!

[craigbru]

I had a little time over the weekend, so I thought I'd make something special for everyone that has been following this project.  This is a video walkthrough of OSIDIAS.  It explains how some of the components fit together, and I cover some of the design basics.  Although I've left out a few details, I think you'll understand the project a little better.  Enjoy!

http://www.vimeo.com/8832516

[craigbru]

Well, disturbed13 at bit-tech managed to pry an upcoming sponsor out of me...

So, since the surprise is out there, I might as well make the official announcement.  I've been speaking with Ron Rogers of Romaxx CNC, and he's been generous enough to sponsor a HS-1 machine ready to run.  I'll be using the machine on this project, as well as any future projects where applicable.



The HS-1 is a very solid tabletop CNC, and will be able to handle most any job I throw at it.  I wanted to work with Romaxx for several different reasons.  The first of which is the standards by which their machines are built.  There's no doubt they are solid.  The second is the support Romaxx offers after the sale.  They stand by their machines, and are quick to take care of any issues should they arrive.  Lastly, there is a pretty good community of users on the Romaxx forums that are willing to help and share their experience.  All of these things added up to make it an easy decision for me.  

I'll keep everyone updated on the machine's arrival, and I'll certainly post pics as soon as I can!

[craigbru]

Are you guys ready for this?

Well, it's finally arrived!  Thanks to Ron Rogers of Romaxx for making this possible.  What you are about to see is the unboxing of a shiny new HS-1 CNC router.  

This machine is considered a tabletop CNC, and as such, doesn't take up a lot of space.  Since I work primarily in small form factor, this will fit 99% of every need I have.  Even though it's a compact design, this thing arrived to me in a 125 pound box.  105 pounds of that is the machine itself.  If weight is any indicator of strength, then this thing is a beast.  

So, shall we look at a few pics of this thing?

The box...





Let's crack this thing open.  It's definitely well packed, and bolted through the bottom of the crate.

















That's it for now, but I'll follow up once the machine is setup in the shop.  Until then!

[craigbru]

While I know everyone is anxiously waiting to see the CNC running, I needed to take care of a few small details first.  One of those details involved a custom misting solution for cutting aluminum.  Why mist?  Well, for the work I have to do it can be just as effective as flood, yet it's so much easier.  I should say it's easier, only if you can find a workable and convenient way to implement it.

I have been doing some research into CNC misting techniques, and most of the options are geared towards commercial applications, and are quite expensive.  I wasn't really willing to spend $300 on something I was convinced I could do myself.  Since I'm a modder, it only made sense to mod a homebrew solution.  Many hours were spent Googling anything that misted, before I came across the mention of using an airbrush as an option.  I tried to find where someone had actually followed through using this method, and came up with nothing.  So, I figured I might as well be the first.  Even if I'm not, I'm hoping my methods and documentation will make it easier for others to find and implement themselves.

Now, before any fabrication could begin, I needed an airbrush and dedicated on-demand compressor.  Amazon came through with this nicely outfitted kit.







Okay, well, now that I've got the airbrush, I need to find a way to get it mounted to the Romaxx machine.  Since the mister needs to follow the mill bits as they cut through the material, it was obvious that it needed to be attached to some location near the spindle.  It just so happens that there were some unused spindle mounting locations that would be perfect.  So, I just needed to come up with a workable bracket of some kind.  Not only did the bracket have to hold the airbrush securely, but it couldn't interfere with any machine operation whatsoever.  I needed full X, Y, and Z operation with no limits or restrictions.  I broke out the cardboard and started experimenting.  This got me in the ballpark...



Since I was satisfied I had a workable idea, I committed it to metal...



I love bending things, so the newly cut bracket received some attention.



With the cutting of a few well placed slots, and the help of some rubber o-rings, the brush and it's coolant reservoir were attached to the bracket.  I used a simple mounting method for two reasons.  Ease of maintenance, the ability to have flexible mount points should some unforeseen interference occur.  



So, let's get this bracket mounted!  You can see how cleanly it sits in it's location.  It's also easily adjustable for height.





There is plenty of room for travel with no interference.



Now finally, here are a few pics of the machine as assembled and ready to run.







All that I've got left to do is make sure I'm set for live streaming, and I'm ready to cut.  If I can find a good material hold down solution, I'll give it a go tonight.  (Yes, I'll likely be getting the aluminum top w/ mounting holes soon.)

[craigbru]

Hey guys, I did a live streaming test tonight on a dry run.  I was having mic issues that have since been fixed.  I was also experimenting with a dual webcam setup just to test it's feasibility.  I'm not sure what I'll do with a second cam, but as you see, it's certainly possible to use one.  

http://www.livestream.com/losiastechnologies/video?clipId=pla_06b67ff8-9601-4a51-bfd2-6283ae9d8f69


(If you happen to get an irritating overlay on the bottom of the video, just pause and start again, and it should go away.)

[Seeker]

What a cute little air compressor

Best of luck with your project.. you were very lucky with scoring the CNC!

[craigbru]

Haha, thanks!  I'll be officially starting soon!

[hugh]

just looking around their website. i can certainly apreciate how useful something like that would be, and in the right aplication, would pay itself off, but whoaaaaaaaa, i knew i'd be looking at a high price tag but crickey, $2400 for the unit alone. ouch.

i like how you completely and utterly blow my ability out of the water in simply making a mount for the air brush. things are going to get a triffle insane i reckon :lol:

[craigbru]

just looking around their website. i can certainly apreciate how useful something like that would be, and in the right aplication, would pay itself off, but whoaaaaaaaa, i knew i'd be looking at a high price tag but crickey, $2400 for the unit alone. ouch.

i like how you completely and utterly blow my ability out of the water in simply making a mount for the air brush. things are going to get a triffle insane i reckon :lol:

Thanks hugh!  They are a little pricey, but they can be worth it!

Okay guys, since I have a habit of never being satisfied... I made a few changes to my CNC router.  After my dry run with the picture in picture webcams, I started thinking about how cool it would be to add one of the cameras near the spindle itself.  I thought it could capture the mill bit working as I machined.  Well, in order to make this happen, I went ahead and got a $10 camera from newegg, and set out to find it a home.  

I knew I had to get it as close to the spindle as possible, yet there could be no interference in the machine operation or safety.  This was a must.  The machine comes first, and these little extras second.  So, as I was poking around with the cam, one thing became clear.  My new mister bracket wasn't going to cooperate.  I could either ditch the idea of a camera, or redesign the bracket.  Well, I chose to make a new bracket.  It is greatly simplified over the other one, but required the flexible metal shaft from a donor lighter.  This shaft was the key to making everything work, as only this, a piece aluminum angle were going to be used in the new design.  After a short while, the new bracket was in place, and I could move on the mounting the camera.  This was even easier.  I just needed a small aluminum triangle and a rubber washer...  I removed the camera's original mount, and attached the aluminum.  I then bolted the bracket to a free hole behind the spindle, and I was in business.  So, shall we get on to a few pics?

Here you can see an overall pic of the machine.  The new mister bracket, and the webcam behind the spindle are visible.



A little closer...





A few more closeups...









As you can see, there are no clearance issues of any kind.  The machine is still just as easy to maintain, and I don't foresee any issues.  Now all I need to do is get something cut!