A quick "Control Panel" mod i did

[DAE_JA_VOO]

So, a few days ago i converted one of the rooms in our house to a modding room for myself. In this conversion, i added a PC, an amp, and some speakers so that i can watch a movie or listen to music while i mod. The PC was placed under one of the tables, right in the corner. This was a problem for me because that meant that i needed to get on the ground and under the table to turn on the PC or eject the DVD RW. That can only mean one thing. Modding time.

I wanted to make a little "Control Panel" to put onto one of the tables. This panel would have a Power Switch, a Reset switch, and an eject switch for the DVD-RW. My plan was to make this, but just 3 switches would look to plain, so i decided to chuck a 120mm fan in there too, just to look cool. So here's the project:

First thing i did was some sketching. I did this in class on wednesday:

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c267/DAE_JA_VOO/cp/deskpanel1.jpg

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c267/DAE_JA_VOO/cp/deskpanel2.jpg



Then i was time to start bringing the sketches to life. A piece of plexi nicely marked up and ready for some work:

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c267/DAE_JA_VOO/cp/IMG_4113.jpg



After i had cut and sanded it to the right size, i marked the hole for the 120mm fan:

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c267/DAE_JA_VOO/cp/IMG_4115.jpg



Unfortunately i haven't gotten myself a 114mm holesaw yet, so i had to make the hole using my scroll saw and lots of sanding. Even after all the that hole still wasn't perfect. No problem though, nobody will ever see the hole:

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c267/DAE_JA_VOO/cp/IMG_4116.jpg



Then i made the holes for the three switches:

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c267/DAE_JA_VOO/cp/IMG_4117.jpg



Here's the fan i'll be using:

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c267/DAE_JA_VOO/cp/IMG_4119.jpg



Wanna know why i chose this one? Let me show you:

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c267/DAE_JA_VOO/cp/IMG_4120.jpg



That's right, it's a Thermaltake fan. I wouldn't trust that fan to cool anything, so now i'll use it in a mod where it doesn't actually have to fulfill it's purpose (not that it could even if i wanted it to).

Then i added one of the sexiest fan grilles i've ever seen in my life:

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c267/DAE_JA_VOO/cp/IMG_4118.jpg



That fan grille was sent to me by one of my sponsors, MNPCTech (www.mnpctech.com). It's THIS (http://www.mnpctech.com/MnpctechBilletFanGrill.html) grille. That is such a nice grille holey moley. I have no use for it anytime soon though, because i've already decided what i'll be using for grille's in my mod anyway, so i'm using the grille in this little mod. No point in the grille going to waste ;)

So, here's a test fit of everything in the plexi:

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c267/DAE_JA_VOO/cp/IMG_4124.jpg



Then it was time to sand the plexi and polish the edges. I owned my finger though while i was cutting the excess masking tape off the plexi:

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c267/DAE_JA_VOO/cp/IMG_4127.jpg

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c267/DAE_JA_VOO/cp/IMG_4129.jpg



Anyway, SANDING TIME!!

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c267/DAE_JA_VOO/cp/IMG_4132.jpg



Sanding and polishing done. I also rounded the corners:

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c267/DAE_JA_VOO/cp/IMG_4135.jpg



Now all i needed to do was bend the plexi. Once that was done, i mounted everything. I also added all the wiring involved, after i had sleeved it. So here are some final pics:

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c267/DAE_JA_VOO/cp/IMG_4136.jpg

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c267/DAE_JA_VOO/cp/IMG_4137.jpg

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c267/DAE_JA_VOO/cp/IMG_4138.jpg

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c267/DAE_JA_VOO/cp/IMG_4141.jpg



Looks great in my opinion. The third switch is just there for redundancy. The PC i'm using in this room doesn't have a reset button, but only two switches in the plexi looked horrible, so i'll find a use for the third switch in the future sometime.

So, when the PC is turned on, that fan will spin. I'll be feeding the fan only 5V though, i dont want to give it 12V like i should and have it fail on me in a week. I also dont want any unnecessary noise.

All i need to do now is the PC side of things, wiring the additional switches and so on. That's no biggie though.

Here are some pics of the unit running:

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c267/DAE_JA_VOO/cp/IMG_4145.jpg

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c267/DAE_JA_VOO/cp/IMG_4146.jpg



And here, my friends, is a VIDEO of it. Just a clip of me switching it on, you can see the fan spin up, and you'll hear the PC start up.

VIDEO LINKAGE (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SoBJRWglHGQ)

GREAT SUCCESS!! :D :D

[sneaky]

Nice job, define "Quick"

[igloo]

I prefer double clicking my mouse. Or tapping the keyboard. Or having it boot
on network activity or a secret floor switch below a study tile.

Anything but more perspex (Magneto agrees).

[DAE_JA_VOO]

Nice job, define "Quick"

About 3 days ;)

[opi@te]

"The PC i'm using in this room doesn't have a reset button, but only two switches in the plexi looked horrible, so i'll find a use for the third switch in the future sometime."

Turn the fan on/off?

[DAE_JA_VOO]

"The PC i'm using in this room doesn't have a reset button, but only two switches in the plexi looked horrible, so i'll find a use for the third switch in the future sometime."

Turn the fan on/off?
Why would i want to do that? It's not liek the fan can be a problem ;)

Besides, the switches are momentary switches, so even if i wanted to do that, i wouldn't be able to without making a whole PCB full of crap. ;)

[GM<Jaymac>MF]

Nice work as always... real perfectionist type job.

But listen... Seriously, your work is great but bad lighting and stuff on the photos makes it difficult for us to enjoy.

Maybe get some prosumer camera equipment. It would go a long way to bringing your creations to life in 2D. :)

Just a thought. :)

[DAE_JA_VOO]

Yeah Jaymac?

I know that the lighting sucks, i've always hated it. You have just made me know it so much more though :P

Okay i'll get some fluorescent lights for my modding room and the quality of my pics will be far better.

Thanks man :)

[Gozzy]

Cool man, i just dont think it would be worth my effort in creating something so pointless, nicely done, I just don't really see the purpose in that, or is it just me ?

Looks cool :)

[DAE_JA_VOO]

Well, the only purpose is to turn on my PC without me having to crawl in under my desk. That was reason enough for me to do this mod. It only took me about 2 days to do anyway, so it was no skin off my back ;)

[GM<Jaymac>MF]

Yeah Jaymac?

I know that the lighting sucks, i've always hated it. You have just made me know it so much more though :P

Okay i'll get some fluorescent lights for my modding room and the quality of my pics will be far better.

Thanks man :)

Always happy to add my suggestion.

TBH, poor photography makes me sad.

Flourescent lighting is not a bad solution but remember to white balance your camera every time you shoot. Flourescent light can sometimes wash out the colours in a picture / give an artifificial look to your colours. Sunlight is king if you can use it. Tungsten bulbs are also good but they WILL make your pictures look yellow and your modding room very hot... :)

Anyways, that's my 4c for still photos. Looking forward to seeing genocide when it's done.

[LordScallyWag]

Looking forward to seeing genocide when it's done.

Um Jay are u sure about that??

[DAE_JA_VOO]

It's not called Genocide anymore, it's called Endorphin ;)

[slayer676]

I prefer double clicking my mouse. Or tapping the keyboard. Or having it boot
on network activity or a secret floor switch below a study tile.

Anything but more perspex (Magneto agrees).

ROLF

the "secret floor switch" is a brillant idea.

[igloo]

Nice job, define "Quick"
About 3 days ;)

Only half the time it would take to wire it up to that other mod.

[Gozzy]

.... so it was no skin off my back ;)


hehehe, looks like it took the skin off your finger though :) :P

[DAE_JA_VOO]

LOL!!!

[War]-[eaD]

Dae... when you continuing with Endorphin?! :p