=) 

So here I will walk you guys through the process of something as *cough* simple *cough* as a fixture plate.   There really is nothing hard about it, but its quite time consuming.
 
First I have the raw material that i have to cut to size on the band saw:

Accuracy isn't important, its just a rough cut.
 
Here is what we start with:

 
Now, after the machine is cleaned up and trammed (adjusted for squareness) I have to mount the vise:

Then I have to ensure the vise is square along the X axis.  
 
Since I would like to have all the sides as squared up as possible, I have to make a starting point.  I chose a single long edge:
The 2x4x6 blocks give the block lots of support.
 
Now I have a single straight edge:

 
You can see how clean the cut is with the reflection of that AK rail sitting next to it:

 
Then I take a 2x4x6 block and some sandpaper and attempt to get 1 side flat like a ground surface:

 
So now I have 1 flat side, and 1 flat edge.
Then, I have to open up the vise jaws and put the one movable jaw on the outside of the vise to allow the plate to fit in it to machine a surface, and 2 edges:

 

 
Now I have 5 machined sides, and 1 lapped side.

 

 
And now i have a big-ol-MESS!

 
So that is where I am at in the process.  Still more work has to be done, but it took all evening to get a simple plate with all the sides flat enough to start.  

But now do you guys see why I dread "one off's"?  I have to do all this for a single block.  I still have numerous holes to drill, and a bit more planning with the layout of the blocks on this plate.  

How does a passive cooler fail?  unless the molecular structure of the heatsink breaks down? which I guess could happen in a few billion years?

So once the holes are done, I routed an edge off the bottom.  Since the part never moved, all 4 edges are square to each other.  Since I moved the part a few times before I didn't trust the edges were perfectly square:

 
Then I flip it over, bolt it to the tool plate, re-edge all 4 edges again to ensure the top portion is square, resurface it, and then lap the plate and were ready to start the prototype:

 
 

Looks good nateman cant wait to see the final product.

Spent all night tapping holes on the tool plate by hand the old school way.  Still working on fixtures for the cpu plate and the SB plate.

Very nice nateman. My wife got her z97 yesterday, its a great looking little board. I did see how the IO cover is a little bit off the board. So that piece on the far left side shouldnt be a issue like i originally thought.

seta8967
Very nice nateman. My wife got her z97 yesterday, its a great looking little board. I did see how the IO cover is a little bit off the board. So that piece on the far left side shouldnt be a issue like i originally thought.

I don't think it will be a problem.  I still have to get to that part, but considering I have a multitude of tools and measuring devices at my disposal... I will figure something out.  Right now I am working my way from the bottom up which is working in my favor by getting the hard stuff out of the way first.
 
PM's will go out shortly with pricing and such.  This is a complicated block, with over 5 pieces that have to each be perfect.

Trying to PM you but I need at least 10 forum posts :(
Going to spam the board, brb. 

I would have smilied everything  :P 

spam to let me send mp XD

Keytarosama
and think that alone among the post to see the development. Might nate_man send the mp costs since I can not answer for not having much spam in the forum

Shoot me an e-mail then.  Link is in the sig.

I cant wait, want my block right meow... keep us up to date!

Vregs cut:

 

 
 
the fixture plate holding the slabs for the chipset and CPU section:

 
And all of them resting on their future home: