Looking forward to the final pics. This is another one of your great mods. I enjoy watching the evolution of your creations.

Boddaker
The guys at EVGA sent over one of there new Z10 keyboards to mod, along with an X5 mouse and killer Torq mouse pad.  :)  I will of course be adding some webbing to the Z10 and painting it white so it matches the theme.

Well.
Look at that.
I think you're the first oficial owner outside EVGA to have a Z10 keyboard.
Congrats 

Yep that is a very brand new item from EVGA.

Well, I finally have some progress to show.  I've been working on an idea for the back panel, but had to scrap several failed attempts, mainly due to 3D printing woes.  But now that I revised my plan, redesigned the model, and fixed my printer, I finally have a workable piece!
The idea was to fill the center of the back panel with a bunch of random, extruded, clear organic shapes that will be backlit by the 140mm fans.  Simple enough! ...well not really. :P

First, I had to come up with a 3D model, so I created a cluster of organic shapes derived from the webbed motherboard tray and fan grills.  It's basically a reverse of that, in where the holes are now the solids. I then designed the cluster to be stackable end to end, making a seamless pattern so I could stack four of them to fill in the back panel. Here is the 3D printed quarter section:


It fits nicely in the frame of the back panel.


In order to make duplicates of this in clear resin, I need to make a silicone mold of it. So first I coat it with XTC to smooth out the print.





While that cures, I whip up a quick box for the mold.


Doing some volumetric calculations, I realize my box is too big for the small amount of silicone I bought, so I used some dense foam pieces to fill in around the print. Now I should be able to cover the entire piece without running out.


I'm using a product from Smooth-On called OOMOO 30, which is a 2-part silicone rubber.  Very easy to work with, just mix both parts 1:1 ratio.  Working time is 30 minutes, cures in about 6hrs.  .. but why do I feel the need to play Portal 2 now? :P


Once mixed thoroughly, it turns to a uniform purple color. Some products require the use of a vacuum chamber to degas the mixture (remove all the bubbles), but this OOMOO stuff is formulated for beginners and doesn't really need it, due to it's low viscosity.


After spraying on some mold release, we're ready to pour! Going around the edges with a long slow pour and letting the silicone flow into the piece by itself helps prevent any bubbles from forming.






Now we wait while it cures.


The next day I came back and started the demold process.  I quickly found out that it was going to be impossible to get the print out in one piece. I could work it loose all around the edges, but the center was locked and I was starting to tear in places in between the towers. So I had to cut around each one and remove them one at a time.


All out!  Didn't take too long, but now I have to rethink my plan of making a resin copy all at once, because I won't be able to get it out of the mold in one piece.  I will have to divide it up into smaller parts, or even do each shape individually.


Next update will hopefully show some successful resin replicas of the original print.  Fingers crossed!

I'm enjoying watching you figure things out.... You're lucky I'm not a neighbor, you would never get rid of me! Probably a good thing then.   You have all kinds of different skills, that work to make some of the coolest stuff.  
 
Edit: probably a dumb idea, could you possibly glue the pieces back together, if they were cut carefully?

Thanks a lot guys.. I love trying new stuff, and I try to do something different on every build I do.. keeps me on my toes! :)
 

notfordmanI'm enjoying watching you figure things out.... You're lucky I'm not a neighbor, you would never get rid of me! Probably a good thing then.   You have all kinds of different skills, that work to make some of the coolest stuff.  
 
Edit: probably a dumb idea, could you possibly glue the pieces back together, if they were cut carefully?

Possibly, but it would be really difficult to cut between all the pieces accurately enough.  What I'll probably end up doing is pouring the resin into each cavity so they are all individual pieces, then either glue them onto a piece of acrylic sheet in their original orientation, or set them all up and pour the base using more resin.
 

That's some perfectionist job you're doing there.

Looking at this photo:

 
IMO, the EVGA GTX 1080TI SC or FTW3 would be perfect to match the web on the background.


 
 
EDIT:
I did a quick montage to see how it would looks like on your build:



It's not proper scaled, but if the shroud would be chromed, then I think it would look very nice in your build 

Well, maybe a next time.

It's really nice to have sponsors.
 
Kudos also to PietroBR for making that montage.

Boddaker
 
LOL I appreciate you mocking that up!  Yes, I've lamented over this many times, as I totally agree that card would be perfect for my theme. However I must use what was provided to me by ASUS, as they are sponsoring this build along with Cooler Master and Zadak. :)

I understand haha
Still,
The result of the build is coming along very nicely.
Can't wait to see the final photos.

rjohnson11
It's really nice to have sponsors.
 
Kudos also to PietroBR for making that montage.

Thanks RJ 

Wooooah.
Amazing work, 
And also, amazing patience for taking time and make those "ice cubes".
Trully it's going to be an amazing build in the end.

Love the innovation here

Thanks for the comments!  I'm getting excited to finish this up as well. :)
 
Time for an update!  I started working on the GPU mounting bracket last night.  If you remember about a month ago, I showed the placement of the video card on the back side of the motherboard tray..


Using some thin cardboard, I worked up a bracket design that will support the video card, and provide enough clearance behind the card for the PCI riser card and sleeved cables.


I also incprporated the IO panel so I can do away with the stock one, and serve as the means to fasten the card to the bracket.


Before I could finish the bracket tho, I needed to organize the cables so I knew where they would sit, so I 3D printed some cable combs of my own design.  ;-)


Taped up the mockup to see how it will look..


A few more tweaks and I'll flatten out the cardboard shape and transfer it over to a piece of aluminum.  Then cut and bend!
 

Great custom work so far! Howzit coming along?

Love this mod, so many possibilities.