Death to COVID

[Grinder]

I'm afraid you may have to wait a little longer for that. I think I will have to withdraw for now and make this an entry for 2022, as I'll never finish everything by the deadline.

I was already running a bit behind, considering shortcuts just to finish on time, when I had a bit of a paint issue. I ran out of the Behr Inked colour before I got good coverage on the panels I was painting, and then for good measure I bumped one of them.Even if I could get another can, I have to wait 24 hours for a recoat and have to sand some areas. And there is other cool stuff I want to add to the build...

I'm sure I could get something across the finish line, but I'd have to focus on nothing else and steal New Year's Eve away from my wife. It just isn't worth it since I still wouldn't completely be doing justice to the project.

[wattermain]

Sorry to hear this Grinder. I agree, Modding should not get in the way of real life. Especially on New Years Eve. Have a good one!

[bms97]

I feel your pain, sucks when life gets in the way but sometimes can't be avoided. Looking forward to seeing this once it's complete. The good news is it sounds like Covid will still be a thing in 2022 so hopefully Death to Covid finishes around the same time the real Covid starts to fade away

[Grinder]

wattermain- We were willing to sacrifice New Year's if It meant finishing everything right. But I've already spent a lot of time on it lately, and it wouldn't have been enough. Besides, if I finished it now I'd have to stop fiddling with it, and it's kinda my meditation.

bms97- Not many people would call that good news!But it certainly seems likely that Covid will still be relevant in 2022.

I'll keep working on this and do it justice. I do have some pics of progress and painting accidents to post.

[Grinder]

One of the things that I wouldn't have finished in time is completely replacing the side of the case with acrylic sheet. I'd love to find a piece that has seen service in the war against Covid and been retired because we no longer need such barriers. If anyone has a line on something like that please let me know! Ideally 10mm thick and 600mmx500mm. I do have some beat up thinner pieces here that I can use in a pinch, but would prefer the above.

[Rhoadspc]

Too bad buddy, you put in a lot of work on the project, I support the choice not to rush at the end. 2022’s going to have some stiff competition once your mod buttons up!

Happy New Year

[Hooded]

Sad to hear this won't be finished.
It won't be allowed to compete in next years  competition. Sorry about that.
What you have so far will be judged and a score generated.

Very sorry about this.

[Grinder]

No worries Hooded, I understand. Now I wish I hadn't taken a break! But I'll post the remaining pics I have along with revealing some details on the remaining mods...

I think the truth is that we all want Death to COVID to happen in 2021, not later!

[Grinder]

Heres's a small mod, covered the firewire port since I won't be using it. ABS welding FTW





The 4 usb ports are being upgraded to USB 3, and one usb 3.1 gen 2.

[Grinder]

Lots of stuff got painted. I had to make sure the parts and paint were warm, spray them outside, then move them into the garage (all to keep the fumes down). Unfortunately, I didn't have enough blue, then bumped a wet piece, and now I can't get paint in time and it would take too long to set up...

Just to put a nail in my coffin here, I painted 24 pieces of aluminum with self etching primer followed by satin canyon black rustoleum painter's touch. It turned out great, but I had set up my rack to dry in the garage and the vibration of the garage door caused it to fall, chipping many of the pieces. Now I can't find that paint either.


Some stuff went perfectly, like the round perforated metal and the honeycomb mesh. Self etching primer followed by flat black for the round stuff and montana gold silverchrome for the honeycomb.

















Blue looks nice, you can see the spot that I bumped

Silverchrome turned out awesome. Top piece control panel area will be painted with it as well.

[Grinder]

A small mod that I won't get to by the deadline is to put a wall of UV reactive COVID related icons on the PSU shroud, with a powerful UV SE light. Mask, needle, distancing, biohazard, and a pile of others. I'll hand paint them with this stuff from green stuff world.

[Grinder]

Although I can't finish it in time, I still want you to have an idea of the vision. The biggest thing remaining aside from finishing the paint and getting everything together is the sterilization module that I've alluded to. Stock D5 pump tops at either end of a double helix of acrylic tubing and fluorescent acrylic rod between the two acrylic coils. Voila, DNA sterilization spiral.

I bought a 2 inch wooden dowel, and have some 2 inch ABS pipe. The idea is to cut a strip out of the pipe that acts like a thread which is affixed to the dowel. A couple of sections of remaining pipe will form a guide to thread the dowel piece through my router table and cut a spiral depression in the dowel. I need two identical spirals to pull off the DNA, so I figured building a jig would be the best way to get consistent, symmetrical results.

Four evenly spaced strips of 1/2 inch aluminum will connect the top and bottom D5 pump tops, to add strength and provide a place to mount four 20cm UV 4.1 strips on the inward facing sides. The fluorescent coolant and acrylic rod and the adjacent reservoir full of UV reactive COVID models should glow nicely! I considered the idea of using the chromosome (rod) colours to spell out a digital message lol (DtC of course).

Finally, since I'll be using my T-balancer for fans, I can also reserve a channel for light control. The DNA sterilization module will pulse with UV as it destroys the virus.

[Grinder]

Loop is planned in detail, no really complicated bends except the two spirals. I did cram a lot in around the pump. Here you can see a drain and filter on the output side, and a temp sensor and flow sensor on the input side. Reminds me of headers!

The loop will run pump->helix->front rad->CPU->GPU->top rad->helix. I know it makes little to no difference, but I like the idea of hitting the two hot components, then the rad that dumps heat outside.

The pump tops at either end of the sterilization module will be drilled to accommodate the ends of the spirals protruding, capped with hard line fittings and 90's. Wires for the 4 UV lights can be fed in through the old pump inlet or stealthed from below.

[Grinder]

A couple of parting shots. Happy New Year's, and good luck everyone! It was fun!

[Seaplan3papi]

Coming together really well, I like those spike protein balls a lot.