Project "Sabaku Kyuu"

[gaara]

...aka desert coffin

I recently reused some old parts I had lying around, and bought a couple new hard drives to use as a dedicated file server for downloading anime. As sad as it is, I'm getting close to filling up the whole 300GB+ of space I got, and I need to add more racks for drives. That little project has now evolved tenfold and I'd like to bounce some ideas off you guys.

I went out and got myself a cheap generic $40 case for this, gonna use some scrap metal from previous cases and use some cold weld and washers and make the neccesary drive racks for all the old drives I've got lying around. I also bought another sheet of acrylic, some primer, and a sharper exacto knife for )hopefully_ cutting the acrylic. I also got a PCI IDE controller for all these damn drives.

So I got the idea, "hey if this is a computer solely for the purpose of anime, why not make it anime themed", and you prolly guessed it, gaara is my main attraction. So here's what I have planned:

1) Cut out two eyes in the side panel, use acrylic and spare aluminum for the circles, and then attach those to the acrylic using super or hot glue. Is there any better adhesive I should use in this scenario? Of course I'll throw a cold cathode inside the case and I'll have glowing badass eyes \m/

2) Paint the case a sand colour, adding the Japanese word for love and the badass symbols of gaara's gourd. Now I want to give the finish a rough sandy finish after painting it. I'm guessing that I can just use a soft sand paper to get those kinds of results, but I'm not positive and I don't want the actual paint finish ruined.

3) I want to add some "cracks" to the finish as well (link) and I think I can use either a very fine paintbrush or black marker to achieve that effect, since I don't think there's any way I can literally put those cracks into the panels. If anyone has any input about that I'd like to hear it.

That's about all, I might just do the usual and cut in a couple blowholes for fans since I've got tons just lying around doing nothing. I'm really just looking for opinions or advice before I actually start this

Thanks

 

[Counter-Strike]

Sounds good to me, I used to be into that anime mess, like Naruto and all those shows? Lol good times. Man it sounds sweet, lets us know how it goes.

 

[timmer]

looks cool gotta lota work in fron of ya

 

[DJ-CHRIS]

Server for Downloading, hrm. Not really a server than.

Amazing to have that much anime (even though I hate it)

 

[mak01]

I'd just use flat spray paint for that sandy feel. If you aren't satisfied and want an EVEN sandier feel...

...First put it on like the directions say, then after it dries, add a very light coat. Just kinda spray from like 2 feet instead of 1 foot. Let the paint kinda fall on to the case instead of like spraying right where you want it and you should get an even sandier feel. Let me know if you do this, and how it turns out.

 

[Nubius]

I know for a fact they have 'rough' paints out there...I remember my dad had bought some that's supposed to look like a rough granite or something like that...required a base coat, and then the coat over it just naturally comes out rough so I'm sure you can find it if you do some digging....even if you had to get that rocky one which would be greys and blacks, it'd give you the surface to then spray the sand color.

I'll get back to you about that paint unless you find it before I get to you.

Regarding glueing...you might try the 'spray adhesive' that they use a lot in photography classes...supposed to work well and be really clear on application...although the 2nd best would probably be super glue.

Regarding making good cracks, if you feel confident in drawing decent looking cracks (not that it's something that's insanely difficult, but just taking marker or something might make it look cheese-style) but just find some cracks, print em out, use the X-acto knife to cut it out and use it as a stencil or something.


I demand you give me access to this server for all my anime downloading pleasures

 

[gaara]

All interesting ideas at this point, I was talking with my friend who works at home depot and he suggested I use steel rather than aluminum and simply use a dremel on it, but I told him there was no way I was trying to make precision cuts with a hacksaw.

So yeah, I finished all the cuts last night, and ironically tested out that new exacto knife thing I got on the scrape metal and it make pretty fine yet noticable results with a bit of patience. What I might try doing is using the exacto knife to make the cracks, and then using a black marker or something to bring them out. They'll still technically be there but more noticable.

I still gotta buy the paint, was going to do it today but I'm dead tired so it can wait till tomorow, I'll look into all these suggestions, I have to find the right blend between the right case texture and colour

 

[Nubius]

heres some texture paint:

http://www.behr.com/behrx/act/view/products_detail?prodGroupId=89&catName=Specialty&catId=22

or apparently Lowes has some too if you got that up there:

Textured paint is a thick form of paint, infused with particles to yield a textured or three dimensional effect. It also enables you to create the effect of plaster or stucco on ceilings. Lowe's stocks three types of textured paint:


Take your ceiling from blah to beautiful.
Smooth texture gives a stucco effect.

Sand texture gives a slightly rough effect (like sandpaper) because of added sand particles.

Ceiling texture gives a "popcorn" effect much the same as sprayed-on textured ceilings.

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=howTo&p=BuyGuide/CeilCovBG.html&rn=RightNavFiles/rightNavHowTo

so after you've created the texture you just paint it the right color and BAM, desert coffin is born

 

[Hacp]

As a server for dling anime, do you mean that you will be offering your anime collection to the masses, or just for private use?

 

[Nubius]

Hey get in line pal! I paid primo dollars for tickets to his anime server

I gotta beta test it for a couple years before he can let the general public in