Repurposing Junque (Steampunk PC Build)

[Larry Buskirk]

1 minute ago, Woodbutcherbynight said:

Awesome work.

Thanks Curtis, I'm having a good time doing this build.

[Gunny]

Never thought about taking apart the old power supplies I used for my 12 volt power sources.  Could have reduced the mount of wires substantially.

 

Having added a 12 volt lighted arm to my scroll saw I still need to get it tied into the 12 volt power supply on that wall.  May rework the box some with what I have learned from this thread.

 

 

[Grandpadave52]

This is just cool Larry. I'm starting to have flashback visions of sitting around the fire listening to the radio.

[Larry Buskirk]

Todays progress report.

 

Houston we have a successful liftoff. 

 

I spent the better part of today getting the CPU cooler mounted, made a temporary control panel, and got Windows 10 loaded and the updates completed.

 

@lew, You'll like the following photos.

 

Set up, and ready to load Windows 10. The standard hard drive will not be connected until Windows 10 is loaded to the M.2 SSD as per the instructions.

 

 

In this view Windows 10 has been loaded and the Data Storage hard drive is connected, and configured.

 

 

And now for a couple of views with the room lights shut off.

 

 

Don't mind the date stamp on this photo, I didn't get the memory card back into the camera fast enough and lost the date/time settings.

 

 

This progress report was posted from the project build PC. 

 

Now I'll be getting back to the top half of the case build.

 

That's all for today.

 

Until tomorrow. 

 

Edited December 21, 2018 by Larry Buskirk

[Larry Buskirk]

Not sure if it's the new PC, or the site software but for some weird reason I can't delete the last photo in the previous post. I remove it and it keeps reappearing. 

Edited December 21, 2018 by Larry Buskirk

[Gunny]

Coming along nicely.  Ordering some parts for my new 12 volt power source.  Thanks for the inspiration!

[Gunny]

Any ideas on where to get a kit for a DIY multimeter?  I have a HF special and thinking hey this can be made to work but if something else is available and requires little less modification and not cost me two fingers a leg and my 3 & 4 th unborn children.

[lew]

3 hours ago, Larry Buskirk said:

Not sure if it's the new PC, or the site software but for some weird reason I can't delete the last photo in the previous post. I remove it and it keeps reappearing. 

Now that's the cat's meow! That CCFL is really neat!

 

To get rid of the last photo, look at your uploaded photos for the post. It is probably the one you didn't add into the text area of the post. If you delete it from the uploaded photos it should not appear in the post.

[lew]

13 hours ago, Woodbutcherbynight said:

Any ideas on where to get a kit for a DIY multimeter?  I have a HF special and thinking hey this can be made to work but if something else is available and requires little less modification and not cost me two fingers a leg and my 3 & 4 th unborn children.

@Woodbutcherbynight  https://www.elenco.com/product/compact-digital-multimeter-kit/

Edited December 21, 2018 by lew

[Grandpadave52]

4 hours ago, Larry Buskirk said:

This progress report was posted from the project build PC.

Kwool!!

 

 

[Larry Buskirk]

12 hours ago, lew said:

Now that's the cat's meow! That CCFL is really neat!

 

To get rid of the last photo, look at your uploaded photos for the post. It is probably the one you didn't add into the text area of the post. If you delete it from the uploaded photos it should not appear in the post.

Thanks Lew, 

I've been doing a little more work on it this morning. Working out the control panel wiring etc.

I'll be posting more photos later today.

I did have a photo that I didn't put in the post. but I can't figure out which one of the two that were real close is which.  

 

@Grandpadave52,

You beat me to it! 

 

"IT'S ALIVE"  

Edited December 21, 2018 by Larry Buskirk

[Larry Buskirk]

@lew,

 

That was it,  I figured out which photo was which.  

[Larry Buskirk]

Todays progress report.

 

Today I made up the control panel wiring harness.

I ended up using parts from three different PC harnesses, this photo shows what I started with.

 

 

I added a system speaker and lighting wiring for the old radio dial that will be shown in the photo after the completed harness photo.

I also cable wrapped the harness using leftovers from the power supply rebuild.

The red cable sheathing came from the power supply I took the LED fan out of.

 

 

Now for a  look at the old radio dial.

 

 

I've still got to make mounts for the switches, case speaker, and cleanly route the cable assembly.

The lower hole in the radio dial will be where the power switch will be located.

 

That's all for today.

 

Until tomorrow. 

[Grandpadave52]

Loving it. That is one cool dial...very creative!

[Larry Buskirk]

10 minutes ago, Grandpadave52 said:

Loving it. That is one cool dial...very creative!

Thanks Dave,

I don't know what kind of radio the dial is from. I got it on ebay! several years ago for the unfinished PC that the top half of the case is from. I later saw that it is part of a set of three. There are two small ones like the one I've got, and a larger one for the complete set. They must be rather collectable because the set of three went for over $100.00.  I paid about $8.00 + shipping for the one I have.

Edited December 22, 2018 by Larry Buskirk

[lew]

This is sure bringing back memories of my youth and the old electronics devices!

[Gunny]

That last pic looks like the insides are on fire.

 

Looking good though!!

 

 

[Larry Buskirk]

On ‎12‎/‎21‎/‎2018 at 9:08 PM, lew said:

This is sure bringing back memories of my youth and the old electronics devices!

Lew,

Think of this as an updated crystal radio kit. 

On ‎12‎/‎21‎/‎2018 at 10:59 PM, Woodbutcherbynight said:

That last pic looks like the insides are on fire.

 

Looking good though!!

 

 

Thanks Curtis,

The red CCFL really reflects off of the copper CPU cooler.

 

Yesterdays, and todays updates.

 

I filled in the left half of the front window opening to make a mounting spot for the old radio dial. The switch is the one I'll be using for the power switch. I ended up having to relocate the hard drive light due to having to move the dial a bit lower so I could mount the switch under the dial. I will also be using the power light to backlight the dial face. The green light was simply to bright being mounted in the glass crystal indicator housing.

 

 

Doing so left the hole from the power indicator crystal exposed, so I made a panel using the same veneer that I used under the motherboard tray. The hole to the left of the hard drive crystal is for the reset switch.

 

 

I also covered the holes from the rear side.

 

 

These are the parts for mounting the switch, and dial.

 

 

This is a rear view of the dial.

 

 

I'll be using the switch, and LED mounting bracket from the Compaq PC for mounting the reset switch, and hard drive LED. I cut off part of the bracket as it wouldn't otherwise fit in the location it will be going. The first two photos are of the bracket before I cut it.

 

 

This is where I cut the bracket. I'll be using the larger section.

 

 

And here is how the dial will now look. 

 

 

I've still got to pick up another stick of 1/4" X 1/2" Oak to finish trimming around the windows, and I'll also be covering both sides next to the corner posts. I also have to finish the plunger assembly for the power switch. It is being made from lamp parts.

 

Well that's about it for yesterday, and today.

 

Until next time. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 24, 2018 by Larry Buskirk

[Grandpadave52]

18 hours ago, Larry Buskirk said:

Doing so left the hole from the power indicator crystal exposed, so I made a panel using the same veneer that I used under the motherboard tray.

Well Larry while you know (as do we now) the panel is to cover-up a type change, adding the panel gives it even more a retro, throw-back look. As if you planned it from the beginning.

It works. Perfect with the old tuner dial. I like it.

[Gunny]

1 hour ago, Grandpadave52 said:

Perfect with the old tuner dial. I like it.

+1  looks fantastic