Impressed by the concept of a mind in a jar linked to a pc, PC builder David Wieland created this steampunk PC referred to as Posthuman. It makes use of picket components, together with CNC-machined steel, copper tubing for the water-cooling system and 3D-printed elements, plus it even has a customized matching keyboard.
Due to our quickly rising PC constructing Fb web page, we’ve seen many customized gaming PCs, from mods primarily based on current case designs to scratch PC builds. You possibly can even submit yours for consideration proper right here. Now let’s chat to David about how his steampunk PC was constructed.
: Let’s begin at the start. What impressed you to construct this PC – what have been your design inspirations and what look have been you making an attempt to realize?
I’d needed to construct a steampunk-themed PC for some time, so once I wanted a pc for my workshop, I spent months constructing a PC from scratch, as a substitute of simply shopping for a sensible and low-cost field.
The principle idea is having a mind linked to a pc in a vat – it thinks it’s an actual individual however solely exists just about. I then switched that concept round and made the pc the mind. To remain true to the steampunk fashion, I featured loads of copper and brass components. For the bottom, I needed an antique-looking piece of wooden to make the entire system appear like it had been round for some time.
In your venture log, you initially supposed this to be a full-immersion mineral oil venture. What occurred to that concept?
At first, I deliberate to submerge the entire laptop in a fish tank to realize the ‘mind in a jar’ aesthetic, and abandoning this concept was not a choice I took calmly.
The principle motive was that, as a result of my overly excessive expectations of the standard of workmanship, each a part of the method took eternally, and no finish appeared in sight. After placing the construct apart for a couple of months, I then determined to simplify it drastically, so I might end it in an affordable time-frame.
As the mineral oil cooling concept sophisticated the entire construct, I used to be nervous it would trigger issues and I made a decision to desert it. I didn’t have to alter an excessive amount of of the construct to maneuver to water cooling, as I already wanted a radiator and pump to maintain the oil cool.
It’s only a disgrace that I couldn’t use the customized CPU waterblock (pictured beneath) I’d made any extra. For the reason that complete laptop was initially going to be submerged, the block solely had an inlet directing the cooled oil onto the fins, and was then open on the perimeters – that’s not best should you’re utilizing water although.
How did you propose and design this construct all through its varied levels?
Whereas I’ve used Fusion 360 previously to mannequin each bolt of a construct earlier than getting began, this time I took a unique strategy. To get the primary tough measurements, I used my very own ‘CAD’ course of, which I name ‘cardboard-aided design’. I constructed a tough mannequin with outdated bins and a few wire.
From there, I simply made it up as I went. This was undoubtedly outdoors of my consolation zone, but it surely allowed me to work with far more natural shapes that I might have by no means thought of in CAD. The one elements I 3D-modelled have been those I wanted to 3D-print or lower out with a CNC machine.
How did you propose the copper plumbing system, and the way did you go about chopping, sharpening and linking all of it collectively?
Discovering the copper tubing was most likely the one a part of this construct that went a lot simpler than I anticipated. I simply went to the native ironmongery store and picked up some 12mm plumbing elements. Whereas I might have appreciated to go larger, 12mm (diameter) is the one dimension that’s each frequent in plumbing round right here and has PC water-cooling fittings accessible.
To attach them, I used common plumbing solder, which solely left sharpening. I began by submitting away extra solder after which moved up by the sandpaper grits. Lastly, I used a sharpening paste and a handheld sharpening wheel to get it to shine. I’ve nightmares about all of the sharpening concerned on this venture – it was my least favourite a part of the constructing course of.
How did you dismantle the PSU, and the way a lot work was concerned in crimping and sleeving the cables?
The facility provide is a 400W SFX mannequin from be quiet!, which got here with good outdated ketchup and mustard cables. To suit it beneath the motherboard with out being too cumbersome, the enclosure needed to go.
Because it was initially purported to be submerged in mineral oil, security wasn’t a lot of a priority initially. The best way it’s mounted now just isn’t beneficial and might be fairly harmful. It’s correctly grounded and not one of the stay wires is uncovered, however I solely stored it this fashion realizing that I might be the one individual ever utilizing this PC. The toughest a part of making the customized cables was soldering them again into the facility provide.
The wires I selected are barely thicker than the inventory ones, so it’s a good match as soon as they’ve the sleeving on prime of them. Getting the lengths precisely proper for all of the cables was additionally essential, as they’re fully in view with nowhere to cover any slack. Customizing the pump and fan cables was a breeze as compared.
You made your individual customized body elements to mount the parts, in addition to cable combs. Inform us in regards to the metals you used, and the way you formed them and secured them collectively.
The complete mind body is produced from brass, which I principally lower by hand and soldered collectively. The 4mm spherical inventory was simply comfortable sufficient to be simply bent into form, but additionally robust sufficient to not deform. The cable combs have been CNC-machined on my RatRig Killerbee CNC machine, and I additionally CNC-machined the picket base and the brass fan grille.
As these elements are all pretty easy, they have been excellent initiatives to learn to use my newly constructed CNC machine. To provide the bottom an aged look, I used a blowtorch to char it virtually fully, leaving only some gentle spots. I then used a Scotch Brite pad to take away all of the charring. The ensuing floor had an excellent shade in addition to some texture as if it had been round for 100 years. To guard the wooden and my fingers, I coated it in a satin varnish.
We love the customized reminiscence heatsinks. How did you design them and get them made?
The customized heatspreaders and the unique CPU waterblock are by far my favourite elements of this construct. I modeled them in CAD after which had them 3D-printed from aluminum with a selective laser melting printer. I at all times needed to check out that expertise however by no means had excuse, so this was the right alternative.
The completed steel 3D prints are fairly tough and have a matt end, so I sanded and polished them. I additionally tried to anodize them in a copper shade however one thing within the alloy used for 3D printing didn’t agree with my setup they usually turned black, so I went again to only sharpening them.
You successfully made your individual keyboard for this construct. How did you design and make the brass plate?
The customized keyboard was one other venture that resulted in me procrastinating on this construct. I designed it fully in Fusion 360 and made my very own PCB utilizing Eagle. I then 3D-printed the elements for the body and used the CNC machine to chop the brass plate.
The keycaps for the letter blocks are produced from precise steel, so I used Gateron Black switches for these keys, as they’ve the next activation pressure in contrast with the Purple switches used for the opposite keys. This ensures that, regardless that the steel keycaps are a lot heavier than the plastic ones, the keys really feel virtually the identical once you’re urgent them down. After a paint job and a few software program configuration, I had a keyboard to match the PC construct. I already had a Mad Catz RAT mouse, which was excellent for this setup after a fast paint job too.
How did you create the copper-effect touches on the heatsinks, radiator, pump/res combo and so forth?
At first, I attempted to make use of an costly copper spray paint I discovered, but it surely simply ended up wanting brown. Then I remembered that I nonetheless had some metallic acrylic paints mendacity round, which labored nice. It was a problem to cover the brushstrokes, however virtually something could be hidden should you use sufficient weathering. Initially, I additionally painted some inside elements of the reservoir, but it surely turned out that the paint wasn’t as waterproof as I assumed, so it got here proper off. Some remnants of that paint are nonetheless caught within the fins of the CPU waterblock right this moment.
Did you come throughout any difficulties?
For this construct, I experimented with many strategies that have been fully new to me, so the challenges I confronted might fill a e book. Determining methods to solder the brass items cleanly was fairly troublesome. Even after many makes an attempt, I used to be solely ultimately saved by a Dremel and loads of submitting to take away all the surplus solder. I additionally had some connections break throughout sharpening, which meant beginning over once more.
How lengthy did it take you to finish this construct, from begin to end?
From begin to end, it took me round 9 months, however there have been round 4 or 5 months the place I didn’t do any work on it.
Are you fully pleased with the tip end result, or do you would like you’d performed a few of it in another way on reflection? Do you propose to make any modifications to it at a later date?
I do want I had stayed with the mineral oil-cooling concept, however most probably the construct would nonetheless be in items now if I’d performed that, so I believe I made the proper name. Now that GPU costs are coming down once more, I’ve thought of including one.
Nevertheless, I don’t really want a GPU on this PC (it’s only a secondary machine) and it might change the aesthetics rather a lot, plus I would want a brand new energy provide. If I ever really feel like I would like extra GPU energy, I’d add an exterior GPU field with its personal PSU that simply connects by a PCIe riser cable.
Posthuman steampunk PC specs
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 Professional 4650G
- GPU: Built-in Radeon RX Vega 7
- Storage: 512GB Samsung M.2
- Reminiscence: 16GB Essential Ballistix
- Motherboard: ASRock B450 Gaming ITX
- PSU: 400W be quiet! SFX Energy 2
- Cooling: Customized water-cooling loop, that includes D5 pump, Corsair CPU waterblock, EK 240mm radiator, EK Vardar Followers
Wow, what a wonderful customized steampunk PC, that is beautiful work David – possibly we’re all simply mini-ITX brains in jars. We’ve by no means seen a system fairly like this one and we love the eye to element within the craftsmanship, in addition to the general look of the machine.
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