I broke the CPU in my computer. This was a sad
occurrence, a nerd with no computer is a pitiable thing. So fine, I will
buy a new CPU and fix the thing up. I looked, and it's an
older computer so new CPUs were about $70. (I don't play many
games since my kids were born - time is short these days! - so it's old but
PLENTY fast enough for me.) So I called the
local Fry's and asked if they carried socket 478 CPUs. He laughed, and
said he didn't even have to check, no they didn't. (Those have been pretty
completely replaced by socket 775 cpus.) That's right. HE LAUGHED! I'm just THAT
outdated! Arrrgh!
So not only is my computer dead, but I'm so woefully out of date that it's
embarrassing. Talk about rubbing salt into the wound ...
So I ordered a new CPU from the internet and am waiting for it to arrive. I
looked at new socket 775 cpus, new motherboards, and some of the really pretty
cases ... I wanted. I lusted for them. But frankly my computer is really plenty
fast enough, I don't really need a new one, so I quit looking and ordered
my $75 CPU.
I thought about it, though, and told my wife Karen
it'd be fun to build a new computer later ... but to make it an art project.
I've seen computers built into R2-D2 shaped cases, into Tie Fighter tables, etc.
It'd be fun to do something like that.
Then we both had the same thought ... I've been noodling in the background with
a dalek. I have blueprints, I've gotten a few parts for it ... when
R2 is done I might slowly work on a dalek.
Which would make a GREAT case for a CPU.
And would then be able to complete my revenge ... by EXTERMINATING FRY'S AND THE GUY WHO LAUGHED!
Anyway. If you know me and R2's progress at all, you know not to hold your breath waiting for this to happen soon. Kids, two jobs, and big projects don't mix well. But hey!
First, these are pretty much the dalek's I'm going for ... the older school grey ones.
Feb 24, 2008
A while ago I got some blueprints. I was a little iffy about angles, etc, so ... I cut the base out of styrene.
This base is just a model and won't be part of the final product ... but it'll let me check the measurements, and also cut out a top and bottom piece with correct angles.
March 13, 2008
A few weeks ago I took each plastic panel and cut a wooden rectangle for it.
So that was a day's work. I don't get that much consecutive time! Today I took those boards and started cutting the two angled sides from each one. I think the tops will still be ragged due to the angles (each board is the exact height) but that will be easy to fix later. I've never cut angles on a table saw, but I rigged up a jig based on something I found in a book and it worked pretty well.
Mine's the low tech version, though. Cutting the first pair was slow, but I figured out how to do it - the second pair went a lot faster. Karen brought Xander outside to see what was going on ... Xander had to try on my safety goggles and ear protection.
I also cut some little angled pieces to go inside and attach screws to so that the boards would stay together. I got four boards cut, and only attached the front and center pair before it got too dark to continue (and kids were heading to bed, so doubly time to stop.) I was worried that the screws would hit in the little inner piece of wood, so I offset them ... then when I was done and looked at it, the offset screws look really bad. So I am going to square those up, use some bondo to hide the hole later, and hope the screws don't collide. I think they won't, I just wanted to avoid the problem and ... yuck. Gotta fix that. However, that being said, I'm very pleased.
It's hard to see much in the picture, or to tell that the center pair is attached and at the right angle, but ... it'll look nice when the rest are done.
April 18, 2008
Spent some more time today cutting out the rest of the boards for the skirt. The tops and bottoms are a bit ragged, but I expected that - I cut all the boards too long so that it'd be easy to cut that flat later. I still haven't attached them all together, but hey! I'm pleased just to get some more progress!