Project: Turbine PC

[TheGreatSatan]

Here's something I've wanted to do for over a year now. And it's easy too. Put a PC in a roof turbine. The goal is to have the whole casing spin around the motherboard. With some lighting you can have lights hitting every wall around you as it spins.

Here's the Turbine. It cost me $20.00 at Lowes.
http://img13.exs.cx/img13/8410/turbine18kl.jpg

And the bottom of it.
http://img13.exs.cx/img13/8524/turbine28uc.jpg

I took a dremel to the base and removed it.
http://img13.exs.cx/img13/2460/turbine36lf.jpg

Here's the legs
http://img13.exs.cx/img13/1737/turbine46no.jpg

The fan would be used to spin the outer shell
http://img13.exs.cx/img13/2818/turbine53xe.jpg

Some plexi for the motherboard.
http://img13.exs.cx/img13/9321/turbine68uf.jpg

And the mobo is? A mini ITX V10000 1Ghz
http://img13.exs.cx/img13/1572/turbine71sg.jpg

I used a piece of diamond plate steel to hold the fan up.
http://img13.exs.cx/img13/4224/turbine82hj.jpg

And some mesh to screw the fan onto.
http://img13.exs.cx/img13/7091/turbine99xb.jpg

With the fan attached.
http://img13.exs.cx/img13/3969/turbine100pc.jpg

And then I gutted the fan.
http://img13.exs.cx/img13/2130/turbine114mn.jpg

And glued the pole to the shell. This will be spun on the fan.
http://img13.exs.cx/img13/5113/turbine128ym.jpg

I put the top on. You can kind of see the mesh part through the cracks.
http://img13.exs.cx/img13/8270/turbine135qg.jpg

But then I had a problem. The fan would not stay balenced with only a point holding it all up. So I got the original piece that spun the casing using three points of contact. I glued it to a different fan using Gorilla Glue (This stuff is awesome)

http://img13.exs.cx/img13/8114/turbine148xm.jpg

And that's where I'm at for now. So far it's taken 1 1/2 hours. Tomorrow I'll finish.

[Da_Rude_Baboon]

I saw one of these on bit ages ago buy it didnt spin. Whats the turbine made from?

[TheGreatSatan]

Aluminum

[Starbuck3733T]

You're like, the quickest modder...ever.

[Knipex]

You're like, the quickest modder...ever.
By far.....

[TheGreatSatan]

Is that bad?

[Knipex]

Not at all..


Just an opinion.

I get maybe a mod every 2 years... You get 1 every 2 weeks..... Some level of dedication and time involved. Plus all those ideas.....

[zer0]

this will be a very unique mod you might win your own contest :P

cant wait to see it finished.

[Fibbles]

^_^ You've got so much energy and desire to make these things it's freaking amazing. It takes me my sweet sweet time to do anything. I'm soo lazy it's not funny. I love watching your mods just to see what you're doing to make something neat out of the most ordinary and random stuff, and I love watching it.

[TheGreatSatan]

I cut some braces for the outer shell

http://img30.exs.cx/img30/6281/brace1nn.jpg

And tested it out. It works fine.

http://img30.exs.cx/img30/940/brace23xs.jpg

Then I set it in the chasis.

http://img30.exs.cx/img30/5848/brace49oo.jpg

And adjusted with a support shield.

http://img30.exs.cx/img30/1673/brace36rz.jpg


Finally I gave it a run. The fan cannot turn the exterior. Where can I get a motor?

If this mod doesn't pan out, I already have a great idea for another project!

[fivecheebs]

Its certainly not bad for us that you love to create stuff. Keep it up mate :)

Shame about the fan not turning. I was wondering if it was going to work. I would say a different approach is in order. Rather than trying to turn it from the hub, how about a small electric motor with an old toy car wheel on it that pushes against the bottom edge. You can get those motors for RC cars fairly cheaply. Hell sometimes it may be cheaper to buy a bargain bucket RC car from the local toy shop. You'd even have servos to play with then too ;) /me likes servos

[mnpctech]

For elec motors, you can try

mcmaster.com (http://www.mcmaster.com)

Speaking of R/C Hobby Suppliers, Tower Hobbies (http://www.towerhobbies.com)

[TheGreatSatan]

First off, I have a 4 second video that can be played in quick time or with Real One player. It's about 700KB. Does anyone know where I can upload this so everyone can see it in action?



Moving on. Here's the base I bought for the turbine.

http://img190.exs.cx/img190/9388/base1bv.jpg



I'm using the motor from a small circulating fan for this project.

http://img190.exs.cx/img190/609/fanmotor0is.jpg

http://img190.exs.cx/img190/2681/fanmotor16cr.jpg



I linked the motor to the turbine.

http://img190.exs.cx/img190/7360/fanmotor21xs.jpg



Then I put the motherboard inside the base.

http://img179.exs.cx/img179/2903/mounted1im.jpg



Here's a look at what it will look like when done.

http://img179.exs.cx/img179/9624/together0oq.jpg



I screwed the base to the post of the turbine.

http://img179.exs.cx/img179/2840/inyards14dl.jpg


Then I powered up.
http://img179.exs.cx/img179/5888/inyards22it.jpg

Tommorrow, I will hopefully finish!

[fivecheebs]

TGS, if you like i can host your vid for you. Shoot it over in a mail to [shopping [at] cheebs.co.uk] and ill get it up asap.

[TheGreatSatan]

Awesome!!!!

[fivecheebs]

YGM TGS.

Im now kinda scared .... I know satans first name:blink::h34r:

[Fibbles]

YGM TGS.

Im now kinda scared .... I know satans first name:blink::h34r:
Uh oh... Does he know yours too?

Post it! I wanna see it in action!!

[Pug]

YGM TGS.

Im now kinda scared .... I know satans first name:blink::h34r:
Lol! As long as you don't sign anything, you should be ok. ;)

Nice one TGS, Functional as well as radical.^_^
That mains power fan motor looks much better suited... I take it it spins the turbine the right way?
Should be pretty clever when done. B)

[TheGreatSatan]

This project is completed. And it spins! I'll get the video up soon.

http://img195.exs.cx/img195/8347/turbinecomp15kv.jpg

http://img172.exs.cx/img172/2707/turbinecomp21ys.jpg

http://img172.exs.cx/img172/166/turbinecomp38km.jpg

[fivecheebs]

YGM again TGS, gwan, show 'em the vids you tease :p

[TheGreatSatan]

The final product, spinning

http://www.tgs.cheebs.co.uk/Turbine_done.MOV

[Da_Rude_Baboon]

Cool! :cool:


Looks like the pits of hades in that turbine.