Switchboard

[EM3Bilko]

As a kid my mother was a switchboard operator at a local hospital and sometimes I would go to work with her for the graveyard shift. Being that there are two frames stacked it gave me the inspiration of the switchboard. Here are some pics that I will be using to take this modern communication machine and turn it into a old school communication machine.

Just remember that mine won't be full scale but I will try to make it look like one in miniature. So any comments and ideas are welcomed and Happy Modding to ya.

[EM3Bilko]

Today's update is going to be a short one, it will contain just 2 pics for you. I started with finding a box large enough to cut apart so that I could draw out my template for the side pieces, so as you guessed, the pics are of my drawing for the sides of the switchboard and the material that I will be using. So I'll stop with the suspense and show you the pics.

The lumber is plywood with a Mahogany veneer on both sides and there are 2 sheets of it. The best part of it is that they were given to me by a friend that was using them as spacers in his Semi-trailer for separating loads. He had used them once, so they are in excellent shape and with a little sanding, staining and putting on a nice finish, it should turn out just beautimus. So this is all that I have today and I'll work on it some more tomorrow, so until then any and all ideas and comments are welcomed. Happy Modding to ya.

[EM3Bilko]

I got my sawhorse's, jigsaw, template, safety goggles, pencil, clamps, tape measure and straight edge out to transfer the template onto the wood. First I cut the plywood sheet in half and then cut the half in half. Put the first half away and then placed the template in the center of one of the quarters. I traced the template onto the wood and then added an inch and a half to the width and height of it. When I made the template I had traced around the frames that I would be using but at that time I didn't know the thickness of my plywood and so I added the extra to compensate for the thickness of my plywood and a little extra. This way the frames that will be holding the computer parts will be secured to the bottom of the unit but will give me the room to route any wiring around the frames if need be. Once I had the measurements and drawn out I clamped the 2 quarters together so that I could cut both at the same time with the jigsaw. There are a couple of pics showing my tape measure on the cutouts giving you an idea of the size of this project. So on with the pics.

The height will be a little taller than what is shown due to the rollers that I will be putting on to make it easily movable. So until next time all ideas and comments are welcomed and Happy Modding to ya.

[EM3Bilko]

Have a few pics to show you. I have been cutting out some of the sections for this project. The back panel, top front panel and the very front of the table portion has been cut out roughly. Still will have to cut them closer to the scribe line. I have started cutting to the scribe line on the side panels. I'm using a router with a straight bit for this part. Using the router does require a few things, goggles, some overalls would be nice to help with the flying debris but not necessary and this is very important, ear protection. I'm using a hearing aid because when I started in the work force in the 60's and 70's ear protection wasn't provided and I never thought about it. Now I found myself asking my wife to repeat what she was saying to me to often because I couldn't hear her, so please wear hearing protection when using power tools. So hear are the photos of what I have cut out and the trimming to the scribe line.

The back panel.

The top panel on the front.

The front of the table area.

I'm trimming back to the scribe line with the router.

Starting to make the curve.

This is all for the day and I'm starting to wear out and it's time for meds and to take a break. All ideas and comments are welcomed and remember Happy Modding to ya.

[hardnrg]

cool original idea for a case build

 

are you going to have it freestanding on the floor, or is the smaller version you mentioned going to be on a desk?

 

would you be able to sit at it, or is it like a standing up type thing? I've never seen a switchboard like that so to me it looks about the same size as an video arcade machine... is it?

[EM3Bilko]

cool original idea for a case build

 

are you going to have it freestanding on the floor, or is the smaller version you mentioned going to be on a desk?

 

would you be able to sit at it, or is it like a standing up type thing? I've never seen a switchboard like that so to me it looks about the same size as an video arcade machine... is it?

It is free standing, there are a few photos that give the exact measurements of it. The height of it is going to be around 33" inches tall and will have some rollers under it to give it about another 1 1/2", then it will be about 19" from front to back and then it will be about 21" wide. I won't be able to sit at it but it will sit beside my computer desk, it won't fit inside the cabinet or under the desk that's for sure. I hope I answered all of your question and if you have any more please don't hesitate to ask again. Happy Modding to ya.

[hardnrg]

33" tall? I think my desk is about that tall... do you have to sit on the floor to operate a switchboard? or do you put it on something else?

[EM3Bilko]

33" tall? I think my desk is about that tall... do you have to sit on the floor to operate a switchboard? or do you put it on something else?

I'll have it hooked to a KVM switch so that my other computer and Switchboard will share the same keyboard, mouse and monitor. This will have a pc inside and I'll also have a phone setup in it and I will also try and put the household network into it. Happy Modding to ya.

Edited July 2, 2007 by EM3Bilko

[EM3Bilko]

Today's update is to show you how the switchboard is basically going to look, because I finished getting the side panels cut to the cutout line. So I've taken the side panels and propped them beside the rear panel to give you the basic size and shape of things to come. I also put in a pc frame beside it to give you something to gauge by for the size of it. The temps here haven't been out of the 30's this whole week, so working in the garage is for short periods of time. So here are the pics of how it's coming along.

There you have it. There is also a saw horse beside it to compare the size also. There are to be 2 pc frames attached on top of each other to house all of the parts which at this time will include water cooling for the unit. My main exhaust fan is going to be a AC powered 120mm fan. It moves quite a bit of air and the noise from it is quite low. All ideas and comments are welcomed and Happy Modding to ya.

[EM3Bilko]

I setup my work pieces so that I could use the router to trim my pieces to the line for the proper fit. I had done 1 piece with all sides done and started on a second piece and was working on the third side when the router bit broke. I was given the bits when my sister moved to Denver. She had gotten them when my mother's husband died, he was a stepfather. The bits were very CHEAP but I can't find mine from my move to Tenn.. So all I could do was to go buy a new bit. I went to Sears and they had a 5 pieces set for $14.95, but they were out and the single bits were anywhere from $11-$35, which I wasn't going to spend that much money. On my way out I saw a ad for a cutting machine that can cut circles and openings for wall sockets and other things. I had forgotten about the one I have, so I took the flex-shaft off and put on a different head stock and trimmed the rest of my pieces with it but it doesn't do as nice of a job as a router will do. I had to use a plane to smooth and straighten the edges. So it was a long day and all I got cut out was the front top panel and the top panel for the table area. Otherwise I just trimmed the edges to the line so that they are ready to assemble when I finish the other pieces, which I have 4 more pieces to cut out and trim up. The pieces are the top and bottom and the front bottom panel and the bottom of the table area.

Here's my broken bits for the router

My planes to straighten the edges of my pieces..

The tools that I'm using today.

This is what I used in place of the router.

The rest of the cutting machine attachments.

All pieces are trimmed to specs except for the 4 pieces that I told you about early in the post. All ideas and comments are welcomed. Happy Modding to you.

Edited December 2, 2007 by EM3Bilko

[EM3Bilko]

I do have a couple of pics with the pieces together showing how this thing is going to look like. Here are the pics.

I have most of everything done and I can post some pics of the switchboard. So start this I have a pic showing 2 pieces together by way of a piano hinge and it goes from top to bottom. Here it is.

Now that I have the back panel attached, I cut the table top by measuring twice and cut once, which worked by george. Here is the pic for the table top.

I have cut all of my pieces out already but I had to trim the pieces down to the correct size and that is what I did today. I only did a few pieces today. Next I had to put the other side piece on. So here is a pic for that. So here is a pic for that and the front piece of the table area. Here are the pics.

With these pieces on I took some extra pics to show how things were coming along from under shots and over shots. So here are some extra for ya.

As I stated yesterday I have most of the panels cut out but still needed some trimming for the final fit. For the trimming I clamped down my straight edge level for the 7 inch circular saw to use as a guide. Most of the trimming was to take off about a 16th of an inch on 2 sides and then it was ready to install. The first piece to install was the bottom section under the table area. Here is a pic of that panel.

The next section is the very front panel which is under the table area that I just showed you. You will see that there is a gap between the bottom of the table and this panel that you will see next. I did this to help with getting the heat out of this cabinet. Unless you are on your hands and knees you won't see the gap. So here is the pic of the lower panel.

The next section is the very bottom that the feet will be attached to. I didn't take any photos with the unit on it's side but you can see the edge showing from these next photos.

That's the end for today. All comments and ideas are welcomed. Happy Modding to ya.

Edited December 2, 2007 by EM3Bilko

[kingdingeling]

That sounds like a real fun project man! I'm sorry, but I didn't read the whole worklog. Are you gonna mount the screen to thing thing into the wooden case? Or is it gonna be seperate?