xBook Worklog (Now Powered via PicoPSU!!)

Includes PS2, Xbox 1, GameCube (but not the Phantom Game Console)

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Life of Brian
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Re: xBook Worklog

Post by Life of Brian » Fri Sep 25, 2009 9:48 pm

I like the direction this is going. It still looks pretty rough but the overall idea is great.
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Re: xBook Worklog

Post by hackmodford » Mon Sep 28, 2009 5:39 pm

Thanks guys...

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Re: xBook Worklog

Post by snowpenguin » Sat Oct 03, 2009 9:00 pm

How much did it cost to get all that machined?
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Re: xBook Worklog

Post by Tchay » Sun Oct 04, 2009 12:58 am

Keep it up dude! Lookin good. :)
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Re: xBook Worklog

Post by hackmodford » Sun Oct 04, 2009 10:38 am

The guy charged me $80 and cut the dreamcast and xbox sidewalls in one go! He made a ton of mistakes and wasted hundreds of dollars of material and told me don't come back :lol:

So I got what he did for our original agreement price of $80.
All in all most of it was done corectly :wink: I just need one more layer off sidewalls.

The two metal plates cost me $20

Xbox was $60

Screen was $160 (it's an awesome screen too 8) )

So all in all it was a pretty good deal. My friend might sell me his laser engraver! So I could end up having my own machine to do this stuff. :mrgreen:

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Re: xBook Worklog

Post by snowpenguin » Sun Oct 04, 2009 11:52 am

I thought laser engravers made marks on the surface of materials, not cut. Although I'm sure you could figure out how to change out the laser diode with a more powerful one.

Do you have the files you used to make the case? Could I have a look at them?

I might be making a PS3 LAPTOP! and I like this design as it looks pretty cheap compared to how ben did his ps3 slimtop and it's not just plastic sheets glued together.
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Re: xBook Worklog

Post by hackmodford » Sun Oct 04, 2009 12:37 pm

Snowpenguin... I could give you the files but there's nothing really special about them.
All you got to do is download inkscape. (google it, and ya it's free)
From there I can give you some pointers on how to draw stuff.

I'm not doing this any differently than Ben am I? You just draw the base have a machine shop cut it out. then you draw the side walls glue them together. I'm layering plastic just like ben does. I think the only idea I've come up with myself was to bondo the sides...

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Re: xBook Worklog

Post by snowpenguin » Sun Oct 04, 2009 12:48 pm

Well, I've already got inkscape :wink:

Actually, with Ben's most recent laptop he went with a more 3D cutting type instead. I think it looks better, but it must cost a ton more.

So the correct file format from inkscape is .dxf right?

I'll have to go fiddle around with it some more.

Just wanted to see something that would give me some reference :wink:
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Re: xBook Worklog

Post by hackmodford » Mon Oct 05, 2009 10:40 am

Inkscape has some serious bugs with dxf formats at the moment.

The correct format really depends on were you go. PDF seems to be the best bet. Some places I've tried use Corel Draw. So I have another friend that has Corel Draw. I was able to import my svg into corel and then save it as a draw file for the engraving shop even though they said they couldn't do it themselves :roll:

I always tell them. Just download inkscape and use that. Your machine is just set up as a printer. It doesn't matter what program you use... but they always say no :roll:

Thank God my other associate wants to sell me his laser engraver. Then I can do this stuff myself :wtf:

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Re: xBook Worklog

Post by snowpenguin » Mon Oct 05, 2009 3:57 pm

hackmodford wrote:Inkscape has some serious bugs with dxf formats at the moment.

The correct format really depends on were you go. PDF seems to be the best bet. Some places I've tried use Corel Draw. So I have another friend that has Corel Draw. I was able to import my svg into corel and then save it as a draw file for the engraving shop even though they said they couldn't do it themselves :roll:

I always tell them. Just download inkscape and use that. Your machine is just set up as a printer. It doesn't matter what program you use... but they always say no :roll:

Thank God my other associate wants to sell me his laser engraver. Then I can do this stuff myself :wtf:
I don't know about that, doesn't it depend what file types their CAM accepts?
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Re: xBook Worklog

Post by 64M320N3 » Mon Oct 05, 2009 6:18 pm

Well, DXF is AutoCAD proprietary so that is one of the main reasons it is having issues. Personally, Inkscape is very good for starters, but beyond that you definitely want to try another program. I for one know that it scales things incorrectly and doesn't retain the comments layer --- you know, where you put your dimensions and such. Those problems put together make machinists like me somewhat angry.

Oh, and PDF is NOT the way to go because it doesn't retain any vector qualities, so instead you have to rerun it through a CAD program just so you can run it through CAM. Of course, it isn't that big of a deal, but it is an extra hassle. DXF would be the way to go if only the boys at inkscape could iron out the bugs. It works fine on other programs.
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Re: xBook Worklog

Post by snowpenguin » Mon Oct 05, 2009 6:44 pm

So, do you have any suggestions for other programs to use instead, that the average person could use and that are free?
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Re: xBook Worklog

Post by 64M320N3 » Mon Oct 05, 2009 6:50 pm

Sure

I haven't tried all of them.
And Inkscape isn't all that bad, but there is a reason it is not used commercially.
Making stuff with my new beautiful CNC machine!
Would you like a professional looking custom case for your portable? I may be able to help you. Check out this link:
http://forums.benheck.com/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=32724

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Re: xBook Worklog

Post by snowpenguin » Mon Oct 05, 2009 6:57 pm

So, one more CNC nublet question, what file format does the completed design have to be in for you to be able to use it?

Sorry for taking aver your thread, HMF. :)
Any new progress?
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Re: xBook Worklog

Post by hackmodford » Tue Oct 06, 2009 10:24 am

I don't mind snowpenguin.

What about SVG? That's the format that always works for me :mrgreen:

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