Project: PrometheusCu

I've been swamped with real-life the past weeks.

however:
I spent the past few days building myself a reflex still for making -among other things- potato vodka.

The irony here is that I don't even drink.

I just decided to try something new to keep my fresh. I'm constantly doing things like this - I have an insatiable desire to learn new things.

For example: About a month ago I built some Ham radios for myself and a friend. My goal was to be able to chat from a laptop -> through a Morse code oscillator -> across the air -> back into another oscillator -> into another laptop. I saw it as a sort of post apocalyptic/zombie invasion communication plan. It worked by-the way, and before long we had our own AM radio station... before almost getting fined - did you know these things need licenses?


I haven't yet taken and pictures of the completed still but I'm gong to start with some teasers for you all. The entire still was built for about ~$150.00 and the construction assumes that you care capable of soldering copper pipe and have very basic DIY knowledge.

I plan on distilling for the first time on Friday/Saturday - I'll then post a log of the parts/construction/process/recipe/and the dangers.

For now here are some teaser shots:
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The 90% complete article - before cleaning:
100_1154.jpg


Eventually I'd like to make an automated Laptop controlled still with computer controlled valves, heaters, and a PC radiator with fan control.

Hahahahaha
 
Langer said:
For example: About a month ago I built some Ham radios for myself and a friend. My goal was to be able to chat from a laptop -> through a Morse code oscillator -> across the air -> back into another oscillator -> into another laptop. I saw it as a sort of post apocalyptic/zombie invasion communication plan. It worked by-the way, and before long we had our own AM radio station... before almost getting fined - did you know these things need licenses?
Click to expand...

The Zombies will come, and we are the few that will be ready! Got any of the specs on the communicator you made?
 
Langer said:
It worked by-the way, and before long we had our own AM radio station... before almost getting fined - did you know these things need licenses?
Click to expand...

Yes. I did. :p

In fact, a lot of HAM nuts make their license numbers their license plates for their cars around here.
 
I have my new mobo and RAID card. I haven't done anything with them yet though.

I'm in LA right now.
I'm going to my fathers factory here this week to get the carbon fiber parts for PrometheusCU cut from some very strong carbon panels (top-secret weave and polymers, I'm using mil spec material).

I'm also going to pick up another copper sheet here in Cali, I'll have the waterjets at the factory do that as well for free. Then I'll have the other shop back in Toronto engrave them and bend them.
 
Hey Langer, you dropped off the first page of mods again, you didn't blow yourself up with your little side project did you? That or blind yourself with the moonshine?
 
No updates today, I'm tired from my journey - I've been traveling the past weeks.

While in California there's been progress:
The carbon panels are being cut and shipped back to me, the copper pieces follow shortly thereafter. This has been a large factor in my hold-ups for a variety of reasons, so things should be progressing more rapidly once I get these pieces.

My new mobo, RAID card, and BBU have arrived, as well

I also just got word that my Grandfather finally passed on last Sunday. A magnificent life topped off with a tragic final decade.

As much as I just want to relax in my own bed after all the traveling I've been doing the past month, I'll be off on the road again ~700KM north to Sault Ste Marie tomorrow to prepare for the funeral.

Things are progressing, but slowly.
 
Cant wait to see the completed project, but taking time is important too... The way you have gone about this case...Words cant describe. Its first class. I know you could use some rest...you should so you dont burn out. My condolance to you and your family for your grandfathers passing.
 
I snapped some quick pics of the new hardware and replacement motherboard (I've actually had this stuff for about a week now). I'll be flying north this afternoon.

Here's the Highpoint RocketRAID 3510 with a Highpoint BBU-03 battery backup unit installed:
prometheus-highpoint-rocketraid--1.jpg


Here's a closeup of the BBU-03:
prometheus-highpoint-bbu-01.jpg

prometheus-highpoint-bbu-02.jpg


The SSD's that it will drive:
prometheus-highpoint-rocketraid-351.jpg


The new motherboard:
prometheus-asus-m3n-ht-deluxe-01.jpg

prometheus-asus-m3n-ht-deluxe-05.jpg

prometheus-asus-m3n-ht-deluxe-06.jpg

prometheus-asus-m3n-ht-deluxe-07.jpg

prometheus-asus-m3n-ht-deluxe-08.jpg


NB:
prometheus-asus-m3n-ht-deluxe-03.jpg


SB:
prometheus-asus-m3n-ht-deluxe-02.jpg


My favorite feature, ExpressGate:
prometheus-asus-m3n-ht-deluxe-04.jpg

Cheesy ExpressGate video from ASUS:
[youtube]w41vS3UcZdk[/youtube]
 
I think I just spent half an hour going through all of these pages :eek:. $15,000 is deep for modding, I'll say. I don't think I could spend more than like, $50 :p.

Subscribed!
 
So you're still going ahead with soldering the power to the underside of the motherboard? Whats the status with that
 
Thanks a lot guys.

I've been traveling an insane amount the past few weeks. I had taken this past week off for modding, but my Grandfather passed away so I had to travel north to deal with that. I just got in the door.

I had some problems soldering the wires on, but that's been resolved now.
I'll be going at the new mobo with my soldering iron as soon as I have the opportunity.



(anyone else laugh at that woman in the express gate video? She's late for work, but she still has time to check her email, surf the web, organize some photos, etc. hahaha... women.)
 
Emission said:
I think I just spent half an hour going through all of these pages :eek:. $15,000 is deep for modding, I'll say. I don't think I could spend more than like, $50 :p.

Subscribed!
Click to expand...

By the time it's finished he'll need to tear it apart to update it. :D

Amazing build.
 
Langer said:
Thanks a lot guys.

I've been traveling an insane amount the past few weeks. I had taken this past week off for modding, but my Grandfather passed away so I had to travel north to deal with that. I just got in the door.

I had some problems soldering the wires on, but that's been resolved now.
I'll be going at the new mobo with my soldering iron as soon as I have the opportunity.



(anyone else laugh at that woman in the express gate video? She's late for work, but she still has time to check her email, surf the web, organize some photos, etc. hahaha... women.)
Click to expand...

Sorry to hear about that.

Also, everyone thought that video was ridiculous. :p:D
 
looking forard to next update, maybe I should head over and do you day job for you so there more time to finish this project?
 
Langer said:
(anyone else laugh at that woman in the express gate video? She's late for work, but she still has time to check her email, surf the web, organize some photos, etc. hahaha... women.)
Click to expand...

As a woman I would like to notify you that we women have a so-called Time-Expansion Field which we can use to spend as much time on anything we want, even if to outside observers it's only 5 minutes until we 'really need to leave'.


;)
 
Elledan said:
As a woman I would like to notify you that we women have a so-called Time-Expansion Field which we can use to spend as much time on anything we want, even if to outside observers it's only 5 minutes until we 'really need to leave'.


;)
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I always wondered how my gf does the things she does in such a short time :eek:.
 
I've never understood these builds. Are they custom built for a customer, built for yourself, or just because you can?

Nice work, by the way.
 
WE NEED AN UPDATE MY FRIEND! :) this thread is like crack to me man, i swear i click on it at least 5 times a day haha
 
Langer said:
Thanks a lot guys.

I've been traveling an insane amount the past few weeks. I had taken this past week off for modding, but my Grandfather passed away so I had to travel north to deal with that. I just got in the door.

I had some problems soldering the wires on, but that's been resolved now.
I'll be going at the new mobo with my soldering iron as soon as I have the opportunity.



(anyone else laugh at that woman in the express gate video? She's late for work, but she still has time to check her email, surf the web, organize some photos, etc. hahaha... women.)
Click to expand...

Great build so far; I'm loving every post you make.


Sorry to hear about your grandfather: I hope that all is well. There's nothing more important than family.


On the topic of the ASUS video (as I commented on Youtube): I find it funny that ASUS thinks their audience doesn't know about the wonders of the Internet and a web browser. Even their broadest customer base - Eee PC users - know that they will be using their computers almost exclusively for web-based bliss. :cool:


My Most Recent Thoughts on ASUS ...that I'm quite proud of at this moment.


From my experience, ASUS has a very interesting mix, for a hardware company, of product quality and ineffective marketing. How can you design, ship and consistently improve the BIOS of a high-quality, modern PC motherboard but not know how to build and maintain a quality web site (...since... ...forever) or get their message of quality across?

What makes it more amazing is that in terms of forming an effective feedback loop between their customers and their designers/engineers: ASUS is a champion. This is probably the most difficult sales & marketing task for a technology-driven company to execute but ASUS pulls it off. On the other hand, they can't pull off a simple branding strategy... ASUS has a lot of valuable, internal talent but they should go out and spend a lot more than they currently spend for a branding campaign because it's - clearly - not a core competency.

Take a look at HP: some of their products are enviously-rock-solid pieces and some of them are just - well - "pieces of [_____]," but they spend hundreds of millions on advertising to make consumers think they were all stable and entertaining. You can either put out products that perform or you can just tell people that your products perform. For HP, it's a matter of cost and you're already diverting spend to branding so it's, in a way, a free pick-up - strategically, the "easy sell."

Take an example outside of the computer industry for more contrast. Take Taco Bell for example: they can either buy better steak or they can call it a million different names and tell you that it's better steak. Taco Bell, and understandably so, often chooses the latter. Perceived value versus actual value are different means to the same dollar but one of the two paths will/should have a higher "acquisition cost" per dollar depending on the core competencies of the firm.

Sorry for digressing but I would like to share one more fast food analogy that I think is clever. When we were hit by the "health conscious" craze during this decade it was interesting to see the fast food companies scramble to add salads and fruit to their menus. Then there was Burger King. Allow me to summarize their strategy: Burger King said, "F' it," we're good at making high-calorie, delicious food that people love to eat so we're going to do what we do best and focus on stacked patties and breakfast sandwiches that get every meat in our arsenal involved and we're going to make it accessible. After that, we're going to hammer it home with this anonymous, King mascot that drops money in your pocket and acts as a metaphor for your target experience as a consumer: eating a triple Whopper is like rollerblading: it's a ton of cheap, satisfying fun until somebody sees you doing it - shame. Oh yeah, did I mention that you're the King? You're the King. Burger King is doing what they do best and that happens to be worth a lot of money - sans advertising salads. The tie-in is that ASUS needs to redouble their focus on both what they do best and telling consumers what they do best.

Now, let's take a look at ASUS: if they put out a bad motherboard, it's a rare event that becomes something to be talk about. Their engineers work and work and work on a solution to the problem to preserve their image. ASUS is constantly under attack because they simply don't know how to build broad brand awareness. They focus on innovation, quality and stability when they build their products but this only attracts the most informed of customers which is both a blessing and a curse. They are forging their image out of stone but this "stone" is expensive and becomes harder and more expensive to "generate" if you want to really start taking market share. They should hire a top-notch branding firm in the US, give them some money and have them go to work - "Nobody ever got fired for buying s/IBM/ASUS/."

There is a great quote in the design world: "Advertising is the price companies pay for being unoriginal." ASUS is original in the key areas of quality and feedback-driven-improvement, thus: they shouldn't view the expense of building awareness as a tax but as a catalyst which will feed their existing engine for value creation. The pitfalls are evident in perhaps the most persistent quote on advertising, by John Wanamaker: "Half my advertising money is wasted, I just don't know which half!" ASUS needs to be "carefully aggressive," about building brand awareness with broad appeal - all stakeholders (read: you too) will benefit.​

End of Thoughts on ASUS :)



Once again: great build! I must say that I've got my eye on the AquaComputer parts for my next build - sexy!

:cool::cool::cool:
 
Elledan said:
As a woman I would like to notify you that we women have a so-called Time-Expansion Field which we can use to spend as much time on anything we want, even if to outside observers it's only 5 minutes until we 'really need to leave'.


;)
Click to expand...


HAHAHA this made me spit orange juice over my white apple keyboard :(
 
Everything I've ever heard as far as ASUS boards go is that they suck, period. I've had several, cheap ones and expensive ones, and I think I only had ONE that didn't prematurely die on me, or have some horrible engineering fault (I'm looking at you, P5GD1, with your horrible vDroop).
 
i've had two $200+ asus board and they worked like champs. I've been very happy with ASUS boards....

i had a ABIT fatality board that was a HORRIBLE experience, i went through 3 of them within 2 months....
 
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