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Icrontic's EPIC Duct Tape Case

Assembling the case

Once we had completed all of the basic components, comprised of a variety of poles and panels, we were left with the quandary of how to put it all together. Our original design diagram was of a skeleton frame of poles skinned in panels, but the plan did not include specifics.

We quickly came up with two primary options. We could bind the poles into a frame, then lash the panels to the frame or attach the poles to the panels first, then lash those supported panels to one another. After experimenting with the former, we decided on the latter.

We used a series of long, thin ‘darts’ to strap the poles in place. At first we were going to notch the poles to fit together better (ala Lincoln Logs), but after experimenting with that, we found that we could create a significantly stronger structure by simply allowing the horizontal poles to sit on top of the vertical poles, which also provided good places to attach the internal components.

Next, we lashed the panels to one-another using long strips of tape along the inside and outside.

To create the hinged door, we left the top half of one of the poles exposed above the vent panel in the front of the case then slid the tube of the door down over that pole before lashing the top of the pole to the rest of the case.


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31 Comments:

  1. primesuspect
    The Icrontic Guy

    That is some serious craftsmanship right there. Kudos to you both.

  2. Kwitko
    Sheriff of Dicktown

    That case is saweeeet!! Excellent work guys! You're both definitely

  3. Winfrey
    kaishakunin

    The case looks really good. Excellent write-up, I'm sure you guys enjoyed building at least as much as I enjoyed reading about it.

  4. Zanthian
    Icrontian

    Great Job Guys... Nice to finally read the article.
    One Typo on the last page... "Me Fortress 2."

  5. GHoosdum
    tequilavangelist
    Great Job Guys... Nice to finally read the article.
    One Typo on the last page... "Me Fortress 2."

    It's not a typo, actually... CB called it that because I was playing by myself.

    Thanks for the kind words, folks!

  6. Winfrey
    kaishakunin
    Great Job Guys... Nice to finally read the article.
    One Typo on the last page... "Me Fortress 2."

    I saw that too, but I think it was on purpose. He wasn't playing with anyone thus there couldn't be any "team" just himself or "me".

    Also I wasn't sure how to visualize a duct tape "dart"? is it just a pointed tightly rolled piece of duct tape?

  7. Zanthian
    Icrontian

    Oh that makes sense now.

    Added to reddit btw http://reddit.com/info/6lamx/comments/

  8. mas0n
    technosexual

    This is awesome in so many ways. Good job guys!

  9. CB Droege
    Doktor Schnabel von Rom
    I saw that too, but I think it was on purpose. He wasn't playing with anyone thus there couldn't be any "team" just himself or "me".

    Also I wasn't sure how to visualize a duct tape "dart"? is it just a pointed tightly rolled piece of duct tape?

    So many people have thought the Me Fortress 2 was a typo, that maybe we should change it... :/

    The duct tape 'darts' are just thin strips used as fasteners. The problem was that the word that means what we needed was 'tape'. but we didn't want to say that we were making strips of duct tape 'tape'. 'fasteners would have been equally ridiculous, and we had already used up the word 'strips' elsewhere.

    Trust me. I fretted over using 'darts', knowing that that usage is a bit obscure, but in the end it sounded best...

  10. Winfrey
    kaishakunin
    Trust me. I fretted over using 'darts', knowing that that usage is a bit obscure, but in the end it sounded best...

    I can only imagine

    "darts" makes sense to me now thanks.

  11. lemonlime
    Veteran Icrontian

    Fantastic work, guys

    I really enjoyed the write-up! Who do we talk to if we'd like to get one in for testing in the IC labs?

  12. Harudath
    I'm eyeballin' you.

    Fricking awesome Nice

  13. Zanthian
    Icrontian
  14. TBonZ
    Veteran Icrontian

    Sweetness!

  15. Snarkasm
    The Photographer.

    Digg alone has three different links to stories. Congrats all around!

  16. Cyclonite
    Castle Crashin'!

    Congrats, guys!

  17. MAGIC
    NFNF

    Think you will have a problem with heat form the pc softening the glue and the tape losing its composure? Thats why we lost the duct tape challenge last year, except it was the sun not a pc melting our tape. nice work though.

  18. Buddy J
    Dept. of Propaganda

    Your Duct Tape Challenge entry didn't have sweet cooling fans and a stylish air vent, did it?

  19. Sledgehammer70
    Sledgehammer70

    sweet//// awesome to finally see it complete good work guys

  20. UPSWeezer
    Ninja Warrior

    That's flippin sweet.

  21. GHoosdum
    tequilavangelist

    Thanks for the comments, folks!

    Yes, [[][][[v]][[]]]agic, we were concerned about the heat. If we were going to be housing a PC in the case longer term, we had planned to cut a 120MM exhaust fan hole and possibly include a front intake fan behind the vent.

  22. bothered
    pondering and wandering along

    Duct tape, is there nothing it can't do?

  23. So what's the next big project?

  24. UPSWeezer
    Ninja Warrior

    I say... build a working duck-tape rockband drum set. And then give it to me

  25. UPSLynx
    The Dean of Computer Graphics

    Wow, well done guys. That's an impressive feat.

    Also, I didn't think ME FORTRESS 2 was a typo - I believe we've called it that in-game before.

  26. Jokke
    Northernmost Icrontian

    Excellent!

  27. sharkydart
    I put on my robe 'n wizard hat

    hehe nice.

  28. primesuspect
    The Icrontic Guy

    Bwahahahah total win!

    We made Gizmodo's Top 10 Ultimate Ghetto Gadgets list!

    Congrats (again!) CB and Rob!

  29. GHoosdum
    tequilavangelist

    That's awesome!

  30. Kwitko
    Sheriff of Dicktown

    Congrats guys!

  31. lemonlime
    Veteran Icrontian

Hey, be nice. Icrontic is full of good people, we promise.

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