This build extends my first build (Intel 1979-1995) with new chips (1996-2011)

This is an ongoing build, which is as of this post about 80% complete. What started off as an empty Polish honey box (containing three natural honey containers) which has been taken apart and reduced in height by about an inch (I have before pictures somewhere, will load later), glued, stained, drilled, recessed, and armed with analog electronics. I used a 486 with Photoshop 4 to create the CPU backing with the information about the processors.

Here's the build process, it started some time in Nov 2017 and has had a few delays attributed mainly to waiting for parts from China.

Here's the process

Cut down an inch and sanded

Measuring divider height (also had to be cut down)

Stained

First LED test:

https://youtu.be/JP8xyjijT-Y

I was going to use just white LEDs but my co worker had used strips of these, and I wouldn't have to recess them so I gladly accepted this gift. It's all analog, and part of the issue is that the POTS are driving LED intensity as well as colour, but for what it's doing I'm fine with it.

Drilling super-precise, totally in line holes for the POTS using only the finest drill press (hah)

Because I had bought the knobs first before the POTS came in, they did not entirely fit. A dremel to the POTS sorted that, and I put the knobs down on a belt sander to take off excess so that they would recess into the precise holes I made:

After ensuring knob alignment, I stained the holes:

Time to add the guts - simple RGB LED strips connected to three POTS for R, G and B. There's an on/off switch that supplies positive to the LED rails (RGB is handled by ground) - a 9V and two AAA's wired in series give the unit 12v.

The thing kind of looks like some 70s electrical appliance, and I will be adding a small VU meter connected to the POTS to act as an ammeter on the left corner there just to complete that illusion (ordered VU meter today) - I was thinking of putting an antenna on the other side for fun too.

There's the backing - this plate comes out completely to be able to change the batteries. The CPUs will be attached to this.

Here's a short vid of it in action.

https://youtu.be/KfJxuFfFFDY

What remains to be done - The CPU information to be printed to a smaller scale and laminated, glued to the backing, and then the CPUs glued to that. The plexiglass is to be replaced with actual glass and the Intel Inside sticker added to it. As well, I will have to figure out some frosted vinyl stickers and cut them out using an interesting font to display 1996-2011. I'll also experiment with some diffusers, but they have to be thin enough to not impede the movement of the CPU backing. That and the aforementioned VU meter 😉