[Scratch Build] REDSTONE: Full Custom Minecraft Server and NAS

[samwisekoi]

This is the start of a build log for Project Redstone, an 8-inch full-custom cube in the shape of a cube of Redstone Ore. It was designed to do double-duty as a bookshelf Minecraft Server on our houshold LAN, and well as a NAS/Media Server for all of the family's music, games and video.


Redstone Full-Custom Minecraft Server by samwisekoi

Core specs are an ASRock ITX motherboard with an i3 processor, 4GB RAM, Dual 2TB drives in RAID-1 (mirrored), a slim, slot-load, DVD stealthed behind the custom front grille. Boot and apps (especially the Minecraft server app) run off of an SSD.

The chassis is completely custom, starting with an Acrylic 7.75" cube spaceframe. The skin is .125" translucent Acrylic covered by custom vinyl graphics to match the "real" redstone ore in Minecraft. Front and rear grilles are custom powder-coated steel, with a 120mm filter in front of the red LED intake fan.

The chassis can be configured to hold four 3.5" drives in RAID-5 or dual 2.5" hard drives plus an SSD and a slim DVD. Custom wiring and lighting have been made and installed, including custom LED PCB strips.  [GH:  See them here: http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=56832.0]

When in use playing Minecraft, it has a CM Storm TKL with Cherry MX Green key switches and custom Minecraft-themed keycaps. A gaming mouse and a 20" display enable it to game using the Intel HD graphics on the i3 (which is fast enough for Minecraft).

The build log will start from the construction of the custom space-frame and work all the way forward to the fully-completed build. The image above still contains several prototype parts, so the build will end up looking like that, with some improvements.

My three sons love the new server, and I love that it gets them off of random internet Minecraft servers and into our own LAN. Performance and security are both improved.

And, IMHO, it looks pretty cool as well.

If you are interested in the full build log, please follow it over on OVERCLOCK.NET.  I will only be posting excerpts here, especially ones that seem of interest to GH members I've not seen over on OCN.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1485692/scratch-build-redstone-full-custom-minecraft-server-and-nas

Hope to entertain you here or over there.

- Ron | samwisekoi

[HPE1000]

Wow, that is so cool! Nice job 

[CPTBadAss]

Ron, how did you do that case? It looks really really nice and I like the Minecraft keys on the QFR

[samwisekoi]

Wow, that is so cool! Nice job 

Thank you very much!  (Nice color-coded avatars, BTW.)

Ron, how did you do that case? It looks really really nice and I like the Minecraft keys on the QFR

Thanks!  I started with a 48" long, 1/2"-square rod of clear Acrylic, and went from there.  Watch the build log for details.

Minecraft keycaps were from i3oilermaker at Techkeys.us and the Ragnorock ZOMG GB.  IIRC, the Green QFR was from Office Depot on a "they don't know what they are selling" special.  Vortex PBT alphas.

 - Ron | samwisekoi

[HPE1000]

What exact model is the motherboard? I had a Z77E-ITX from asrock and it just kept dying on me.