ririgg of the month ADVENTURES IN PC MODIFICATION Sponsored by
104 MA XIMUMPC MARCH 2006
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All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited. Future Network USA
is not affiliated with the companies or products covered in Maximum PC. PRODUCED
AND PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.If you have a contender for Rig of the Month, e-mail RiG maXimUmPc.com with high-res digital pics and a 300-word write-up.NICK FALZONE’S
Sangaku PC
T
he name comes from the Japanese
word for “mathematics tablet.” The rig
itself is the culmination of Nick Falzone’s
furniture-making skills, his passion for
computers, and the persistent nudging
of his friend Jeff Greger. The latter got
Falzone to fi nally undertake his fi rst mod
project, and it’s pretty clear he’s got a
knack for the pastime. Actually, pastime is
too trivial a term for a project that took 300
hours and comprises approximately 130
wood joints, most of which were made
entirely by hand, using Japanese chisels
and a dozuki saw.For his winning entry, Nick wins a $500
gift certifi cate for TigerDirect to fund his
modding madness! See all the hardware
deals at http://www.tigerdirect.com, and turn to
page 101 for contest rules.The fan controller and the on/off and reset
buttons are mounted inside the case, to
keep the front bezel clean and simple, and to
make regular use of the sliding Shoji doors.Abiding by
Japanese custom,
Falzone’s joinery is
so precise that no
glue was used to
hold together the
rig’s wooden frame.
The decora-
tive “screen” is a
water-color paint-
ing atop a sheet of
frosted Plexiglass
and backlit by cold
cathode fl uorescent
lights.Sangaku PC
he name comes from the Japanese
word for “mathematics tablet.” The rig
itself is the culmination of Nick Falzone’scomputers, and the persistent nudgingFalzone to fi nally undertake his fi rst modknack for the pastime. Actually, pastime is
too trivial a term for a project that took 300
hours and comprises approximately 130
wood joints, most of which were made
entirely by hand, using Japanese chiselsAbiding by
Japanese custom,
Falzone’s joinery is
so precise that no
glue was used to
hold together the
rig’s wooden frame.
The decora-
tive “screen” is a
water-color paint-
ing atop a sheet of
frosted Plexiglass
and backlit by cold
cathode fl uorescent
lights.By removing four
ebony joint pins,
Falzone can slide the
top off. Then the inner
acrylic frame that
holds all the PC parts
can slide up and out
of the wood frame,
for serious tinkering.