"The Brain": Step 4 - More brain mounting stuff

One of the hassles is the fact that having chosen to support the brain on an acrylic tube, all of the wiring will have to come up inside the tube. This sounded like a good idea at the start, however this 'spinal cord' of wires will be wired-in at both ends during the development of the electronics and it will not be easy to work on the support/mounting once the electronics has started.

Consequently, the support system might just as well be done up-front, so the look-and-feel of the brain can be judged as the electronics is developed.

The final brain will be supported on an acrylic plinth. The top-plate of the plinth will have to have a hole for the electronic 'spinal cord' to pass through. The electronics will be on display inside the plinth, near the top.

The mount for the brain will be another hard drive, suitably modified.

The finished components are shown below

 The mounting has to support  the acrylic tube at an angle of 20 degrees, and be strong. A brass casting and a copper plumbing fitting were cut at the correct angles and soldered together. The hard drive was gutted and holes drilled and tapped to hold the casting.

The casting can bee seen from the underside - also the hacked PCB which leaves the header plugs visible from the outside (on the left of the photo), but not in the way of the assembly.

The housing then covers the casting.

And the olive and nut go over the top.

The system works well and looks good.

Note - top half of the brain is still un-trimmed

This will sit (be bolted) onto the top of the plinth, the 'spinal cord' will pass through the acrylic tube into the plinth.

For now, it is mounted on a wooden board, with space for the 'spinal cord' to come out from under it and be connected to the electronics.