Page 2 - Build Quality, Assembly
Before we talk about build quality, let's talk about the packing quality -- after removing the tight plastic wrapping, we discovered that a total of five pieces of clear acrylic side pieces were included. Each one has one side with paper glued to it to prevent creation of scratches when the pieces rub against each other during transportation. Therefore, everything arrived in perfect condition and scratch-free.
Each clear acrylic piece is clear, strong, solid, and very cleanly cut with all edges smooth and without machine marks (Well, they are laser cut -- but still, haha). They are not very prone to scratches; I haven't located any scratches on my Torture Rack yet. They are slightly vulnerable to fingerprint marks, but much less than I thought they would be. However, a pair of cloth gloves is included for assembly use!
Following the six page step-by-step installation diagram, where each page represents an independent assembly step, I completed the first step of attaching the I/O backplate to the first piece after peeling of the protective paper.
The next step in assembly involves attaching the middle piece perpendicular to the back acrylic side we just attached the I/O backplate to. This could be a bit tricky, as it may be hard to hold the pieces in place during assembly.
Because it uses an Allen wrench (Provided), tight corners would be very time consuming -- if you are skilled enough, power tools may help, but overtightening may ruin the acrylic pieces. Therefore, to prevent errors -- spending a little more time with manual hand tools may pay off afterwards.
The way the washers are implemented is very good -- but not represented very clearly on the assembly diagram. However, it did not take me too long to figure out what to do. It proves to be very convenient of how it slides into the attached acrylic piece as a screw is put through the initial piece -- clipping them together tightly while minimizing stress on the acrylic pieces.
The base is the easy part -- after installing the four rubber feet, it attaches to the main unit the same way the middle piece does -- Danger Den's tight and secure screw and washer combination.
A total of fourteen screws and fourteen washers are used for attaching the sides. This proves to be a very easy part as the unit itself can now stand by itself -- attaching the sides is a matter of aligning screw holes and washer sockets. Just make sure that you have the left and right pieces correct in the appropriate spot!
The assembled unit. Loads of garbage left from the packaging on the side, haha. Anyway, you can see the simple design and construction idea of the Danger Den Torture Rack -- a total of five pieces of clear acrylic can make a computer case. It feels very solid after assembly and does not wobble, and dependable to accommodate your computer components even for transporting from one place to another such as a LAN parties.
Oh yeah, speaking of which, there are handles located at the top of the Danger Den Torture Rack for carrying purposes!
The total assembly time took roughly an hour, depending on how precisely you work -- and if this is your first time assembling it, it will take longer -- especially when I spent a few minutes removing some screws because I made a minor mistake.
In general, assembly time could be improved with a power tool (You know, putting those screws in), but it probably is safer to do it by hand to prevent over-tightening and unintentionally stressing the pieces.
Page Index
1. Introduction, Specifications
2. Build Quality, Assembly
3. Installation and Conclusion
