2 files changed, 67 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/html/blog/2025-06-26+My_EDC_Wallet.tmpl.html b/html/blog/2025-06-26+My_EDC_Wallet.tmpl.html
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6852336
--- /dev/null
+++ b/html/blog/2025-06-26+My_EDC_Wallet.tmpl.html
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+{{ define "article" }}
+<article>
+  <h2>{{ .Title }}</h2>
+  <p>The Midori Traveler's Notebook captured my interest several years ago. But, being a single piece of leather with some cords, I figured I could do it for next to nothing and have a story to go with it. What followed was a reconstruction and appreciation for their Passport size which has become my wallet for the better part of two years.</p>
+  <figure>
+    <img src="/static/media/Wallet/Top_1000.jpg" alt="Recreation of the Traveler's Notebook, Passport size, with money clip and card holder." width="1000" height="750" />
+    <figcaption>Final form.</figcaption>
+  </figure>
+  <p>I've learned a bit since originally making this. The leather I used is not ideal for this application due to its thin profile which makes it floppy. I eventually would like to try various leather hardening techniques, but I've found that laminating a thick paper to the piece with white glue provides enough stiffness. This is a recent addition, though. I experimented with it on another book, but never bothered to update this one until yesterday.</p>
+  <p>The money clip is from my mom who had it passed down from her grandfather. It has an Irish penny embedded in it. It's fallen out once so far and is starting to come loose again, but it's easy enough to re-secure.</p>
+  <figure>
+    <img src="/static/media/Wallet/Side_1000.jpg" width="1000" height="750" />
+    <figcaption>Filled with goodies.</figcaption>
+  </figure>
+  <p>My day-to-day usage consists of pulling out my credit or debit card or the occasional pen use to sign a bill. Inside, I have a Fisher Bullet Space Pen with a bold refill held in by a pen holder grasped by a money clip, cash &lpar;not pictured&rpar;, a cardboard covered set of pocket notebooks that were gifted to me, and a card holding band glued to the back with my ID and various cards. Originally I had my own cut paper as the insert. I filled them up and before bothering to cut new ones I figured I'd try a couple of the pocket notebooks I'd been given as they were the right size. So far, they're doing the job. I added the cardboard in order to provide some stiffness to make it easier to write, as it was difficult to write without it. I'll probably go back to my own cut paper or custom notebook inserts once I fill these up, though. These aren't very high-capacity in terms of page count, and I nested two of them to have enough pages to be useful.</p>
+  <figure>
+    <img src="/static/media/Wallet/Pen_1000.jpg" width="1000" height="750" />
+    <figcaption>Bullet pen and notebooks.</figcaption>
+  </figure>
+  <p>The card holder is a strap of leather with four lateral cuts in order to act as a loop for a card-sized item to fit. It's been glued to the back with white glue. It's stretched a bit now that there are about four cards per strap, but as long as I don't have less, it still holds just fine. If I want to downsized for any reason, it does make things loose, and cards will fall out. I like the practicality of being able to access them without opening the notebook, though. I think I'd like it a lot less if I had to continually remove the elastic band just to use a credit card.</p>
+  <figure>
+    <img src="/static/media/Wallet/Cards_1000.jpg" width="1000" height="750" />
+    <figcaption>ID and other cards.</figcaption>
+  </figure>
+  <p>In a world of Ridge wallets and billfolds, this notebook brings a bit of whimsy to my wallet usage. Most people think it's just a notebook, but it's fun explaining that it's actually my wallet. When I finally stop dragging my feet on getting a passport, it will fit perfectly as an insert, and it'll have even more utility. Though I enjoy the Bullet pen, I think I went too large on the refill. Something with a finer point would be nice and a likely upgrade after the ink runs out. I occasionally carry my Kaweco Liliput with a similar sizing issue, but have never used it for that reason.</p>
+  <p><b>Created:</b> {{ .Date }}</p>
+</article>
+{{ end }}
diff --git a/html/blog/2025-06-27+Rack-Mounted_Desktop_Update.tmpl.html b/html/blog/2025-06-27+Rack-Mounted_Desktop_Update.tmpl.html
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3c56c32
--- /dev/null
+++ b/html/blog/2025-06-27+Rack-Mounted_Desktop_Update.tmpl.html
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+{{ define "article" }}
+<article>
+  <h2>{{ .Title }}</h2>
+  <figure style="max-width: 100%;">
+    <img src="/static/media/R9_Desktop/r9-5950x-crop_1000.jpg" alt="Close up shot of AMD Ryzen 9 5950X in a Gigabyte Aorus B450 I Pro WiFi with Corsair LPX memory." width="1000" height="422" />
+    <figcaption>Ryzen 9 5950X</figcaption>
+  </figure>
+  <p><i>This is a continuation of my <a href="/archive/2023-08-29+Personal_PC_Update+diy+computers">previous post</a> outlining how I built a rack-mount chassis for my gaming/workstation desktop.</i></p>
+  <p>Since commissioning the build back in late 2023, I've had a few updates to the case as well as the rack it fits into. After that original post, I got the correct screws to mount the front fans.</p>
+  <figure>
+    <img src="/static/media/R9_Desktop/corsair-fans_1000.jpg" alt="Custom desktop with five Corsair Light Loop fans, two outside of the front panel." width="1000" height="750" />
+    <figcaption>Front fans installed</figcaption>
+  </figure>
+  <p>Of course, the build was never meant to sit on a desk as is, but rather to be set into a rack or cabinet that I could also mount some small-scale homelab equipment to. As a purveyor of <a href="/blog/2024-09-09+Drawer_From_Scrap+diy">scrap-based projects</a>, I built the rack out of plywood from a Sophomore year, full-sized car seat project and some Amazon 4U tall mounting brackets. It turned out pretty good and serves the purpose. I might paint or dye it at some point to get it to look a bit nicer.</p>
+  <figure>
+    <img src="/static/media/R9_Desktop/in-rack_1000.jpg" alt="4U tall wooden computer/network rack ontop of an end table with a 3U tall computer and 1U wood blank mounted." width="1000" height="750" />
+    <figcaption>Mounted and set up.</figcaption>
+  </figure>
+  <p>I've since moved to Noctua Redux fans to try get better cooling out of the restricted chassis. I've realized how dire the cooling situation is and wanted a Band-Aid fix. I'd like to update the rear and add mesh as well as air ducts within the case to direct airflow. For now, I switched all the fans to exhaust. As intake, they struggled to move the air out of the chassis and would heat-soak the GPU right behind it. The aforementioned ducts would help that situation.</p>
+  <figure>
+    <img src="/static/media/R9_Desktop/front-covered_1000.jpg" alt="Custom rack chassis front view with external fans and metal mesh grill." width="1000" height="750" />
+    <img src="/static/media/R9_Desktop/rear-covered_1000.jpg" alt="Custom rack chassis rear view highlighting motherboard I/O, power button, graphics card I/O, and power supply." width="1000" height="750" />
+    <figcaption>Current form.</figcaption>
+  </figure>
+  <p>The build is still in a half-finished state. The power button is still on the back, and the front switches and panel mount LCD are non-functional. I did some research, though, and discovered that it's a mini panel-mount voltmeter, not just a digital display. Specifically, it's a <a href="https://acculex.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/DP-176.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">DP-176 Series Flatpack LCD Meter</a>, which I could theoretically write to by converting some metric like temperature or fan speed into a voltage for it to read out on the display. Could be a fun project. The switches require some thinking, and possibly an intermediary logic circuit to make them behave in the way you would expect. Another fun project.</p>
+  <p>I'd like to tidy up the inside by painting it and 3d printing proper brackets and ducts. As it stands, the hard drives are floating loose. Not ideal. I'm really trying to shoot for the enterprise aesthetic. A lot of those custom, liquid cooled builds look so industrial, and I appreciate them a lot. I took a step in the wrong direction with the fans, unfortunately. I'm considering a black shroud or even painting the frames black to give it a better contrast from the front panel.</p>
+  <figure>
+    <img src="/static/media/R9_Desktop/front-open_1000.jpg" alt="Front of the custom rack chassis with the top panel removed to expose the computer components." width="1000" height="750" />
+    <img src="/static/media/R9_Desktop/top-open_1000.jpg" alt="Top view of internal components. Dual 240mm aluminum radiators, watercooled Titan Xp and Ryzen 9 5950X, two mechanical storage drives, Corsair 850W power supply, and Gigabyte ITX motherboard with Corsair RAM." width="1000" height="750" />
+    <figcaption>Internals.</figcaption>
+  </figure>
+  <p>Switching to an SFX or SFX-L power supply would free up enough room to mount the drives in a better spot and put less stress on my almost-too-short-but-good-enough tubing run from the pump outlet to the GPU. As it stands with the larger power supply, it's difficult to package everything in a way that makes sense and doesn't substantial modifications to the case structure. I like where the idea is heading, though, and maintenance is better than in my old Phanteks Enthoo Evolve ITX, so that's a win in my book!</p>
+  <figure>
+    <img src="/static/media/R9_Desktop/high-voltage_1000.jpg" alt="Close up shot of 'High Voltage 10,000V' warning sticker. A holdover from when this used to be a high-voltage scientific power supply." width="1000" height="750" />
+    <figcaption>DANGER.</figcaption>
+  </figure>
+  <p><b>Created:</b> {{ .Date }}</p>
+</article>
+{{ end }}