I am glad @Atomic_Charge started the 'Get Cracking' thread because I have been working on this project for a while and only now was I able to do it.
I have been binge watching the National Geographic documentary 'MAYDAY : Air Crash Investigation'. I got the idea to make a "Black Box" backup that would be nuke-proof. Well not nuke proof but able to be buried under the apartment building I live in without being crushed. I wanted my time capsule to look like a Flight Data Recorder from an airplane. I have many backups but in the event of a catastrophe like an earthquake, tornado or flood all of those hard drives are sure to be damaged. My brain started drawing engineering blueprints in my minds eye. All of the items in this "case mod" are there to serve a function, real or imagined.
Okay, bad news first: This is the second Art Data Recorder.
The first one and the cooler to carry it were stolen while I was painting it. I have not replaced the cooler yet ($25 Igloo Playmate The Boss). I noticed the NTSB on the show always carries the Flight Data Recorder in a cooler full of fresh water. My Art Data Recorder is going to be over 20 lbs Heavy so I figured a cooler is a good way to carry it around. Plus it gives flotation in a flood.
Of course this is not practical or economical (about $150), You would probably be better off with a safe, but that's not the point. This is an Art Project. My main line of defense is layers inside layers of defense. The Russian 'Matryoshka' nesting doll stratagem.
Outside is a heavy (16 Ga) welded steel electrical junction box ($25 BUD Industries JBH-4956-KO 6"x8"x4"). It is weather rated and powder coated so it shouldn't rust. OK a steel box is obvious, but I chose this one because encasing my data in a bubble of steel provides protection from the Electro Magnetic Pulse of a nuke or EMP. I painted the box orange and the stripes are white reflective tape. The stripes are painted also in case the tape falls off. I still have to find some tiny (1/2") letters for the writing.
On the inside of the box I prepared it by sealing it with white marine epoxy. I used a whole tube to smear it into the gaps, stampings and holes. for the 4 big mounting holes I plugged those by gluing a galvanized washer over them. I will finish the epoxy prior to pouring concrete. The final layer of epoxy will serve to glue the box steel to the interior concrete for more reinforcing. I also plan to seal any exposed concrete on top with white epoxy.
Inside will be reinforced sand aggregate concrete ($2 for 50lbs Quikrete). I made a cage out of hanger wire to establish the size and shape of the reinforcing and to provide feet to raise the cage 1/2" off of the floor. Then I used picture hanging wire to wrap the cage with the reinforcing. I will wrap the crossways reinforcing later. The wire mesh should form a Faraday Cage in order to further shield the USB Drive from EMP.
I am also using metal fiber reinforcing. What a pain in the ass. I have to take 4 wires 12" long and chop them into 1/2" segments. I have a LOT more fibers to make and it's slow and hard. I could go easy and cut 1 wire at a time, but I found 4 wires is about as hard as I can do to keep going for a half an hour. Fiber reinforcing prevents cracks, and will increase toughness and longevity. I hope it helps with the EMP resistance also.
The USB drive is inside a plastic prescription bottle. To protect the aluminum from touching the concrete. To provide bump space and wiggle room for the drive in case of impact. To provide a measure of protection for the drive when it's concrete tomb is opened. I used the clear bubble from the drive packaging to suspend the drive in mid bottle.
The drive is a Corsair Survivor 128GB ($55). It is waterproof to 200 meters and I have watched it fall 10 stories and work just fine. The Survivor comes in black up to 256GB also. I painted the end caps orange. The Art Data Recorder is backed up onto a PNY 120GB SSD ($40+$15 Inland aluminum drive enclosure), so people won't have to cut the concrete open to see what the time capsule contains. Added foam pads between the SSD and enclosure to stop a rattle. I love that the PNY came in a Black Box so I'm gonna save it.
On top of the concrete will be a metal pictogram. This is a 100+ year archival professional photo print on aluminum
($15 - FullColor pro photo lab). The aluminum will be glued to plywood and rest on top of the concrete inside the box.
Now all I am waiting on is my 3D printed nameplate from Shapeways. I designed it using Creo and am having it made in porcelain ceramic ($30). I wanted a stainless steel nameplate but that would have been way too expensive ($300+). The green tile will be set into the concrete and secured with anchor bolts at the corners (#8 x 2" black pan head). Shapeways is always good price and quality, but porcelain takes longer than their usual printing time. First they have to print 2 half's of a mold and pour in the ceramic. After it dries, they hand finish it with grinders and sandpaper, then fire it in a kiln. They paint it with glaze and fire the tile again. So it takes a month.
That's all for now.. gotta run!
