projects: - id: FI-PROJ-001 slug: caselabs-mercury-s8-pedestal-restoration title: CaseLabs Mercury S8 + Pedestal Restoration working_title: Rebuilding and Archiving a CaseLabs Mercury S8 + Pedestal 2014 Time Capsule category: CaseLabs Archive status: revived started: "2015" revived: "2026" summary: > Documentation and restoration of a white powder-coated CaseLabs Mercury S8 with pedestal, stored for roughly a decade and returned to the bench as part hardware archive, part recovery log, part proof of life. origin: purchased: around 2015 stored_for: roughly a decade context: > The project paused after Matthew's father died and returned in 2026 as part of rebuilding life, hobbies, and identity. themes: - enthusiast hardware history - custom watercooling - inventory and identification - restoration - forum culture - technical nostalgia without sentimentality artifacts: - FI-CASE-001 - FI-PED-001 - FI-RAD-001 - FI-FAN-001 - FI-PUMP-001 - FI-CTRL-001 - FI-RES-001 layout_goals: - Right-side full window - Visible pumps and reservoir - Pedestal radiator and QDC pass-throughs - Low RPM, excessive cooling overhead - Clean serial loop before experimenting with complexity loop_concept: route: - Pumps in mid-right chamber - Top/right radiator - CPU/GPU components - Down through midplate to pedestal via QDCs - Pedestal radiator and service drain - Back up via pass-through - Top-left/front radiator - Reservoir return preferences: - Barbs and clamps over excessive angled fittings - EPDM tubing first for function - Hardline or copper possible later as aesthetic evolution - Serviceability matters documentation_style: - Photograph before cleaning - Identify panel by panel - Mark unknown parts temporarily with removable labels - Write logs as observations, not just progress updates - id: FI-PROJ-002 slug: garage-archaeology title: Garage Archaeology category: Garage Archaeology status: active started: "2026" summary: > Recovered objects, parts, machines, tools, and forgotten projects treated as artifacts. The record begins before the object is cleaned or assigned a final meaning. themes: - object permanence - documentation before action - finding the buried map - repair as memory documentation_style: - Photograph the object as found - Preserve uncertainty in the record - Record storage state, condition, missing hardware, and first hypotheses - id: FI-PROJ-003 slug: lab-journal title: Lab Journal category: Lab Journal status: active started: "2026" summary: > Process notes, experiments, methods, failures, findings, and design decisions for technical recovery through craft. themes: - methods - observations - iteration - systems thinking documentation_style: - Use methods, observations, and findings when they help - Keep reflection grounded in objects and actions - Let the technical documentation carry the emotion - id: FI-PROJ-004 slug: peregrine-drone-experiments title: PEREGRINE Drone Experiments working_title: PERRY / PEREGRINE Aircraft Dossier category: Drone Field Systems status: active / A01 grounded / A02 lost / A03 planned started: "2026" summary: > Small aircraft experimentation and recovery dossier covering Perry 1 / PEREGRINE-A01 as the DJI Mini 4K awning recovery and troubleshooting bird, Perry 2 / PEREGRINE-A02 as the DJI Mini 3 lost after a 3 AM roof incident, and Perry 3 / PEREGRINE-A03 as the planned Mini 3 replacement aircraft. The archive preserves flight logs, crash reports, maintenance notes, recovery routes, error codes, safety calls, and uncertain details as evidence. themes: - small aircraft recovery - flight logging - crash diagnostics - field repair - awning retrieval - roof loss and no-unsafe-recovery decisions - evidence before calibration artifacts: - FI-DRONE-001 - FI-DRONE-002 - FI-DRONE-003 documentation_style: - Preserve flight conditions, error codes, and recovery route before interpretation - Treat calibration as secondary until physical damage is inspected - Record uncertain aircraft identity and compatibility details as NEEDS_CONFIRMATION - Photograph arms, propellers, motors, battery bay, gimbal, and error screens before repair - id: FI-PROJ-005 slug: redeemer-nzxt-h440-watercooled-build title: REDEEMER NZXT H440 Watercooled Build working_title: REDEEMER Instagram Recovery Dossier category: Build Dossier status: archived / recovered from Instagram started: "2016" revived: "2026" summary: > Instagram-recovered build dossier for REDEEMER, the Forgotten Industries white NZXT H440 mid-tower custom liquid-cooled PC. The recovered evidence documents the March-May 2016 build sequence, including component staging, watercooling assembly, leak testing, custom cabling, Windows install, HUE+ lighting, and final gameplay testing. themes: - custom watercooling - Instagram recovery - build chronology - component evidence - REDEEMER - NZXT H440 artifacts: - FI-RED-CASE-001 - FI-RED-MB-001 - FI-RED-CPU-001 - FI-RED-MEM-001 - FI-RED-GPU-001 - FI-RED-STOR-001 - FI-RED-PSU-001 - FI-RED-LIGHT-001 - FI-RED-BLOCK-CPU-001 - FI-RED-BLOCK-RAM-001 - FI-RED-BLOCK-GPU-001 - FI-RED-BACKPLATE-001 - FI-RED-PUMP-D5-001 - FI-RED-PUMPTOP-D5-001 - FI-RED-PUMP-DDC-001 - FI-RED-RES-001 - FI-RED-FIT-001 - FI-RED-FIT-002 - FI-RED-TUBE-001 - FI-RED-RAD-240-001 - FI-RED-RAD-360-001 - FI-RED-FAN-001 - FI-RED-COOLANT-001 - FI-RED-CABLE-001 - FI-RED-DISPLAY-001 documentation_style: - Treat Instagram captions as primary evidence - Preserve exact timestamps and source post links - Separate direct REDEEMER mentions from build-adjacent support posts - Keep component list tied to the recovered May 8, 2016 post