Those who saw its predecessor at UnderMine will immediately recognize the genetics. She’s grown a bit and cleaned up since then - now running 140mm fans, an even cleaner overall aesthetic, and shaved off the unnecessary show-off additions she had for UnderMine.
What is the Fornax Heater?
A rethought and redesigned “singleboard” heater/miner built on an APW3++ PSU and S19/21 hashboard/control board combo. The hashboard is inverted compared to other designs to allow the PSU to be bottom-mounted and connected via short bus bars rather than bulky power cables. It utilizes a optional direct-feed duct from the rear fan shroud into the PSU, allowing the often noisy PSU fan to be fully removed. With the recommended Arctic P14 Pro fans it runs near-silent at heat outputs up to 600w and audible-but-inoffensive at higher speeds. (Audible tone sounds like a conventional residential room fan than the stock miner fans do at any speed.)
Why is the Fornax Heater?
Simple: I like DIY and I like being married.
Yes, there are more-attractive heater/miners out there. But I can’t 3D print them. They’re just not accessible to the average DIY’er and most Heatpunks aren’t quite the “off-the-shelf” crowd. They’re practically giving away S19k’s these days, so it seems a pity for them to just go to e-waste, or end up in some heater config that has to hide from company under wife’s orders. This has spouse-approval for living room use when company is over and anyone with a 256x256x256mm build volume printer can make one for themselves. (Spouse approval not guaranteed, restrictions may apply, not liable for marital strife.)
When is the Fornax Heater?
Soon. Right now I’m focused on getting the initial “final prototypes” done for a limited distribution. The one pictured here is slated for delivery to The Space this week as a loaner for them to try out.
Files will be uploaded soon. As much as I like money (and yeah, I really like money) the files will be available for free - donations always welcome but entirely not required. I also encourage people to fix any mistakes they find and improve on the design. I can’t think of everything.
Who is the Fornax Heater?
Okay, I’m done doing Marvel now. In any case, the answer to where the name comes from:
In ancient Roman religion, Fornax is the divine personification of the oven (fornax), serving as the patroness of bakers and the goddess of baking.
Rather than being a goddess with a complex personal drama or family tree, she was a functional deity. The Romans prayed to her to regulate the heat of their ovens, ensuring that grain and bread were toasted to perfection rather than being burnt to ash or causing household fires. Over time, her role and identity largely merged with Vesta, the more prominent Roman goddess of the hearth.
Fornax was the spiritual guardian of Rome’s daily bread. She symbolized the transition from a primitive society of shepherds to a “civilized” agricultural society that could safely harness fire to feed its people.
More to come!
