Case Mod - Complete MiniFusion

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I've launched a site for all my builds, current and old here:

www.minibotpc.com​

Would first of all like to Thank Xtia and Bitspower for sponsoring this build. I would not be able to do this without their support so thank you so much to the contacts at both companies. Would also like to Thank Jginyue for sponsoring the motherboard with their B760i Snow Dream.


This is a midranged super compact open frame SFF build. This showpiece is about half the size of my previous build, following on with a similar theme so expect custom distros, gorgeous chrome tubing and Bitspower branding.



Xtia has sent me a full care package for the XProto Mini with all the extras plus a 600w Flex PSU and cabling. The Mini is one of the smallest cases from Xtia, they do make an even smaller one but that's for another time. The layout is very similar to my AquaFusion build, same sandwich layout except it uses a FLEX psu. They included a mounting for a SFX psu but i think to keep with the compact theming i will use the FLEX psu for this build.


The Core components will include the following with more to verify as we go.

• Intel 13400F
• Corsair LPX 3200mhz DDR4
• Jginyue B760i Snow Dream
• Crucial P5 Plus 1tb NVME Drive
• RTX 3070 Founders Edition
• Xtia Enhance 7660B Customised 600w PSU with custom cables
• Xtia PCIE 4.0 riser cable
• Bitspower Watercooling blocks, fittings and tubing
• Custom Distro(s)
• Custom Rad Mount
• Custom Colour scheme

Jginyue B760i motherboard:








RTX 3070 Founders Edition:








Intel 13400F + Corsair LPX 3200 DDR4:







Current design process and layout CPU Side:






The build is still very much in early days of development. We still need to decide on colour scheme, though i think we will end up going full white with black and chrome accents. I will need to get creative and develop a mount for a bottom mounted 240mm radiator. The aim is to not divert from its vertical structure too much, adding things that hang off the front and back is a no go (this is to be avoided). However i can stack rads etc onto the bottom or top, however i see fit. This calls for some 3D planning and i need to becareful with the purchasing side as i have some serious size limitations.


This is particularly true when it came to the graphics card, only 1 card really made the list.. the RTX 3070 Founders Edition. The constraint was having to use a Bitspower block and the only one that met the size requirements, was the 3070 FE card. The limitation was a 210mm length card, the bitspower 3070 Classic block meets this requirement with room to spare.







Next up will be designing tube runs and the bottom bracket to hold the 240mm radiator followed by a pump mounting interface for the custom distro.

 

So development so far, we decided that the distro was a little boring and it needed abit of a Zing to it. I pitched this to Bitspower and they loved it! This isn't the big water tank but the smaller Flow meters which i will dismantle and remove the impellers (maybe leaving one intact for its original purpose), linked together double male fittings and mounted with a custom bracket which i will design once i have all the parts together.

Will be using the Hercules Pump with MOD TOP, due to size limitations this is gonna be the best pump available thats compact enough. Will be mounted via another custom bracket but i plan to do something with the rear end to add an additional fan for cooling.

A lower section is to be designed that will be the enclosure for mounting a 240mm Bitspower radiator in which the radiator will be on standoffs to allow for air intake or exhaust.

 

I love flat packing, the whole case and all of its accessories was crammed into this small box.

 

Further to the last update, i got round to building it with its core components installed. What a beautiful case and i think the parts match it perfectly. The black insert sections break up the 2 halves nicely and gives the frame some depth instead of being all white.

Really looking forward to the next phase now in building up the bottom section to hold the 240mm radiator. While i design that, there is abit of drama with the gpu waterblock. Royal mail seems to have lost it.... great timing too. In comms with the retailer in either getting a refund or sending another one out but will need to wait 10 working days.

While it's semi built up, i took the opportunity to test out my new LED softboxes and reflective surface.

 

The 3D Modelling is almost complete, i've decided to incorporate Bitspowers new CR distro's into the build. The CR802 is an 80mm Distro block with a Hercules pump installed all in one solution. All i need to do is fabricate a custom bracket to install this to the back of the case. The small size of the unit means it suits the build and form factor im working with. Was a little tempted to use the CR801 which is an even smaller version but wanted to maximise the space i had available.

 

Despite the name, that definitely wasn't a bot post. Wait.. They are getting more clever.
Welcome to Bit! I spotted Alex's distro plates on your site. Lovely work all around.
-I gotta meddle. I love poking builder's brains after all: I think you should inset the front panel a bit behind the angled plates and leave a gap. That would accent the core part of the case.

 

Thanks! Haha yes, the name does throw some people off a tad . Alex worked his magic on my last build with the distro's, workmanship is one of the best i've seen and used.

I totally get what you mean with this, the way its constructed though and where the plates connect together means i can't move the front panel section any further back unless without some serious modding. This means i'll also need cut the bottom brace where the usb front panel mounts to. I could create more of a gap around the front panel section by using spacers though, that would be easily doable or a longer core connecting piece.

 

Uhm.... honestly I don't go crazy for the bottom section.
It weight down the case design

 

Yeah im trying something else at the moment, more skeletenised to flow with the design of the case. Not easy trying to incorporate it as its quite a small area to begin with.

 

While i'm designing and waiting for stuff to arrive, the GPU block turned up and i've had some time to install it. Love the small size, i know i'm gonna reuse this in quite a few builds this year.

 

Well ! If you are back at the drawing board, I wonder what it would look like with the base of the Y extended with brackets mounted with offsets. Like //
You could even have them curve around and make a mounting point for the rad.

 

It's been awhile, not updated but the project did get finished.

After nearly a month of designing and trial and error we've finally managed to get this enclosure design finished. There were so many unforeseen issues that needed remedies which dragged out the project but glad Arya over at AquaCustoms has managed to get this put together.


Now onto the machining which im absolutely excited about! Huge thanks to Alex @Praetex Design for sponsoring the machining work on this one and Arya from AquaCustoms for doing the CAD work.

 

A mating ceremony happened:

 

Cut the template for the mounting bracket tonight for the front mini distro made out of flow meters. Still need to take the meters apart to take some of the impellers out.

The Vision is coming to life, making some serious progress this week.

 

And finally MiniFusion is 99% complete. I say 99% because i still have a few cables to tidy but we got there in the end! System filled, booted up and it works (not that i wasn't confident before since i had already tested it lol).

What an incredible journey the last 5 months have been building and developing this project. From a CAD drawing and plan to the finished physical object infront of me. I managed to make some last minute changes to the fittings so make the system more uniform and compact. Wasn't happy with the top fitting poking out so much so a stubby replacement made it 100% better.


Once again, a huge thanks to all the sponsors for this project:

• Bitspower
• Mayhems Solutions
• Liquid Gaming
• Praetex Design
• AquaCustoms
• Xtia Design
• Jginyue

I couldn't have done it without your generous support. Now looking forward to the next project

 

Ok that is pretty! Not sure how practical the cables coming from the top are. Have you considered a top deck like the rad housing and some rather flexible cables for it to keep it slim?

 

Fantastic result. Using Alex is cheating. The top I/O would probably work for someone like me. My desk is littered with cables anyway, and you can push this setup back without fear of bumping a connector.