Scratch Build Project Silh0uette- In Action at Quakecon 2012

[llH4VOKll]

Design for the front panel, the black fill ins will be replaced with some Mnpctech honeycomb mesh.


Very rough concept of the inner workings of the case. This concept was before I decided to go BTX flip route, the SDD's at an angle are still part of the plan.


A silverstone fx121 will sit behind the vents of the front panel, for a little fan this thing pushes some air! "Yes those are my cave man feet in the picture sorry about that." Behind the symbol of the front of the case will sit a white LED fan and radiator for the CPU and GPU.

Started the day with ordering a couple of goodies from Mnpctech.com, and soon after my package arrived with my aluminum bars!


6x 36" right angle aluminum bars.


After all the frames have been cut, to give you guys an idea of the length that's a 12 inch scale next to it.


A mandatory mock taping was needed. Seems a bit tall so I found this old Lian Li V350 to compare it to.



Its a lot taller but slimmer and shorter than the V351. . . . this is going to be a fun project getting the watercooling in there Well thats it for now will update soon as I can find a ASUS P8Z77-I in stock some where

[mnpctech]

Nice start Joe! Look forward to seeing it finished

[KidMod-Southpaw]

Looks like you could go ATX in a case that tall!

Nice start, really look forward to more!

[craigbru]

Joe, are you considering this SFF? (hint, hint...) Anyway, I like the design. Any reason you are choosing the Asus board in particular? I've been bouncing back and forth between it and the Asrock, and actually leaning towards the latter. Most are not having any noticeable performance differences, but the Asrock has been booting much faster.

[llH4VOKll]

Thanks Bill I can't wait either!

KidMod-Southpaw- It actually will fit a standard ATX motherboard only problem is getting the WC parts to fit with one in it. Also once the board comes in I will be making the final case dimension's.

Craig- lol I can't do an exact measurement mock up until the board arrives, which luckily I got my hands on one from newegg so it will be arriving some time next week. I was also looking at the ASrock boards but ASUS has never let me down so I had to stick to my comfort zone lol.

[llH4VOKll]

Finally got a chore free off day and with it I managed to get some work done!


Sorry I don't have any in progress shots but this was me finishing up on the filing there is still a couple cuts to be made to this plate but over all this will be the shape.



Right and left shots, the small lip at the bottom will be cut off once I make the mounting brackets for the back and the HDD (soon to be SSD's) are being held in place with some screws, y'all can see in the top pic a slot has been cut for the 90 degree connectors for them. Provided work doesn't keep me too long I should be able to have the slot cut for the GPU clearance by tomorrow if not Saturday and the cable management shroud as well.

[The_Beast]

Looks pretty darn sweet, keep up the good work

[Tech-Daddy]

Yummy! Cant wait to see it!

I hope to have some time this next week to work on my QC build. Looking forward to meeting you too!

All the best, MOD ON!

-=TD

[llH4VOKll]

Sorry for no updates guys, but my gtx 580 caught fire "yes fire" and I have been arguing with PNY about RMAing it, lesson learned always go with EVGA. . . .

[Foregasm]

FIRE? WTF? They better let you RMA it. Graphics cards aren't supposed to catch fire...

[Cheapskate]

We don't call 'em "Puny" for nothing. -They are also bad about not honoring rebates in my experience.

Alvin... Did you have your AC on. There's been a couple of days this month when ours just couldn't keep up.

[llH4VOKll]

They arn't honoring the warranty I even threw in the "EVGA and XFX" allow after market WC as long as the customer keeps the stock cooler bit. Nope they are not buying it, and yes Cheaps XD the AC is on a nice 76F really awkward moment when you are mid game and BOOM small fire erupts. I have learned my lesson though always stick with EVGA.

[llH4VOKll]

Testing fitting the block and I was a bit surprised the size comparison to the board. . . . it makes me giggity on the inside.



Well at least the charred video card can still some what be useful. As I was cutting the clearance for the gpu I realized I can add area for a radiator behind the cable management panel if I lay the psu down and it also cuts the height of the chassis by a couple of inches. I am beginning to wonder if a 240mm radiator will be able to cool an i7 and a gtx 580/680 has anyone had an experience with this combo?

Anyways more on the cable management/ radiation panel later this week.

[llH4VOKll]

Actually found a spot to put another 120mm radiator so cooling won't be an issue, also updates will happen later this upcoming week waiting on some aluminum and machine screws to come in.

[llH4VOKll]

Today was a good day for modding
Rather than stuff my face on my birthday I hunkered down and locked myself in the garage for about 5 hrs this morning and this was the result!


Spent most of last night with the measurements and proofing.



Sorry guys I didn't snap any pics of the cutting part but here are the bends, must have been a stronger aluminum than the 2mm I used on the mid panel, even viced down it wouldnt let me get passed a 55 degree bend.


With my past mod Harbinger I made a big mistake not measuring both sides for the proper length this time I made sure I had 11.8" spacing between.

End result of the MDPC-X counter sinks.


I made sure I had plenty of clearance for both the PSU and mid panel plate and my constant double checking paid off!!




A tight fit but Bill Owens MNPCtech micro case feet look amazing!





Sorry again for the malaria induced filter iPhone 4's don't have the greatest cameras in the work but over all the case is starting to take shape, waiting on some extra funds for the H2O gear but will be doing some more work very soon on this after all Quakecon is less than a month away! It may be a little large for a ITX build but there's a 120mm rad and 240mm rad to still be mounted also finally came up with a name for the project "Sillh0uette."

[maestro0428]

Bummer about the graphics card man. I would have put the stock cooler on and sent it in.

[llH4VOKll]

Only issue with that would have been the large charred chip that ripped off with the "non" burnt stock cooler, however I was lucky enough to find an EVGA GTX580 for cheap from my cousin, over all the project has about 5 hrs left, just need to make the front panel, sleeve the psu and send it out for power coating.

[llH4VOKll]

Hi guys I was gonna wait to post this until the mod was finished but I couldn't wait!



Thought the inside looked a little to bleh so I added this for the SSD and HDD (possibly another SSD)




Ended up going with MNPCtech smoked acrylic for the window. After some time and some time and a lot of filing I got it to sit flush and it was a glorious moment. The window is mounted by 6 counter sink black screwed from MDPC-X.




Small bracket spacer for the cable management plate area (More on that tomorrow)



Still in progress but here is the progress on the front panel design. Its about 60% of the way done, very glad I didn't do this on both panels cutting this with a jigsaw is ridiculous.




Some teaser shots. I still have some acrylic panels to make and to finish up the from and back panels but provided nothing interferes with my schedule this will be COMPLETELY done before Wednesday, after all I have quakecon on Thursday.

[llH4VOKll]

As promised more progress and a moment to look back on what a small vision can bring





I am never doing this by dremel and jigsaw again....... but little more filing and I can say I've earned a CNC machine :P




Mock fit. I am a little torn as if I should get it painted the bare aluminum doesn't look too bad. Should have the back done by tomorrow guys stay tuned!

[llH4VOKll]

Sorry guys but the mod is completish and here at quakecon! I had a leak the night before I was supposed to go to the event so the components are all on air right now but here is the fruits of my labor presenting Silhouette!