Hi @ all ! once again we have a new project on which we are working at the moment. It is build for the Hardwareluxx Casemod Competition which is supported by Be Quiet, Klevv, Crucial & Cablemod. So before we start we wanted to send a big thank you to all those companies for their support on this Project. Before we were picked to be a part of the contest we had to send in a concept in which direction our mod will be headed. So we had a short discussion and decided to go with a Marvel - Guardians of the Galaxy theme. So we send our first thoughts in and finally were picked for the contest. After that we had to work out our Concept so that we could start as soon as the hardware arrives. But we had so many ideas in our mind that we had 3 final concepts ....so we made 3 really raw sketches so that we could better explain each concept....so keep in mind their really raw.....with nearly no details in it.... Concept 1: For our first concept we thought on a big 3d Printed Groot Bust which will be used to replace the front part of the Case. Behind that big Groot we would place a Rocket Statue standing on Groot/Case. The Rest of the Work would be done by Airbrush. We would also add a big side window and a custom watercooling loop. Concept 2: Our second Concept was a combination of many props from the Movie...like Star Lords Jetpacks as Case Feet. Ronans Hammer destroying the side window . A huge Guardians of the Galaxy Logo & 3d printed Groot & Rocket on the other side of the Case and many other details like that. Concept 3: Our 3rd Concept was pretty simple to describe....it would be a part of the Prison breakout scene. For that we wanted to paint the Case like a part of the prison.....and add a 3d printed Rocket and Groot which are climbing onto the Case..... After a few days of further brainstorming....we finally came to the conclusion that we´re not going to work out one of those first 3 concepts.....but while developing the first 3 concepts we always had a 4th concept in our heads...... And maybe you already had seen it on the concept pictures....because on one of the pics you can already see our final concept...... So we´re going to build a "replica" of the legendary Sony TPS-L2 Walkman which was also an important part of the Movie. And then all the Toys arrived.... Like you can imagine.....we already started to disassemble the Case: and here is also a short video from the disassembling process...
Like you can imagine....after taking the case apart....we directly started with the first modifications. So the first thing we had to make was a new mounting option for our Graphic Card because we want to change the orientation in which it is mounted. So we started to test out in which position exactly we´re going to mount it, so that we could start to build a matching bracket for it. As next we grabbed a piece of aluminum and cut out the raw shape of the GPU mounting bracket, after that we bended the piece in a 90° angle so that we can mount that bracket like a normal add on card After that we cutted and filed the comb for the bottom part of the bracket.... ....and we drilled all the needed holes.... And then we started the cutouts for all the Ports on the Graphic card..... Last but not least we cut away a few parts from the Case backside..... And we also made a short video.....
I am loving the bracket you made for the gfx card like that. Just gets rid of one bracket. Looks cleaner. top job! One small tip; haste the timelaps videos much more. 12 minutes for a video is way too long. No one is going to watch you take a chassis apart 12 minutes long
thank you! i guess you´re right with that...have to think on that for the next projects.... Time for an update: As next we prepared a few parts like the radiator and CPU Cooler.... After that we disassembled the first Mainboard Cooler so that we can also change the color of it..... We also prepared 3d models of all the buttons which we will need for our build. We already printed out a first set as a test, just to see how they look in real life....
Slightly upset at the loss of Groot in the design.. (One of my favourite marvel characters) But the current plan looks like it'll be an awesome finished mod!
thanks a lot Impatience!! (i´m also missing groot in our final concept....but maybe we can add a little groot anywhere inside the case....) @HandmadeAndroid.....no they must have come from one of the conversion processes... And again.....it´s time for an update: As next we continued with a mounting bracket for the radiator. Therefor we took a part of the old drivecage and modified it a little bit so that we can mount the radiator on..... then we prepared a sheet of aluminum so that it fit inside the opening. In the second step we added a big hole through that our fans could suck fresh air from the bottom / backside of the case..... And here is the next video.....
As next we assembled the hardware so that we could make a quick test of all componentes just to see if everything works and we have no failures..... Then we painted the 3d printed Buttons for the Top / Front of the Case.... We also made a few changes to the new bottom of the Case, so that we could mount our new bottom plate without any problems.... and we cut out the new bottom plate....so that we can switch over to the first side panel.....
After finishing the work on the new bottom, we switched over to the new backside of the case. There we had a few edges which had to be cutted away so that we can mount a hinge for the sidepanel on that corner.... Then we cut out our new sidepanel and prepared everything so that we can mount it on the case... Here is a short video from the first Hardware test..... and a video from the metal works on the bottom of the case and the sidepanel.....
Again we have something new for you: First we finished the work on the first sidepanel and mounted it on the case... After that we cut out the second sidepanel, which was done pretty quick because it´s just a rectangle..... Then we started to stretch our build a little bit so that the get in the right scale compared to the walkman. Therefor we prepared everything and cutted the new top panel out so that we could start to bend it into the right shape.... Beside that we prepared the 3d printed Walkman logos for the painting process so that we could change their color..... We also prepared the electronics which we´re going to use for the Walkman functions.....
Man I remember those Walkmans. Huge slabs that weighed a ton. Thinking back it's amazing how we crammed so much into such a small package. Starting to look like one too
Thanks man!! i also can remember those things really good....had so many of them during my childhood and later on as teen....back in the good old Days
As next we started to build a new Front for the case. At first we cut out 2 stripes of aluminum, which we bend into the right shape.... As next we riveted both parts together with a square tube between both parts.... After that we made the first cutouts ....
As next we filled all those little spots around the rivets with a bit of bondo so that you won´t see that the front is builded from several pieces After that we continued the work on the volume sliders. For them we still needed another piece of metal which we could mount a few millimeter behind the rest of the Front. Last but not least we riveted the bottom plate and the hinge for the sidepanel to the case so that we could fill all those rivet holes as well....
As next we switched over to the Front again and begin to close the open spot on the Topside of the Front. For that we grabbed a piece of aluminum and transfered the outline of the front to the sheet so that we could cut it out. After cutting the piece out we made a few quick bendings so that we could attach the part to the rest of the front. Beside that we mounted the new Top on the Sidepanel so that we could adjust everything. we also added another square tube to the top so that we gain more space on which the top can lay on when it is closed. And with the Top in place we could take all the measures we need to cut the new backside for the Case. After cutting it out we already started to integrate small openings to bring in a bit of fresh air..... We also drilled the last hole into the front. It´s needed for the 3V Power Plug.... And we made the cutouts in the Top Part which are needed for the Rec Button and the Headphone Plugs.....
Just as well you didn't go for the Groot design in hindsight, what with Baby Groot being showcased in the trailer for Vol.2! Plus, this is looking better as it moves along!
thanks m8´s!!!! @Impatience....already love Baby Groot!! and the trailer looks awesome... Time for a small Update: As next we started to build a mounting bracket for a motor which we will use to open and close the sidepanel. We also prepared a linkage between the motor and the sidepanel....it´s not finished....but you can see where we plan to place the motor.... After that prepared a small belt system on which we will mount the sliders for the Volume Control.... As next we put everything back together so that we could overwork the last spots before we could start the painting process.... So we also had to prepare the backside of the case...we still needed a big hole through that we could route all the needed external cables... And we had to put the Mic Cover in it´s place....
thank you! and for sure we´re going to make a matching tape & headphones It´s time for an Update: Our next steps was that we had to create a mounting bracket for 2 buttos which can be mounted on Top of the Case. They will be used to switch between the Tracks of the Awesome Mix and the whole thing will be placed behind the FWD / RWD Buttons... Beside, we finished the work on the Volume Sliders so that those parts can be painted... And we also made a mounting bracket for the REC button on top of the case last but not least we made the final preparations so that we could start the painting process....
