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Case Mod - In Progress Project Numero Uno (Xbox 360/ATX Case)

Discussion in 'Project Logs' started by tibble89, 23 Feb 2012.

  1. tibble89

    tibble89 What's a Dremel?

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    This will be my first project so will be a big learning curve but hopefully I can still conjure up something which looks good – It will involve and Xbox 360 Slim & an old atx case which I had laying around.

    Both the 360 & case have their own ‘issues’ so it will be quite a tricky build. Even putting a modern setup inside the case would’ve meant it needed some modding, but using a 360 just makes things a little harder but hopefully it’ll all work.

    The final step will be to watercool this, and yes I know I can’t OC it, but it’ll be a good introduction to WC’ing so I can learn the basics etc.

    Everything in this build is new to me, even Sketchup & photography but should be possible to get a general idea of how this looks currently and how it will look completed.

    The pictures will be taken with a Fujifilm L55, so if anyone can give me any tips for producing better quality I’d be happy.

    [​IMG]

    Top Bay: 3 switches & XPSC temp display
    Middle Bay: Xbox Drive
    Bottom Bay: XPSC Bay Res (might change this)
    Floppy Bay: Xbox “RF Board” – 2 USB ports to the right
    Underneath is the fan grill I’m hoping I can cut out with a dremel.

    Both floppy & drive bays will be covered with perspex and then a sheet of white di-noc carbon fibre over the top.

    Colour scheme will be mainly white with some added orange and then the white di-noc carbon fibre used in the appropriate areas.

    -

    Case all stripped down, with a very nice tint of yellow, mm..

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    So onto the build, the first things I wanted to solve were mounting the motherboard (drilling the holes & modifying the I/O panel) & also extending the DVD power cable.

    I didn’t have a camera from the start and was sometimes too eager so apologies for any that are missing but shouldn’t affect the log too much.

    The original cable which was only 9.5cm but needed to be 32cm
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    An old IDE floppy cable used to extend it
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    The final product, albeit not great, it’s works. Splitting wires in a cable and ensuring the connectors were all aligned the same was damn tricky. As I plan to use some sleeving on this build I will have to either re-do this, or buy an extended one.
    [​IMG]

    The next step, motherboard mounting – this threw up a few issues, firstly because I didn’t have the tools to tap holes but mainly because of the indents in the tray, 3 holes I needed were above them, which meant I had to fill the area with something strong that I could drill into.

    The savior!

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    This is actually pretty good stuff, and will be used a lot on the build where I need to cover holes.

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    The grey blu-tac lookalike is the putty, and was also used to fill the old mobo holes so it will look better when painted. You can just see the putty on the bottom for the bottom left hole.

    The I/O panel cut so that all ports are accessible, and some electric tape just to be safe. Eventually all the brackets will be remove and filled in with perspex covered with white di-noc.

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    Next part involved fitting the DVD drive into the case, which as stock is a few CM too small, so I salvaged something which was orignally in the case, a really old DVD drive. In order for it to fit, the side screw mounts had to be filed and the “circle” removed with a dremel (only 2nd time using one) and surprisingly came out pretty good.

    Before:
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    After:
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    Will be secured using some strong double-sided foam tape which will hopefully stop the vibrations.

    DVD Front & Back

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    Still needs more filling off so it fits better as theres still a few vibrations when I tested.

    Some USB ports taken from my existing PC will be used in the case, and had to find a convenient place to put them.. the location for a manufacturers logo, why not..?

    [​IMG]
    Apologies for the quality, was eager to do this so the photo was taken at night time, which my camera dislikes..

    I was hoping the drill holes wouldn’t go all the way through but never mind, the area will be covered with a small piece of white di-noc anyway.
    [​IMG]

    Onto getting the Xbox running of an ATX PSU, which was key for the build. Firstly de-soldered from the Xbox PSU, crimped on ATX pins, and inserted into 24pin socket. Really wanted to solder to the motherboard, but wasn’t 100% with that so went with the safer way, which doesn’t look as good, but hopefully can be tidied up and eventually can do it as I had originally had planned.

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    One thing I learnt here – the pins that come from Maplin(UK store) are crap, really.. bad. Out of 20 I don’t think any went perfect when I crimped them, and I tried both slots on the crimper, but the insulation ‘wings’ would either break off in small slot or just fold over each other in the larger slot.

    [​IMG]

    Last 3 photos taken in the dark so not as good as normal :p

    Cable management is a big issue here, will have to dremel out some holes and buy some grommets.
     
    Last edited: 23 Feb 2012
  2. Mark_Skeldon

    Mark_Skeldon What's a Dremel?

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    Interesting choice of case here :s

    Not considered one of the Lian Li XB-01B cases ? (should you manage to get hold of one)

    Was after one myself for a while, they look quite smart.

    [​IMG]
     
  3. tibble89

    tibble89 What's a Dremel?

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    Was a case I've had for a long time and was doing nothing - If i was going to buy a case I would've still gone for an ATX one, those Lian Li's were expensive when they were widely available so I guess now they're much more.
     
  4. Mark_Skeldon

    Mark_Skeldon What's a Dremel?

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    I missed out on one from ebay last year that went for £40 posted!!. Kicked myself for not bidding! :(
     
  5. tibble89

    tibble89 What's a Dremel?

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    That's rare I bet, and I'm hoping once all the ugly holes which aren't needed are filled and it's sprayed it will have a much cleaner look :p
     
  6. Mark_Skeldon

    Mark_Skeldon What's a Dremel?

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    I'm looking forward to seeing the finished product :)
     
  7. tibble89

    tibble89 What's a Dremel?

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    Removed PCI brackets so I can fit in a piece of perspex:

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    Not so hard, but job done! A4 perspex is 297mm x 210mm, and what I need is 305mm x 110mm, should be able to get around that one hopefully.

    Those cuts were done with a cheaper version of a Dremel, made by Silverline, which worked just the same, so if anyone is on a budget it’s a good choice.

    To be able to fit a 120mm fan in the rear I had to mod the I/O panel and hope JB Weld would save my a$$. The current space is only 118mm, maybe could’ve squeezed it in but would’ve vibrated a lot.

    [​IMG]

    2 Rivets drilled & small piece removed.

    JB Weld’d! (fingers crossed)

    [​IMG]

    I should probably stop taking photos in the dark, but not so much light this time of year, and got to use that time for modding..

    Only a small update as I've been messing with the overall plan but should be a bigger update within a week.
     
    Last edited: 1 Mar 2012
  8. tibble89

    tibble89 What's a Dremel?

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    Covered up holes in front that I didn't need with JB weld, and sanded with a dremel, much quicker than by hand

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    Marked out holes for front & rear fans

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    Both cut out

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    Quite happy with the results as I haven't cut much with the tool before

    Marked out hole for the fan, will use some perforated aluminium to cover hole.

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    Didn't have much success last time I used a dremel on plastic so just drilled lots of holes & cut around with a hacksaw blade

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    Just realised the JB that I used to hold the I/O shield in place has broken off, I guess the vibration from cutting so close to it caused this.. Will have to re-do but not sure what to us

    Rear vent holes covered with JB and sanded

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    At time of doing this the front fan was doing to be an exhaust, but recently learnt that having it as an intake and creating 'positive airflow' stops dust build up so may have to undo this.

    Side window marked up & removing the vents to use yet more perforated aluminium, should look much neater

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    Vents on other panel will have the same treatment

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    Cut out

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    Decided to make a new disk drive mount, using another old drive but make it into a bracket to help reduce vibrations & noise. Marked up 2cm either side, should be enough

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    Some connectors removed off an old mobo and mounted onto the RF board

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    Made a mounting for the switches and temp display, will be cut into the perspex in the final build but this is just for testing purposes.

    [​IMG]

    Anyone know where to buy those rectangle mobo grommets? Last thing I need to add to mobo tray before I sand it all down.
     
  9. tibble89

    tibble89 What's a Dremel?

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    Update is a week later due to lack of free time.. so lets get straight into it!

    Had to re-do the front fan hole as in my lazyness it wasn't central

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    Perforated aluminium marked up to be cut

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    Cut out

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    Rather luckily the holes in the alu line up perfectly to make the fan central, just had to widen the holes to 4mm so the rubber mounts would fit – first bit of luck on my build..

    Not mounted into case yet, may buy some new expoxy as I really dont like JB weld.

    Cleaned up edges for vents and side window

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    Perforated aluminium cut down to fit – Was a bit of a pain cutting with a dremel, didn't get a 'clean' cut

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    Will use some rubber edge trim to make it look neater

    Going to make some case feet from clear perspex – Used some 'special' plastic cutting discs made by dremel, but they were no different, still had same effect as normal ones.

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    Will be putting an orange led inside with a bezel, so that I can secure it to the case – Guess it's the easiest way

    Soldered USB ports

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    Decided to use some orange 5mm perspex to make a mobo tray and use some 3mm for the I/O panel and front bay cover. Mobo will be last thing I do as I need to find a good mounting method

    Got both pieces for front & back marked out

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    All cut out

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    The small thin pieces are for the outer edges on the I/O panel to make it look neater

    Hopefully not much modding left before I can get onto finally assembling this, took much longer than expected, mainly due to having to do a lot of work outside and weather is never ideal.
     
  10. Snowcrash

    Snowcrash What's a Dremel?

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    just caught up with this log. do you still need those grommets? how many do you need? I've got a few spare ones laying around (about 9X4.5cm OD) courtesy of the awesome guys at Corsair. If it's still relevant PM me.

    best of luck with the mod :rock:
     
  11. tibble89

    tibble89 What's a Dremel?

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    I don't think so as I've changed the mobo tray design but thanks :)
     
  12. tibble89

    tibble89 What's a Dremel?

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    Minor update – slightly disappointed I didn't get that much done.

    Alu fitted into right panel:

    [​IMG]

    Had some issues with the left panel and front due to the size it was slightly tricky to get all the sheet level, will have to re-think it a little as I have no clamps etc to use.

    Front fan cover:

    Piece of perforated alu cut & bent

    [​IMG]

    Another simple idea of securing to the case, cut a few tabs that will go through the case - damn lots of work getting it to fit right, constant small adjustments but worked in the end.

    [​IMG]

    ..lots of perspex sanded last few weeks (very time consuming)

    Front:

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    Rear:

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    Case feet made:

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    [​IMG]

    Simple idea, 4 pieces – LED bezel goes into the 3 glued together & the last piece is glued on top holding bezel in place so I can secure it to the case.

    Had hoped to sand and primer it all, but poor UK weather as usual prevented this.
     
  13. BnZn

    BnZn What's a Dremel?

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    Looking very nice and clean so far! ATX case + X360 = sub'd for sure :D
     
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