The INFINITE Build: This build is going to be freestyle modding at its best. It's not very often that I get a new case to build as extreme as I'd like. The case being used is the new CR1280 Prism by Riotoro. After the case arrived at the shop I decided I was going to stuff a 480mm radiator (super thick monster) in the front of the case. This location was designed to house a 280mm radiator. On top of that I will be adding a 250ml reservoir, full ATX motherboard and sli GPUs. The only advanced planning I've done is determining locations for the hardware and water-cooling components. This is the build that will have all the crazy ideas that have been rattling around in my head for the last year or so. I also want to thank Bill from Mnpctech & Riotoro for sending me an awesome case. The CR1280 Prism by Riotoro: Unboxing The CR1280 Prism: I wasn't sure what to expect when the CR1280 arrived at the shop as it's a fairly new case. I really like the fact that Riotoro took chances with the design of this case. They didn't try and stick to the guidelines set by case manufacturers. As you may know I'm a big fan of originality and new ideas. The CR1280 offers up all of the main elements a PC builder would want. The PSU is stowed away at the bottom of the case which leaves plenty of room to run wiring. The vertical hard drive trays helps use space efficiently and the location for the SSDs is convenient. The case comes well protected and clear film is placed over all the pieces that can be scratched during transportation. I'm very excited to get into making this case my own.
Reservoir Ideas: I've been wanting to horizontally mount a tube reservoir for sometime now. Doing so makes it a little more challenging to fill. My solution to this problem is to add a fill port that's a bit higher than the reservoir. I'm also debating on adding an extension to it. The longer and higher the tube is; the more I can fill the reservoir. I could also add a 3 way valve somewhere in the system at a high point. More than likely I will run a drain port out the bottom of the case. This makes draining the system a breeze. Here's some of the ideas I've had for mounting the reservoir:
Stainless Steel Lower Cross Member: I'm a huge fan of the feet that come on this case but, I wanted to add a bit to it. I had some stainless steel tube stock in the machine shop so I went about making a slight curve. This piece goes between the two feet which takes some of the sharpness out of the cases look. I was able to use a friend's manual pipe bender to get the slight curve needed. This piece is primarily aesthetic but, it does a great job of breaking up the rigid lines of the case. Update: Custom Made 480mm Radiator Mount (cutting and filing) I finished doing all the rough cuts to the radiator mount and I'm well into filing the pieces into the correct shape. The bench grinder helped to remove extra metal in the spots that needed it. I also started to mark out where all the holes will go to mount the bracket to the radiator. I should have it test mounted in the next couple of days. In the picture you can see the start of these cuts and I will update once there all finished. Design For The Top Panel: I did a lot of free hand sketches before deciding on what I wanted the top panel to look like. The only part I haven't completely figured out is whether or not I'll use the 2 gas struts I have for the top of the case. The top panel will tilt up to allow for extra venting of air and it'll also be a big part of the design styling for the build. The reservoir mounted directly below it will also tilt up and out the top to be filled. This solves a lot of potential issues that come along with a horizontally mounted tube reservoir that is so high up in the system. The tube reservoir will be able to tilt using 90 degree rotary fittings.
