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Scratch Build – In Progress Project ZOE

Discussion in 'Project Logs' started by Zesti, 31 Oct 2011.

  1. Zesti

    Zesti Aluminium + file

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    [​IMG]

    Hi all, been reading this forum for a long time, but now it's time to start my first project log here. ;)

    Project plan:
    - Compact LAN-party computer, volume about 22 liters
    - Scratch built from aluminum
    - Jet Age -inspired design

    Colors:
    - Exterior: Metallic red and black
    - Matt black / carbon fiber interior with a touch of red
    - Mostly black sleeving
    - White/red LEDs, indirect light

    Preliminary hardware specs:
    CPU: i7-3770K (Ivy Bridge)
    CPU cooler: Antec H2O Kühler 620
    MB: Asus Maximus IV Gene-Z/GEN3
    RAM: G.Skill Ripjaws Z 4x4GB 1600MHz
    GPU: ATI Radeon HD7xxx
    PSU: Silverstone Strider Plus 750W
    SSD: OCZ Vertex 3 120GB
    HDD: n/a
    ODD: n/a
    Fan controller: Aquaero 5 Pro with Aquaremote
    Others: MDPC-X sleeving, screws and connectors

    Umm, yeah. I'm buying most of the components later when case is closer to finishing. However, I've bought some parts that don't get old too fast. For example PSU is ordered and should arrive soon.

    And if someone is wondering where the name 'Project ZOE' comes, here's an explanation:
    I started to number my builds when I got more serius with this modding stuff.
    So my first build was Z01 'Vanilla'.
    Second build was Z02 'Embolado'.
    And this one is Z03 - hence the name ZOE.

    Ok, let's go ahead to The Good Part aka pictures. ;) First just some parts and then construction pics.

    First 16mm switch with white led ring. I'll be using one as a power switch and possibly a second one for reset.

    [​IMG]


    MDPC-X crimp contacts and 24pin housings. This build will have custom lenght cables since the case will be quite a compact. I think that for example GPU power cables should be like 20cm long. :lol:

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]


    Aquaremote for Aquaero. Don't know if I really need it - I just had to get one. :brrr:

    [​IMG]


    And the Aquaero itself. Bought the Pro-version since I don't like the capacitive buttons on the XT.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]


    These are the tools of destruction:

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]


    And now finally - Lets get started on the case itself. :)

    First part is cut from 5mm aluminum plate that I happened to have around.

    [​IMG]


    Then we need a new sheet of 3mm aluminum. (There's a protective film over it.)

    [​IMG]

    Didn't took any pictures while cutting because I think you all know how it looks like. ;)

    Anyway, here's a freshly cut part:

    [​IMG]


    And suddenly there was two of them!

    [​IMG]

    Sooo.. How will those go together?

    Ok, little bit of tape and lets hope it stays together long enough..

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    Like that.

    Now those parts just need sanding etc.

    That's all for now. I'm hoping to get next update online soon. :)
     
    Last edited: 6 Jan 2012
    yassarikhan786 and Razer2007 like this.
  2. Fedmas

    Fedmas Leader of the casemod watchers :D

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    Woah. Lookin'good. Good luck!
     
  3. Razer2007

    Razer2007 Building Proxima

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    Great start and great pictures. That always draws my attention! Will be watching :)
     
  4. Cheapskate

    Cheapskate Insane? or just stupid?

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    Jet age inspired? -First parts aren't a square box? I'm in!:clap: This should be cool.
     
  5. L1U

    L1U Minimodder

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    good luck with your project, cant wait to see the HD7xxx fitted in there :D

    PS: you may want to resize your pictures a bit before posting
     
  6. yassarikhan786

    yassarikhan786 Ultramodder(Not)

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    Nice start mate and good luck :). Have you got project logs of your other builds on other forums, because I would like to see your other work :).
     
  7. Zesti

    Zesti Aluminium + file

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    Fedmas and Razer2007, thank you both. :)

    Cheapskate, haha, thanks. I like to think that 'why build another black box when you have freedom to do whatever you want'. ;)

    L1U, yeah, I'm eagerly waiting for new graphics cards generation. I just hope they aren't physically very long.. It'll be really annoying to fit 300mm card into this case. :rolleyes:
    And those pictures are already resized to 1000px wide which I think is a good compromise between details and screen resolutions. Hopefully it wont be huge problem for users with smaller screens since this forum can resize pictures pretty well. :)

    yassarikhan786, thank you. And sorry, this is in fact my first public project log anywhere.. :) I might make project log from my last mod (LiLi PC-8N modded to inverted ATX) since I'm thinking about making some changes into it. But we'll see about that later.
     
  8. Razer2007

    Razer2007 Building Proxima

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    Are you editing pics in PS or something similar? When you save them you can reduce the quality a bit for smaller file sizes :) That might help some people.
     
    Last edited: 1 Nov 2011
  9. Zesti

    Zesti Aluminium + file

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    Nah, I don't have photoshop. I just resize pictures in IrfanView and save them with 95% quality. It would really hurt to drop quality more for faster downloading.. :D
     
  10. yassarikhan786

    yassarikhan786 Ultramodder(Not)

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    No worries mate. I will be following this one for sure :).
     
  11. Fedmas

    Fedmas Leader of the casemod watchers :D

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    Agree @ Above! I will follow your project log for sure!
     
  12. KoSoVaR^

    KoSoVaR^ Professional Sleever & Modder

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    awsome... i love these projectlogs !

    Edit: Subbed OFC!
     
  13. alternativesurfer

    alternativesurfer What's a Dremel?

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    Definitely interested in how this turns out.
    *Subbed
     
  14. Fuganater

    Fuganater What's a Dremel?

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    I'm in!
     
  15. Sarakon

    Sarakon The German

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    I like the sound of this (and of course the beginning)...:thumb:
    >Subbed
     
  16. Zesti

    Zesti Aluminium + file

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    Thank you all for nice comments. :thumb:

    PSU arrived to the post office and I went to pick it up with a bicycle.. Didn't realize that SilverStone uses ridiculously large boxes for their power supplies. Nearly broke my backpack when I stuffed the box in it. :hehe:

    But it was well worth it.. Even the box is beautiful:

    [​IMG]

    And the PSU itself.. I must admit that I was waiting for lower quality. Surface finish is very nice, connectors are easy to use and so on. Even more expensive Enermax PSU's I have used aren't this nice.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    I like it.. But it has so much stickers to remove. :duh:

    You might also wonder why I got Silverstone PSU and not Corsair, Seasonic etc. Well, here's the number one reason for that; Silverstone uses 1:1 -connected modular cables which are really easy to sleeve. Here's 24pin connector connected to the PSU:

    [​IMG]

    Oh, and those images are now 800px wide and a bit lower quality. As a result they should be over two times faster to download.. ;)
     
  17. yassarikhan786

    yassarikhan786 Ultramodder(Not)

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    What a lovely PSU. Nice image quality and they did load pretty fast :).
     
  18. Mork

    Mork What's a Dremel?

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    I subbed at the title banner and everything just got better the further I scrolled down :blush:

    I'm looking forward to seeing this project evolve! :)

    /Mork

    Edit: Apparently I'm really bad at reading.. didn't see you had listed the mb form factor ;)
     
  19. Razer2007

    Razer2007 Building Proxima

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    Nice PSU and thank for making the pics a bit smaller. It still looks great!
     
  20. Wing Zero

    Wing Zero Ita-sha owner

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    I was hoping this was a mod inspired by Konami's 'Zone Of the Enders' series of games, but it's looking good so far
     

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