Case Mod - In Progress Project: Nutman (update: August 22nd 2011 - FINISHED!)

Thanks. Always looking for new ways to be unique and this one made a little more sense than some of the other ways I've tried. I've even heard of people adapting my method onto their own projects, so that makes me kinda proud.

 

I'm going to have to get with the program and start trying to do some videos. That seems to be gaining in popularity. Its nice to know that I'm not the only one who has tried to fire up a new PC build only to run into problems that need fixing.

 

I can recommend Cyberlink PowerDirector - not too hard to learn and not too pricey. But install a trial version first, to see if you like it.

 

Nutman I absolutely loved the 'first boot attempt video', man it had me rolling in laughter because it was so easy to relate to, it reminds me of me and my dad when we've been messing with his rig. Great humour and was nice to see you at work pal! + rep

 

Hey, Kojak - thanks for the kind words. Good to hear that someone actually understands my kind of humour. Will add more of it in videos to come, I promise!

 

Yup! Frikkin hilarious!

Are you going to bring it to CPH Games?

 

Angel OD: You bet! And a lot of enthusiasm and modding-bravery, too.

 

Video was fantastic and it's great to see it come to a conclusion at long last

It's looking fantastic, well done

 

Thanks, [Ziip] NaloaC!

 

moar plz!

 

Great Video! We need more moving pictures on these project logs.

 

Thanks!

Final shots + video is on its way, but got some more important projects I have to finish/get started first. Won't reveal too much now, but I think y'all'r' gonna like it!

 

Ok, I know it's been quite a while since my last update and I do know that this update was supposed to be the last one.

But, but, but....

SO much has happened to the project that I have to split the final update in two parts. This is the first part...

The fix the problems with the Aquaero I had to move the ATX break from the ATX cable to the power button in the case.

First, I grabbed the ATX break wire that I had soldered onto the ATX cable and then connected to the Aquaero (it's the wire with the green sleeving):



Then, I cut open the green sleeving to be able to access the place where I soldered the wires back when I extended the ATX break wire to run all the way up to the Aquaero:




And then I stripped the equivalent wires on the power button:



Having un-soldered the ATX break wires (I split the wires running from the PSU to the Aquaero and back again into the ATX plug on the motherboard), I re-soldered the ATX break wires in the ATX cable coming from the PSU (without the ATX break wire being complete, there's no way you can turn on the PC) and put heat shrink over the soldered parts to isolate the current:



The re-soldered ATX break wire was tucked nicely away:



Then I soldered the ATX break wires coming from the Aquaero onto the wires on the power button, enabling the Aquaero to send a shutdown signal to the motherboard in case of a malfunction:



Finally, everything was isolated nicely with heat shrink:



And now it worked fine - the Aquaero was able to shut down the PC in case of a malfunction. I have NO clue why it didn't really work with the ATX break wire coming directly from the PSU...

While I was at it, with all the wires and heat shrink, I put heat shrink on all of the 80 mm. fans - as you might recall, I had already done this on all the 120mm. fans, but not the 80mm.:




Also did the other end of the fan cables:





I installed all fans again (yes, the case is pretty dusty):




And, here we have some old photos - because I have noticed that I during the last couple of updates have been mixing both old and new pictures, but I guess the most important thing is to show you what I have done and not necessarily in what order I did it.

So, going back a couple of updates you might have noticed the red sticker missing from the PSU fan, while it's still there in this picture:



Muoahahahaha!



Theeeeeere you go:



As I mentioned in the last update, I had bought a black PSU back plate to substitute the old one, so I installed that one.

Before:



After:



Muy, muy mucho better....

The right side panel has some sound dampening foam sitting on the inside - and frankly, after 3 years of modding the case this foam had lost much of what might have made it look good back in the day, so I wanted to cover it with the remaining piece of carbon fibre foil:





Later on, I have had to glue it on, because the foil doesn't stick too well to the sound dampening foam...

Did you notice the plastic caps sitting on some of the bolts on the right side panel? I have already mentioned them in a previous update...

I bought those from MDPC and had already used some of them here and there in the case and now I was going to use the rest:




I think they make quite a big difference...

Suddenly, I felt like having a nice cup of tea:



Heh, naaaa - seriously: I am boiling water to heat up the tubes prior to attaching them onto the fittings. Once the tubes cool down they sit really tight on the fittings avoiding the needs for strips, clamps or what else that might ruin the clean look...



I filled both loops:




Actually, I think that my plan using black tubes for the long tubes had paid off quite well. It certainly obscures the many tubes running back and forth - it's much less confusing to look at when lit up by UV light:







And then I cleaned up the cables behind the front panel:



If you didn't already spot it, I can tell you that Bitfenix had given me a couple of paracord-sleeved SATA cables from their "Alchemy series" that I was going to do a review on - having done the review, I was allowed to keep the cables.

Read and watch the review here.

Those are REALLY nice cables as you can see here:



Then, I put the cables into the case.

Before:



After:





Ok, once again I have to say that I'm sorry for having to post such a huge update, but I have a hard time finding the time to produce more frequent updates - as I have mentioned earlier the project IS completed and the computer is being used for e.g. video editing and some gaming now and then. I also spend some time setting up my own case modding site: (Hotmods.net), while I am also doing reviews of case modding stuff - and then there's my next project...

As you might be able to tell, I am working on quite a lot of case modding stuff. Let me just say that I'm hardly bored! But the next update WILL be the last for this project. Start looking forward to some nice photos and hopefully a good video, too.

Talk to you later!

 

Finally, some updates

good work Nutman

 

Glad to see you back with updates bro. nice job you did there!!!!! MOAR PL0x!!!!!!!

 

All looking good, thats what I say and big updates are just fine if thats the way you have to work it. Some people have the time to tricke out bits and some don't.

Looking forward to seeing this one all done. It's been going on for a while now....lol

 

The revised plumbing looks nice. I also like those sata cables, where did you get them from?

 

Thank you very much

Yeah, yeah - it's coming. Settle down, soldier.

3 years, man! 3 friggin' years... but thanks. I'm quite eager to see it done, too.

Hm, it says so in the update

I got them from Bitfenix for a review to be posted on octeamdenmark.com and afterwards I was allowed to keep them for this project.

 

I guess that's why they call it a "tea line."

-Sorry, someone had to do it.

 

All this attention to detail looks awesome!