Scratch Build – In Progress Fresh Meat: A Dota 2 Tribute [Updated 7/5/17]

Radiator: The '80s called. They said you could pick up your IROC-Z any time.

 

@Cheaps, I-RadZ?

great to see more progress, and that camera does excellent low light shots, me want one!

 

I'm afraid to ask?

Not much work getting done on the case at the moment, but I'll get some done this weekend. A small bump to welcome another sponsor to the build though.



A huge thank you to EK for crating up some blocks, a res and fittings and sending over fresh from Slovenia. I'll get some more pics in the next update but here is a teaser for the moment.

 

With some post-modding real life stuff behind me now, time to get cranking on this sucker. Firstly, a proper go-over of the gear EK sent over.

A couple of blocks, a nice res/pump combo and the required fittings. Being a compact ITX build limits my loop complexity.




I'm rolling with a shorty XRES DDC combo for the build. It should let me keep the footprint to a minimum.




When you're going the Impact route, you have to go with a mono block right?




Last but not least, I'll be running a short GTX 970 sporting this beauty of a block.




Tying everything together will be EK's Advanced Compression Fittings.




When it comes to modding, I'm a rather fluid individual. Often I'll have to look at a project to figure out what needs to be done, looking at renders doesn't do it for me. Looking at the rear of the case, blah. Needs to be tied in better. Time to cut the rest of that factory mesh out.




Mesh in.




Mesh out.




A little cutting and measuring later and I'm test fitting the rear grill.




After doweling, it stands by itself! Still need to route the pieces and cut the mesh but that will be a quick bit.



More to come soon.

Thanks again everyone throwing their hat in my end of the ring:



]

 

Looking good.

 

Great choice of components too!

 

Congrats on the sponsor. You earned it.
Motherboard block...with exposed clamp springs. -Man, they were sooo close too.

 

Thanks for spreading some love guys.

Und so, back at it. Routing, mesh, that's what I was doing, I remember now.




Getting mesh measurements with help from the tools of the trade.




Fits like, well, mesh




Much better in terms of bringing everything together.




One of my favorite tools, mini spring clamps. Six for a buck! How can you go wrong?!




The voices in my head are saying do some layout stuff like this. They seem pretty reasonable.




If I do that though, I'll need a PSU bracket. Luckily I was able to salvage a cast aluminum PCB heatsink for the job. Nice and thick.




Jump over to the Bladerunner, this thing is working quite nicely I'd say.




PSA: Don't forget to lube up kids.




One more cut to go.

.j




Squaring everything up.




Presto-chango! A PSU bracket!




I tried my hand at some engraving a while back on some scrap plexi, just to test out the old Dremel I had kicking around. Hmm, what about that in the back ground? Maybe next time




Until next time, stay cool everybody! Thanks to all of my sponsers:

 

The ones that tell you to shoot up schools? -Ignore them. Remember when they told you to put a fork in an outlet?

Nice bracket score.

 

Lovely mixed material skills there

 

Yeah, I kicked out the demented ones a while ago. Now they just where to place the res and buy a 3 axis mill already. That aluminum is such a dream. Beefy, easy to cut, and no grain direction to worry about!

Thank you much! I think it's a good blend so far.

 

always love the "re-purposed" part mods ie: bracket idea

 

More where that came from I'm always on the lookout for aluminum scraps, so easy to work with.


Amidst summer bliss I found some time to get back to work. Old PSU filter clips to grind off I think? I'm going with that.




Those must have interfered with lining up the screw holes on the new PSU bracket.




Ok, that's squared away, what is next?




Hmmm need a mounting base for my pump/res. This salvaged heatsink should work well.




Near perfect width. You don't get much better than that. Just need to cut it to length.




Over to the trusty Blade Runner.




Choppa choppa choppa.




Tappa tappa tappa.




Pretty damn good.




I marked out and cut the hole for the drain port as well. I just didn't take any pics for that one. Working too hard I guess.




From the bottom.




As the inside stands right now.




Until next time children!

Thanks as always to these ballers that help me ball.

 

Doooo do dooo doo dooo doo do back in action! Don't you just love going through the mahogany pile?




Oh yeah, don't get distracted, working on the power button at the moment. I've got my plexi disk ready to go.




I sanded it down to match the OD on the front key plate. There will be some fancy illumination action going on here if everything comes together.




Check everything for clearance here, next up I'll have to recess the center of the disk to accommodate the key plate.




Layout for my router jig.




A quick buzz with the jigsaw here…




A little clamping and finagling on the router table there…




Looky here, a nicely cut disk for the keyplate. Remind me never to cut plexi again. Acrylic from here on out boys, I swear.




Drilled out the screw holes as well as marked out the two notches for the rivet mounts on the back of the plate.




After all is said and done, she fits like a glove.




As always, thank you to my wonderful sponsors!

 

So you worked that sucker in the jig by hand? That kind of thing scares the hell out of me. I don't like being that close to router blades.

 

I'd be lying if I said there wasn't a few moments of puckered asshole. It's taken me a little time to get used to being that close to the router. The first couple seconds will tell the tale on how the cut will go as long as you're going slow and pay attention. To be fair, I did rough out a lot of the material with a dremel before I finished on the router. That made it run smoother.

 

Looking good I love working with timber my self.

 

Thanks Zen! I'm learning to appreciate it the more I work with it.


Holy crap, must be a holiday weekend, time to do some work. Hammering the munky juice and getting some **** done.




Ok, let's make some stuff out of wood!




Alright, a little more specific, this is going to be the push button contraption when I'm all said and done.




Checking to see if the guide plate will fit before I cut it down. Fits like a champ of course.




Gluing up the sides and the rear of the box that will house the assembly.




Came out rather well, I'll be gluing this to the key plate housing when all is said and done.




Guide plate cut do size.




Laying out the screw holes which will act as the guide rails for the switch.




This will work right?




It actually does, but not exactly how I want it to. The screws grab on the aluminum plate as they pass by, enough to be annoying. It's one of those things you hoped wouldn't happen but you secretly know it will but you do it anyway. Prepare for Rev. 1.1.




Bigger holes, spacers! I'm bringing the pain!




New springs! Let's turn this up a notch.




Oh Yeah! The switch will slide on the spacers, this is gonna be smooooooooooothhhhh.




The final look, works great.




What a mess




Full extended, I need to get my lighting figured out to illuminate the ring.




Fully compressed the key plate is just flush with the front. Now to get the switch in there too.



Thanks for the help, my generous sponsers:

 

Wood and metal work masterpiece- keep up the good work!

 

Nice switch.