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Case Mod - Complete ⭐ Realgar Project - 3rd Place CMWS19

Discussion in 'Project Logs' started by SaaintJimmy, 12 May 2019.

  1. SaaintJimmy

    SaaintJimmy Staff Lover of bit-tech

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    Hello everyone! I'm finally back with a new project, this time on a Cooler Master SL600M with a mineral stone as theme, the Realgar.
    This will be my main entry for the upcoming CMWS19, together with Sky Three! :D

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    Special thanks go to MSI, Cooler Master, Adata XPG, Alphacool and Resin Pro, for providing materials and hardware for the project!

    So let's take a look at the case while I take it apart to start modding

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    First thing to do: find a more optimal placement for the PSU, which will be more far into the front, with this custom brackets (after having done the necessary cuts on the case panel)

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    Back panel is swapped with a 10mm acrylic panel which will house the 360 radiator. This aluminum profile on the sides will help squaring out the internals and will serve as covers and structure elements for the center panel

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    Let's leave it at this huge acrylic panel, about to be sectioned :D

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    Last edited: 13 May 2019
  2. Cheapskate

    Cheapskate Insane? or just stupid?

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    Moving quick! :D Red plexi, or lights? Or are you just coating the outside with arsenic powder? :lol:
     
  3. SaaintJimmy

    SaaintJimmy Staff Lover of bit-tech

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    Uhmmm the third one! Hahaha
    I'm going to create the red crystals. You'll see pretty soon I hope :D
     
  4. SaaintJimmy

    SaaintJimmy Staff Lover of bit-tech

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    Hey guys, I've been caught up with university exams lately but I'm almost done so I'm getting back to work slowly.

    While we wait for some updates, here's a video with some info on the project and on the hardware that I'll be using for this project:

     
  5. Sa mod pc design

    Sa mod pc design Minimodder

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  6. SaaintJimmy

    SaaintJimmy Staff Lover of bit-tech

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    Finally back with an update! We'll take a look at some interesting stuff.

    First I made some tests for the hardware layout, as I want to find a new way of mounting it, and this is the best option I could find. Obviously it's approximate:

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    Then I started to draw and cut the designs for the air vents, single 120 for the PSU fan and 360 for the back radiator.

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    First 10mm acrylic panel

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    Second 5mm panel that will go together with the 10mm one

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    And this is the effect with the two panels mounted together. They will have two different colours eventually and should create a very nice effect :D

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  7. kim

    kim hardware addict

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    :thumb: very beautiful work as always, thanks for the video in english, my italian is so rusted :grin:
     
  8. Landux

    Landux What's a Dremel?

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    NIce work on the front panel!
     
  9. SaaintJimmy

    SaaintJimmy Staff Lover of bit-tech

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    Thanks guys! Everyone seems to mistaken that panel for the front panel, and I'm always happy to throw the surprise effect by saying that's actually the back panel! Hahaha :D
     
  10. SaaintJimmy

    SaaintJimmy Staff Lover of bit-tech

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    A quick update on some modifications I made to the case and to the layout :D

    Initially, you saw that I kept the PSU at the front with that fancy grill and all, but I realised it took up way too much space. So I realized that the top could easily house the PSU by cutting off some of the plastic structure of the external top panel. So what I have now is the PSU at the top and about 5cm more in the internals.

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    Next was the rear I/O ports, that have to be rethinked because of the layout I'm going to use for the motherboard: I grabbed some panel extensions and integrated them to the rear foot:

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    And last but not least, a simple yet very effective mod. The external panels on the SL600M come with a hooking systems that allows you to remove them by reaching the internal hooks and popping them off. This means you have to potentially open the case if you have to remove the external top or front panel, moreover you will have those hooks sticking out into the case, which make custom panels and covers hard to make. What I did was making four brackets with threaded inserts that I could fix the front panel to using four screws. Yeah now I have to use a screwdriver to take it off but at least I will have a flat area internally and I won't have to reach in the case to remove an external panel. Plus this was mandatory for the things I have in mind anyway :D

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  11. SaaintJimmy

    SaaintJimmy Staff Lover of bit-tech

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    Made this to replace the previous PSU mounting. It will be a sort of lightbox, it's composed of three layers: a white opale one, and two clear with crystal patterns that will be painted red and in white stone effect.
    Can't wait to see this all painted and lit up :D

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  12. SaaintJimmy

    SaaintJimmy Staff Lover of bit-tech

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    Adding some crystal patterns to the radiator covers that will also serve as something else other than covers. You'll see as I go on with the fabrications :D

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  13. Defyant Mods

    Defyant Mods Multimodder

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    One of my fav all time modders is at it again :rock: :rock::rock:
     
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  14. SaaintJimmy

    SaaintJimmy Staff Lover of bit-tech

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    You will make me blush! :grin:
     
  15. Cheapskate

    Cheapskate Insane? or just stupid?

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    Paint? :worried:
    I feel you should whip out some real red plexi for this if you can get it.
     
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  16. SaaintJimmy

    SaaintJimmy Staff Lover of bit-tech

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    All these layered crystal panels will get a paintjob that will unleash their real potential. You see that there are always two panels with patterns: the one ahead will be painted with a special FX paint that will make it look like rock, while the one behind will be painted in metallic red, which I find would be more striking to the eye than red plexi. BUT I will do something with that clear red you're suggesting, not plexi though :D
     
  17. SaaintJimmy

    SaaintJimmy Staff Lover of bit-tech

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    Hey guys, I've been really caught up in life lately and haven't had time to update, but I surely had time to mod!
    Today we're taking a look at some pieces I've made with the epoxy resin from Resin Pro, which are the center panel that will hold most of the hardware, and the power button.

    I obviously started by making the mold for the panel

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    Then I made a couple pours, the final thickness will be about 15mm but I really didn't want the resin to get too hot so I proceded with pours of about 5/6mm each.
    The surface changed completely while the resin cured, that's one thing to keep in mind if you want a very specific look

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    Next up was cutting the panel in the shape I wanted and doing some more creative work on one side and then clear coating with a thin pour. I used aluminum tape to seal the edges

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    After sanding and doing a bit of polishing I made the mount to the case, using a hollow aluminum tube with a threaded bar inside, which goes from bottom to top of the case, while I made a simple bracket on the back that attaches to the radiator. This way the panel is 100% solid mounted

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    And now a little bonus I mentioned before, the gem as power button :D

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  18. Cheapskate

    Cheapskate Insane? or just stupid?

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    Better than red plexi! :blush:
     
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  19. SaaintJimmy

    SaaintJimmy Staff Lover of bit-tech

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    Next up is mounting all the hardware on the resin panel.

    Meanwhile, I had to get rid of the annoying fan cables sticking everywhere, so I made this simple mod to one of the fans and routed all the cables to the top of the case

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    Let's get to the real business now! First I mounted the motherboard, helping myself with some aluminum profiles attached to the resin panel with some self-tapping screws, to which I secured the standoffs

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    The graphics card was mounted using some other aluminum profiles and standoffs, attached directly to the motherboard standoffs. It was fixed with one screw at the bottom and with a profile at the top, making it slip under the backplate and fixing it to another profile, so that didn't have to drill anything on the backplate itself

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    Now making the pump brackets, once again out of aluminum, and fixing it to the resin panel with self-tapping screws. Some may wonder why I chose this type of screws: I did it because I don't think thread tapping on resin would be durable, plus I don't want any screw or bolt to show up on the other side, so using screws and bolts wasn't an option.

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    For the res, I made a pair of custom brackets since I didn't like the platic ones that it came with.

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    Then attached it using the same system as for the pump

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    I also made some cuts to the front I/O panel, removing all the plastic that was visible when mounted. This cutout will be filled with crystal later on

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  20. SaaintJimmy

    SaaintJimmy Staff Lover of bit-tech

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    Glad you like it! :D
     

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