Case Mod - In Progress Project Black Rain: RIP 2008

Sorry BoD..
I managed a good-bit of work, but I need to sort/scale-down/watermark/upload images.
Update Monday-PM... Best I can-do... Time is my archenemy...
MS

 

Wow. You have done amazing job MS! biker-parts are realy something...cool

Can't wait your next post.

Keep up the good work!

 

psu/reservoir mount:

Here's what I have been working on.
The first issue I encountered is that the LL PSU-mounting bracket is 360degree's from what my PCPandC power supply needs. I would need to mount the PSU upside-down. Not an option.
The answer is the same thing I did with the case(s) divider-plate.
Lets "hack-up" the stock PSU plate:

Please bear in mind this is only the fab-point of the job, these plates will be painted later in the build..


cut-out the grills that where designed for a set of 80mm fans

This with become the mounting point for a pair of AC aquatube reservoirs.
Then mod the stock plate to accept the PSU and make a cover-plate out of sheet-Alu



we are in business:

now reservoir mounts:
I used some 6mm black opaque acrylic:



this should provide a solid mount:

Let's map-out the res-mounts..I will use the pair of acrylic aquatubes, but for mock-up some backup ones. I would hate to scratch the acrylic-ones.





Let's give them a test-fit:





what remains is a few cuts with the hole saw:

we will take care of this and the top-mount reservoirs, with any-luck tomorrow. Let's move on.
5.25" bay-area.
My plan is to use both a section of the stock one and another from a LL PC-75:

here's a mock-up:

the stock (upper-section) will mount DVD drive and HD cooler. The lower PC-75 bay-box:

will become a mount for one of the Innovatek dual120-radiators.

My plan is to have the radiator's fans draw air from one sidepanel--through the baybox and exhaust it out of the other sidepanel. Sort of a cross-flow, through the case design. I have not seen anyone else try this but, I think should work quite well. Lot's of metal-work...
That's it.. The psu/reservoir plates where a lot of work (about 10-hours!) and they are not finished yet..
Tomorrow we will get to work with that hole saw....

 

Questions:
1. For the pc75 drive cage assembly, is there enough clearence for your drives?
2. So many spare aquatubes.. First picture, there's a black one and what looks like a Titan. then it's 2 silver ones. Wow.
3. What are those nuts you used on the new PSU bracket called, the ones with the rounded top?
4. Enjoying vacation yet?

Looking Great. Keep up the great work, I look forward to more

 

drive-clearence should be OK..
I started out using a black aquatube, but as I will need it up-top..You have to guard against-scratches during mock-up. The pair mounted are both the titan-color.
You have a good-eye BoD..
Those nuts are "true" acorn-type:

pictured left, is what most vendors "pass-off" for acorn-nuts compared to the real thing.

in M4, these where VERY-HARD to find. They can be had at Distinctive Metal Polishing
vacation, great..extra-sleep and 10-days to make full beers MT....

 

very nice work, you are a monster!!!

 

now THAT's an interesting place to mount a radiator! I'm assuming you're going to use a slim-line optical drive and have that located somewhere discrete, now that you appear to have no free drive bay?

 

small Update:

Something different. I don't think I have seen anyone mount a radiator in that location. I also think it should perform quite well. Most radiator setups draw in air and exhaust that hot air into the case. With this "deal" the air will pass-through the case. Intake and exhaust from side-panel to side-panel.
This is a nice-big case. Remember, I lowered the divider plate 100mm. I will have room for a standard DVD drive as well as a Aqua-Computer AquaDrive HD cooler above the innovatek dual120 radiator.. Lot's of Dremel-work before that can happen..
My plan for this project, major changes for the interior--.. Clean-Spartan exterior. This case may not even have a side window!!
Here is what I worked on today...
A mounting-plate for the pair of AC aquatubes that will end up top-side.
The material, fluorescent red acrylic:

the color of this stuff--anywhere from orange/pink/red, depending on lighting..
This is more of the thick-6mm acrylic:


This acrylic mounting plate will be used under the top-plate of the case to lower the AquaTubes down into the case..
When all is said and done, all that will be visible is a "ring" around the inner-edge of the AquaTube..
map-out:

cut:

NEW-TooL:

Milwaukee Magnum 1/2" (chuck) drill..
I experimented (drilling 64mm-holes) using my DeWalt 14.4V cordless..A nice drill, but not up to the task.. The problem: bit-binding and the heat generated from trying---both BAD when working with acrylic..I think it is torque--the DeWalt is lacking..Hell, if nothing else--an excuse to purchase more-tools!

With the Milwaukee, like cutting-butter.. This sounds like a tool-forum..

then drill (18) holes to complete the picture.. This was about 6-7 hours of work.. For a mounting plate that will disappear into the case, and reveal only 6mm of itself.
Like SO: (still need to sand&polish that edge).....




My M5 hardware showed-up today..I should be able to get one of the Innovatek dual120 radiators cut/mounted/bolted tomorrow..
Stay-Tuned:
MS

 

i can all ready smell the death and distruction of another master-piece !

 

Blood-Red acrylic? Oh yeah, now this mod is realy going that familiar "modsquad" direction!

 

I love watching genius in action, sometimes it makes me think I'm capable of it....keep it up MS!

 

More of the Same:

You are giving me more credit than I am-due..BUT, thanks just the same..U-are capable of it...Pick-up the Dremel and start cutting..
Vacation = project-action..
Worked (another 6-7 hours today) on the bottom-mount radiator (Innovatek):
Tapped the radiator for M5:

black button-head bolts..
Map it out---

---then CUT..

Using Dremel's (456) 1-1/2" reinforced cut off wheels:

IMO, worth the asking-price. I used (1) disk to cut-out for this radiator..
No exploding-disk's with the 456's.. They do cut a thicker-line than the standard cut-off disks.. Sorry, tool-talk again..
A little file-action and some C-strip to hide my "less than perfect cut":

also switched-to the black powdercoated LL casters. They are MUCH-cooler than the stock Alu-finish ones..

the only problem, the caster-mount is blocking radiator air-flow..
The answer is a series of holes:

Let's bolt it back-in:



That doe's-it..
Tomorrow, I will bolt a radiator into that hole.. Then we will see-if I can mount my fan-controller in my "location of choice"..

this could be " tight"..


Until-then..
MS

 

yep those reinforced cutting discs are much stronger than the normal ones. I like the look of those black casters

 

Could you discard the middle of the caster-mount altogether? It looks like the sides and bar between them carry most of the load anyway.

That red acrylic with crome makes me want to change the color-scheme of my case too... Awesome! Can't wait to see what comes next.

 

Lookin good. Cant wait to see more. I've been thinking of doing another mod with bondo on one of those little lianli v-300's. I'm thinkin a car scheme with some hood scoop action what do you think?

 

Did you take the idea from making mounting brackets for the res in acrylic from the arctic ice projekt?

 

THe aqua tubes come with or are pruchsaed seperately to have the metal bracket. He added plexi and polished.

 

Modsquad, you pwn.

 

@Javerh: I thought about cutting-out the center section of the caster mount. My concern is the weight of this machine when all is said and done. Lightening-holes seemed the safe-bet..
@Fozzy: The LL PC-v300 is a nice little cube. I enjoy your work and look forward to your next project.. Not sure about starting a project with a small form factor case though. Turn it into a chiller for your HellGate..
@KbZ: I had not seen ArcticIce
until now. Chase(s) work is solid..Cool project..
Same idea, but for two different reasons. I want/need to lower my top-mount AC aquatubes in order to have the Paul Yaffe fork tube covers, which have become my reservoir-caps (after a mod!) sit lower over the AC res. I was going to use opaque-black, but the fluorescent-red picksup the shine from the polished (ribbed) edge of the res-cap. Like SO:

I used it for no other reason. My main objective was to lower the reservoir down-into the case. The glowing-edge, just dumb-luck.. Had I seen Chase(s) work prior to my mod, believe-me I would have gave him his "props"..In fact as soon as I am done typing here, I am heading over there..
Today I bolted-in the Innovatek dual120 radiator, as well as mock-in the power supply in order to check clearance for my fan-controller:

close, but NO:

The heatsinks are the problem...SO:

I have used this unit in another machine, it's Rock-Solid..



SunBeam added those heatsinks for a reason. They need to be replaced with something a bit smaller. MicroCool
has just what I need. I will have to get a few of there passive ChipSink units ASAP..

 

Lol I was actually thinking of that. I want it colder, and I dont need another Computer so I was thinking like a Phasechange or something lol. Great minds think alike...as well as deranged ones. Also have used that Fancontroller. It's nice. Mine doesnt have the 3-pins though...