Case Mod - In Progress Echo | A Gaming PC in a NAS case!? ~ Completed

Hi Bit-Tech.net!

I thought I let you in on a project of mine. The last one, CL[M]EAN-MACHINE did receive quite the attention on other sites and I'll hope this new build won't let you down. I'm totally new here and I've looked around a bit and this site surely holds some of internets best mods! I'm thrilled to be part of the community.



This project is:

• ITX
• Watercooled on MB, CPU and GPU with EkWb, and cooled by 2x120 and 1x120 EkWb radiators with Enermax Fans.
• Fractal-Design Array Rev 2
• Intel i5 750
• ATI HD5870
• DFI MI P55-T36
• MDPC-X Sleeved PSU
• ORANGE ´n` BLACK themed!

I'll receive the case in late June or early July from Fractal-Design who's kind enough to sponsor with the Fracta-Design Array Rev 2 and a SFF PSU. I'll put the case through some modding to make it fit for an highend gaming system with top notch DX11 graphichs and a powerfull 4xCore CPU. EkWb have sponsored this build with a full watercoolingsystem to cool these beasts.

As of now, I'm receiving hardware from all over the place, and I've only taken pictures of the EkWb watercooling. I'll give you some tasty updates in next week.

This build is going to be real fun to do! I hope you'll enjoy the buildlog atleast half as much as I'll enjoy building it. I've probably forgotten to write something, so please ask if I'm unclear on some point.

So, This build is going to be smal, powerful, and cool. I hope I have the skills to make it true. :shrug:

This is my previous build:
http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=247196&page=3

I'm not sure about your policy regarding this, but here they are.
Sponsors:
Fractal-Design
Fractal Design


EkWaterblocks
EkWaterBlocks


Enermax
Enermax Technology Corporation


Misco
Misco.se!


Coolingstuff
Cooling Stuff, vattenkylning till datorer



Now, let's begin!


Watercooling sponsored by EkWB

http://i50.tinypic.com/mt0406.jpg

http://i45.tinypic.com/2po86yg.jpg

http://s6.tinypic.com/2zo9gza.jpg

http://i47.tinypic.com/maa1at.jpg

http://i49.tinypic.com/15hfmeq.jpg

http://i45.tinypic.com/20uzyau.jpg

http://i50.tinypic.com/sbmp8w.jpg

http://i46.tinypic.com/213fytv.jpg

Some hardware and MDPC-X Sleeve

http://i50.tinypic.com/4rdr91.jpg

http://i50.tinypic.com/szbpme.jpg

http://i50.tinypic.com/1o585t.jpg

http://i45.tinypic.com/4r3tr5.jpg

http://i48.tinypic.com/2zf69hl.jpg

http://i48.tinypic.com/e0n5li.jpg

http://i48.tinypic.com/nv6q14.jpg

http://i47.tinypic.com/345j8r8.jpg

http://i45.tinypic.com/27x1g7a.jpg

http://i50.tinypic.com/16blw5e.jpg



And some fans from Enermax and some LC going on.

http://i50.tinypic.com/2cibf49.jpg

http://i47.tinypic.com/25tl34i.jpg

http://i47.tinypic.com/2en98k8.jpg

http://i48.tinypic.com/10elsb7.jpg

http://i46.tinypic.com/2qans6e.jpg

http://i45.tinypic.com/33cbtrl.jpg

http://i48.tinypic.com/2num62e.jpg

http://i45.tinypic.com/2rh5rg5.jpg

http://i47.tinypic.com/vywi95.jpg

http://i49.tinypic.com/vo06kn.jpg

http://i46.tinypic.com/2zr11yc.jpg

http://i48.tinypic.com/244y63n.jpg

http://i45.tinypic.com/292s2zm.jpg

As I'm yet to actually receive the PSU and the Case from Fractal Design the build is stuck. But I'll give you some major updates in approximately two weeks.

If you have any questions at all, please respond in the this thread.

 

Looking really good
your last project looked amazing

 

Looks nice, but...

...could you possibly go for for another picture-format? The project-page is plain awful to watch with the 30MB of pictures. Takes ages to load with 2MBit.

PNG-format is just wrong for a worklog... use JPG at reduced quality (80%) please, that cut's filesize of your pictures by 60-70%.

 

What motherboard is that?

I like how the SATA cable stands out.

 

Welcome to the forums Hannes. Nice start, can't wait for your next update.

 

Thanks man! Appreciate it!

I agree with you the fullest. After this update, all my pictures will be in a better format for this forum. I'm using a netbook right now because the Echo haven't been up'n running in month. I'll re-size the pictures already posted when I'm using a more use-friendly computer.

I've also removed the IMG tags of my first pictures as they were more of a pre-build teaser for you guys. They're still click-able so if your new to this thread, please click on some of 'em. I'll post the highlights further down this post.

It's the DFI Lanparty MI-T36. It's a socket 1156 P55 ITX motherboard.

Thanks man, I'm sorry to keep you all waiting. Since the worklog had to be checked before posting and the picturesize didn't match the rules I thought I'd wait to post til I've managed to get 'em all resized and fitted and then post my worklog. It seems like it's been cleared tho. Thanks mods!

Here's an major updates for you all!

Firstly, I'm glad to finally be a member of this exellent community! :cheers: I'll hopefully learn a great deal, and if we're lucky, maybe I'll be able to teach you something aswell.

I've been working on a PC build for a couple of months and you've seen my progress above... Now it's time for me to show you some real goodies since all my components has arrived together with some more sponsors. As you know, I call this build Echo and I'm going to show you more of my progress along the way.

My plans are to make a silent, well cooled, powerfull and smal PC that will not only run great, but look good also. I'm really interested in art, and I would like to say that I'm an above normal creative person. It's interesting for me to see how far I can push reality, with my current skills and machines to keep in line with my mind.

I've previously finished one PC, this was a Lian Li V1000b case and man I love'd it and I think that it turned out pretty sweet. I would love to put my teeth into it once more, but I've sold the parts. :'( I got many great ideas for making it even better than it is.

I'll just give you a taste of that build before I go one talking about the case that this worklog is about.

Previous Build



​

So.. As I've said, this new build is going to be powerful, smal, well cooled and a pleasant sight. The keywords are Art, Performance and Design.

I waited quite some time for the case, as It wasn't released til 2 month into the project, so I had some thinking done and some pictures taken without the case as you've seen above. You wanna see some more of them? Well.. They'nt that good, but if you insist.

Pre-build shots
A pile of LC



A pile of MDPC-X sleeve


A pile of.. No this hardware is really mounted in a trash case
​

I waited quite some time for the case, as I've previously stated so there is tons of pictures from that time. They're all those links in the first post. Now I'm going to present the real project. The real work at hand.

Of course I have some plans for this build.. I mean, I'm going to fit an Highend watercooled gaming PC into a NAS case. It's nuts! ..Or is it just epicly awesome!?

The Plan​

• Sleeve the PSU with White, Black and wait for it.. Orange Sleeve!
• Make a Acryl roof/top for the case
• Re-Mount the PSU inside the case
• Make a Acryl adapter for the 2.5" drives in the front of the case
• Fit the LC and hardware in the really smal case
• Do something innovative and creative with the ingrediences above

Sponsors​

EkWb
Fractal-Design
Coolingstuff.se
Misco.se
Enermax​

The Build​

And this is my progress so far. As you can, or cannot see there's alot of work left.

Some BP fittings because EK doesn't have this kind of adapters​

Enermax fans, these are by far the most beautiful fans I've seen. And yes, I'm going to make a pile of it!








It's like playing with lego!


The reason I did that pile where to be able to switch the direction of the enermax logo so that it was the same as the EkWb on the rad.


Some HW and EkWb LC, love their fittings!


But what I don't love with their fittings is that they don't fit in their Reservoar. Some rash decision in the heat of battle made me go rotary-tool on it. Not a good idea when you haven't actually set on which hole is going to be stop plugged and what hole is going to be fitting. Result: I need a new Reservoar.


A modded, and sleeved Be-Quiet SFX 350w, hopefully I'm able to run this M-F with it.



Alright, now we're going somewhere, HW and LC is mounted in the Fractal-Design Array NAS case!


But the LC is in the way of the PSU.. Hmm.. What should I do? Hey, let's mount it inside the case! The PSU isn't mounted yet, and the cablemanagement are just experimental. But this is my idea.



​

Alright, welcome to my worklog, and to Echo! This is going to be an interesting time and I'll hope you like my work. From now on I know that my projectlog is here, and therefor I'm going to be alot more active.

Thank you all for reading!

 

Hi this project will be so clean judging on your previous one. Braiding the sleeved cables is such a original idea and looks really nice but will it not be to thick? Keep on the good work.

 

It's been a long week end for me and I'm not sure if I've lost the plot....But that Pc in the pics looks like it been put together upside down...Case feet on the bottom Or top as it is in this case.

 

Hi bro! It's really thick, and hard to manage cleanly, but still, it's original and the sleeve is beautiful to see, so I wont hide it all. I'll work hard to make this an outstanding little build.

What are you talking about bro? The motherboard is mounted in the bottom, the radiator on one of the sides and the reservoar on the other. The pictures are taken without the top of the case.

Edit: ..Oh you meant the red PC! It's just BTX, never seen it?

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I've powered it up this weekend to test some OC. I could crank it up to 3.6GHz on stock voltage. It's the highest BLC that the bios can do for some reason. It gave me 22k in 3dmark06, quite good I think..

Also, burned my SSD and 3 of my 1TB disks this weekend too, so I'm quite sad. This gives me an opportunity to buy some new Highend SSD's tho.

 

Some updates for you all! I've powder-coated it white and I really like the finish it gave it. This will also change the appearance of the build in all aspects, don't you think?









I'm sorry that I've not been around, but things have gone slow and I just powdercoated this thing last night. Anyways, I hope you like it!

 

take this as a compliment I hate you, why you may ask? Your resleeving awesome work and now I demand you hop over here to London and do mine.

 

<3

..I would like to see london.

 

Welcome anytime bud

 

Thanks.

 

Why not paint your case with acrylics?











Some outlines, what do you think?





I've begun painting a snake tail that will run through the left side of the caso, to the back and then into the case on the radiator.

 

While you are globe trotting, why not come on over to Cali and do my PSU too?

 

Yeah, but no.

 

Wowzers! Very clean build.

Are you not going to protect your hard work and lacquer the case when you've finished? Would be a shame to scratch or chip it after putting so much passion into the artwork.

 

I'm not sure yet. I'm afraid that the lacquer might change the feeling of the paint. I'm happy that you like my painting. It's a work in progress tho. I'm currently working on a snaketail that goes from the mask over the left side of the case and then into the case over the radiator.

 

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

i was meant to click the not my cup of tea on the poll and instead clicked the "what have you done with the PSU you ****"