Case Mod - In Progress Carbide - 98% Complete!

Small update, looking to get this done this weekend

How the drives will mount

 

Hey, i have not really something to add, just want to say it looks really nice to me. As opposed to the colourful inside, the outside looks a bit... Blank? Are you going to do something about that?

 

No, the only mods to the outside are the flake treatment and carbon fiber vinyl. Its going to have a clear window. I wanted to keep the outside understated since its not an acrylic case and can be used for major wire management. I kinda like how its really dark except where the color is, almost like a black hole so the components dont overwhelm the intended flash of the mobo sockets and sleeving. Overall its turning out really well and i had no idea when i started what it would end up looking like. This is one reason ive been taking so long with it, i wanted to let each piece i made or modded to 'grow up and mature' as it were instead of trying to force it into something it wasnt meant to be. Case in point is how im mounting the drives, i knew i wanted them there but couldnt seem to figure out how i could mount them till the post i made showing it. The piece simply had not been conceived yet and it turned out way better than anything else i was considering.

 

and thats all it needs in my opinion ...less is more...awesome job

 

Thanks, i agree

 

Well, got it all put together this past weekend, bled, rinsed and went to boot...blah. Not sure if something hosed or what. Took forever to pull it all apart Tuesday night to test the mobo by itself, but it booted up. However a reboot like after saving BIOS settings cause it to not boot up, or not display video, cant tell. Ill post the update pics i have from the weekend anyways and update when the 990FX board is in there.

Silverstone add-on dual SATA port controller so i can run 6 drives (for sale, brand new) with custom backplate





Progress pics, most wire management done, waiting on the drives now....



















Plumbing, FINALLY!!! Still waiting on drives...



4 VelociRaptors and 2 Intel X-25M SSD's...





Aaaaand how they mount



All plumbed up and ready for liquid



Bitspower fill funnel



Starting to mod the 990FXA board















How the mobo looked stock

 

what great work and attention to detail especially with the mobo and sleeving

 

Thanks!

 

Like how you have seperated the cables, Those blocks that you have run the cables through, did you make them yourself ?

 

Sure did Sadly the laser cutter i used is more or less down for the count. There are two designs, one that requires threading as you sleeve (or after, but a pain) and one that separates into two halves that screw together.

Ironically, the one time i did get it to boot the CPU was kept to a chilly 19ºC so i cant wait to see how the triple stacked rads work in real life.

 

The one that splits in two is a good idea, I've recently been looking into making something similar. I hate the lack of cable management stuff that's not out there at the moment. Cable ties just don't cut it. Good job

 

The last time this will look like this






After about 10 mins of 150 grit



Switch to 600 now for about another 10 mins



Yay! Copper!



Ready for some 1000 grit wet...



And, in its home ;-)

 

Small update as i wait on (yet another small order) a couple 45º fittings from Swiftech due to where the GPU bridge lands the inlet/outlet hoses.

Of course, Swiftech GPU bridge and GTZ waterblock top, Carbided naturally



Testing the ~395nm UV LED strip i got off eBay, i like the richness of color on the acrylic pieces i made for the heatsinks



Frosting the XSPC acrylic part on the memory cooler







Wiring up the 30 LED's...im thinking it might be too much so i may put them on a fan controller



All done and ready to test



Works





Not sure im liking the mesh look even after the pains i took to make it so im 'Carbiding' the stock piece

 

Your attention to detail is outstanding my friend, kudos on a great looking build!
That sleeving it abit garish for me, but fits this build well!
And moar harddrive pron!

 

Thanks, coming from you thats a big one Sorry, no more HDD porn

The reason the details are so well attended is i wanted to do a build where it was done when it was done, No upgrades, or room for upgrades (save for an external rad if needed) and that was the best work i could put out. Now, i wont say its the best work, but with the limited tools i have here its damn good work

The only others things im considering are covers for the 120 rad stack and 5.25" bay but you wouldnt see either one with the side panel installed and its not something i wanted to do from the start. Who knows, maybe someone can convince me.

 

Just out of curiosity will it not affect your temps with the HHD/SSD stack sitting that close to the rad fans? I would think it would majorly hinder the air flow through the rads.

 

80 cfm Yate Loons? Nah Plus those VelociRaptors get hot. I would have tried mounting them above the rads but i had already made the HDD power cable and didnt have any extra yellow paracord. Plus it leaves the single fan to provide unhindered case flow.

 

Oh my gosh!!?? Who nominated me for MOTM? Thank you VERY much!!

 

got my vote! awesome project with awesome ideas - keep it up!

 

Thanks!