Case Mod - Complete ⭐ Hex Kitty - Hex Gear R40

Hello and welcome everyone at the next project. This project is something what I was waiting for looong time :-D Almost one year but here it is! The awesome Hex Gear R40 from. Big thanks goes to Nate & Hans for developing this case and for supporting me with it.

This project is girl themed - Hello Kitty, so white and pink are the main colors

Plan:


Some parts of the case have to be redesigned little bit. These new parts will be laser cutted. Cables from PSU will be cutted to exact length and sleeved. Overall alignment of appearance and of course the installation of a water loop on the graphics cards and CPU.

Components:

▪ Intel i5 6600K
▪ ASUS GENE VIII
▪ ASUS STRIX GTX 970 SLI
▪ G.SKill TridentZ 32 gigabytes 3200MHz Black
▪ Be Quiet! Dark Power Pro 11
▪ Be Quiet! Silent Wings 3
▪ Hex Gear R40 Case

*Just for info why 970 SLI. Graphics and almost all HW was arranged long before the release 10xx. + 970 are not so long
For more info about case, or for R80 ATX version visit the HexGear website

http://www.hex-gear.com

Find a nice mATX motherboard that holds such cooling, it is very hard and therefore also for me was the clear choice the beautiful R40.



Base of the case holds four aluminum profiles, which have a combined 3 kg. The entire case then 15 kg. Case has soooo much advantages and possibilities. Mainly possibility of placing 240 and 360 radiators.

Progress so far is none, but as I said, I have a case at home, and all the hardware. I will add more very soon! I will start with putting case together because it comes flat packed.
I already started with putting it together

 

I love me a pink build. There's just something about pink and white, and pink and black that I find very pleasing

Especially when it's like shocking pink and jet black.

Looking forward to seeing this

 

Thanks man! I hope all the colors will make nice contrast and make overall effect which I am expecting

 

Looking forward to see more

 

Here it is!

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UPDATE

I would like to say that I completed the entire case, but unfortunately I did not With my plan one part of the case must be redesigned - you will see in this update..
Case is shipped flat packed so only unpacking takes some time, because all parts are individually wrapped very carefully.

Here you can see some parts, screws, etc. and manual. If you would like to look closer here in PDF http://bit.ly/R40Manual .



The main frame is hold by 4 aluminium profiles. Each weighing 0,75 kg.



4x M8 thread used for the four large screws that are visible on the front and back.



These four large screws holding colored plexiglass and metal front part.



Hex Gear logo on the front panel.



Plexiglas (color interchangeable - official shop offers a great variety of colors) and metal parts for I/O of MB etc.



Plexiglass is cutted by laser, so it is absolutely accurate and cut is clean and smooth.



I think this is how it could belong together



These plexi parts are very clever thing! Holds top and down metal plates perfectly in place without any vibrations.



Two parts for the assembly of 360 and 240 radiator and PSU. These two parts are interchangeable, so it is up to the individual whether you want to have a PSU + 240 radiator up or down.



Outdoor parts, two of the same include up and down. Large one is the rear sidepanel



The main part for mounting motherboard, discs, pump ...



Two small long only serves as a cover of plexiglass holders of the same size. The big one is for disks and small one mostly for the pump.



In progress!



Almost completed but at this point I stopped. I want to hide one tube (from radiator to pump) behind the fans on the radiator. To make it nice and hide the tube is necessary a few extra mm. It was less then 10 mm, but I want be sure and have more space for maybe another combination..



Quick render of new part .. I will be lasercutting more parts for this project, but about them in next updates!

 

UPDATE

To lasercut the new parts I had to wait a little longer than usual, but here it is The first part is the upper part of the casefor mounting the radiator 240 (displacement of 10 mm) and installation for PSU. Redrawing the part takes a long time, but the reward is sweet - everything fits exactly



Another part is an holder for mounting DDC pumps . And I made few pcs more for future projects



HEX-GEAR project so that hexagons should be everywhere!



And now for the installation of a new piece, which was seamless because the outer dimensions are identical to the original.



The only change is the 10 mm offset of radiator and two openings for possible wiring - hexagons



As always highquality Bitspower watercooling. Biggest thanks goes to BP team!!



CPU block





DDC pump in a combo with reservoir





Radiators are Touchaqua = another brand from Bitspower.







Bridge to connect two blocks of graphics cards. It is set up as a series connection as well as parallel.



Some fittings for this pink beast Not all, just few from every type.



Adapters for easy bending. I always think about bending. "I will finally do bends!" but in previous projects I always choose angled fittings and no bends.. But we will see in this project Maybe is right time for bends.



Here you can see offset of radiator



The pump is mounted in the holder ..



..and then both mounted in a case






I have to redesign this logo I would not survive if it should be turned upside down.





I will add more probably next weekend And a big reward for someone who will guess what this is!

 

I am realy excited to see this frontpanel in HD resolution

 

UPDATE

Update comes a little longer than I'd planned But I had to finish another project for ASUS CZ and now I can fully concentrate on Hello Kitty. How about all of you guessed the last picture in previous update was Hello Kitty front panel



The front part, according to the remeasurement of the original and laser cutted from 1.5 mm steel.





And on the chassis. The front part is accurate and everything fits perfectly This is the style I like, so next time I would like to go to a computer with more stainless steel parts without any color



And it was to be painted. On the back side which was pretty empty I decided to sign Bitspower



All degreased and ready for filler



Hello Kitty front panel with the filler, only white color missing



Everything fitted back into the case







Pink background is a little darker than I thought. Respectively, it is not such as pastel pink liquid, so either something darker fluid or paint the accent pack in same pink as pastel fluis is..We'll see.

What would you do? To me it seems quite dark

 

Haha, loving it! That custom front panel worked out great! Where did you get it cut?

J.

 

Thanks man! In our local factory

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UPDATE

The autumn is definition for no much time for anything.. Anyway, here is a big update. Currently waiting for the CPU and then I will put this beauty from ASUS in case.



ASUS MAXIMUS VIII GENE











The red color on coolers would not match pink concept, so I have to mod it a bit.



This was followed by redrawing to the computer and cutting at plotter .Result judge for yourself







Two ASUS GTX970 Strix. I have them for almost a year so that is why there is not any 1080 etc..







Three photos and enough I immediately go to the water blocks At the top of the backplate I placed next custom cutted sticker with hexagons and Bitspower signature.






Graphics cards will be combined over time Bitspower bridge. In the package with bridge is also such a nice stopper which can easily switch the bridge to a serial flow.



Graphics just for a test in case (mainly I wanted to see how it will look with the sticker on backplate) But that logo on the radiator...



So I washed the logo and place new, which is rotated correctly







Now it's okay.



You might say it was a detail, but for me just these details makes the overall result More soon!

 

UPDATE

Another update is here! And certainly not the last this year .. In this photo is PSU still in warranty



In this probably not



A PSU Dark Power Pro 11 - 850W certified Platinum and fans Silent Wings 3 from BeQuiet! A few photos of "untouched" hardware















Three fans and radiator mounted to the bottom of the case. Logos on other fans I will change to pink. These I leave as they are because they will not be visible at all.



Dust filters were packed with the case, which I take as a plus



PSU has a modular cabling, except for 24-pin. I decided to shorten a bit..



After shortening, I began to sleeving and created this color combination. I did not think twice about it ahead of time, I just went as I liked it and I'm happy with the result



Cable tester is also satisfied

 

UPDATE

Finally I have plenty of time to continue . Cabling for the PSU is ready, MB mounted in the case and I am still waiting for delivery of CPU...



I also decided to change the logo of BeQuiet! from white-orange to pink.



Of course, as always, awesome Icelandic Icemodz http://www.icemodz.eu . Huge thanks!



Everything together.



Connectors I needed mainly due to the shortening of the 24 pin.



These plastic cable holders are absolutely awesome. From now must have in my every project.





The finished logo on the PSU fan and completed sleeving.







PSU in the case as well with the 24 pin which is unfortunately not modular





Finally, the motherboard in case. I will adjust 24 pin soon to be 100% horizontally.



Even video cards have found their place





This is certainly the last update this year. Already preparing for another 2 projects for next year, one of them will be here soon - probably in January

I wish all of you happy and awesome 2017 !!

 

UPDATE

Custom SLI bridge, I decided to make it from spare aluminum sheet I have there. This one is just for try - not pretty look bends. Final version will be "profi" bended



Here is the 3D model. But the final cover would be different - the left side will be same length as the right one.



Drawing for bending



PCIE 8 pin cables are in too. But I would like to place them in different way, just waiting for some cable combs for try my vision.





I mounted pump to the custom holder and to the case. But I forgot to sleeve the pump cables...





Before sleeving I decided to shorten the length of the molex which not have tu be too long in this build as the PSU is very near.



After sleeving I mounted the pump back to the case and connected first PETG tube of this loop.



I already have a home processor (i5 6600K), just before it I decided to install the beautiful RAMS from G.Skill. 32 GB TridentZ 3200 MHz in black and gray theme.















More to come very soon! Stay tuned

 

UPDATE

"so near and yet so far": D January was unfortunately a bit more work intensive than I had planned, so I managed to work less at this and last week I was ill..

The processor fot this setup is i5 6600K.



Hopefully it will be good piece




The loop I have planned differently,and then I threw the whole concept and try to do it as simply as possible.



But still I try to do pipes straight as possible.



I decided to polish the SLI Bitspower bridge.



Polished version looks much better than the frosted one - the overall strangely reflected light was very bright.





Anyway, with the water inside it will look completely different again

 

haha, loving this build, so much so I added it to the Modding Update!

https://www.bit-tech.net/modding/mo...8/bit-tech-case-modding-update-january-2017/1


very interested to see the finished mod!

 

Thanks!!

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UPDATE

This pink beast will be finished soon!!

As the last piece of HW was disk - I decided to use the HyperX SSD 480 GB.



Installation of disks (2.5 "and 3.5") in this case there is a nice and easy. I also try to keep some nice cable management.



The current view of the front. Missing just finished loop and power for vgas.



I made some changes to the loop and now graphics card will run in serial.



For serial connection must be put into such a small stop fiting.





Power for VGAs. With that I also played for a while and tried variations, but this is the cleanest.







On the inside the LEDs lighting strip, but to have a profile with frosted plexiglass.





SSD I finally placed into the bottom position.



And this looks like the back part of the current.



Front - missing only to finish loop and its finished! more soon

 

Looks fantastic man, nice work !

 

Thanks!! Soon it will be finished

 

UPDATE

For mounting Alu profile for LEDs I have to dissasemble the case a bit.



Alu profile is on 2 countersunk M3x5





Finally the cover for the SLI bridge is finished too. Matte black with some pink touch and ASUS sticker - I guess I have it from ASUS VII Impact.



Only few tubes connect and it is!





Tube will be hidden behind the fans.



I have change all orings on the fittings for black.



Ready, just put the radiator in the case and connect with tubing.







I also changed my mind one more time about the loop



These fittings from Bitspower are perfect to work with! Awesome product imo.





Actual. Finished sooon!

 

FINISHED!