Case Mod - In Progress Project Black Rain: RIP 2008

Yep, PhaseChange-Box with more of your patented window-treatment and lighting...GO (4) it............ project HellGate Sub-Zero:

Your HellGate is up-and-running? ( U-got pictures?)..

IMO, that is the hardest part..Turning a project into a working-computer while retaining that "vision" of a clean and cool-machine we all start with..
My Soylent Green has a DVD drive-issue I have yet to resolve (hence, no FIN pictures of the project)..
When all is "said and done" these projects need-to-work.. Morphing from design to real-world "click that windows-button" and..."
EZer said than done..

 

Nice metal plate for the PSU and Aquatubes, looking forward to see how the rear
Aquatubes turn out once you cut out holes for'em
Following this one

Petter

 

Thanks chase.
I have been working on the top-mount reservoirs-plate today. Only about (2) hours today, I had some "real-world" stuff to do..
cleaned up the acrylic-plates-edges. File/wetsand with 2000grit then Novus polish (2)grits. Then clean up:

ready to go:

That looks pretty-smooth:

Also picked-up a BIG-ASS holesaw bit:

Ready to Rock..
BUT, today (Saturday), I am slated to work on Soylent Green..
I hope to get the dual-top-reservoirs installed Sunday..
By my measure, I have accomplished a good-bit of work this past week. My vacation flew-by (they always do)..
It's been-fun..Monday, back to reality and back to (1) update a week..

 

Woah that really did fly by. Last thing I heard was "woo vacation" and now it's "damnit vacation oveR"

 

Mounting plate looks, well like it's supposed to look after your treatment

How about Soylent Green, do you intend to finish that one as soon as possible now that it's back in your hands again? Don't let it slip away again...lol...

For the holesaw though, the one you bought isn't that big, I've been playing around with an 122mm holesaw, that's a big b***h! And I wasn't making a hole in acrylic, I made it in 1mm thick steel, and that wasn't much fun. I was doing it with a huge drillpress which has torque like there's no tomorrow. The bit got stuck a couple of times and both times the socket gave up first, the drill was still on That was a couple of years back, now I'd soo do it with a jigsaw and then just file the edges...

Anyways, there's still some weekend left, commence modding (I intend to ).

Janne

 

I'm not sure I'll do the hellgate theme on this one. I'd really love to get into some bondo working and the likes. I'm thinking of a racecar thing with some hood scoops and a "dash-board" for the gauges. Pics of HG:LL will come this christmas. Looking forward to more work. I personally think you should build a new drive cage from scratch. Your Idea seems harder to me and I know that I couldnt so it without makeing a mess.

 

small Update:

Thanks Dark.
I took a road trip to visit soylent green. The machine is "in service" at it's owners home. There is a major-issue with the DVD drive. It seems to be a problem with the unit's disk clamping-mechanism. Which is very-strange, because the drive was used to install Windows without a problem. The drive will be replaced (the EZ way out). All that remains is it's lighting (via remote switch). I will get some FIN-pictures up ASAP.
You are right on the money-about holesaws. They are a great tool, a fast/easy way to get perfect-round holes..BUT..As the hole-size increases, so dones the torque-required to spin the drill bit. If the bit should bind--- disaster..Something has to give. If your using a hand-drill, it could "get-away" from you and mess-up whatever you are working on. I have seen this happen, it's not pretty...
IMO, I would not attempt using a holesaw-bit (with a hand held drill) much larger than the 83mm one I used.. Yes, used.. I did get some work done today. Here is yet another small update:
map-out top-reservoir-holes:

then drill:



drill the (8)-required mounting-holes:

the 83mm hole-cut is enough room to let the AC aquatube "pass-through" the hole-cut.


Like SO: Mock-up aqautube. We will use BLACK for the real-deal..

Let's pull the tape and make sure we did not "mess-up" LL's brushed Alu-finish:

looks-good. Need to file the inner-edge of the holes, and we are all-set..
Lian Li's latest V-series case(s) are designated as "silent"..As part of there silent-update, they now-use sound insulating-foam on the top, and both-sides of there case(s):

see-it?

that is as far as I got..
vacation is over..

 

Well, overall some good progress. Shame about the DVD drive in SG, but that's technology for you Hole-saws are indeed awesome tools, much much better than trying to dremel stuff. I love what you've done so far, so keep it up

 

Looks nice. I bet your scared as hell to get a scratch on those acrylic Aquatubes

Petter

 

looking great man. a little question, what do you think on polishing the plexi with perfect-it III 3M compound? cause thats the only polishing stuff ive got at work and i was wondering if you have any experience with it

 

3M perfect-it III is a heavy-cut rubbing compound for paint (clearcoat).
Not sure how it would work with acrylic..Give it a try..

 

Looks nice, like always
BTW are you going to put lights inside some of those aquatubes?

 

2 that

 

Yes, LEDs in the aquatubes and in the acrylic-mounting plate.
It-least that is my plan..

 

I would recommend you use round 80mm cathodes, these will fit around your Aquatubes. Thats my plan, to use a UV cathode, the acrylic is gonna blind me

PS: Head over to my project, updates..

Petter

 

like the ones you will be using in your project?

MS cant wait to see the finish product .

BTW are you going to keep this one for your self?
keep up he good work

 

small change:

Yes, this machine is for me. I just sold my file-server last week. So I have only black narcissus and a laptop. This project will become the "every day" computer and bn will replace the file-server.
@chase: I am not a big-fan of CCFL. Red, is especially a problem. It's always pink or orange, and those inverters! LED's for me..
Speaking of color-problems: a few hours ago, I mocked-up a aquatube with the red (so-called) acrylic spacer plate:

that's not even close to red!! That's-Orange-. It seems that once your looking at only the edge of that acrylic is looks very-orange..
This set me thinking, rethinking. When I begun this project, I said I wanted the exterior clean-spartian. The hole idea of lowered reservoirs with chrome (spike) caps is anything-but.. I think I am (was) headed in the wrong direction. The machine will have it's share of "bling", but inside the case..
outside: clean, spartan, smooth..
So, as I am apt to do...I changed my mind..
The stock mount is just that.. clean:

spartan:

I really-like the contrast between the chrome mouting plate and the black-oxide button-head bolts. smooth:

I think I am back on track now.. sometimes less is more..
Over the weekend, my plan is to work on installing my pair of acrylic AC aquatubes.. OO-ya, there is a good-change I can get my hands on another set of those limited-edition aquatubes
for a Aqua-holic like myself, having (4) units of a run of (100) made is "way-cool"...They would replace the black-set pictured above.. I may have "jumped the gun" even typing about them, but I am ecstatic.. Should know fer-sure Monday/Tuesday..
A few more beers and some sleep and we will get to work on the "lower-reservoir(s) mount":
MS

 

ya I love your work and it has given me so many ideas that I never considered before simply inspirational, thank you. ^^ keep up the awesome work.

 

I'm with you on this one modsquad. Those acrylic "spacers" would go perfectly on my Monster though

You can't beat that chrome/black combination with a stick, looks hot no matter what.

P.s. Don't throw the spacers away though, you'll never know when you need a pair of orange ones for some future mod, but I assume you already put them in a safe place waiting for their turn...

Janne

 

holy mother of good thats gona be one super sexy case there keep up the good work