Case Mod - In Progress Project Styx - Updated 4th March

Thanks a lot Ang3l, much appreciated.

 

Wow, I wasn't sure where you were going with the aluminum stand but wow, the switch plate turned out great!

 

Thanks Mach

 

Good job so far How's the mesh coming along?

 

Looks nice! Liking the orange and black theme idea, thought I was the only one doing it then I find loads haha! Don't suppose its the DFI Lan Party DK P45-T2RS by any chance? That's what was going in mine until I decided to go AMD

 

That's EXACTLY what it is woody rep for the smarts

My dad thought I was bananas when I asked him to let me get a motherboard to match a MOD.

Oh, and on that note, I'd like to take a moment to thank him. My biggest supporter and financier (even if he thinks his son is a nutcase )

 

I like to think innovation is my middle name. But honestly, the best I could probably do would be to dig up an ancestor from a few hundred generations who was related to someone named 'Innovative'.

With that out of the way, I have a bit of a solution for the side panel. I thought of it while playing HL2 a few minutes back. One of those Mark Twain-esque epiphanic moments, if you will.



Bear with me a moment. The light grey circles are the bolts, the side panel and the aluminum frame-thingy are colored different just to separate them visually - they will both be powdercoated the same color.
Obviously, the uneven rectangular thingies are inspired by the citadel and those weird ground-muncher machines.
It'll be cut out of aluminum, by HAND, because the router/mill I have access to simply sucks donkey nuts. After drilling the required holes it'll be sandblasted/wire-brushed and them powdercoated matte black.

All going well, this case should be *structurally* complete by the weekend. Then it's paint/plumbing/putting her together.

 

Woo thanks

You know what? Your mod is starting to sound a lot like mine

Black and orange, HL2 inspired. Great minds think alike! I chose the DFI for it's colours too haha. It looks awesome, but the AMD version is yellow instead And it's not v.good by all accounts

Good luck on the building, side panel looks cool!

 

Welcome to the 'we buy hardware to fit our mods' club. Head over to the log for 'Spell7'. We convinced Blackflag to get a Foxconn BloodRage to mach his case

I started some cutting today but my camera seems to have run out of charge. I'll try and finish up tomorrow and post a few pictures before I head off for the weekend.

Hah, good to see you here too mate I'm trying to ghetto a brake so I can bend the damned stuff

 

Sorry for the lack of updates. I've actually been busy as a bee, just lazy/forgetful with regard to taking pictures

Got my side panel back from the powdercoaters. Looks very good. I'll be getting everything done in this finish. It's a gorgeous matte black, with just a *hint* of orange peel, just enough to give it some texture. I love it.





Poor pictures, hardly do justice to it.

I've been working on wiring LEDs, sleeving the big 230mm HAF fan, soldering stuff. Hopefully should have an update when I get more stuff back from the powdercoaters. Side panels oughta be complete by tomorrow evening

 

Made a mesh shelf out of a ghetto'ed bending setup - sandwiched it between two strips of wood and beat it with a hammer

Here's the mesh:


Down the side:


Strips of scrap aluminum that'll hold it in place:


Then I realized I would have to attach it to the chassis somehow (duh) and ghetto'ed some right angled brackets from some old 80mm holesaw cutouts lying around from ages ago.

First bash it:


Then get this:


Then turn it around and cut it up:


End up with these:



Oh, and I finished (finally) filing and cleaning up the front panel


It's long because it is (6.25" x 27"). Six inches at the top will fold over the front of the chassis to lie flat against the top panel.

Random angled shot:


Should have some painted stuff tomorrow along with a lot of marking and drilling of holes for bolts and the like.
Can't seem to get my paws on a decent soldering kit, so the hunt's still on for that.

 

Looking really good mate, keep at it.

 

Thanks mate

Here's a pen-sketch of what it was envisioned to be (sort of) before I cocked-up the side panel:


And the innards:


Of course, things are constantly being adjusted/refined/changed. I tend to a work a little more 'freehand' than most

 

Moar updates today. Mesh is DONE.

Test fit:


Attached to aluminum support strips with rivets:


And with socket head bolts on the wider section:


Sideways, with the right angled mounting brackets visible (somewhat ):


Clearer picture of the mounts:


Bolted in from the bottom:


From the motherboard tray:


And the last one just below the expansion slots:


In place:


Long shot:


More as I have it. Tomorrow is no-work day, people to meet.

 

Looking good man! Like the PSU compartment great minds think alike

 

PSU *and* pump go under there. I had a HELL of a time figuring out how to squeeze the drain port a 180mm PSU and a MCP355 into that little space.

 

Okay, I've done a lot, just waiting for daylight (tomorrow) to take decent pics.

Here's some of the top I/O plate (this is just the mount - lots of Araldite and two bolts holding it together), cable cutouts in the mesh and the powdercoated parts that I've received thus far.

Top I/O (yes, it will end up looking much neater ):


Mesh:


Closer look:


Parts all lined up (excuse the noisy pictures, my camera sucks donkey nuts):


With flash:


Top panel:


'Citadel'-esque side panel thingy:


Left side panel:


Right side panel:


More as I have it.

 

Nice, I'm guessing the side panel is gonna be a panel-acrylic-cityscape sandwich?

 

Actually, cityscape-panel-acrylic sandwich
Yep

 

Ok, tonight's update - everything is ready for the powdercoaters. I just finished the last of the place-testing of the hardware and everything fits as it should, unless I missed something (which, sadly, is very likely because I have a memory like a sieve).

All fitted up, minus a PSU :


Obviously, the pump isn't going to sit like that - it'll be isolated using rubber bushings or cured rubber slabs. And it's not really visible, but the hose going from the radiator to the reservoir needs a little trimming (to cut some slack, as it were ):


Artsy shot :


Ah, that last picture has no noise!

More tomorrow