Case Mod - In Progress Red Inferno (The Tower 900)

Hi guys! That’s my first time writing on this site and first time writing a proper log.
Just something about my self: I’m Pietro aka Tempe mod, from Italy and this is not my first time modding a project. I did a scratch build some years ago and some other little mods that I’m going to upload on bit-tech forums in a few days!

If you want to contact me check my Facebook page for more picture of everything, i’m sharing on this forum just the most relevant photos TempeMods.

So, since the launch of the Thermaltake the tower 900 I fell in love with it for different reasons.
After some years, (I know, I came a bit late) I decided to build a mod on it. I have already my scratch build with some really huge watercooling radiator, tubes ecc so this case was big enough to fit most of these parts!


I really prefere simple looking pc, classic and not full of rgb. My build will be based in the colors RED because reminds of some pieces of the build, and black as the case.

So first, let’s see what components i’m gonna use


I7 5820k
X99 Asus rog rampage v extreme
Gtx 1080 founder edition by zotac
Ddr4 memory from teamgroup inc Dark
Antec hcp1300 platinum
Ssd m.2 hyper x predator 240gb
red and black sleeved cables
thermaltake the tower 900 case

watercooling: i’m choosing if I will use the fittings and things that I have or I should buy some different stuff.
Actually:
Ek waterblock for the gpu (gtx1080)
Xspc raystorm full copper waterblock cpu
Radiator Black Ice nemesis gtx560 (4x140fan)
Alphacool d5 with 250mm reservoir.
16mm alphacool HD fittings
thermaltake 16mm 1000mm (1m) PETG tube
Srf Coolmax red fluid and thermal compound



some pic of the material used

 

so, lets start modding!
first of all, as i told before i prefere clean looking pc, what do i mean? i hate to see non used holes, lot of screw, parts that are not smooth, folds of the case ecc.
so i want to build some cover panels for the case, one for the bottom, and one for the motherboard tray. this covers allows me to hyde cables and to cover the tubes for the radiator.
i have designed with autocad a backplate for the gtx1080 too. it's composed by 2 pieces beacause it will be retro-illuminated or anyway it will have 2 colours (red and black)!

i used Autocad and i'm going to lasercut all the panels for a better quality and precision. i'm waiting for the nearest shop that has a lasercut machine to open (due to covid 19 it's closed).
all the panels will be cutted in plexyglass (pmma) and will be painted
what do you think? do you like it? i hope so!



I used the asus rog logo because my motherboard it's a asus rog.

edit: I changed a bit the projects, I’ve made a plate with the name of the mod For the top side of the case and I change the bottom grill where there is the hole for the fan controller with a new one, where I will place the start button.



You can see something special, I decided to mod the waterblock cpu too! You will se later what I mean...

 

FINALLY! The plexyglass has arrived, everythink seems ok and fits well.
I’ll start talking about the CPU waterblock.
I have the XSPC raystorm waterblock full copper, but is one of the first edition, the performance are incredible but the look is a bit old school and the copper color is not appropriate for my build. I decided to build 2 different layers making the waterblock look-alike the new xspc raystorm pro. I personalized it a bit, it’s not real the same but the style is similar.
You can see the evolution from the stock waterblock to the new modded one.
I will paint the two layers of different coulours, one red and the other black. I’m testing if it’s better to have the bottom one red and the top black or viceversa. What do you suggest?









I think that I got a very good result, compared to before looks very very nice end it looks like it’s part of the mod for real.

 

GPU MOD
My gtx 1080 actually doesn’t have a backplate and as you can see from the projects that I have made I decided to make one in plexyglass. I cutted 2 layers, because I can have 2 different coulours without using vinyl or other materials to paint the design.
I made 2 different sizes because it allows me if I want to put a led under the bottom one so I can illuminate it!
Otherwise if I don’t, the bottom smaller backplate will not be visible so it was a good choice to do this mod.






I painted the top layer, the bottom one I’m thinking if making it red or trying to make it illuminated by LEDs

 

Today you can see the motherboard tray cover and the bottom plate that hides all the cables and the fan controller.
Motherboard tray and bottom plate

In the first pic I just mounted them with some tape to see if the measure were correct, I added the cables and the fitting to show how it would look.
I then painted all the plates and tomorrow you will se the results with the colors!

 

How does the waterblock cpu Xspc raystorm full copper? Do you recommend it? Is it a good product?

 

I've been using an original, (I guess V1?), which seems to be the same as the one here, for almost ten years now. It's a great block. I originally had it on my EVGA X58 socket 1366 and I'm now using it on a socket 1151 i5 6600K. The nice thing about this block is that it is square, as opposed to a round die that you find in AIO's. That means that the whole CPU is covered, not just the center. You can also change the mount to AMD for about $15 USD, so it's a very versatile waterblock.

 

Thanks so much for the explanation. I will try it soon.

 

It has one of the best performance between waterblocks and you can use it on quite all the platforms. But it’s a bit ugly if you are not making a copper based build. You can paint the metal part (in my case for another pc was purple) but that’s it.

 

Thanks for the explanations. You made me think of how to make the next liquid build.

 

pure style of modding... I like it !

 

My block has the Delrin/POM cover. I think that all of the newer Raystorms, (V3), have the same:

 

Bottom panel and cover motherboard tray


I painted the vertical and the orizzontal panel,in red & black. I painted just one side of the plexiglass (the back side) so it’s more shining, I will see the result at the end, if I don’t like it I will paint both sides.

 

@TempeMod, Have you considered replacing the slide style fan controller with a digital one? I have a similar fan controller and I find it's appearance is somewhat dated. Having said that, your plexiglass panel work is fricken awesome! I've been planning something similar for my build, but I was concerned how it would look. Now my worries are gone!

Does the panel go all the way under the motherboard or just under the edges?

 

yes but this is the fan controller that I I have and I think will look ok because the numbers has led and I can set them red as the pc. If it doesn’t match I can change it later but for my personal taste i actually like it.


About the panel, it is just around the edges but for some mm it goes under, I decided to do that so I didn’t have to make all the holes for the motherboard and I still have the metal piece under it that provides stability.
You can’t see anything else then the red panel so it’s perfect for me

 

Front Panel for fan controller and start button MOD

I really HATE the middle piece that usually is in any the tower 900 case. I refer to the cage wher you can mount the HDD, the fan controller and it hides the cables of the PSU.

I removed it but I had a problem, how could I fix the fan controller? So I did 2 things
1- I made the front panel laser cutted and really really tight fit. So the fan controller doesn’t move at all
2- i fixed it on both sides with 2 piece of plexiglass and some screw that doesn’t allow it to be removed while in use

In this way you can’t push it inside the case because the front panel keeps it, and you can’t pull it out because the 2 pieces on the sides make it fixed.

some pic of the work done



This is the result




Fan controller tight fit but not fixed on the sides, it still moves and it easy come out




a really easy piece with 2 hole will block it







the panels are transparent, in the pic are green because they still have the protective layer on.


here you have a pic of the result with all the panels mounted and painted

 

What type of paint are you using? The gloss on the red paint looks incredible!