Case Mod - In Progress The Berserker shuttle mod

This is my entry for the shuttle case mod contest. I only started a few weeks ago, and I documented most everything, so it should be pretty coherent. I know that there was a big question about whether or not they sent you a whole case, and the answer in short is no, they do not. They send you a case cover, as such:

I figured that anyone who was serious would get a case, so I shopped around and picked up an old socket 462 shuttle for $20 on craigslist.



The reason the original silver case is taped and marked up is because I thought that I would be using it. However, it had the shuttle logo embossed in the side, and since at the time I was planning on using a circle cutter, and circle cutters don't play nice with uneveness, I untaped it and retaped the new cover.



My first step was to make a model in sketchup. Here is my model.


I got the model online, but I added the curved edges and updated the dimensions. Then I calculated the position of the holes down to the 1/32". Let me tell you something, all that measuring and calculating was a lot of math!
First to arrive were the faucet connectors.

Here they are after about a half hour of lable stripping.

Remember how I said I was going to use a circle cutter in the beginning? I tried the circle cutter that I found in our garage, and merely using it bent it all out of shape and actually stopped the drill press. So I bought some knockout punches.


It was actually cheaper to buy four of them on ebay than to buy just the one I needed at an actual store. Funny, huh?
The last thing I ordered was the conduit nipples. I have one of those forehead-slapping stories about this one. Ok, so I called this store downtown for a price check, and they said that they'd call me right back. I waited a couple hours with no response, so I went ahead and ordered them online for 29 cents each from some electrical supply on the East coast. The next day the local guy calls me back and says that they have them for 24 cents each and that I could pick them up that day! Forehead-slap!

So, after a good two weeks of materials-acquisition and planning, I was ready to begin. I taped off the new panel and marked a grid, then spring-punched it on the intersections. Here my next problem arose: How to get the thing on the drill press! Because of the bend, I couldn't just lay it on there like normal, so a spacer was necessary. I cut a 2x4 to length. However, even with the stand on the lowest setting, There still wasn't room for the bit.

So I moved the stand out of the way, and then the bit couldn't reach!

2x6's to the rescue! The perfect height.

So here are the holes before being chassis-punched.

Chassis-punching in progress.

And done.


These are the knockouts from one side.

Dassa lotta knockouts!
Now for the top.
Taped.

Punched.

And drilled, with a couple holes knocked out.

Here's the whole thing done.




I let it sit like this for a couple days, waiting for my nipples to come.




Waiting....





Waitiiingg......





And here they are!



I couldn't resist getting them all ordered and laid out. Lol.

Here's my next problem:

There's about an eighth inch too much space between the end of the faucet connector and the bushing of the nipple. So I asked my father to pick up 90 1/2" locknuts from Lowes on his way home from work.
Here's the whole apparatus with the locknut added.

I later discovered that the cause of the extra space was the rubber washer inside the faucet connector that seals it when it's actually being used to hold water. I removed the washer on certain faucet connector ends to allow for more room for interior components. When you see a nipple without a locknut, it's because I took out the rubber washer. And yes, my desk is now littered with the little buggers.

Here are some cable installation shots.


Kind of looks like a backbone.That's when I was putting the locknuts on the outside. I realized that it looked bad that way, so I installed them on the inside of the metal.



Here is the completed cover. These look like big fuses on some big spaceship or something to me.



I later took off the locknuts on the outer rows on the top panel because they interfered with the internal structure. I still have to modify the frame a bit to get the panels on enough to be fastened.
So here are the (semi) completed shots.








My father is a hobby photographer (he has enough equipment to make a darkroom), and here are some shots that he took of it using my camera. Personally, I can't tell a difference .



Actually, I can. I'll put photography on my list of things to get good at.

Next I installed and stealthed a DVD drive.


Bourt Preshtun, Howr can dis be?



Like such: with velcro!



Bourt Preshtun, Howr doesh it shtay togedder??



Like such: with dremels and hot glue!

I had to use hot glue because the drive cover is made of 4 pieces: an anodized metal plate, a plastic cover, and 2 hex shoulder bolts. The first thing I needed to do was glue the plate and the cover together. I sanded the sides to be glued with 600 grit, then laid glue and smooshed them together. It took a couple tries, as sometimes you don't do it fast enough and it dries before you can put the pieces together :x . I dremeled off the threaded part of the shoulder bolt, leaving just a metal stud with a bushing. I set the studs where they would go and then glued them from the back. I tried putting glue on the studs then sticking them in the hole, but that gave me the same drying problem in addition to overflow (oversmoosh ), and a burning sensation on the tips of my fingers 8O. It looks the same with the drive stealthed; like there isn't a drive in there. See pics above.

I'm still working on this, specifially on getting it lighted and making it more sturdy. It's currently in competition over ateggxpert.com. I would appreciate votes, but do what you will.


P.S. My name is Preston, not Preshtun

 

Preshtun!(Preston, etc)
Ah, this look gnarly. in a good way.
so what else are you planning to do with this?

 

Awesome, dont suppose your inspiration is any cover art from Bezerker albums?

 

At least you'll never have problems carrying your case?

 

That's sick Like Orac, but now the hoses are just there for the looks I think it's original, but I don't really like it. I'll just wait and see what you'll create next

 

if only it was completely functional! That'd be sick!

 

@iddqd: I have a lian-li that I will be giving this same treatment, except on the inside. Those cables will actually hold wires. I was thinking that it would be sort of a big brother / little brother deal, except one would be inside out.
@brinkz0r: To each his own . I have a couple of other mods, both completed and under construction, that I will most likely be posting here.
@Duste: It's actually pretty handy. I was carrying it and a bunch of coats at the same time, and I used it as a coathanger!
@ledbythereaper: No, I actully haven't heard of them...
@500mph: I mostly just have to put it all back together and light it, and I may add some feet.

I'd like to give a collective thank you to all that have posted and looked, I appreciate it.

 

hmmmm you got me thinking bout doing this with watercooling now and have the tubes clear.maybe in an acrylic case. like orac. hmmmmmmm gotta go plan!

 

lol... classic quote..



I like the case so far, keep it up, wanting to see where this goes.

luvbug

 

huh interesting, I get a Matrix Squid vibe looking at that case, when I hear Berserker I think of the anime, but anyhow looks interesting.

 

@x06jsp:

You could use these tubes for watercooling if you wanted, after all they are designed for carrying water. The tubes are only 1/4", though . You could attach it to a custom res using chase nipples w/ o-rings, but to attach it to waterblocks and pumps you would need something different. You could attach the faucet connector to a threaded pipe nipple, then thread an end of a severed faucet connector to the other side of the pipe nipple. Then the inner tube would go on your barb. Hey look, a microsoft paint image to aid in my explanation!

Of course you would cut the braided steel tighter and cleaner, I was just illustrating that it was cut. This only looks good if you surround the barbed object with a metal box/cover and have the external faucet connector plugging into it. You can keep the external faucet connector tight to the metal with a locknut.


Thanks Luvbug and HourBeforeDawn.


And now, on to the actual update!


Here's the grille on the bottom of the bezel.

I figure that blocks what, 90% of the air? That won't do. Time to bust out the dremel....

And here it is done.

Yes, I know that the front i/o ports block most of the airflow anyway, but everyone knows that necessity isn't the true meaning of Christmas. Or modding. Once I get my hands on some perforated metal I'll replace the mesh/holes on the sides with something more permissive.

For those of you who wanted to see how it looks with the cd drive open, here you go.


And the back with the light on.

It's like some sort of big spaceship or something. Love it. I used an 80mm cathode fan, in case you were wondering.

Here's the bad news: the mobo doesn't work. I tryed endless combos of ram and cpu's, but every time I get a cold boot, no post or video. It even starts up without cpu or ram installed. I researched the mobo model number, and apparently that's a common problem. So the computer part of the computer is not so much on the working side of things. I'll watch ebay for a replacement motherboard, but in the meantime I have a very shiny paperweight (more like an anchor).

 

thats to bad on the dead motherboard, but overall the case certainly looks unique and interesting and hey at least you have plenty of places that you can grab it to transport ^_^

 

Thread revival just so you could flame his work? Way not to go, mate.

 

I maybe.. slightly.. agree with Boscoe.. I just don't get it...

 

That's a horrible comment to make, why bump something that is 3 years old just to insult someones work. It's not even constructive criticism, it's just criticism...

 

I think its a good idea, just not that well executed... perhaps some of the tubes should have been attached to the front..

Now that's constructive criticism.

 

Looks nutty...

But I have to agree with some of the others and almost ask WHY?

Tis a great idea if it's connected to a water cooling loop, so that you have a crazy design working around functionality. However just to cut up the case and stick loadsa braided tubes on the outside of it for no reason is just a bit tube like...

Wud almost be like welding a snow plough to the front of a 4x4 in California, it might make the car look cool but everyone will think ur just plain nuts!

 

Have to agree. What's next? Dig up a five year old thread and dis the old computer equipment?

 

Reminds me the Medusa

 

Alright chill I just searched to see if there was any mods like the one i was gonna do and i saw this and i had seen it before and i thought i would comment. And it is constructive to be fair, it was jus ta little harsh.......................

....................but true.

Sorry ):

PS: Like monsta said if it was connected to a w'c loop it would be fair better, just a total waste of time and money for what? But it's your time and money, who am I to critise what you do with it.