Case Mod - In Progress Thermaltake armor mod

Discussion in 'Project Logs' started by mmonterov, 30 Apr 2009.

  1. mmonterov

    mmonterov tommy

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    Hi there.

    I am new posting here, but been reading the forums since a long time ago.
    Please consider that english is not my first languaje so be patience.

    I had done other mods in the past, and had receive good feedback for them, but eventually eighter I got bored of the cases, or simple end up in the trash after many modifications that didn´t go too well.

    So, few months early I got me a thermaltake armor, wich I promise myself it will be the last one, now its time to mod it.:rock: for once and for all.

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    I am using both my old parts, as well as new ones I just bought and other that are coming, I live in Costa Rica, where is imposible to find modding stuff, so I have to buy them in the US and have it shipped here, wich make those parts more expensive, at the time a bunch of parts are now at the customs office, oh man, getting them takes just forever.

    I had realize that my main problem is the hurry, the hurry to be able to use the computer again, and thats why I end up doing things the wrong way.

    So the first thing I did, was to take apart the computer, use an old case to put old basic hardware and being able to at least read mail and post here. This way i have all the time in the world to make a really good mod, hopefully.

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    And here is the case and hardware in pieces.

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    I started by cutting a hole for the main rad, not bad eh? those edges needs to be trim, but I am going to use an industrial machine from a friend, when I have the sides cut as well, or that process may take forever if I use my own tools.


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    Here you can see how its going to look, and I found out that the fan holder still fits, wich is great cause that will put an extra space between the rad and the fan that will make the air to be better distributed.

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    And back in the case, gives and idea of how is resulting, take a closer look, there is another smaller rad, yes, this case will have double water loop, being the main 0,5 inch, and the secondary 0,25 inch, this one, will be only on, when extra cooling is need it.:thumb::thumb: nahh, I am not a temperature freack, they will never reach a critical point, I just like to have double water loops, and I happen to have the needed parts from previous mods as I wrote before.
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    You can see that I had remove the motherboard tray, I going to replace with an acrylic one

    Later on, to decide wheter or not I will paint the interior.

    I wanted to have all 11 front bays with something usefull there, and not just have the ugly cover, so here is the list of bay devices.

    -fan controller, taking 2 bays
    -alphacool lcd, taking another 2 bays
    -bay-bus with switchers for the lights and secondary water pump, takes 1 bay
    -dvd reader, and dvd writer using 2 more bays
    -frontal audio and usb conectors in 1 more bay ( armor cases have these conectors in the top, being a big case, is kinda hard to reach them while seated, so I am re-placing them.
    -card reader and on-off buttons uses 1 bay
    -temps sensor with small lcd takes 1 more bay
    -an useful cabinet that came with the case will use the last one


    well, that´s all for the day:yawn::yawn:
     
  2. The boy 4rm oz

    The boy 4rm oz Project: Elegant-Li

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    Nice start, duel water loops are always a winner.
     
  3. mmonterov

    mmonterov tommy

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    Hi there, little work today.

    As I mention before, the audio / usb conectors at the top of the case needs to be re-place to reach them easily, I had in mind to use a 3,5 bay adapter that came with the case.
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    but I end up using a bay cover, and I think the result was better cause takes less space, and as a 12 cm fan is going behind this, the bay cover has some sort of mesh, wich will help the air flow from the outside to enter the case more easy.

    And this is what I got, after some cutting, drilling and spraying, it looks ok in the pic, but it really looks good once placed in the case, tought it may be re-paint it at a later time.

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    And last for the day, the sides and top panels marked, taped and ready to be cut.

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    And got news, my stuff from performance-pcs.com its now ready to be pick up at the mail office (Costarrican home delivery its expensive)
     
  4. The boy 4rm oz

    The boy 4rm oz Project: Elegant-Li

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    Nice work on the front ports, I haven't seen it done like that before on an Armor.
     
  5. mmonterov

    mmonterov tommy

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    Thanks, it will be improved, you will see.

    Today I got my stuff, worth of $350 including FL taxes, shipping to CR, CR taxes, yes taxes again.
    Thats an A.C Ryan uv green acrylic panel, a, lcd, switch port, fan controller, lights, chrome sleeving, and just found out by reading the box, this sleeving is conductive, so special care must be taken.

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    This is what I mean by "want all front bays full with something", its just a preview, dvd writer must be paint, as welll as the card reader, CD writer to be replaced with a sata one, to get the ide cable lost.

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    This preview allow me to plan things ahead, wich is good cause I found out the HD rack will no longer fit, as its not expected to have anything on the bay, and I don´t want anything coming out of the bay rack, but cables.
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    But quickly I came with a solution, instead of using the 5,25 HD rack with the 12 cm fan in the front, I will use the 3,25 HD rack, placing the fan at the top, wich it will allow me to put another rad right there.
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    At the same time, I think I gonna use that plastic top that came with the case, with the lid as a fan cover, it will be cool to put a small serbo motor to open the lid when the pc boots, and close itwhen it shuts down, but I do not have idea how to do that, so suggestions and ideas are more then welcome.
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    no modding tomorrow, cutting sides next monday, :dremel: follow by buying the clear acrylic panels, some leds, cables, and thermo shrink.
     

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