"THING" Work-Log 

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Sometimes I shut it down and take off the fill cap to let it breath a little.

The fluid is actually blue then green.  My old DC120 Kodak does not always get the colors right.

I've added a "Disco" LED. See the QuickTime Movie Here.

I use boiling water to heat the tubing and the fitting if I can reach it, then press it on. It's very secure and leak proof.  It is also very uncomfortable as you must hold the tubing with a rag during the process.

Here the tank has it's protective blue plastic in place until it's ready to install.

Here you see the "rice cooker" in a real action shot.

Dip the tubing in the boiling water for 15 to 30 seconds and it slips on easy.  I also dip the tie-straps so they form around the tubing with ease. 

The old tank just takes up too much room in the bay slots.

I'm very happy with the shipping and the tank so far.

Moddersmart has their own site for mods.

I don't plan on re-working thing now, just install the new tank.

Do not try this at home.

I'm running a 400GIG SAMSUNG Sata drive now. 

This runs like a champ. So the Raptor Drives were the problem.

These hard drive have caused me more headaches then anything else I've ever done.

  I would like to track down if it's the siimage chipset or the actual drives.  Both my ASUS mother-boards have the same chipset so I really do not have have a good way to troubleshoot this.  My problems with these drives started on Screamer. Since then I am just running a standard ATA/133 drive and it's been running ok for over a year.

I've re-installed XP Pro a MAXTOR 250 Gig ATA/133 and so far, I'm happy with it.

I have a little 40 GIG Maxtor for a backup drive for all those big down-loads for BF2 and drivers.

The problem was the modules were not quite matching. 

One chip was fried!!  Now Windows is stable. 

 Now with 2.5 gigs of MATCHING Corsair XMS Platinum memory, it runs great.

The unit is very quiet.

I had to gamma the hell out of the 2 photos above, just so you could see the power supply.

All the wires were covered in black mesh.

2 80mm speed controlled fans

These factory photos are better then mine. 

Free Fan & Controller

I'm thinking it's soundcard drivers, but the hard-drive will make a large clank and quit.

I started to think it was the power supply.  I never did like it anyway, it was gawdy looking and had some molex plugs that refused to work.

Old Power Supply

The new Aspire 500 Watt power supply came with over-size screws for mounting, an 80mm clear fan, a nice speed controller with a heat sink.  The controller can handle up to 4 fans, so the heat sink is a good idea to cool the rheostat.

I'm not using switch or fan, so it will become an eBay item as soon as I collect some more junk.

I'm have just finished Stephanie's Dell

I'm using MaxBlast from an UBCD

Right now, I'm using max-blast to do a low level format of my 250gig maxtor drive.
It's really slow on such a big drive. I started the low-level format yesterday morning and it's still running today.  It usually takes 30+ hours to do such a big drive.

Both of My A7N8X Deluxe MB have always been weird with their sound card drivers.

This is a great looking, good feeling keyboard.

Keys are back-lighted and the letter are lighted as well.  The blue light on a black key board has to be seen to see how good looking it is.

Saitek Black Wired Eclipse Keyboard

there was enough sunlight coming in to make the case turn red for the camera.

Also the top blowhole window and the rear mesh

If I was doing this over again, I would have not used 4 fans for the radiator.

I really do not like the power supply at all.

I may still change that.  I may also swap the radiator around with in inlet/outlets to the rear.

Having them in the front took too many bays.

Having 4 fans also took too many bays.

Original Case

Original Case

Now I can put the sides on.

I torque down the water block some more and dropped from 105 to 97 degrees Fahrenheit.

I'm running UT 2004 with 22 bots in spectator mode to see how hot she runs.

People bitch or praise certain water blocks or radiators. They need to make sure the water block in good contact with the processor. 

Here is the original case I started with. next to it is the same monitor (not painted yet) and a standard Dell XPS full tower that I painted.

Case Modding is about personal taste, not the public's. You can always buy a Gateway or HP !!!

The folks at 3DGameman have been great.

I still need to make a bay cover for the area around the fittings.  I have a thermometer and some switches to go there. I'll make a case badge from this image or this one

Not everything is done, since I'm waiting for more green Laser LED's from frozencpu.com, and some single ATA cables from newegg.com. I have some headphones coming too.  I live in a duplex and my neighbor does not like my bass kickers.

Some last minute painting, and some wiring.

My wiring is setup so I can add electrical devices at any time.

For the first time in a month, I've dug out the processor and mother-board.

Seems like every time I've had to work on this, someone else has horned in on my time.

Finally I'm at a point where I can boot this thing up and see it run.

I decided to take a break and watch a movie.  The trim for the case-front must dry.

Here I've installed the circuits on fixed busses, powered by a Molex connector

I'm trying to keep all wiring in one place.

In the 2nd photo, I'm running a test.  I'm also trying lights in different places to see what I like.

The bay is pretty much finished except for cutting the lettering to full depth.  I'll probably scratch the paint, so one coat of paint was enough to get started on the wiring.

I test each fan or light, then wire it up and test again.

I've routed and re-routed wires to suite me. I'm kind of anal about this.  if it's taken this long to build, then it will just take a little longer to get the machine the way I want it.

 I found the tool needed to crimp the little male & female pins onto the wire into a Molex Pin.    It was at Radio Shack.

 The Molex male & female pins and their connectors came from frozencpu.  You can sleeve and put colored Molex connectors, without ever cutting a wire.

Now I can make my own electrical connections in the case, instead of relying on factory, pre-wired crap.

I'm also getting light switch legs soldered onto the micro-switches. I'm also getting lights placed in the case. I want the entire case wired and ready before I install a single computer component.

Some drilling, painting the interior surfaces.  it's close enough to start wiring.  I've started the lettering from the back side.  I don't have it to full depth yet.  I'm waiting on some 5mm LED's from coldfusionx

Here is a video of the LED's in Action

I any not have gotten much case modding done, but at least I've had a good time death matching with Curtis.  Soon he will be fragging YOU.

I have to make a new bay front.

I did not know which way was ON with those big cathode switches. I did not allow enough room to clear the ground plug on those big cathode switches.

At least I have the schematic for connecting these to devices. 

How to wire an illuminated switch. The "3rd" leg on the switch is a ground.  Tie ALL the ground legs together and switch the hot side.

Details, details details!

• I've replaced most all of the hose clamps with nylon tie-straps. the hose clamps helped form the tubing as they have more leverage.  The tie-straps sure look cleaner.

• The sub-micro switches were too small to project thought the thick Acrylic so I cut a mortise with the table-saw.

• I also cut the mortise for the LED's.

• I printed a template for drilling the switch holes and stuck it on with double stick tape.

• I'm taking a nap, until radio-shack opens at 1PM

• Had a nap and got the sub-micro switches.

• I drilled holes for switches and sides.

• With the switches in place, I can begin wiring the case lights and fans.

• I want to have all the wiring done and stealth before I install the mother board.

• I'm happy with the water system. I've fixed what needs to be fixed and the water testing continues. 

Fan List, Switched

Radiator 120 Thick #1

Radiator 120 Thick #2

Radiator 120 Thin #2
Front intake 120
Suck Hole 120
Upper Rear 120

Fan List, Un-Switched

Radiator 120 Thin #1 with the temperature control.

1 80mm case fan

Switch Labels
(already switched)
Laser LED
Laser LED
Dual UV Cathode
Dual UV Cathode

This controls lights and fans.

The Cathode switches came from www.wiredbeans.com 

The smaller switches will be sub-micro switches from radio shack.

The "SWITCH LABELS" are cut in from the back-side with a Dremel tool and is illuminated from a top mortise cut into the plastic. The back-side gets painted black. 

I already have a device I've been saving for a case like this.  It operates the 4 LED's in a variable sequence and can be turned on-off with a sub-micro switch.  it originally was switched with a jumper, so I took an old tailed LED, whacked off the LED and installed the switch in it's place.

I picked it up at a Canadian mod-site that does not appear to be running any more.

I'm Running the test until I get the case wired up.

One elbow had to stay so I would miss the edge of the graphics card.  Another had to stay because of the splitter (Y) on the water block.

Next time, I'll choose a water block with only one exhaust. 

I have a testing unit for power supplies that just plugs in.

That lets me hook up the cathodes for leak detection.

I wish I had more clear heavy wall water lines.

First time I find that stuff, I'll get enough to do the whole thing over.

So I've used a siphon to drain the tank and I'll re-run some of the lines.  I started out with 50' of that green tubing, so I can install new lines until I'm satisfied with this.

All the tubing and fittings have to be warmed in boiling water to get them to slide over.

I'm running most all of this without any hose clamps for about 3 days or so in my kitchen.

Running with no clamps will point out any weak points in the system.

I have a short hose to fix but so far I'm very pleased with how this looks.

The little gage is reading 3 LBS SQ/INCH

A little pressure may be good.  The gage seller stated that you have to have a high powered system, even to get it to register. 

That's a EHEIM 1250 317GPH water pump.

I'm watching Star Gate and cooking Tygon Tubing. With a custom rig like this, nothing fits or works quite like you think it will.

It arrived today. 7/12/2004

I've played around with placing it on the floor and in the bays.  It does look good in the bays and the spigot to the pump is well above the pump.

If I place it on the floor, then it's spigot is below the pump inlet. I'm a firm believer in gravity so it's in the bays.

Not counting some time I went into work to get some more reports done.

I used some heavy 3/8 stuff so I had room to end-drill it.  The brass screws look good against black.

Now I'll just take it apart and paint it with Krylon Cold Fusion, and then over that with semi-flat.

7/11/2004

The weld-on glue did not stick at all.

I cut out a new one and I will bolt it together with brass hardware.

7/10/2004 at 2 AM

This cover is in the trash.

Since the case came with NO bay covers what-so-ever, I've had to make my own.

I've left some of the protective paper on until I'm done.

We are trying Acrylic Weld-on #3 again and hoping for the best.  I re-read the direction so I won't have another excuse.

I'm not sure, I might just paint it from the back side only and see how it looks.  If I don't like it I'll paint both sides.

7/10/2004

Then I will assemble the "water-works", with out the mother-board, etc., and run it for a week while I wire up some odds & ends. I've started the radiator fans. a pair switched and a pair un-switched.

It directly interfered with the PCI card access. This was a flaw in original Enermax design.

I could have placed it on the outside but I think I can barely squeak by with:

• 4 120mm radiator fans

• 3 120mm case fans

• 1 80mm case fan

• 2, 80mm power supply fans

• 2 40mm video card fans

• 1 40mm hard-drive fan

At least I can admit it. I made my pump stand, it was my first experiment with Weld-on #3 and gluing acrylic. 

• The stuff is just plain lame or I'm using it on the wrong plastic.

• It can stick but I'm never sure how well.

• The bonds I tested did not fair very well at all.

In any case this will save quite a bit of time and I'll have faith in it.

In any case, I decided not to put my new computer at risk.  I ordered this reservoir from frozencpu.com

(I should have gotten 3 day shipping.)

The whole time I've worked on the design and construction of the shroud, I've been a little fuzzy on exactly how to attach this to the tower.

The front is solved by attaching it to the bays.

I'll make a removable cover for the front to hide a switched buss and un-switched buss.

The best I can think of for the rear is to cut a piece to stand on top of the power supply. 

I've attached the top window in place with double stick tape and really tiny brass wood screws.

These were a bit difficult to work with, but I have it done now. The tiny Dremel drill bits were the only way to get a pilot hole.  These screws twist off quite easily.

I'm putting this on 1/2" fittings. With my other setup I ran it 3 days with NO HOSE CLAMPS and NO LEAKS.

I have not noted any "flow" problems.

This heavy-wall tubing is 3/8" inside and 5/8" outside.  It's twice as thick as most tubing sold at case-mod sites.

The only thing is this stuff is green and only semi-transparent.  Lucky I still have some clear tubing of the same specifications for the parts of the case that show.

I did not realize how much room it took to insert the assembly.

I had constructed this to insert from the rear, though where the power supply plate goes. It is a removable assembly.  I could not re-assemble the lower shroud, or the get the power supply plate re-assembled.

So I ripped the edges off with the table saw so I could insert the lower fan shroud from the front.

I had also forgot to drill the inlet and out-let for the water tubing.  A spade drill-bit worked better then I thought it would.

It's drilled now.

Gold & Black has always been a winning look for machines.

I've decided on NO grill's for the top!

When these big, badass fans are running, NO ONE would dare put their fingers in.  If they do, the fans will blow the finger tips, bone, blood and flesh free of the machine.

After all, we don't want a messy case!

I screwed up the top window by talking on the phone, while I was drilling the fan holes.  I had some more Lucite on hand, but it was thicker.

This changed the whole fit of the shroud and radiator in the front bays, so I had to "mod my mod".

I can still use all the slots in the bays to hold up the front of the radiator.

I did have enough time to cut out the pump stand.

Pumps are rated by gallons per hour and also by how high it will pump the water. Lower the pump from it's objective, the less the GPH.

I still want it's inlet, lower then the tank bottom.

I plan on attaching the tank to the 80mm fans in back.  I'll have to make a bracket, so that it stands off a bit from the fans.

This also will hide my buss connections.  I'll place some my un-switched and switched busses under a cover, behind this this stand.

The top fan is a different mesh.

If you remember, I had the jig-saw take me and my case for a nasty ride, when I was cutting the rear 80mm factory grills out.  Between the fans it had port knock-outs that I really did not need anyway.  So I whacked a hole with my trusty Dremel Tool and painted the mesh gold.  They are held on with the fans and the removable PCI tray.

Drilling holes in mesh can be a hazard. The drill can go for a ride in a new direction, like though your hand. So I just mark them with a sharpie and cut it with my snips.

To carry on the "mesh theme", I added gold mesh to the bottom "Suck-Hole". The garage is kind of dark so the photos did not show off the mesh grill real well. This also got a filter.

All the fans get filters.  I hate dusty cases!

I just had to find a spot to hang one more 120mm fan. I had an older veteran Enermax adjustable fan on hand so in the hole it goes. I just black taped the speed adjustment, cut off the tachometer lead. Then I ran the wires to the case front. I will have several fixed electrical busses there for power to the switched and un-switched fans. The 2, 80mm fans will run full time as well as two of the smaller 120mm radiator fans.  The front intake, bottom suck-hole and the two large (120mm x 38mm) fans will be controlled.

I was inspired add the mesh by Veil's Project

Now to add the fan mounting holes and I think I'll use some new mesh on the fan tops.

I have filters for the fan bottoms.

I'm satisfied with both the duct and modder's mesh.

The mesh is aluminum, so I painted it Gold.

I held it in place with rubber bands, then formed it around the sides and sealed/glued it on the duct.

I have not glued it to the case yet, since I need to finish rubbing the paint.

For the time being, I'll leave the two tone paint on the front. It does look pretty good.  My Sony Camera had no problem picking up both colors.

I've used the hammer finish on the back and sides.

The hammer paint covers better, but I need to make a change in my style, for covering large areas of the side panels.

I'm thinking about the switch bay and case lighting now. 

Frozencpu sent me an extra dual, UV Cathode, so I'm place more emphasis on stuff that shines in UV.  It is easier to mix colors with UV then standard cathodes. 

I wet sanded the top again and it still looked bad.  So I just shot the "Hammer Finish" from  Rust-Oleum

We are waiting for it to cure, then we will buff out the "orange peel", that spray paint leaves with rubbing compound.

This paint kit cost about $17.00 a kit, from Wal-Mart.

1 kit will do a front, since this had a lot of surface area. Then another kit each for each case side-panel, then a spare for the top of the case.  

 I actually could have saved some money buying that pre-modded Lian-Li from Frozencpu.com, but I would not have had the fun of modding this case, and this one is actually bigger.

• Hammer Finish Paint for the case's interior.
• Color Changing Paint for the case.
• Look at the two photos. Left the cap is red, right the cap is blue.
• Cleaner on the left, primer on the right.

http://www.duplicolor.com/

This shit is an addiction.  I need help.