About me: Like most of you I have a lot of experience building, tweaking, modifying, and overclocking computers. After I sold a laptop to Houseofbugs through eBay, we started talking about things computer related and he asked me to check out PCApex.com. I followed his advice and created an account and decided to post my first formal project log. I hope to learn from the best of you and help those who are just starting out

About the mod: After using evaporative coolers and other open loops for a few years, i grew tired of the various disadvantages, and while i still wholeheartedly support them, I no longer like having one in my bedroom. My current cooler (picture attached), christened "Bong v2.0," has given me delicious sub ambient temps, but will be retired and replaced by a more minimal cooling system. My case was also scarred from years of use and abuse, so i decided that that too will be replaced. As I planned this all out, I decided that there is no better time to do a mod than during a full enclosure/overhaul, thus, this project.

Goals: Is sharp contrast to my evaporative titan, this machine (in theory at least) will be small, light, easy on the eyes, and most importantly quiet. The budget is 500$, not including the new video card. I'm also planning for decent cooling performance for a decent overclock, thus decent parts, listed below


Style: The case is going to be black with gold highlights, primarily from the gold fan grills on top and on the back. I may do a window and lighting, but IÂ’m trying hard to keep if from looking flashy and glitzy

Parts:
Newegg:
Lian-Li A05B
Swiftech MCW30

Sidewinder:
Swiftech MCR320
Swiftech MCP655
Swiftech MCRES
Tygon Black 7/16ID 9/16OD
Akasa sound dampening (neoprene)
4x Gold 120mm Grills

Xoxide:
Lian-Li CD/DVD Cover
Lian-Li Floppy Cover
Yate Loon 120mm medium speed x3

Attached Thumbnails

 

welcome to pcapex.
i have only bin were a short time my self and everbody here
at pcapex are good people!

Welcome to PCApex 4od. There's plenty of people who know their stuff here, but I'm not one of them. So, if you don't mind, I'll be pickin' your brain every now-and-then.

Thanks for the welcomes!

As for the mod, everything is going well. I received everything but the video card and VRAM sinks, and Christmas break starts today at 2:30! I did a mock up with the gold grills and i think it looks really sharp! I'll let you decide later today when i post pics

Welcome.
Are you going to give this rig a name before or after you have completed it?

Welcome to PCApex and get ready for the Welcome wagon!

Looking forward to see your worklog

Wow, I haven't seen bong cooling in a while. Welcome to PCA! Don't forget to checkout GameApex for your gaming fix.

Got some serious work done today!

I primed the case and other assorted bits - the case will be black, everything else will be gold

My SCSI cable is/was bright red so i primed that as well, not sure how spray paint will look on it

I did some cutting on the top USB/Firewire/Audio ports so the radiator would fit

I cleaned the mineral buildup from two years of bong use out of my Apogee

I lapped my E6400, my Apogee, and my Maze4

I installed my Apogee and MCW30 w/ Innovation Cooling Diamond 7

I ordered another gold grill for the inner side of the back 120mm

All in all, I feel like I got a lot done.


Tomorrows is the real work - painting and cutting.

I think I may also go down to RadioShack and get a high-wattage rheostat for fan control

As for lighting, I think I'm going to go for plain white - do you think I should I use LEDs or CFLs?

Pics up in 3 min

Window cut!

Crayon rubbing for template


Template taped on


Sound proofing


Gold stuff


Black coat number 1


Cut! Took a long time and 3 fiberglass reinforced dremel bits


Nearly perfect fit!


Waterblocks painted


Got my BFG 8800 GTS 512


Still need to put sinks on the IO chip and mosfets


Gold fan - i made two of these, but one will be barely visible


Hard drive array - loudest part of system


Black coat 2


SCSI cable with tygon r3400 as sleeving