My old school case

[cgrant26]

This case started life back in 1998 as a Gateway PII 333 Full-Tower. The only thing left of the original computer is the case itself. The original board and CPU were swapped out about 3 or so years ago. I did the paint and window and fan mods and UV CCFLs about 2 years ago (Or whenever the Tornado fans first came out) This thing has been more of an evolution than an outright case mod. The laters addition: watercooling.
Current specs:
MSI KT3 Ultra2 mobo
Barton 2500+
512 mb GEIL Ultra Platinum PC2500 Cas2
Radeon 9800 Pro
4 40 gig HDDs (2 in a RAID 0 array)
D-tec Whitewater CPU block
Maxijet 1200 Pump
Custom built 1.5 Gallon plexi reservior. (external)
B&M oil cooler mounted inside a window AC unit

List of mods: (all DIY)
Silver wrinkle paint and satin blue
Custom side window. (No premods here)
Home built 3 Channel rheobus with master On/Off
Added front bezel USB ports
Brushed steel handles
120mm window blowhole & AOC (Evercool) aluminum fan.
2 Vantec Tornado case fans (92mm & 80mm)
Plexi I/O plate window
Many other Misc. mods.
Monitor and keyboard painted to match case.

I did all the work on this myself with raw materials, a dremel, a cordless drill and more than just a few drops of blood. The case is made of fairly thick steel so any cutting takes forever and burns through cutting disks and sanding drums.

Before Watercooling:

http://home.comcast.net/~gchadwick100/Profile.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/~gchadwick100/Headon.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/~gchadwick100/Side.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/~gchadwick100/120mmfan2.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/~gchadwick100/LizardTower.jpg

[cgrant26]

http://home.comcast.net/~gchadwick100/UV001.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/~gchadwick100/UV002.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/~gchadwick100/UVPSU.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/~gchadwick100/Moniter.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/~gchadwick100/Keyboard.jpg
Like the nice melted 9 key?
http://home.comcast.net/~gchadwick100/NormaFloor.jpg

[cgrant26]

http://home.comcast.net/~gchadwick100/DSC00118.JPG
http://home.comcast.net/~gchadwick100/DSC00120.JPG

[cgrant26]

Heres some pics with the watercooling.

http://home.comcast.net/~gchadwick100/DSC00141.JPG
http://home.comcast.net/~gchadwick100/DSC00142.JPG
http://home.comcast.net/~gchadwick100/DSC00055.JPG
http://home.comcast.net/~gchadwick100/DSC00133.JPG
http://home.comcast.net/~gchadwick100/DSC00123.JPG

[MasiveMunkey]

Pretty awesome case. How did you burn your "9" key? Also where is your radiator, outside your window?

[TheMostWantedPolishTwin]

looks pretty cool... great job! oh, and nice specs...

[Prim3]

Originally posted by MasiveMunkey
Pretty awesome case. How did you burn your "9" key? Also where is your radiator, outside your window?

The radiator looks stuffed into the window AC... Good thinking!

[PS-RagE]

Nice dragon!

Case is pretty cool too ;)

[Little Grabbi]

That window fan is f***ing schweet!!!

Love the case.

[cgrant26]

Originally posted by MasiveMunkey
Pretty awesome case. How did you burn your "9" key? Also where is your radiator, outside your window?

Thanks for the compliments guys. :)
I could lie and explain how I was soldering up some cool LED sequencer and the Iron fell on the key, but, the truth is I was a bit drunk one night and left a cigarette burning in the ashtray above the keyboard. It burned down enough and the cig fell on the keyboard and melted my 9 key down. I bought the keyboard at KompfUSSR for 15 bucks and figured I'd just swipe a key off one of their display models. Well, they don't sell this one anymore and I now have an extensive collection of 9 keys. (all of which don't fit) I guess I've gotten used to it enough so I sort of decided to just leave it. (makes a good conversational piece anyways :D )

-EDIT- Oh yeah, the rad is mounted inside the AC unit and rests against the cooling element so it receives cold airflow and contact dissapation too. Here are the temp ranges I have seen:
CPU Idle: 24* - 26*C
CPU Load: 26* - 29*C
System Idle: 25*- 27*C
System Load: 27* - 30*C (Note: I've only seen it hit 30*C once)
So far, I have been able to OC this system to 185mhz FSB at which point I start getting artifacts in the video. This CPU/Memory combo has way more potential too as I can keep raising the FSB to 195mhz with Prime95 running stable til the video gets so bad I can't see what I'm doing anymore. I have tried droping the clock rates on my 9800 Pro and even reducing it to 2X AGP, but nothing stops the artifacts at ~185 FSB. I think my next upgrade will be an NF7-S so I can get the locked multiplier for AGP/PCI.

[NOTD665]

Good sir, there appears to be some sort of scaled creature lurking about your computer area.

[MasiveMunkey]

I have a crappy $10 keyboard also, but it works perfectly. I also lost my insert key after I took it out because it's freakin annoying.

[cgrant26]

Yeah, that insert key needs one of the military style flip-up safety guards. Nothing like typing a bunch of stuff only to see that you just typed over half of a paragraph.

[Killermac]

nice setup, clean, good wiring. Nice burned key. That makes me think twice about a gagway case.

Killermac

[darktiger]

Pretty cool, like the water cooling setup.

[diredesire]

OMGLIZRD

[Nappo]

Originally posted by diredesire
OMGLIZRD

[TruthInRuin]

That lizard looks like its oced pretty heavy... what voltages? Is it watercooled? What kind of temps?

[Carnival Forces]

Originally posted by cgrant26
Yeah, that insert key needs one of the military style flip-up safety guards. Nothing like typing a bunch of stuff only to see that you just typed over half of a paragraph.

yep, especially if you're pulling an "oh, i'll get it done the night before.. i mean, six pages on some bullshit topic in a bullshit class they like to call "English," how hard can it be? right?...."

[darktiger]

I have one of those cases, nice setup.

[BiGWooDy]

Wow i didnt think you could make something so old so beautiful
Congrats

[badjoke]

stick the lizard inside your resevoirand take a picture of it swimming

[BiGWooDy]

Originally posted by badjoke
stick the lizard inside your resevoirand take a picture of it swimming
BADJOKE
hehe
just kidding

[draconius]

omg
there was a guy asking if anyone has live animals modded into his case....quick....wrap your iguana in EL wire!!!!!!

/me posts pics of this in other guys thread:D
<edit> dammit the thread got locked</edit>

[lorcani]

damnit, now I want a lizard.

[cgrant26]

Thanks for the nice comments guys. The Iguana's name is Lola, I have another one named Norma. They currently reside in my garage and on a hot day, they get pretty well overclocked. Norma got out last weekend while I was washing my car and I had to run full speed to catch her. :)