CoolerMACster mod

[Xeese]

EDIT - There are a few dead pics in the thread. They will be updated by friday 6/17.

Instead ot taking a G5 and making it house a PC I am taking a PC and making it look like a G5. 4 main pieces involved top handles, bottom handles, front and top (one piece) and CD ROM cover. The top and bottom handles will be flush with the side panels when installed.

Pictured are the handles. The one with the case on the bottom handles still has the coolermaster feet on the case. Fabrication should be finished this week then it is off to the powdercoater, or maybe anodized.

For anyone interested, the parts will be available as a conversion kit for other Coolermaster owners. The shop I am working with will fabricate other parts if people want them for Lian-li's or other cases as well. No idea on pricing until this prototype is finished.

http://www.theforumisdown.com/uploadfiles/1203/handles_rough.JPG


http://www.theforumisdown.com/uploadfiles/1203/handles_small.JPG


Updated shot of current build status to save some thread searching for everyone.



http://www.tuckie.net/uploaded/money-shot.JPG

[ctu11y]

oooohhhh very creative, i got sick of seeing all those g5 to pc conversions...cant wait to see the finished product!

[JiveBologna]

Here's (http://www.conf.co.jp/new_folder/making/cube_1.html) a guy that did something similar, except made of ABS and he doesn't have plans to sell it like you do (just to tease everyone with it). ;)

[Aqua_Geek]

Are you going to anodize the whole case or just the handles? Or are you just going to leave it how it is and not anodize it?

[Grammar Nazi]

Originally posted by ctu11y
oooohhhh very creative, i got sick of seeing all those g5 to pc conversions...cant wait to see the finished product!
oh, you mean the one that was later proved to be a joke? yeah, I am really worn out too from seeing somebody do it.

[jayjaya29]

Looks good, keep us updated.

[Xeese]

I will either get the entire thing anodized, or powdercoated. I haven't decided which. If I go anodized, I am not decided on beadblasting or polishing first. I have a local place (http://www.surtronics.com/finishes/anodizesulfuric.htm) for anodizing or the place that did my NeXT cube for powder coating (http://www.cbsforless.com)

[jwill]

very interesting. ill be watching this thread. keep up the good work. :)

[Xeese]

Pics of more pieces. Side panels have been bead blasted, the handles will be as well. The top handle is not welded on completely yet. It will be flush when finally mounted.

Right side of case.
http://www.theforumisdown.com/uploadfiles/1203/cm_right.JPG

Frontal View - note, the radius on the perforated panel curves is going to be increased so that they are "rounder" also the lip of the bottom handle sticking out on the front will be removed, still finalizing the fittings.
http://www.theforumisdown.com/uploadfiles/1203/cm_frontal.JPG

Left Side
http://www.theforumisdown.com/uploadfiles/1203/cm_left.JPG

Back - note how the top will attach to the same screw holes with tabs like the original coolermaster top. With removal of the screws on the back and under the bottom front edge the perforated top & front panel is removeable. This provides access to the front fans, top fans, etc.

http://www.theforumisdown.com/uploadfiles/1203/CM_back.JPG

Things to be finished - Fix radius on perforated panel. finish attaching handles and smooth out flat front edge for perfect line with side panels, cut holes in front for switches, card reader, and optical drive, then take the parts to the anodizer.

[Morphes]

FUCKING SWEET, love the idea! good going

[ness1469]

That's looking SEXY! Can't wait to see more!

[jwill]

hell yeah man. keep up the good work. :cool:

[darktiger]

Looking pretty good, cant wait until its done.

[Xeese]

Thanks for the feedback so far, I really appreciate it. It looks like my choices on the anodizing will be Plain, Black, or Blue. This (http://www.surtronics.com/finishes/anodizesulfuric.htm) is the place that will be doing the anodizing.

[Tt Ownage]

OMG!

nice nice nice nice x100

if Mac tries to stop xeese from making these, i will personally burn down their building...

it doesn't matter which one.. as long as it burns..

[Deadlierchair]

Looks like it's shaping up to be something special. Now just throw a couple opterons in there and we can have a Mac that performs :D

[Black Morty Rackham]

I want to build one of those and stick our old PowerMac 6100 in it! It's from 1994 and has a 60MHz PPC601 processor, hahah! :D

[Highlife]

awesome work, cant wait to see it myself =)

[diredesire]

nice work, and i LOVE that mini g5 cube

[kill_emma]

simply sexy

[Xeese]

Ok - final work from the machine shop is in. The plan for the optical drives is that pieces of aluminum will be attached with double sided tape. They aren't in the picture, but will be in the future.

The power and reset button holes are drilled out for bulgin vandal resistant switches. I may use blue illuminated or may go with the nickel plated ones like mounatin-mods use on their cube.

The bottom hole is for a 6 in 1 card reader and USB port.

The last pic is of the top near the back handle which shows how much can be seen through the 1/16" perforation. The holes above the blowhole fan on top will be enlarged to 1/8". That and a few minor tweaks then the case is off to the powdercoater. (http://www.cbsforless.com) A test piece of perforated has been run through and he can coat it for me without clogging or impeding the holes.

http://mrbobo.net/uploaded/cm-rightfront.JPG
http://mrbobo.net/uploaded/cm-leftfront.JPG
http://mrbobo.net/uploaded/top-backhndl.jpg

[fatbob_158]

pics = no go, can't wait to see the powder coating though. I'v been thinking about getting it done myself.

[Xeese]

Pics should be functional again - first host seems to have died on me.

[darktiger]

Wow that is pretty sweet.

[IYIENACE]

It's great to see so many talented people putting together projects like this...I love work logs lol. :D

[Tt Ownage]

very sexified

:)

[Bustercaps]

Xeese...

Nice to see some good work from a fellow NC'r, that is some smooth stuff you got going there... GooSH (Good SHit)!! Very nice work.

[theNoid]

Someone quick, hand me new boxers.

[Xeese]

Hard drive cage in completed form. aluminum box made from 2 custom L shapes welded together, then polished. Drives are vertical in the cage with 1/8" sorbothane sheets on top and bottom of the cage. Front intake fan blows over the drives for coolness and the drive gets vibration isolation from the Sorbothane.

http://www.tuckie.net/uploaded/drivecage.JPG

Worklog type pic - after using a marker to indicate the hole positions for the cage using a centerpunch. The wood wedged in the cage is so it doesn't bend when the punch is hit with the hammer. Not a hard hit, but hey, it is aluminum.

www.tuckie.net/uploaded/drive_marking.JPG

After drilling out the holes on my press, time for tapping them.

http://www.tuckie.net/uploaded/hole_tapping.JPG


The pile of parts back from the powdercoater. I started mounting the fans with EAR composite mounts to isolate any fan vibration.

http://www.tuckie.net/uploaded/waitingassembly.JPG

This shows the outgassing/discoloration where some JBweld from the top handle attachment area. This area is covered by the mesh panel.

http://www.tuckie.net/uploaded/jbweld.JPG

The required pic of attaching the top handles with JB weld and the bazillion clamps I used to make sure nothing could move.

http://www.tuckie.net/uploaded/handle_attach.JPG

[Xeese]

Now a teaser pic - Case arrived from powdercoater today. I started to do assembly in it. Wires are not final, one optical drive not installed, but it is coming along. The mirror white powdercoat is very shiny.

http://www.tuckie.net/uploaded/small_assembly.JPG

[jwill]

damn Xeese nice work. looking forward to more pictures of the final product. :cool:

[CoRPS]

Niceeeee, love it.
I for one haven't seen anyone do this yet, so I bow down to you sir.
/bow

[M4d-K10wN]

Although I don't like the way those Macs look, you have some M4d 5k1LLz!

[Aku12]

can we get a pic of how well the little holes came out after powdercoating? how small did they end up getting?

[Xeese]

This is really blurry, will take another later. Basically holes are still very close to the original size. The powdercoater had a setup that was pulling aird from the back when the mesh was sprayed to make sure they didn't get blocked.

http://www.tuckie.net/uploaded/meshholes.JPG

[1337m0dd3r]

damn that looks nice as hell. gj :D

[Spyder]

sexy.. Mac Bootlag.. i likes it.. i likes it alot

[TheMostWantedPolishTwin]

darn.. that's some quality modding..

[Xeese]

I need to get some good pics outside tomorrow - meanwhile, here is an assembled shot.



http://www.tuckie.net/uploaded/money-shot.JPG

[DRJ1014]

looking nice:)

[Marc113-]

this is cool!

[Muttsta]

wow, just wow
how much do you expect to sell these for?

[Xeese]

I have been talking with the machine shop and will probably sell the items as kits. Basically top and bottom handles and the front mesh. Not shown in the pics is that the front panel actually has mesh bent back along the sides and welded along the top and bottom curves to make it really rigid. On the coolermaster cases, since the sides actually extend a little in front of the front panel this let me hide the side mesh. On an Antec/chieftec type case the mesh would be visible like the side of a normal bezel.

Price for the kit will be around $225 for aluminum. It will be higher for stainless steel. Basically you can get a used coolermaster for about $100, add the kit, and add the powdercoating for a total of ~$400. Using something like one of the steel Coolermaster frames for $60 is an option and would add some weight.

Unlike buying a G5 case and trying to stuff an ATX system in there this system fits regular ATX boards, drives, etc with no problem. I did the change on how my hard drives are mounted because I wanted the Sorbothane sheets to isolate any operational vibration.

[Taurus]

Hey Xeese

Is it possible you could send me the measurments for the case(including the hight of the handles)
My dad is the manager of a steel factory and I can get any steel or aluminum I want for free:D, so Im gonna try making one of these.

Thanks

[Xeese]

Bump for the forums being back online. Taurus I took some measurements off a G5 case and did some sketches. The machine shop I am working with did the final configuration to take account of material ues in the turn radius, etc. The perforated metal I used has 1/16" holes and the pattern is visible. I am not sure what it is referred to but Mcmaster had the different hole pattern descriptions.