MetallicAcid's Fractal Effect 304

Wow! I love that concept! Can't wait to see more.

Update 2
Cutting begins!



Welcome to the 2nd update of this fantastic customer build, pegged to take no more than the end of December to complete.

In this chapter I would like to introduce everyone to the alimunium armour pieces that I have cut out, that will be attached to the top of the Fractal Design Node 304. I have just two pictures to show this update, as these cuts were done during the week at work on my lunch break each day. These panels were created from setting up sketchup to print off the design in 1:1 ratio, and then just cut around the lines... Childs play!





I am sorry for the crappy pictures and unprofessional lighting, but I thought the importance to document this step took precedence over a photo shoot.. Once I have the panels glued and filed, I will set the old photobooth and get some glory shots for you guys!

Thank you for reading, and let me know what you think so far of the build
MetallicAcid

StatutoryApe said:

Wow! I love that concept! Can't wait to see more.

Click to expand...

Thanks Ape! I really like the fact that it has all different colours instead of being just a 2 colour clean rig that is most popular these days. I hope you stick around for future updates

MetallicAcid

Update 3
Wild Bitfenix appears!




I am proud to announce Bitfenix as a partner for this pocket rocket of a PC mod for Henrik. They have generously supplied me with 2 Spectre Pro PWM 120mm fans, and 6 120mm LED strips. I will put these to good use! Here is a couple of pictures to show the items up close.















Thank you Bitfenix for supplying this build with your fans and LEDs. This will help to make this build even more one of a kind!


As a mini text update, I am taking a half day from work to work exclusively with the mod. Expect some more progress very soon
MetallicAcid

Update 4
Filing, fitting, fixing.



Welcome to the 4th update of this Fractal Design Node 304 mITX build. Can anyone suggest a better name than Fractal Effect 304 for me?? I swear I am the worst person in the world to think of PC names!!

Anyways, within this update, I want to share my progress after todays work on the plates which will sit on top of this Node 304 case. I have come a long way with the cutting - filing and fitting them together, and would like to share with you some before and after shots. They still are not 100% complete though, and you might see some unstraight lines in the pictures... The final filing and sizing happens when I have the plates sitting on the case I have also started sanding in preparation for painting.


Before:












After:












That is it for this update and always, any feedback is greatly appreciated!
Best regards,
MetallicAcid

Great concept. I loved the render, which looked awesome.
Can't wait to see this once you've completed it.
Keep up the good work!

Jwilliams01207 said:

Great concept. I loved the render, which looked awesome.
Can't wait to see this once you've completed it.
Keep up the good work!

Click to expand...

Thank you Mr Williams! I am really enjoying the build so far already and I hope it turns out how I imagine it will!

MetallicAcid

Update 5
The Node 304 arrives to steal the show.



Hey guys and girls!

Today was all about the Fractal Design Node 304. I would like to give you a photo tour of this case, and give you my first impressions with working on this case. I can start off by saying that I am thoroughly impressed with the quality of this case, and I now want one for myself! Anyways, on with the tour!




Packaging:
The Fractal Design Node 304 was well packaged with a thick cardboard box protecting the precious cargo inside. The Node 304 had a plastic bag around the case to protect it from dust and debris. Outside of this plastic protection was a styrofoam packing on all four sides holding the case securely in the middle. Nothing to fault at all.








Outside:
If I had to sum up the Node 304 in 1 word, it would be "Quality". The paint work on this case is fantastic. The whole case felt solid, like a bomb shelter, when I think back and compare it the Silverstone Temjin TJ08-E which I own and used in my previous mod. The only 1 gripe that I had with this Node 304 though was that the screws were overtightened from the factory. I stripped one screw trying to remove the HDD/SSD bracket, and then drilled the rest of it out as the "rubber band trick" did not work.











Inside:
This case is fairly roomy inside once I took out the HDD/SSD holders. I can understand that it gets cramped if someone is to use this case as a media server/NAS and trying to fit in 200+ storage devices (OK, I am maybe exaggerating... A little). But I am going for a pure gaming rig here, so those big and bulky things have gots to go!!










Until next time guys!
MetallicAcid

Update 6
Proud sponsor #2 MSCB.se




Welcome to another installment of the Mass Effect inspired Node 304 from Fractal Design! I would like to announce MSCB.se as sponsor for all of my cable sleeving needs!

MSCB is a locally run small business here in Sweden, run by a young man named Mikael Svensson. He is single handedly fighting to bring independant sleeving to Sweden by importing and distributing high quality sleeving at a fraction of the cost of his market competition. I wish him the best of luck and give him support by highlighting his product in my latest project.

I have snapped a couple of quick shots of the sleeving, but I am afraid that my unprofessional photography skills do not do the sleeving justice.


















In a mini text update, I have finished the filing, sanding, cleaning, gluing for the aluminium panels. I have even painted the base colour, and just finished the last coats of white for them, and will be masking off and filling in the edges with a half dark gray. Completed photos should be coming in by the end of the weekend. I have also made the decision that I will make a PSU shroud with some lines/design cut into it, and lit from underneath very much like in my ROG V Gene TJ08-E build. Imagine a white painted panel with orange and white LEDs shining from underneath This shroud also provides a platform for attaching P-clips for the 24pin and 8pin cables.

Oh yeahhhh..... This is going to be F*****G AWESOME when finished! I just might not let Henrik have it back...

Until next time,
MetallicAcid

Update 7
Warranty? Pfft, that's for losers and pussies (Part1)




Welcome to Justin's mad house of defouling electronics' warranties in the pursuit of beautification and functionality! In this update I would like to present to you the Fractal Design Newton R3 600W semi-modular PSU, and how in total disregard for its "Void warranty if removed" sticker - removed the top, and took around inside. No work has been done just yet though, but at least I know what I am dealing with now Here is what I seen:

















I would like to get your opinions on which type of sleeving option would be the most aesthetically pleasing. I made a copy of mockups and pumped out a render to try and show in better detail what the 24pin could look like.






Please let me what you think about this project. I really want to hear what you are thinking, and what I can improve on. I want to build the best PC I can for Henrik, and any feedback from you guys would be greatly appreaciated!



Best regards,
MetallicAcid

GBWWWWWWWWBG

NOICE!

StatutoryApe said:

GBWWWWWWWWBG

Click to expand...

? Did you get electrocuted?

1337m0dd3r said:

NOICE!

Click to expand...

Thanks mate!!! You've been on this forum for over 11 years?!! Well done 1337!!!

MetallicAcid

Grey, Blue, White x8, Blue, Grey.

StatutoryApe said:

Grey, Blue, White x8, Blue, Grey.

Click to expand...

^ This.

Thanks for the input guys I have asked Henrik (my friend who I am building for) and he decided on the whitex2, greyx2, bluex2, whitex6.

Pictures are to come hopefully by end of the week!

MetallicAcid

Update 8
Dat chestplate!



Hello there!

In update 8 of this Mass Effect Node 304 build log I would like to present to you the completed chest piece which will be sitting on the very top face of this case. The white has a matte finish, and the grey has a blank/shiny finish. It looks awesome IRL but the pictures do not show. Once the plates are glued on, I will take more shots of it with the case and show it off! I do not have much else to say in this update other than I hope you guys like it









In a mini text update, I have finished sleeving the 24pin, and will soon start on the 8pin and GPU cables. I will also have to make the hole a little bigger as everything doesn't fit, and cramming everything in just doesn't work

MetallicAcid

As a mini text update for everyone, I have now sleeved the 24pin and 8pin on my power supply, with the GPU cable hopefully finished by end of the weekend. I also have started work on a PSU shroud... It has been cut, bent, and a design being drilled/cut/filed as we speak. This will then be sanded and painted, and should be completed within the end of next week. A concept render and PSU progress will be posted very soon!

Peace!
MetallicAcid

Update 9
The PSU shroud. I am so proud! I'm floating on the 9th cloud. I hope you're WOWed! (part 1)




Hello!!!! I am in a funny/excited mood! My tests are over as of 2 hours ago, and I am full of energy!! As of Thursday next week, there is no more school! With this energy (at 2200 ) I would like to show you what I have been working on the last few days. A couple of shots are dodgy phone snaps while I was at work today, and a couple are glamour shots here at home of the PSU WIP.



Firstly I would like to show you the concept for the GPU shroud, and the dodgy WIP shots from work:









And here is one shot of the PSU after I had finished sleeving the 24pin:




I have decided though that the grey sleeve that I received from MSCB was unfortunately not dark enough, so I decided to use instead some Grey Mark II which was left over from an order from MDPC. This grey matches perfectly to the grey paint I have, but I do not have any photos to share of it right now.

Well, I hope you have all enjoyed this latest update! I will be continuing work on the shroud, and hopefully have the design finished, and the whole shroud prepped for some paint by the end of today, and then work on the PSU if we do not have any dinner plans elsewhere. Geewhiz, I feel so productive!

Best regards,
MetallicAcid

beautiful sleeving! nice renders too

jam3s121 said:

beautiful sleeving! nice renders too

Click to expand...

Thank you Jam. More detailed pictures are to come when the PSU is completed! Stay tuned

MetallicAcid

Hey lovelies!

I would like to present a mini update on the PSU shroud which is now ready to be sanded and painted. I will be visiting my local hardware store tomorrow after work to pick up some supplies, and will hopefully get the PSU finished by the weekend.



In other news, I will be cutting and filing a wider hole PSU tomorrow, and hopefully have it put together with some glory shots later tomorrow night. I'll keep you guys updated

Thanks for reading! Have a good one
MetallicAcid

Oh wow, that looks fantastic! What process was used to cut the design out? With the shavings, it almost looks like a coping saw.

StatutoryApe said:

Oh wow, that looks fantastic! What process was used to cut the design out? With the shavings, it almost looks like a coping saw.

Click to expand...

Thank you ape!

I do not have a copingsaw as mine broke And it would have been difficult to say on certain angles because of the 2 bent walls. I had to drill holes where I wanted the design, and take my trusty fine file kit to it like a madman. The drilling and filing took around 3 hours to complete, but with a coping saw it would have taken half the time.

MetallicAcid

A quick mini update for you guys, I was hoping to have the hole cut larger to accommodate the cables, and have the PSU put back together before I finished work today. Then I was going to take some glory shots and present them to everyone... I cut the hole, put the PSU back together, then broke my big toe and twisted my ankle.

The PSU is still at work, so no photos have been taken yet of it. I will take the day off tomorrow, and hopefully pick up the PSU on Thursday and get some shots of it ASAP! I am sorry for the delays guys.All I know is that my foot hurts like hell, and it sucks that I had to rush off without the PSU!

Until next time,
MetallicAcid

Update 10
Look!! Mum look!! I sleeved my USB 3.0 cable!! (and IO panel cables )



Hello, and welcome back once again for another fantastic update in this fun little project I have going on here!

Today I would like to present to you my sleeved IO panel and USB cables, of which I used the SATA sleeving I have received from MSCB.se! The USB 3.0 cable was a bitch to sleeve, as I had to desolder the connections from a PCB strip, then force that female USB header through the SATA sleeving. It was like pushing an elephant into a car. It was like putting a whale into an ice cream container. It was like putting a sailing ship into a bathtub! You should have gotten the picture by now... Then I had to then resolder the USB female headers back in place before screwing the PCB back into place.



"Shut up and show me the pictures already!" you say? OK!










Here is a small text update on the other bits and pieces left to do, and what I am still in the process of doing for this project.
In process of doing:

• The PSU is now at home, and pictures will be taken tomorrow at some point.
• The PSU shroud is now ready for its first coat of primer.
• Bitfenix fans are in the process of being painted.
• Node 304 "armour" is being repainted.

Things left to do:

• Paint PSU shroud.
• Create GPU plexiglass shroud.
• Installation of all components.
• Installation of LEDs.
• Cable management.
• Final photoshoot.

I hope you guys have enjoyed this update! I do look forward to any and all positive/negative feedback you have for me
Best regards,
MetallicAcid

Update 11
Warranty? Pfft, that's for losers and pussies (Part2)



G'day everyone!

I would like to present to you guys part 2 of my PSU sleeving, the finished product! I just have to start this update with that I will NEVER EVER EVER EVER EVER sleeve a semi-modular PSU EVER again. One time is enough. I have done it once, but never again! With this said, it did turn out better than I had hoped for .

A short recap of what I have done with this PSU:

• Shortened all cables by at least 30cm.
• Recrimped all wires.
• Sorted and sleeved all wires.

So here come some pictures for you!




















Things done since last update:

• PSU photos have been taken and posted.
• Bitfenix fans have been painted.
• PSU shroud has received two coats of primer.
• "Armour" has had a new coat of white and grey paint.
• Bought an ASUS GTX770 DCII 2GB graphics card.

In process of doing:

• Painting PSU shroud.
• Putting Bitfenix fans together.

Things left to do:

• Finish painting PSU shroud.
• Install the PSU shroud.
• Paint top of case grey, and side of case red with black stripes.
• Buy orange plexiglass.
• Create GPU plexiglass shroud.
• Attaching the "armour" to the top of the Node 304.
• Installation of all components.
• Installation of LEDs.
• Cable management.
• Final photoshoot.

Well guys, that's it for this update. I am going to continue putting together my fans, and get back to you hopefully tomorrow with some glory shots. If time permits, I might even install the PSU and frontplate for the Node 304.

With best regards,
MetallicAcid

sub'd!

Cheers!!!

Update 12
I would like to introduce to you my biggest fans!



Hello once again everyone! I have a quick update for tonight. I would like to present my two painted Bitfenix fans which will be used as push/pull on the Corsair H80i. I thought that black white and grey would work really well with the overall colour scheme as the H80i is black, the grey is featured in the "armour" and white is the dominant colour in this build.



I hope you like these pictures













Things finished since last update:

• Bitfenix fans have been put back together.

In process of doing:

• Painting PSU shroud.
• Installing PSU into case.
• Installing H80i.
• Installing front panel.

Things left to do:

• Finish painting PSU shroud.
• Install the PSU shroud.
• Paint top of case grey, and side of case red with black stripes.
• Buy orange plexiglass.
• Create GPU plexiglass shroud.
• Attach the "armour" to the top of the Node 304.
• Installation of all components.
• Installation of LEDs.
• Cable management.
• Final photoshoot.

That's it for now guys. Stay cool!
MetallicAcid

Hey guys!!

Since the last update I have shortened the cables so that there is just 10mm then just the female fan connecter. They will be hooked up to a Corsair H80i, so I do not need the extra long cable Pics to follow when I have time to get them from the memory card

In other news, I have started putting everything together inside the case. I have to say that my own expectations of how it look have been blown out of the water… This is one very unique Node 304 indeed! I am currently working on some custom cables to deliver electricity to the LEDs which will be located under the PSU shroud. I will also create a fan extension cable to power the front two fans from the motherboard, which serve as intake to the Node. I do not wish to use the the stock two-speed fan controller which comes with the Node as I think it is ugly.

Best regards,
MetallicAcid

Update 13
Size (length) matters!



Hello once again, and welcome to a small update involving the two Bitfenix fans that I have been modifying. In this update, I have shortened the cables by all of their length, and make it so that just the connectors are showing. The reason I have done so is because they will be connected up the Corsair H80i, an do not need any extra length, making any clutter in my project.



Here are a couple of photos to show the finished fan:









Things finished since last update:
Shortened fan cables.
Painted PSU shroud.
Installed front panel.

In process of doing:
Installing H80i.
Installing PSU shroud.
Installing components.
Creating fan extension cable.
Installing LEDs.
Cable management.

Things left to do:
Paint top of case grey, and side of case red with black stripes.
Buy orange plexiglass.
Create GPU plexiglass shroud.
Attach the "armour" to the top of the Node 304.
Installation of LEDs.
Cable management.
Final photoshoot.


That's it for now, take care
MetallicAcid

Update 14
The building begins!



G'day guys and girls

I have started installing some of the components, and wanted to show to you how everything should look, including cable routing. I am working on a couple of custom cables which will be for the two front fans, the LED lighting, and SSD.



So, in usual order, here comes some eye candy!

















Things finished since last update:
Installed components.

In process of doing:
Installing H80i.
Installing PSU shroud.
Creating fan extension cable.
Installing LEDs.
Cable management.

Things left to do:
Paint top of case grey, and side of case red with black stripes.
Buy orange plexiglass.
Create GPU plexiglass shroud.
Attach the "armour" to the top of the Node 304.
Installation of LEDs.
Cable management.
Final photoshoot.



Thanks again for reading everyone! Please let me know what you think of the build so far, and don't forget to leave any criticism on how I can make this build even better!
MetallicAcid

Update 15
Cool thrills, and Speed kills! (H80i and SSD installed)



Hello hello!!! Once again, I thank you all for an overwhelming response to my last update, and to the build log overall!

In this update I would like to present the installation of the Corsair H80i, and the Samsung 840 EVO 250GB SSD. The installation wasn't the ordinary installation of these 2 items... I ended up creating custom length SATA power cables for both the H80i and SSD, and of course had them sleeved to match the colour theme of the build. I was a little frustrated with the amount of cables which are required to get the H80i all connected up, and will probably stay away from the Corsair iLink series of products, and most likely choose a H90 if/when there is another build if I had to chose a closed loop cooling solution. But I got everything connected up and nice looking, so I am just glad that it is now out of the way.

In other news, I was going to drive out to my local supplier of plexiglass and pick up the orange plexiglass. I had called ahead just to announce that they could start the cuts so it was ready for me when I got to the shop (35mins drive away) but the guy just said "det är borta....." (it is gone...)!! I said "What the hell?! You know I was coming today to pick it up!". He just said that it was sold, and talked nothing more of that. He said that he had red or green if I wanted, but in a rage I just hung up on the jackarse!!

I am now speaking with baguette_2 on sweclockers.com about possibly laser cutting something up, so we will see where this leads. I have a backup plan with using some orange wrap over clear plexiglass in an aluminium U channel with white LEDs lighting from underneath. I will not be creating a whole shroud wrapping the entire GPU, as I have a non-reference card, so it needs to be able to expel the hot air. So rather I am thinking of 2 separate plates with one being for the front, and one as a backplate.

I have also started the painting of the top shell/panel. The black lines are first, then the red strip which runs in between those lines, then lastly the grey on top. This painting should take me around a week to complete.

The PSU shroud will be coming home on Monday, and photos due on Monday night. I wanted to make sure that the paint work was completely dry, so I left it in the server room for a couple of more days to remove any doubts I might have had.



Here is a couple of pictures on the SSD installation and the Corsair H80i installation:















Things finished since last update:
Installed H80i.
Installed SSD
Sleeved SATA data cable.
Made two SATA power cables. One for H80i and other for SSD.
Installed front fans and routed cables.
Installed PSU shroud LEDs.

In process of doing:
Installing PSU shroud.
Installing PSU shroud LEDs.
Cable management.

Things left to do:
Paint top of case grey, and side of case red with black stripes.
Buy orange plexiglass.
Create GPU plexiglass shroud.
Attach the "armour" to the top of the Node 304.
Cable management.
Final photoshoot.



I hope you have enjoyed this update guys. I know there is alot of text, but I want to make sure you are updated with what I am up to and what I am thinking
Best regards,
MetallicAcid

Update 16
The PSU shroud. I am so proud! I'm floating on the 9th cloud. I hope you're WOWed! (part 2)



Hey!! Thanks for reading once again everyone! I have an awesome update that is the second and final part of the PSU shroud which is backlit with orange LEDs. If you are interested in reading part one of this update, click on this link and have a read.

I do not have so much more to say, so I will just bomb you guys with some photos. Enjoy





























Things finished since last update:
Installed PSU shroud.
Installed PSU shroud LEDs.
Bought orange plexiglass.

In process of doing:
Painting side of case red with black strips.
Designing plexiglass shroud for laser cutting.

Things left to do:
Paint top of case grey.
Create GPU plexiglass shroud.
Attach the "armour" to the top of the Node 304.
Cable management.
Final photoshoot.

I hope you've enjoyed this update, and hopefully see you at the next one!

Best regards,
MetallicAcid

very, very, very nice. love the lighting, it brings the build to a new level.

Robertmarcus said:

very, very, very nice. love the lighting, it brings the build to a new level.

Click to expand...

Thank you Rob. I am glad you like it

MA

Update 17
Put on your armour soldier - We're going to battle!



Hello guys and girls of modding

Firstly I would like to send a massive thank you to Levik, who goes by the name baguette_2 on the sweclockers forum. Levik has kindly offered his services to this project, and is helping me with the cutting of the plexiglass window.







I would like to update you all on the completed "armour", which is the top and side sections of the Fractal Design Node 304. With this panel I have created the armour plates from aluminium and painted them white. I then painted the top of the panel dark grey, and the side with 2 black strips and a big red stripe in the middle.

Here you can see the end result:













Things finished since last update:
Painting the top of the case with grey, black and red.
Attach aluminium armour to top of case.
Take photos of armour.
Plexiglass window design is completed, and has been sent off to Levik (Baguette_2) for cutting.
Created LED lighting for plexiglass window.

In process of doing:
Cutting Plexiglass window.
Installing plexiglass LED lighting.

Things left to do:
Install plexiglass window.
Final photoshoot.



This build is almost at its end people. The window is the final touch... The crowning jewel if you will! I am hoping for the window to arrive on Friday, or even latest on Monday the 23rd. The final photoshoot will happen before Christmas Eve, and I will be borrowing some professional lighting equipment from my work. I hope they turn out great

That's it for tonight people. I hope you have enjoyed reading as much I have enjoyed posting!
MetallicAcid

Update 18
The badge of honour.



G'day everybody!!

This little update is just to put a little personal touch to the armour which I think it deserves. Unfortunately I don't have much more to update on other than I am still waiting on the window, which is on its way back to me from baguette_2 on sweclockers as we speak. Let's just hope that it does not get caught up in the christmas chaos and comes late, otherwise the final photos will be finished in the 4th week of January

Anyways, here are a couple of photos of the logo














Things finished since last update:
Installed plexiglass LED lighting.
Cut, painted and glued the "N7" logo.

In process of doing:
Waiting for delivery of plexiglass window.

Things left to do:
Install plexiglass window.
Final photoshoot.

If I do not update before Christmas, I wish everyone of you the best day you possibly could have!

Best regards,
Justin/MetallicAcid