• Some users have recently had their accounts hijacked. It seems that the now defunct EVGA forums might have compromised your password there and seems many are using the same PW here. We would suggest you UPDATE YOUR PASSWORD and TURN ON 2FA for your account here to further secure it. None of the compromised accounts had 2FA turned on.
    Once you have enabled 2FA, your account will be updated soon to show a badge, letting other members know that you use 2FA to protect your account. This should be beneficial for everyone that uses FSFT.

AOpen XC Cube

T

Tumpeloinen

n00b
Joined
Jul 13, 2004
Messages
56
Not many SFF worklogs around here, so I thought I'd post mine here.

So, the SFF is AOpen XC Cube EX65PE. Seems that these AOpens aren't that popular, but I like these quite much. This was a lot cheaper here in Finland than any other, so I bought it.


9.jpg

8.jpg

6.jpg

7.jpg

2.jpg



So thats the current state of the case. I'm just starting modding it today, here's what I'm going to do:

- Remove the grill from the power
- Replace the power's fan with a low-noise one
- Cut a hole on the side with some plexi and carvings
- LED's..
- A couple of 10cm cold cathodes
- Zalman VF700-CU for the graphics card
- Zalman 7000B-AL-CU for the CPU
- And maybe more.. ;)


So there's something.. If you have something in mind, let me know. It's nice to get ideas from other people.
 
Hehe. :)

Hmmm, I'm just wondering that what kind of hole will I cut to the side.. It must be rather big, because the graphics card cooler will stick out of the side. I have a lot of 5mm plexi on the garage, and some pieces of mesh grill too.. It's like this one here. I have pieces of mesh grill with smaller holes too.

I need to figure out whether to use mesh grill or plexi, or maybe even both. And I also need to figure out what kind of shape the hole will be .. Damn, I wish I had more imagination.

I have the 25 LED's ready on my garage, but other parts need to be ordered. Well, I think I'll make an order to Germany. Computer parts are always cheaper there. :p Need to order both coolers, cold cathodes and something else.. We'll see..
 
I believe that is what we call a "workshop." With all the screws you want and little compartments for everything...

Just need a bit more table space :D
 
Heheheh, I agree. :D

Damn, when I look at the picture I really realize how much stuff there is. :D Like we always say in your house "What we don't have we don't need". :p

Yeah, I gotta clean up those desks to get more space when I really start modding this barebone. Now theres a couple of UPS's which need to be fixed and some other random stuff. We'll.. Maybe tomorrow. ;)

It's not quite right that my workshop looks like that when my room is always kept clean and tidy. There's just a little bit too much stuff lying around without no place to go. Gotta tidy the shelves and desks and do some organizing.
 
Did you make the psu smaller? Looks like it but I cant really tell. Excellent job if you did. I really like the look of your case, much better then shuttles :D
 
Nope. It actually is that small, and still gives 220W, which seems to be enough for all the crap I have inside the case. :D

The PSU has normal height and widht, but the length is a little bit less than half the size of normal PSU's.
 
You need a "theme" to get the juices flowing. Easier to choose a direction when you've got a visual to start with. What are you into? Besides workshops? ;)

Your workshop is bigger than my apartment, but... I live in Tokyo.
 
I'm planning to make it fit my other electronics.. So black, silver, plexi and blue lights. :D Im just figuring out the hole on the side..

But I might not be able to do the hole on this month.. Because I graduate from school on early June, so then I'll get money to work on this. And there's no point cutting the hole before I've bought the Zalman cooler for the graphics card.

But I'll see what I can do before I get the parts.

And yeah thaks for the comments on my workshop. :D It looks pretty damn small on the picture.. I should take a picture from the door. :p
 
Wow Nice workshop man :cool:

Keep up the [H]ard|Work!

- Fold [H]ard - - Or go [H]ome - ​
 
Finally I ordered the parts I need to continue this project:

Zalman VF700-CU for the GPU
Zalman CNPS7000B -CU for the CPU

I think I'll get the parts on thursday. Then I'll start planning the hole for the side.

EDIT: Damned!! I won't be getting the parts until next week.. The company where I ordered the parts don't have either product on stock.. Oh crap.. Just my luck.. :rolleyes:
 
Update, finally! Damn I'm a lazy shit..

So, at the weekend I bought the Zalman for the graphics card. Gotta install it tomorrow and measure what size the hole in the side has to be.
 
So I just installed the cooler.. And I must say: DAMN! It is so freaking quiet I can't believe it. I always thought the original AOpen CPU cooler made all the noise, but apparently it was the graphics card. I can't hear almost anything from the CPU cooler.

Now I keep checking if the damn computer is even on. :D

About the installation, there really wasn't enough room to install the ramsinks, so I didn't install them. It seems they get enough cooling from the fan itself.
 
Tumpeloinen said:
Not many SFF worklogs around here, so I thought I'd post mine here.
Click to expand...
Hey you say theres not many SFF worklogs in here? What about Mashie's Doom 3 case? Or for that matter my ON3 UP mod? Search the forums man! :p
I love SFF cases and I think that more of them will be produced by manufacturers as time goes on. With so many functions built-in to mainboards today, it just doesn't make much sense to have 6 expansion slots anymore for regular users. I'm just waiting for the day that dual PCI-E slots with SLI functionality come in a SFF case! It will happen.
Good luck with your modding. And nice workshop you got there :) Looks almost as messy as mine! :D
 
Tumpeloinen said:
So I just installed the cooler.. And I must say: DAMN! It is so freaking quiet I can't believe it. I always thought the original AOpen CPU cooler made all the noise, but apparently it was the graphics card. I can't hear almost anything from the CPU cooler.

Now I keep checking if the damn computer is even on. :D

About the installation, there really wasn't enough room to install the ramsinks, so I didn't install them. It seems they get enough cooling from the fan itself.
Click to expand...
How's the Zalman anyway? It looks like it would be a great cooler but how does it fit in a SFF case? Temps better now?
 
I think it's the best thing I've bought in a while. It just is so freaking silent. :cool:

I don't know about the temps, haven't ever checked 'em.

It doesn't fit unless you cut a hole on the side, like I'm planning to do. Some kinda tribal tinted plexiglass thingy... Mmmmm... :eek:

zeusenergy said:
Hey you say theres not many SFF worklogs in here? What about Mashie's Doom 3 case? Or for that matter my ON3 UP mod? Search the forums man!
Click to expand...
Well, there really aren't THAT many..
 
Wondering how this will turn out, i've been dying to go SFF for a while :drool:
 
Oh well.. As you can see no updates. Damn it's summer and I have no time to work with this.. :p

Hopefully I can manage to continue this in some of the days in this month.
 
Finally I have a day off.. I'm just searching the net for some kind of tribal picture.. Im going to cut the plexi into some kind of tribal/flame thingy..

:cool:
 
Tumpeloinen said:
I think it's the best thing I've bought in a while. It just is so freaking silent. :cool:

I don't know about the temps, haven't ever checked 'em.

It doesn't fit unless you cut a hole on the side, like I'm planning to do. Some kinda tribal tinted plexiglass thingy... Mmmmm... :eek:


Well, there really aren't THAT many..
Click to expand...
If you had a SFF case with the AGP slot near the CPU like mine, would it fit then? ON3 UP won't be my last SFF case and the next one I get will ride on whether or not the AGP or PCI-E slot is inboard! I'll never use the regular PCI port anyway in a SFF.
Tribal Plexiglas.... That DOES sound good....
And hey! There will be a ton of SFF cases in here if people like you and me keep at it! :cool:
 
Well it basicly takes the space of one PCI-slot, so if you have the slots in opposite order what I have, the Zalman should fit without problems. Should.. ;)
 
Troney1169 said:
I too have workshop envy. I need a workshop soo bad but i live in an apartment.
Click to expand...


LOL, me too, I have a fold-out table and my Kitchen Counter. :p
 
Hehe.. So I'm lucky to have a garage where we never keep our cars.. :D So plenty of room to mess around. :)
 
i remember this one from awhile ago...

i'm lucky - my dad has a workshop in his basement. i, still living at home, can use it.:cool:

only problem is that it is more for woodworking than metalworking, but it is still nice.
<- add about 6k to that, the numbers are off
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top