Neutronium (Version 4) buildlog

So... Machupo :) I think we have been patient:) Any news on the finishing touches?
 
This is simply as small as it get.

How warm does the case area next to the gpu get?

Next version (2015 amybe?) should be passively cooled :)
 
This is just amazing and I really enjoy reading about it. I've been studying your threads for the last hour or so, hoping to absorb more understanding of how this is all accomplished. The PSU sounds terribly complex.

Is there an SSD or some other form of storage? I didn't see it in the parts list, but no doubt I'm misunderstanding something.
 
charww said:
This is just amazing and I really enjoy reading about it. I've been studying your threads for the last hour or so, hoping to absorb more understanding of how this is all accomplished. The PSU sounds terribly complex.

Is there an SSD or some other form of storage? I didn't see it in the parts list, but no doubt I'm misunderstanding something.
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Msata under the motherboard.
 
charww said:
This is just amazing and I really enjoy reading about it. I've been studying your threads for the last hour or so, hoping to absorb more understanding of how this is all accomplished. The PSU sounds terribly complex.

Is there an SSD or some other form of storage? I didn't see it in the parts list, but no doubt I'm misunderstanding something.
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Alted4 is correct -- it's using a 256GB Plextor M5M mSATA SSD which goes on the back of the Z77E-ITX mobo. I am considering an upgrade to the new 1TB Samsung 840 EVO, but need to save up some $ for an impending move this spring.

eggDK said:
So... Machupo :) I think we have been patient:) Any news on the finishing touches?
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You have been very patient, I'm sorry -- I've been completely overcome by events lately. I picked up the supplies for the finishing steps, but appear to have lost the lid to the case in the last clean out :eek: -- will have to figure something out there...

The main issue is that I'm not satisfied with this case... the PSU really bugs me. So, I'm kicking around a redesign idea so that I can make this with a CNC rather than have to weld (and simultaneously add a bit of space for the PSU to be mounted on the floor... it'd still be under 4L total volume). Additionally, it might then also be easy to knock out a few extras once the design gets thoroughly tested, if anyone wants one; but I advise caution with the flipped PSU... it's a complete PITA.

I was trying to reach out to mini-box to work with them on developing a Pico-style PSU that can work with the 19v 330w dell block, but they went into ostrich-mode (it's impossibru!). Unfortunately, I know next to nothing about circuit design and PCB manuf. so I either have to learn that or find someone who wants to try some ridiculous stuff, lol. Not to mention the patent licensing from mini-box for the "PSU-integrated-into-the-24-pin-ATX-plug" idea. Nothing pisses me off more than a blanket "you can't do that" or "it can't be done", though, so I will figure it out one way or another!

Work is getting intense for the forseeable future, unfortunately, but I will try to put some time in for updates :)

sgtspiff said:
This is simply as small as it get.

How warm does the case area next to the gpu get?

Next version (2015 amybe?) should be passively cooled :)
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Lol, I dunno... If you want games playable at 2560x1600 resolution, it's going to put out some serious heat. That's the whole reason behind the round-cornered-rectangle cutout on the front of the case. Since the twincooler is not a centrifugal cooler, it blows hot air both out of the front and the back. When this thing is cranking, that's some *seriously* hot air coming out of the front.
 
Thanks for the update, even though it was less optimistic than I had hoped :) I kinda suspected that you had run out of juice with this project.

So when you commence on the CNC machined case (which I'm now looking forward to seeing), this case could still house some lower end HW, and get by with a regular pico PSU. (light gaming/HTPC)

The dimensions alone make this case stylish, and I'm sure with a matte black paintjob it will still look really good.

Anyway, keep up the good work. I will be dropping in on your next thread when you get started :)
 
If you do redesign it, are you thinking of moving the PSU to the side or in front of the motherboard?
 
Alted4 said:
If you do redesign it, are you thinking of moving the PSU to the side or in front of the motherboard?
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That was something I was going to bring up here :)

If it went in front, the new dimensions would be 295mm (W) x 52mm (H) x 245mm (3.76L). The pros of this would allow for longer GPUs (but I don't know of any better GPUs than a GTX 670 that are less than 10" long) and maintaining the width of the case at ~12".

If it went ot the side, the new dimensions would be 350mm (W) x 52mm (H) x 190mm (3.46L). The pros of this would be a smaller volume and a generally cleaner build. But a minus would be the remaining constraint to ~7" GPUs.
 
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Machupo said:
That was something I was going to bring up here :)

If it went in front, the new dimensions would be 300mm (W) x 52mm (H) x 245mm (3.82L). The pros of this would allow for longer GPUs (but I don't know of any better GPUs than a GTX 670 that are less than 10" long) and maintaining the width of the case at ~12".

If it went ot the side, the new dimensions would be 360mm (W) x 52mm (H) x 185mm (3.46L). The pros of this would be a smaller volume and a generally cleaner build. But a minus would be the remaining constraint to ~7" GPUs.
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Since the volume is quite small anyways, I guess it'll mostly depend on whether you'd like a square or a bar :)
Didn't really expect the width to be that much.. Is the video card you're using particularly thick or something?
 
With a depth of 245mm, you could fit up to a R9 270X in there. I'm not sure what the best AMD card would be under 185mm. Maybe a Dual Graphics set-up?
 
Lwerewolf said:
Since the volume is quite small anyways, I guess it'll mostly depend on whether you'd like a square or a bar :)
Didn't really expect the width to be that much.. Is the video card you're using particularly thick or something?
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No, the PCIe standard is ~120mm, so with the height of the PCIe power plugs (even though I'm using low-profile ones), the smallest I can work is 300mm width. The X51 power supply is 55mm in width, figure a milimeter here and there for buffer, and a couple extra mm so that you could use normal depth PCIe power plugs and you're at 360mm width ;)

Did some re-measuring... could get the width down to 350mm or so.
 
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Alted4 said:
With a depth of 245mm, you could fit up to a R9 270X in there. I'm not sure what the best AMD card would be under 185mm. Maybe a Dual Graphics set-up?
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meh, it appears that the gtx 670 is still a bit ahead of the 270x, so there is negligible benefit from going up to 245m depth :(
 
as another possibility for the brickophobes, with the dimensions of 380 x 200 x 52mm (still under 4L), I could make this with a Flex ATX psu, this would also allow for the installation of up to 2x 2.5" drives. And if you didn't want a PCIe graphics card, you could put in 2x 3.5" drives instead :p
 
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Machupo said:
as another possibility for the brickophobes, with the dimensions of 380 x 200 x 52mm (still under 4L), I could make this with a Flex ATX psu, this would also allow for the installation of up to 2x 2.5" drives. And if you didn't want a PCIe graphics card, you could put in 2x 3.5" drives instead :p
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I can't wait to see it :) Do you plan your stuff in CAD? I'm totally ready to see some screendumps if you even work that way...?
 
Machupo, just posting here to show my appreciation for your neutronium threads, i have nothing else to say. :)
 
eggDK said:
I can't wait to see it :) Do you plan your stuff in CAD? I'm totally ready to see some screendumps if you even work that way...?
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No, I'm pretty old school; paper drawings and a ton of measuring with precision equipment / mockups. I should probably get with the program and do a sketchup of this beast (just found this tutorial on CAD to CAM to gCode :)
 
Machupo said:
No, I'm pretty old school; paper drawings and a ton of measuring with precision equipment / mockups. I should probably get with the program and do a sketchup of this beast (just found this tutorial on CAD to CAM to gCode :)
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That was exactly why I thought to ask. If you're going to CNC something, you might as well draw the CAD model yourself. Making the CAM sequences can be tricky to get right in the first try, but I recommend trying it out. But get it checked thoroughly by the guy with the CNC mill before machining, or you might get some unpleasant surprises :eek:

If you make a new thread about this, can you post the link in here? I will be following the project :)
 
Shelved/scrapped, life got in the way of this one, lol. Selling the parts and whatnot :(

Nice find on the case!
 
Machupo said:
Shelved/scrapped, life got in the way of this one, lol. Selling the parts and whatnot :(

Nice find on the case!
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Too bad man :( But good job so far :)

Maybe I should give abovementioned case a try. It could possibly fit a slim 120mm fan above the cpu cooler... (Prolimatech Ultra Sleek Vortex 12)
 
Machupo, i'm planning a similar build and i wonder how do you managed to get a 300mm wide case without making a custom pci bracket (like valve's steambox). Did you bent or cut it in order to fit next to the IO?

kfU4Exp.jpg
 
Cut about 10mm off of the bottom of a second/backup bracket I had :)
 
I still remember isa cards facing the other way and when they switched it around for pci/agp I was annoyed. "This is gonna screw up SFF builds 20 years from now" I thought. Okay, so not really. I did always wonder why they bothered. It made more sense to me for them to face toward the CPU like the isa did.
 
iFreilicht said:
Aww, I hoped for a revival when I saw you commented again :(
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Sorry -- between working 80-90hrs/wk on average (peaked @ 130 in March... I was a freaking zombie) and with a 6-month old daughter, free time is hard to come by :(
 
Logan321 said:
I still remember isa cards facing the other way and when they switched it around for pci/agp I was annoyed. "This is gonna screw up SFF builds 20 years from now" I thought. Okay, so not really. I did always wonder why they bothered. It made more sense to me for them to face toward the CPU like the isa did.
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I didn't know that was a thing. Oh man it would make life so much easier. On the other hand, reversed ITX would be pretty cool as well ;)
 
Machupo said:
Sorry -- between working 80-90hrs/wk on average (peaked @ 130 in March... I was a freaking zombie) and with a 6-month old daughter, free time is hard to come by :(
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90 hrs... dude you are a beast. That dedication. What do you work as, if you don't mind me asking?
 
A fellow SFF friend pointed me to your build--I love it!

Thank you for the kind words, and have a great Christmas!
 
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