Part 2 (was Ill call it green in case mod gallery - Ill Call this Waterworld...

bradyapba

Gawd
Joined
Nov 30, 2004
Messages
923
Ok, So the 1st part of my Worklog ( I accidentally put it case mod gallery) (Ill call it green) .. was all about setting up the new LL Case, wire management(uv sleeves,chrome sleeves), bezels, uv fans, fan controllers, and quick disconnects for the water.

Before we go any further I want to than Bio-hazzard for all his help and motivation to do this. Also wanted to thank all the helpful people here at the hard forums.. from the guy who answered my post on the PSU mod, to all the great posts in the water forums. On with the work!

That can be found here.

http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=941813


Now onto the building of the custom external water case.

After many hours of plans, drawings, figuring out, buying, buying some more, trying to figure out spacing... it was time to start to build.

The 1st thing I did was see how i could attach the fans to the Rad. I couldn't use the screws that came with the Rad, becuase they were made to go through the WHOLE fan, and i need them to only go through the 1st hole of the fan, becuase i needed the second hole on the fan to hold the screw that will hold on the fan grill through 1/2 inch MDF. So of course, since what I am doing in non-standard I had to head over to my local hardware store (Rockys Ace Hardware) which is thankfully anout 500 yards from my front door. So with rad in hand, i went over and after testing a done of screws finally found out that kinda fit, aftering pretty much "tapping" the holes with one, as i kept screwing it in and out of the holes, so it would adventually take the screw.. so what I thought would be like a 20 minute job, turned into like 3 hours. Anyways heres the results.

Heres the screws that came with it.. they aint gonna help..

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heres the screws fro Rockys 27 cents each.

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Final Results

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Heres what it looks like with the grill on

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Ok time to make the Cuts.. The case is going to be 17 long, by 12 wide and 12 high. This is the 1st time I have ever worked with MDF. Have ti say i like it so far, its real easy t work with.

Look time for the 1st cut!

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Next set of pics is the top of the case, along with the tools of the trade so far (well except for the saws), a dreme and a 5 inch hole saw. Here is where I cut the hole for the 120mm Typhoon Res. This has been pretty funny from the start. Its advertised it will fit any 120mm blow out. Ah, not. a 120mm blow hole is 4.5 inches give or take. That is a 5 INCH hole saw, i am using, and its still not big enough, i had to dremel the hole some more but it fits great. Thats my Dad holding it up. Hes had to come over to see what I was doing, when he called me up, and asked what i as doing today, and I told him, he was just like "huh?" "water?" "computer?" "thats bad right?" So he drove over to see what i was doing (ok its like a .25 mile down the road, but still)

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Lastly heres some of the sides front, and top cut. I ran out of MDF, so I need to hit HD tomorrow, so I can continue. Thats all for now! I hope you stay tuned!

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Looking really good so far.................... :cool: I haven't used a lot of MDF either, but at the prices of quality furiture grade plywood, it looks like I'll be using more of it in the future.

I've got another project on the drawing board right now................ :eek: A new computer desk/test station, so lots and lots of MDF will be used there.
 
i too am just starting to design up a computer desk... im going to build my own out of MDF too!! I now need a 2 work station desk, and my room has funny demensions so i need to make my own... so i need a spot for the wife, a spot for me, and a spot in the middle for like a shared printer, router, etc.....

and having seen some of these other desks.. my head is starting to whirl with some crazy ideas...
 
ShaolinDragon said:
lol looking good :D what is the green tub thingy?

Resevoir, I thought they stopped producing those ones... Or atleast I couldn't get one off of Xoxide anymore...

Keep up the good work my man. You've already got a really good start on this.
 
Ok update time!!

Got some more MDF.. cut the last 2 walls, cut the holes for the the 2 sides... same sized.. one hole for the rad, fans, grill, and the other for fans and grill.

Cut the hole for the front fan controller.. and cut the hole for the back for the power supply.

Well thats it for now, its coming along!

pic 1, pic of the cut out from the fan grill packaging, showing the pilot holes that i cut before I started in with the jig saw.

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using the jiggy

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it fits.

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nows there 2!

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making the cut out for the fan controller

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a good fit

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making the cut out for the PSU

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the rough cut out

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all the pieces so far.

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yup - going to paint it Dull Alluminum a spray paint from Krylon. Its will match my Lian Li case pretty darn close, i already did a little test match.

Thanks for the encouraging words!
 
Looks like it's coming along rather nicely.................... :D Hurry up, I want to see it finished......................... :eek: J/K
 
Would have been nice if I could have started mine with you :(
Too much work makes George a dull boy. That and lack of parts.

I'll have to come over and see that craftsmanship for myself.
 
bradyapba said:
yup - going to paint it Dull Alluminum a spray paint from Krylon. Its will match my Lian Li case pretty darn close, i already did a little test match.

Thanks for the encouraging words!

When painting MDF, you'll need to seal it with sanding sealer first, especially the end grain. MDF will soak up primer and paint like a sponge otherwise.
 
interesting.. never heard of sanding sealer.... i will have to check that out...

so your saying.. sanding sealer, primer, then paint?

Thanks,

Chris
 
Not a huge update, but something.. i had to redo the back side, I cut the PSU opening wrong...so I had to recut the whole piece, and then recut the PSU hole.

So next was, how was I going to install that little switch for the UV lights im going to install?

1st i cut most of the PCI metal bracket off, but enough to hide my hole, and enough so I can drill out a hole for a screw.. i haven't gotten to that part... 1st i just wanted to see If i could do it.


Heres the switch

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Heres the bracket after I cut it with the handy dandy hand saw

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Heres some pics after i sanded down the rough edges left with the hand saw, with the drummel, came out nice and smooth.

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So heres the hole, with the metal bracket now next to it

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Here it is fitting, nice! Now i just need to drill the holes for the screws to hold it in place.

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Since someone asked about painting... i got the wife involved tonight... was i was cutting etc...i got her to sand and paint some scrap pieces just to see what it would look like. I used Kilz primer. I got pics of the paint can. I did not see the soaking of the primer, that some have said, the primer went on fine, and the paint went on fine. I wish i had pics of the priming.. but i was busy... there will be pics when i prime the whole thing...Also, she barely sanded (she didn't want to help..hehehehe) so its not the best paint job, and not as nice as it will be when i sand it... but it will give you a rough idea (pun intended hehehehe)

here they are painted
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in the bottom right there, on the cut, you can see where she didn't sand enough.. but the paint went on nice I thought, for hardly and sanding or care.

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no sanding here at all

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heres what is looks like compared to the MDF untreated.

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Heres the paint

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And I cut the hole for the tubes.

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Lastly, as you can see in this pic, im thinking of making some port holes in the top and front, the size of that hole saw and covering them with some mesh.... i mean it is going to have cool glowing green water and fans in it.. might as well see it right? What do you guys think?

thanks for following so far!

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Looks like you're getting close to putting it all together................... :D Keep up the work.............. ;)
 
ok made a little more progress this weekend... had to tend to some other stuff.. i hate it when other stuff gets in the way of my modding!!!

ok here we go.

After reading online about playing ith MDF, i read that wall spackle may fill the holes better than wood fill (ie, leave a better, sanded, smoothness, more matching the MDF) so i decided to make some test holes, and fill them, and sand them tomorrow to see which is indeed better.

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and the back of mt paint, it said, it scratches easy.. and they suggested puttng on a clear coat for protection... so i bought some.

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i put on 3 coats to a thin test piece I had, and compared it to my larger sample... it looks really close.. and feels nice and smooth, its definately protecting the paint.. but as you can see it the pic, its reflecting the larger sample beneath it(take a look in the bottom left, when the 2 peices meet, hard to see in the pic, more noticable in real life). It has given that small piece, a mirror effect, and i dont like it, so i think i will chance not using it.

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Ok next up, is I had to put in a spot in the back for the 2nd UV light switch, and to see how i was going to attach it.

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Next were some blow holes in the top, and front, they will get some hex mesh on them to allow a little peek on the inside.

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Well, its now just about done, time for the sanding, priming, painting, and put it together! For now, heres a little mock up to show its really a box!

from the side
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from the front, showing the 2 new port holes.

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from the side and back angle

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from the back staight on
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and lastly, from the side again.

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HAHAHAHA... crap, looking at the pics from the back, I realize I missed one more thing, some screw holes, for the screws to hold the PSU in place.. ok after THAT, its sanding, priming, painting, asembling, etc :)

getting closer!
 
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small update, got the holes for the PSU screws done, and the hole for the lock on the door.. which is more for just holding the door in place, than for locking.


making the holes for the PSU screw.

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screws in!

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hole and fit for the lock.


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another small update.. finally got some primer on the inside parts ...

and had an unfortunate accident.. my digital camera of about 3 years bit the dust... i had it sitting on the work table, which i bumped... and she fell to the floor and cracked. Ive dropped her 3-4 times before, spilled coffee on her, had to take her apart and clean her... shes been a work horse, 1000's of pics... but alas she has expired... rest in piece my nikon 2100. I bought her big brother, the Nikon 4600.

Primer!

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my poor girl.

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my new gun.

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next up is sanding with some 220... 2nd coat of prime.... then hopefully some paint!
 
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Forgot to add. Best Buy online offers a spare battery for the limited battery life on the Coolpix and a premium Leather case for those accidental spills. Only $30. You can pick it up locally, but make sure you tell them the online price as the brick and mortar charges $50.

AND, Costco has the Sandisk 1GB XD card that has 60x Secure Digital 10MB Per Second Minimum Sustained Write Speed. Very important for those pictures you provide us in so limited a time ;)
 
Sometimes these mods look like they are Ikea ready... Put them in a box with predrilled holes and case in a box ^_^
very nice and clean
 
I can't believe how well this is coming together.

Its really impressive!
 
thanks for the kind words! Man painting and sanding takes forever.. so this update wont look like a lot, but it was time consuming.. so i painted another coat of primer,, sanded with 320, and did 3 coats of paint, sanding between each coat...so the inside painting is done... next will be painting the 2 sides so i can install the fans, radiator, and grills.

So here we go

pics of the 2nd coat of primer, after sanding.

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1st coat of paint

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1st coat sanded
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2nd coat

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3rd coat

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Paint job is coming out alot better than I thought for it being MDF................ ;) Good job............ :)
 
thanks Bio, i tried.. really its not hard to work with at all.. i think the 2 coats of Kilz, really did the trick. The only thing i wish I had done different was sand the edges where I cut it, a little more. I was a little lazy on some edges.. some edges came out nice where I spent the time.. but the ones where i was a little tired, or sick of sanding, did not come out as nice... i wish i spent a few more minutes on the orginal sanding to make it perfect.. but other wise, the top and bottom take primer and paint very nice with minimal sanding!
 
thanks thanks....it reallys spurs us modders along, when people give those words of encouragement!!

looks like today/tonight, I may actually connect some pieces!!! Woo hoo!
 
We finally got some sides together!!!

1st what I used... wood trim screws, the bit that fit the screw, a tiny drill bit so i dont split the mdf, and a slighty bigger bit to countersink the screws.

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and some wood glue

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and a clamp

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screw holes

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to finish off for the evening.. the 3 sides connected and some wood fill for the holes.


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Hey, progress.................. :D It's starting to look like a external box................ :cool:
 
ok time to sand down the wood putty (wish i had done a little better, but i just hate doing it...), mask off and prime and paint the other 3 sides.


Some masking

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1st coat of primer

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2nd coat!

a few notes.. with priming and painting.. my sanding job looks better than i thought it would, so i am happy. What I am not happy on, is... this second coat, didn't take quite as well as the other 2nd coats i have done... so looks like, these sides may need 4 coats.

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