Phinix Aurora

[phinix]

Last week I got all the stuff back - look how many pieces it is!

Original front panel

Fan grill/cover ring looking sweet in white:thumb:

Custom front bits that will cover original panel

Here's a side panel with cut out window and mobo wall...

All pieces again

..and front pieces including top dvd slot

Now it is time to put it all together. Tons of screws, nuts, rivets waiting to take part of this sweet little case

Will post the progress soon, I'm really busy all the time, going on a wedding next week.
I will be working evenings building it for final stage. Stay close!

 

[phinix]

Let the fun begin

I sat with all the bits couple of days ago and started assembling.
Not all done of course, I had to prepare myself for a trip - I'm going on a wedding, will be back next week.

Here are few shots of first part of assembling process.

I bought some nice blue tubing - it really looks nice, so deep blue color, me likey

 

[phinix]

I spent some more time last night on assembling. Quite fun building this case no when it's all painted and you can see the result straight away

I picked up wires which needed to be routed through all those holes and holders.

Started from the power cage, put up all walls and screwed in prepared before PCIe graphic card power cables.

Power cage looks fine after coating. All walls come together nicely...

Then routed CPU power cable, I screwed in those white cable holders first, then pushed wires through...

Next was big-ass 24 wire mobo cable...

I don't know why after powder coating I can still see some of my "notes" under the paint...
Didn't know that powder coat is so thin... Those won't be seen cause will be covered by cables by still... This is my second time I powder coated something and first time was black color so didn't anything:sigh:

Here's how mobo cable was routed in the back - through those white acrylic holders.

...and final look from last night...

 

[phinix]

Here is another part of assembling process. This time I mounted drives holder and dvd shelve.
Apologies for a darkish photos, I do this at night and I'm not a specialist in editing photos to make them look perfect

Please have a look.

..and a little teaser of front panel - I will show it at the final update:thumb:

I still need to mount motherboard and watercooling stuff, graphic card with EK white block, close tubing loop etc. Of course Front panel lighting is first to be done, then top panel and left side window. A little bit of wiring still needs to be done too. So I guess we still have couple of updates to go, but should go pretty fast now. I can't wait to play some games on this baby - I haven't played any good game since Christmas

 

[phinix]

Guys, next part of assembling
Quick one, cause wanted to spend some time with my missus.. watching Game of Thrones

This time it's top panel. I cleaned up and polished edges of acrylic piece..

Lesson learnt - do not powder coat fillports...
I couldn't put the ring back on the thread.. I had to take of the paint off it using my trusty dremel...

...Anyway... here's all the pieces coming together nicely...

Not all pieces screwed in yet, I need to do some other assembling before I mount it down for good...

Screwed in the Enermax 120mm fan. I love those fans, look so nice and clean

..and topped with beautiful Mnpctech Machined Billet Aluminum Fan Grill Blow Hole Kit.

I loved the original look of it, pure aluminium, so much that I didn't want to powder coat it, but now I'm glad I did - it blends so nicely with all the colors of Aurora.
If I were doing black case, I would leave it like it is...




I guess tonight I may start mounting gpu block...
STAY TUNED!:thumb:

 

[mnpctech]

Keep the case mod pron coming!

 

[phinix]

Keep the case mod pron coming!

No probs Bill, here it is

OK guys, new portion of photos, just a little bit for this weekend, just a little bit


I started to make all wiring for all the bits, so SATA was a first...
I found that it was a PAIN to get them aligned with holes in the stand I made, I may actually re-do them for final stage, cause looks like I didn't foresee that soldering them in places won't be possible:wallbash:

Next is dvd SATA cable, perfect length...

... then mesh for "radiator cage". Sprayed white of course. Need to line up radiator in the cage and cut out holes in that mesh for tubing routing.

Next was EK reservoir and drain port with white Monsoon compression fitting, right at the bottom.

EK reservoir from different angle...
I know I know... black holders... if someone tried to spray paint those acetal holders, will understand why I left them black...

I personally like these photos... nice view on whole case, daylight this time
It's getting crowdy!

Last night I started to solder leds for front panel..
So here it is, for a first time front panel and led strips assignment.

That is all. Weekend is coming so more work will be done:thumb:

 

[phinix]

I have some more photos of little update I made lately

I have installed radiator with fans, cut off holes in radiator mesh for routing watercooling tubes, soldered and installed power and lights button on the back of the case and installed 80mm Enermax Cluster white fan on the back with a nice MNPCTECH fan grill.

Here are the updates:


Radiator L shape holders in place...

Radiator with fans going in

..and inside, without mesh, checking how deep can I go, cause those holders let me move it a bit.

..and with mesh - I picked a pen and ruler to highlight where will fittings go, so I could cut out holes for tubing.

snip snip... and holes are ready
I need to file them a bit and re-paint the whole thing.

Then soldered wires to both buttons and a nice fan and grill in place.

Till next time!

 

[phinix]

OK, small update today, last weekend I started to install all the hardware.
Had t take out radiator to have access from each side.

First was to install EK water block on the card. Very easy process, block looks impressive.

Then mounted Gigabyte motherboard

..and graphic card

Then installed all Monsoon compression fittings.

Now, need to solder end bits of switches together with wires from lighting, then same thing for power switch, then put back in radiator and close loop with tubing. Still have to buy clear acrylic for a window! Almost forgot about it

 

[phinix]

OK, last update before final shots guys!

Here are some photos of almost completed assembly. Loop still needs to be filled and wires connected inside power chamber. I'm still waiting for a acrylic window, ordered last week, supposed to be delivered Friday

Is this an A letter?
Yes it is. I wanted to add small elements of pue manual work, so cut it off blue acrylic nd filed down to its shape.
Little personal touch

..and what's this?
Some weird origami shaped thingy!

This is a little T-line adapter I needed for drain route.

So here it is! Full loop put together.

Here it is - weird origami shaped thingy was a acrylic "cross" - I cut it out of blue acrylic and used iron to warm it up to bend all 4 outside bits to form a nice little cover for water block/pump. It was too dark on that part of the mobo, so I think this cover added a nice touch to the whole thing. Also, big A letter glued to it gave a nice addition and character. Well, I hope you guys like it!

..again, the whole loop...

...and the front panel!!!
I decided not to turn the lights on, so I could leave something for the final update:naughty:

I really like how the front acrylic bits raised by leds strips add this "3D" dimension to the panel

...and with side panel.. still no acrylic window:eyebrow:

So! I'm aiming Wednesday for final update.
I hope window will shop up tomorrow and will be able to finish it up.
If not, then Thursday..:rock:

Please hold on just for a few days guys! This final! :thumb:

 

[phinix]

So this is it. Aurora project has come to its end. Last night I was filling in the water loop and made final photo shoot
I took it out and ran a loop bleeding - took ages: I found a leak, so had to drain it again, then fix it, fill it up again and bleeding took hours again, but started taking photos anyway

I will process those photos and add them tomorrow night.
Till then - here is a sample

 

[phinix]

Here they are. Final photos of finished Phinix Aurora! :clap:

I would like to thank all my sponsors, who supported this project.























It has been an incredible ride for me and I hope you guys had some fun with me:thumb:

On Wednesday I took Aurora outside to my garden and took these photos. It was getting dark pretty fast, but I chose this time of the day - evening, darkness... and I saw Aurora

Till next time !!! :dremel:

 

[mnpctech]

Execellent job Mike! can't wait to see what you do next!

 

[Percy]

beautiful!

 

[spugm1r3]

Fine work! Dig the way the lighting showed up in the end result.

 

[mnpctech]

had to share this project with co-worker today, once again, excellent job!