phinix nanoTower - Smallest and most powerful mITX rig !

[xDezor]

Very good. *pats on head and hands cookie*

hehe, that's worthy of a first post.

Amazing build phinix, I've been following along this project log since day one. I can't wait to see the end result!

 

[Rossi~]

Ah man, you sure take your time dude, that Cube took ages and kept me waiting and now this!

 

[Elledan]

Ah man, you sure take your time dude, that Cube took ages and kept me waiting and now this!

You know what they say: good things come in small packa... er, to people who wait

 

[snefan]

that cpu heatsink is very dirty

 

[bleeblak8]

Any Updates on this thing?

 

[phinix]

Any Updates on this thing?

Hopefully this weekend....
I didn't have time at all to work on my sweet little Tower
however, bought few nice things for it and had some small works, so should agther some materials for a nice update.

 

[bleeblak8]

Ok sweet, Looking forward to the update. Keep up the good work.

 

[phinix]

Ok sweet, Looking forward to the update. Keep up the good work.

Thanks!

 

[phinix]

Update time.

After few weeks it is time to show some good stuff I was pretty busy and couldn't find time to work on my Tower, but last few days were very productive, I could say

First, top piece of "power chamber" - Week ago I made this small change and used this new piece of acrylic that I showed you guys before. It looked nice after I mounted it.

However, I was thinking about it and realised that I may have problem with it, after I install quick-release connectors. I needed another change in plans - problem was, those quick-release connectors need a bit of force to be plugged in. I had a feeling that pump stand is not strong enough to keep the pressure on the top piece when plugging those connectors.
So, this weekend I had new idea how to solve this

I added second long piece of alu to hold top cover.

Then I realised that this nice yellow acrylic under the top cover will look nice only when removable piece from pump stand will be perfectly aligned. And that could be very hard every time I put rear main panel back with the pump stand into the Tower. It could be always uneven, looking odd. So decided that this thin long gap with yellow acrylic will be permanent.
I had to trim one piece of cover to make space for reservoir and third smaller cover that will be screwed to those two long aluminium supports. This third piece would be "mobile" and match the shape of the second "not moveable" piece.
Well.. see it yourself, cause its hard to explain

This is the final version of the pump stand with third smallest alu cover-piece...

I screwed it to those two long supports... using all my nuts:blush:
I need to buy some more...

Here is the whole thing - you can see three top cover pieces, two screwed together with middle acrylic piece, and third one, the one that comes with pump stand.

It looks pretty cool, now imagine it will all be painted black, so those edges will be less visible and all will look nice

I bought this nice anti-vibration foam and cut it to size for the pump.

Looks pretty cool...

Now, this gap here between two layers of top cover will disappear when I will add thin foam under the whole pump stand later, so don't worry about it

Look what a mess I made in my attic

My new invention - I mounted vice on my drill press

What I also did this weekend is - I cut out hole for PSU and CPU cable in top power chamber panel and put some edge rubber cover, or whatever its called...

Other thing was to cut out some of the aluminium from top panel for power switch and USB socket. Old fashion drilling action

Final result - fits perfectly

I also made a nice support for leds under top panel - simple and functional.

I also have made a cover for hole in left panel of power chamber - this is where GPU power cables will come out and pump will have its outlet connected to radiator. It also covers cables to led switches in the rear panel.
This is a first stage of it, not finished yet, I'm only showing you the idea how it will be mounted...

I also bought a nice yellow temperature lcd monitor-display, will mount it next week...

Last thing - I drilled and installed cable holders - this is where GPU power cables will come out from the power chamber, so they must be held in place...

And for the end something nice to show - please have in mind this is only a mock-up
I just pushed those rings into this one support, it all looks wobbly and uneven, but.... I loved the look of it, so wanted to share

That is all. I hope you like this update and please stay tuned for next time!!!:rock:

 

[Rossi~]

Awesome good work lad!
Getting there! Eeeeeeeeeeeee

 

[l3p]

Very nice indeed !

 

[thehoang12]

Very Nicccccccceeeeee !! I'm from Vietnam and i admire u very much for your creative and hard working

 

[Korben Dallas]

The drill press looks so out of place on carpet. heheh

 

[pjolon]

Nice one phinix

 

[Elledan]

The drill press looks so out of place on carpet. heheh

It's an utter PITA to remove drilling wastes from the carpet, especially aluminium, which is also exceptionally painful when walking barefoot over the carpet afterwards.

(speaking from experience )

 

[snefan]

very nice! keep it up

 

[Dave_Nuttles]

Haha, I totally had the idea for a vertically oriented mITX build before I found this thread. I even did a couple rough sketches for the layout of it.

Unfortunately I've got no experience in metals work so I decided to get a sg07 on black friday

 

[FrEaKy]

nice nice niiiiiiiice!

 

[phinix]

Awesome good work lad!
Getting there! Eeeeeeeeeeeee

Thanks man! Yep, getting there.. slooowly but getting there

Very nice indeed !

Cheers!

Very Nicccccccceeeeee !! I'm from Vietnam and i admire u very much for your creative and hard working

Thank you very much! I'm glad you like it!

The drill press looks so out of place on carpet. heheh

I know, but I don't have any other place to work in, so my attic floor is the only place I could put it

Nice one phinix

Thanks!

It's an utter PITA to remove drilling wastes from the carpet, especially aluminium, which is also exceptionally painful when walking barefoot over the carpet afterwards.

(speaking from experience )

Yep, exactly. Also when you work on your knees and those bits cut your skin on your legs - THAT is fun But it's all over now, all aluminium work is done, last hoovering will be tomorrow I think

very nice! keep it up

Thank you!

Haha, I totally had the idea for a vertically oriented mITX build before I found this thread. I even did a couple rough sketches for the layout of it.

Unfortunately I've got no experience in metals work so I decided to get a sg07 on black friday

SG07 is a nice case.

nice nice niiiiiiiice!

Cheers!

 

[phinix]

OK guys, small update here - I made last small tweaks to my Tower aluminium parts, cleaned them up and flat packed it. Yep, it is THAT moment of the project where all pieces go to powder coat place. Courier will pick up the 5kg package full of aluminium today and will take it to Tom in ChilledPC, who will take this to powdercoating place. It should be with me in a week.
All I can do now is sit down, wait... and pray that when I get it all back and put together all the stuff will fit in!
If I find some time tonight, I will put on photos of last work I did and the whole Nano Tower flat packed

 

[Elledan]

*waits anxiously*

 

[phinix]

As I promised, here are few photos, some of my favourites from last work. I'm a bit tired and don't have access to my pc, so they don't have watermark yet. Will fix it later.

First, my favourite - acrylic combs in a nice pose

...and in the darkness...

Here is the Nano Tower during "the glueing procedure"

Two done, two to go... mounting ready combs on the Tower...
Looking pretty in that light...

And here is almost all aluminium pieces, Nano Tower in parts, flat packing time

Last photo for today - GUESS! What part of Nano Tower that is?!

 

[Nickbaldwin86]

Man that is cool, nice work

 

[wonSR4]

Man totally sick build. Loving a small compact mITX build! Now if only it was put into mass production though I could do without the watercooling and ATX PSU.

 

[phinix]

Man that is cool, nice work

Thanks man!

Man totally sick build. Loving a small compact mITX build! Now if only it was put into mass production though I could do without the watercooling and ATX PSU.

Thanks! Yeah, this could work I say, air cooled would be a LOT smaller

 

[phinix]

OK, here is the answer
It is front panel! Yes, looks like a grater, I know - these are all holes for leds that will come behind it.
Here's how it looks...

 

[KaizerDan]

Does this mean that by this time next week we will see a painted product!?!?!?!

 

[phinix]

Does this mean that by this time next week we will see a painted product!?!?!?!

Well, it will be painted, but still in pieces. There is a lot of work waiting for me after getting it back from powder coat. I need to finish all acrylic work, then all leds need to be soldered and in a clean way installed, which also will take time. I don't think I will finish it in a month or two. I hope NVIDIA will come up with dual Fermi, which I would like to fit in my Tower
I'm away next week and be back New Year. But if I get it back before I go, I will show some photos of painted panels

 

[jamaicanpi]

I am very impressed. You have a great eye for detail. It looks like it will be a beautiful case.

 

[Elledan]

We need moar pics, though

 

[wonSR4]

Man I wish there was a company that would make a mITX case like this (Could be even shorter for me). I would totally buy it.

 

[Elledan]

Don't you worry, wonSR4, phinix is soon starting mass-production of this case. Right, phinix?

 

[lord_tris]

Very nice work lots of detail. Interesting little workshop you have there..

 

[phinix]

I am very impressed. You have a great eye for detail. It looks like it will be a beautiful case.

We need moar pics, though

Man I wish there was a company that would make a mITX case like this (Could be even shorter for me). I would totally buy it.

Don't you worry, wonSR4, phinix is soon starting mass-production of this case. Right, phinix?

Very nice work lots of detail. Interesting little workshop you have there..

Thank you guys! Yeah, as soon as I finish, the case will be available, but not mass production - only for order - like Rolce-Royce cars

 

[phinix]

OK, so we have a new year - 2011! Nice... that means we all got older!

Because of bad weather conditions I haven't received my powder coated Nano Tower pieces.
However I have few photos to share with, showing last moments of previous, 2010, year
I found few minutes today to prepare them and added them to my server, so here they are...

Here's how I was preparing front panel for drilling holes for leds. First I had to place hex shapes in a pattern I designed it in the past.

Those aluminium hex shapes need to be painted first, then glued to acrylic ones, then to front panel...

Here's front panel cover - beautiful..

..again, two shots of acrylic combs on front panel....

First comes main front panel, then acrylic piece...

I made dots in places of acrylic hex shapes to drill holes for leds...

Then I drew lines in holes in top cover to see where I need to drill holes for leds again...

..and aligned led strips to make marks for holes...

..and here how it's going to look like under the panel As you can see, led strips will be under the main panel cover so you won't see leds it selves, they will light up the panel right next to every edge. I think it will add a nice touch to the front panel.

... holes drilled.. like a Swiss cheese

Those 72 holes for leds that come under the combs was the hardest part...

Cage had to be modded for this part in left bottom corner comb...

Last photo - Mobo's I/O panel - middle one in the Tower - also had to be finished before I sent it to powder coat. I cut out those big holes for mobo and graphics card. Also added long thin hole for graphics card back frame - it will have a small L shape profile bit to secure heavy card with water block... will show that soon.

 

[formula409]

looking awesome

 

[Rossi~]

Almost! not long left now surely?

 

[Elledan]

It's so pretty

 

[pixogen]

I do not have the patience required for this worklog.

It's.. so... pretty.

 

[FrEaKy]

mah gawd!

Its so purrrrrrty!