Project: Flow

[hemi]

Welcome to the worklog for Project: Flow

I actually started this project January 2006. The mods were pretty much finished up at that point, but it didn't attain the results I was really after - as if a compromise had been made. I spent the last three months of 2006 planning the next round of mods, and I promise this is it - the end of the mods for this case. I finally have the case I feel is optimal for my needs after all these years. Without futher ado, here's my "worklog" that's a bit late, but better than never...

This is what I started with, a now 5+ year old Lian Li PC-6000, which was the first in a line of "cheap" versions of the original PC-6 chassis.

These workstation class machines served as inspiration:

This was what the first round of mods delivered:

List of modifications performed in phase 1 (January 2006):

- Opened factory 80mm exhaust grill to 120mm
- Relocated factory drive cage rearward 1" for intake fan/radiator clearance
- Used factory 3.5" drive cage to suspend HDD horizontally on large o-rings
- Modified original bezel to support airflow into radiator, installed round hole modder's mesh in opening
- Modified main chassis to allow mounting of radiator support plate to the front of the chassis
- Fabbed radiator mounting plate out of plexiglass/acrylic/perspex, covered in Avery carbon fiber film (simulated)
- Installed Bulgin illuminated switch in bezel


List of modifications performed in phase 2 (December 2006):

- Removed additional material from front of chassis to allow clearance for a dual 120mm radiator
- Clearanced 5.25" area in chassis to allow for depth of radiator and fans
- Fabbed new plexi panel to support dual 120mm radiator
- Removed factory drive cage/bracket, installed suspension bracket vertically
- Relocated pump (Laing D5) to floor to improve tube routing
- Replaced original bezel with PC-6075/PC-6077 bezel
- Mounted 22mm Bulgin switch on bezel

Also replaced all 120mm fans with Scythe S-Flex (Sony FDB bearings = quiet!)


To do:

- Install hex modder's mesh in bezel
- Add silicone mount for pump
- Replace plexi window, possibly add lighting


Current components:

- Intel D975XBX2
- Intel Core2 Duo (E6600 @ 3.6GHz)
- Patriot PC2-6400
- WD 74GB Raptor
- HP DVD writer
- Corsair HX520
- 3x Scythe S-Flex 120mm fans
- Coolingworks Coolrad 22T
- Laing D5 pump
- Swiftech Storm
- DangerDen Koosah
- Currently running a 7800GT, upgrading to 8800GTS (on hand), waiting for new block to arrive

Fans are run at 7v for intake, which nets approx 800RPM/38CFM each. Exhaust fan is run at 5v via Zalman fanmate dialed down.

Pics coming in next post...

 

[hemi]

More pics on the way once the bezel mesh is installed, along with a few other updates...

 

[Dark Prodigy]

Nice project. It would be a good thing to post a description of what your are attempting to do with each picture. It helps us to follow along better

 

[hemi]

Thanks. I agree that it would help, and I'll add descriptions a bit later with what it was I did at each step and how I went about it. I might end up adding some more detail pics too. I suppose I should have started the worklog as I was moving through it...

 

[indokyne]

whatsup hemi - been waiting for this... great work bud.

 

[BrandonB]

Looks amazing, I wish I had your 1337 modding skills. How are you doing all this!?

 

[Fawkes]

Nice work.

 

[hemi]

whatsup hemi - been waiting for this... great work bud.

Thanks man. I know I still owe you a couple answers...they'll be here soon.

Looks amazing, I wish I had your 1337 modding skills. How are you doing all this!?

LMAO...there really isn't anything 1337 about this stuff. There are guys far more l33t than I am. All I did was some functional mods, had something of a plan going in, and have lots of practice with various tools between computers and cars (both of which I've been 'modding' for a little over 10 years now). It takes ideas and practice, that's all.


Tom

 

[BrandonB]

I have a dremel and all that, but I'm not very good with it. I'd really like to mod my case (its the same one you have except black) to have the radiator in the front.

 

[hemi]

Well, you should try to practice with it a little. All the straight cuts on my case and the plexiglass rad panel were cut with a dremel. Look around for some scrap material. If you don't have anything at home, you might find a scrap yard that sells aluminum or steel panels that you can buy cheap and practice on. If there's not a source like that near you, visit a hardware store, or even Home Depot/Lowe's. You can pick up pieces of sheet metal in varying sizes and thicknesses to practice on.

Here's a good set of tutorials that Bill Owen of mnpctech.com put together, and there's one specifically on using Dremels:

http://www.mnpctech.com/CaseModTutorials.html

The #1, absolutely most important thing to do is be patient. Sure, there are talented people out there who have a knack for this stuff, but there's no replacement for repetition. Repetition is what builds skill. I've done more than most people over the years, but I'm still no uber-1337 modder with mad skillz...

Just have fun with it, and remember, form follows function.


Tom

 

[Kuyt]

Excellent work pal--it looks spectacular.

What temps (CPU + GPU) are you getting with that setup?

 

[Borgschulze]

That's right, no orange loop for you!

 

[hemi]

Excellent work pal--it looks spectacular.

What temps (CPU + GPU) are you getting with that setup?

Thanks! CPU @ 3.6GHz, 1.55v, idles 41C, peaks 54C. 7800 @ 480/1200, idles 36C, peaks 42C. 8800GTS going in tomorrow...

That's right, no orange loop for you!

LOL, the first loop had a 90:10 mix of distilled water and DexCool. It worked great and helped keep everything really clean, but I got tired of the smell seeping through the tubes. DexCool is some nasty stuff (even ate the waterpump seal on my old Chebby truck).


Edit: Incomplete sentence...

 

[Borgschulze]

LOL, the first loop had a 90:10 mix of distilled water and DexCool. It worked great and help everything really clean, but I got tired of the smell seeping through the tubes. DexCool is some nasty stuff (even ate the waterpump seal on my old Chebby truck).

I run a 9:1 of Reverse Osmosis water and DexCool.

I know of one other person who runs an orange loop.

There should be an Orange Leet Loop club.

 

[hemi]

I run a 9:1 of Reverse Osmosis water and DexCool.

I know of one other person who runs an orange loop.

There should be an Orange Leet Loop club.

LOL, maybe there should be. I still have a few pints of that mix in a sealed bottle...if I refill with that, can I be in the club?

 

[khanable]

Very nice. I too like the grilled out front panel look. When those new lian li's hit with the entire meshed front I nearly wet myself.

 

[Borgschulze]

LOL, maybe there should be. I still have a few pints of that mix in a sealed bottle...if I refill with that, can I be in the club?

Of course you can.