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Tech-Daddy
11-27-2007, 11:46 PM
(EDIT: 5/11/08 approved per CS)
This update brought to you by the letter "P", and the number "2"... ;)
I'd like to introduce you to a sweet sponsorship that just blossomed!

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/palit1.jpg
http://www.palit.biz

Palit is making a very strong push into the American enthusiast market, and with recent reviews of their technology implementations being very strong and promising.... I don't see them going anywhere but up! To work with the Deuce theme, I was shipped 2 qty of their 1GB 8800GT video cards, for a total of 2GB of frame buffer luvin! Perfect! 2 of everything thus far... people are going to start wondering if I am OCD on the number 2, hehehehe! But I'd like you all to welcome Palit into the worklog!


http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/video.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/video2.jpg



***Note***
I am leading off to all of my fellow TBCS'rs with a very sincere and heartfelt apology. Due to a grossly huge brain fart, I neglected to start my log on my current mod over here. I realized my mistake last week and am now in the process of bringing everyone in this forum up to date with my current project. The oversight was totally mine, and was not meant as a slight at this incredible forum. And "yes", the brain fart was a SBD... ;)

Thanks for reading...
-=TD

/***Note***

Deuce , 2 of a kind, 2 of what you want.... having a deuce is a good thing. This new rig is going to be an exercise in 2.

Dual Core CPU (Opty 185)
2GB of RAM
2 Hard drives
2 video cards (SLI) (2x 7900GTX 512MB cards)
2 water loops
2 reservoirs (dual EK MultiOption reservoirs)
2 pumps (Swiftech MCP350 and 355)
2 water colors (TBD)
2 Radiators
2 120mm fans on the top rad

You get the idea!
;)

It will reside in a Thermaltake Armor chassis. Mind you, this thing is HUGE!!! Plenty of space for all this magic to happen! I brought the side window panel on vacation with me, and went to town on it this week; It will be another hot rod themed build, except this onw will be a hot rod paint scheme from a Hot WHeel part. Stylistically, it will be very influenced by the build out of a Deuce coup.... but it will have modern flourishes....

The paint job will be based off of this:
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/deuce_pj1.jpg

Deep blue/purple on the base, and gloss black across the top of the cabin area. seperated by a flaming green stripe. Looks bad ass!!!

So I startes planning out my window. And after several days with a pencil, I hace the draft.
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/deuce_window1.jpg

Keeping a mental note on the location of the cross beam. as well as the drive bays in the front. I shaped the main window to show off the motherboard, and to keep the integrity of the side panel locks. I added in a smaller window to the bottom area to break up the look of the "single large window":
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/deuce_window2.jpg

note the stock that still remains around the flames and the corners. I learned something from blingGreen, and that is to make sure you leave the tips of the flames until the last This will keep you from applying a lot of pressure to the tips, and causing it to bend. So, you will see the flames work through in a few pictures....

Here is some more material removed from the flames... see them starting to form up? :)
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/deuce_window3.jpg

Workng through the flame centers....
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/deuce_window4.jpg

Now.... here I go.... the side panel sitting at around 85% completion!!
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/deuce_window5.jpg

Tech-Daddy
11-27-2007, 11:49 PM
the paint job that I am going for is based off of that HotWheel If you will notice the cut of the window, and you draw the green stripe about 2-3mm above the curve, you will see how the green flamed strip will progress and divide the colors. Black will be on the top and front, green flame stripe, and then the candy blue/purple will be under the stripe... make sense?
:)

Just got home from Arkansas... I have a ton of unpacking to do. More later!

Tech-Daddy
11-27-2007, 11:51 PM
(jump forward 8 days after the above posts. It was July 30th, and the natives were restless... ;) )

"YO TECH!!! GET OFF YOUR BUTT AND MAKE AN UPDATE!!!!!"

....

So... I have been busting a hump in my garage at my new house, trying to get more schtuff unpacked and moved into it's proper place, thusly getting it out of the garage.

Well, I made a significant amount of headway in organizing the garage this weekend, and that new found space same in really handy! As I got more done on the mod! (interesting how, if you have the space to stretch out, your work seems to flow more easily! ;) )

Using a 5/8 inch bit, I drillled out the ends of the top of the vents on the side panel, I then used my dremmel to cut a clean line down to the other circle. This made my lines nice and straight (for the most part) and the ends nice and round (again.... for the most part!)
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/sidepanel1.jpg

And how will it look on the side of the case?
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/sidepanel2.jpg


I then also started popping rivets like a mad man on the case, parted the whole thing out and started marking up my next cut lines, and putting everything in the utility sink for a good rinsing. Dust and crap all inside this thing.
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/rivet1.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/rivet1.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/rivet2.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/rivet3.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/rivet4.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/rivet5.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/rivet6.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/rivet7.jpg

I am hoping to get a new type of color process on the frame, we'll see though if I can make it work with the vendor. (fingers crossed)

Quakecon is coming up later this week! Cant wait to see everyone that will be there! And I'll pour some out for the brothers and sisters that could not be there.

Tech-Daddy
11-27-2007, 11:53 PM
(Jumping to Sept. 4th... it's been rough....)

Well... to take from a great historical reference....

"The tales of my demise are greatly exaggerated..."

;)

Sorry for the delay folks. It's been a rough few months. "RL" just does not want to mesh well with my computer modding! ;)

But... I have made progress, both directly and indirectly, on this mod.

1st... directly!

This will likely be the *only* time you will ever see what I am about to show you. I worked with Arctic Mods and DangerDen to have a part made that did not previously exist! ;) Originally I had ordered the acrylic tops, but in a different model, and was chagrinned by my stoopidity! Funny thing... Koosah acrylics did not fit my NV-78 blocks (hence why they are for sale in my For Sale forum!) So, after much gnashing of teeth, I contacted the two companies, and worked it out with them to create them out for the NV-78 SLI kit.... and voila'! You will notice that the only thing tipping you off that these acrylics are something different, are the blue edges. Normal acrylics are crystal clear. But in normal light, the edges give off a baby blue hue.

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/nv78_blue1.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/nv78_blue2.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/nv78_blue3.jpg

But put them under a black light, and the fun REALLY begins!
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/nv78_blue4.jpg

Mind you... the black light is actually about 1.5 feet away, to give you and idea on perspective on how sensitive the acrylics are to UV light! 8O

Next up, the indirect benefit of the work "slow down".... ;)

Tech-Daddy
11-27-2007, 11:54 PM
I have been trying to work with another painter here in the Dallas area that could perform a specific type of painting. I will place one more call to them tomorrow, and I hope we can work something out... but I grow weary of the non returned phone calls. As such, the frame has just been a sticking point. I'm afraid to paint until I knew how the frame was going to turn out.

SO.... in response to the joker taking so long to work with me.... I took the time to ready my airbrushing system!
This was my old workhorse, heheheh!
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/garage/air_comp1.jpg
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/garage/air_comp2.jpg
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/garage/air_comp3.jpg
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/garage/air_comp4.jpg

I put the splitting manifold in place for a 2nd air line that I plan on running to a reel that will be suspended from the middle of the garage ceiling. I will attach another hose on the manifold, route the tube neatly, then terminate it to a 50 foot hose on the reel. I'll run my air tools off of there (when I get them... and can locate the damned hose reel buried somewhere in my frikken garage!!! ;) )
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/garage/air_comp5.jpg
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/garage/air_comp6.jpg
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/garage/air_comp7.jpg
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/garage/air_comp8.jpg
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/garage/air_comp9.jpg
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/garage/air_comp10.jpg
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/garage/air_comp11.jpg
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/garage/air_comp12.jpg
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/garage/air_comp13.jpg
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/garage/air_comp14.jpg
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/garage/air_comp15.jpg

That all adds up to a 21 gal compressor with 2 moisture traps terminating to a 3 way manifold . :banana::banana::banana:

Tech-Daddy
11-27-2007, 11:56 PM
(Sept. 16th... a black day... *grin*)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vijgkWRlWSI


This might kinda sum up my last few weeks...

between weather screwing up my painting environment, and some unexpected delays....

well... I'm trucking again this weekend, trying to make as much headway as I can!
;)

This is my first video so go easy on me... :D

Tech-Daddy
11-27-2007, 11:58 PM
(Oct 11th, I have reached my breaking point and I make my decision on the frame)
Well... moving from the video, I'll post up pics of the forward movement, as well as a little bitch-fest I am going to go off on for a bit...

Panels are progressing nicely! Not the clossy mirror smooth finish I want, but that will be after I clear it a few times... WOO HOO!!

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/panel1.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/panel2.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/panel3.jpg

the ripples will go away after I clear and sand it.

Now... I Have been trying for the last 2 MONTHS to get my frame parts to a specialized painter in the Dallas area. I am not going to even do them justice by posting up their lame ass site, or their lame ass business name. Just suffice it to say that if you are in the Dallas area, and you start talking to Phil from the Colony, hang up and walk away. You will save yourself a buttload of misery. This job is not hard. Ive already done a ton of work to make it easy. But, I guess there just was not enough $$$ at the end of this rainbow. Bunghole stopped returning my calls. Kept trying to reach him to setup a meeting where he would just *look* at my frame pieces.... never even got that far. emails unanswered, phone calls unanswered.... very unprofessional. Phil, I hope I catch your paint equipment on liquidation, because there is *NO* way you can run a business and stay in business operating like that. VERY un-professional. I could have sent a ton of advertisement your way. Possible new avenues of income... but you had to screw it up, and throw off my build. Fine.....

So, I started looking for other options, but everywhere I went, the costs were more than I was wanting to bear, and the finish was "a special order" or something like that. Essentially, I came to the realization that "it's up to me"... so, I took a few days off earlier this week (Mon/Tues) and drove to talk to a my last few possibilities. That drive it home for me, and I went to work on the frame on Tuesday afternoon/night. Popped the remaining rivets, and decided on how I wanted to do my frame.

I shot a test piece just to see how the colors would lay after multiple color coats and a couple of clear coats.

Please pay no mind to the specs of dust on the top, this was a POC piece to see how the colors would work... I liked... it is a metalflake/sparkle base, with a tranparent top color coat. Duplicolor Metalcast. I shot this stuff on blingGreen, but the frame was not disassmbled, and it was one coat of green. I've learned a bit since then, so I'm trying to make this one a bit more durable and glossy...

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/blue1.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/blue2.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/blue3.jpg

That lat pic kinda captures the sparkle below the paint... looks mighty fine... :mrgreen:

So I finish popping the rivets out of my frame:


http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/frame2.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/frame3.jpg

String them up like they are in a meat market... hehehe... "Now serving number 2!" LOL!

Hit them with self etching primer:
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/frame4.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/frame5.jpg

Then the Metalcast flake basecoat:
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/frame6.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/frame7.jpg
You can see a bit of the shimmer of hte silver in that last shot...

And started mowing through the frame pieces with my cans of blue Duplicolor Metalcast (love this stuff!):

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/blue4.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/blue5.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/blue6.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/blue7.jpg

I ran out of paint... :evil: but I can buy more, and recoat in a few days after this has cured. After I get a few more color coats on these parts, they will get clear coats. Prolly 3-4 coats. I really like how the little drive cage came out, and hopefully I can produce a whole case like that. I am also contemplating putting some designs on the frame to make the paint job a bit more than just a color job. ;) Stay tuned on that.

Also, I worked out a problem that was with my beautiful NV78's. The water block acrylics were accidentally cut to duplicate. When you are running a SLI setup, and passing the water between the two cards, you need to have alternating inlets to accomidate the pass-between barbs. I worked with Danger Den (class act that company, they made a fan out of me!) to get another acrylic top cut out. It is now installed, and leak tested. All good.

That said, I have a space NV78 UV blue acrylic top if anyone has an NV78 water block and are looking for a way to spruce it up! ;)

More as I craft. Sorry for the pause in updates. I had hoped to come in with a screaming "bang" if I could have had the frame painted how I wanted... but now... well, it's time for plan B, no... Plan C... nope.... D! Yep! Plan D!

Chin up! Let the journey begin, cuz it is about to get hectic!

Tech-Daddy
11-28-2007, 12:00 AM
(Oct 23rd... tornado references and all...)

Any of you seen the movie, "Twister"? Yeah, this next set of pics reminded me of the Aunt's house that had all of the metal sculpture in her yard... hehehehe

We had some beautiful weather and I used that time to put the Metalcast parts outside to cure. Yummy...

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/frame_twister3.jpg


You can make out the metal flake effect in these shots. No, that is not dust! ;)
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/frame_twister5.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/frame_twister10.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/frame_twister6.jpg


After they cured, I took them down, into the garage, and used a hydraulic rivet gun. If you have a good compressor, and you pull things apart all the time... find one of these tools. It will save you immense headaches from when you scratch your paint using a manual squeeze rivet gun... never again. This was SO, SO much easier...
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/frame_assembly3.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/frame_assembly1.jpg

The frame is now assembled and looking good!
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/frame_assembly13.jpg


This will be one of my secrets. Here is my acrylic for the mod. I'm thinking that the way I am going to mount the upper rad is going to be very unique, assuming that I get it right. :)

But, I dont wanna say too much and jinx it, but I will say that the acrylic is going to be BEAUTIFUL if I get this right...
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/acrylic.jpg

More as I go. Updates are really going to start flowing over the next few days...
:)

Tech-Daddy
11-28-2007, 12:02 AM
(Oct.28th... and I needed holes)

So... lots of work done today...

Did a lot of cleaning up on my top cut. It was while I was working on that piece, that the realization hit me... I'm still missing my power button frame!!! A bit of quick engineering, and the blessings from my dearly departed father in law, and the inspiration hit me... I was given a lot of his tools from his shop, (to which I am forever grateful, Herman. May my work be inspired by your spirit, I miss you bud.) and I remembered that the power switch in question had a 3/4" hole requirement. Herman had given me several chassis punches, and I looked through them, and lo and behold... I had a 3/4" one! So, figured out where I wanted the switch to reside, popped it with a center punch a few times, and drilled the center hole. Then, placing the punch pieces on the hole, I wrenched them through. How on EARTH did I do this before... wow!
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/top1.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/top2.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/top3.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/top4.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/top5.jpg

The results speak for themselves. no edges to file either!
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/top6.jpg

Start priming it and getting it ready for color:
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/top7.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/top8.jpg

First of several color coats:
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/top9.jpg


I also painted the inside of the bottom panel of hte computer. I have been debating back and forth these last few weeks on how I was going to paint it. I then decided that it would make a nice contrast to the blue frame, I'm hoping I am right. ;)
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/bottom2.jpg

This is a flexible color lighting system that I will be integrating adjustable pots to control the flow to Reg, Green, and Blue. There are 4 LED cannons, and each cannon has the RGB leds inside them. A twist of the dials will allow me to create any color ambient light I want out of the guns! I have my primary lighting color scheme already worked out, but these, I think, will ad some nice accenting
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/cham1.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/cham2.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/cham3.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/cham4.jpg

The front bay adaptor had to be changed to black to fit the color scheme of the computer"
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/cham5.jpg

This is just me being happy. The side panel... has not been clear coated, and has not been buffed with polishing compound. No wax... polish... nothing. It just looks that good... :)
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/side1.jpg

Now, tonight, I used my striping tape and my auto mask, and created a paint mask for me to paint my panels with. Remember, they will be black on top, green flame stripe separating, and blue in the base. I plan on burying some graphics in the flame job, as well as in the blue... so be on the lookout! ;)
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/side_taped.jpg

More tomorrow!

Tech-Daddy
11-28-2007, 12:05 AM
(Oct.28th... break out the airbrush and lets PARTY!!!)

Work today was on the bottom "blue" section of the panels...

Metalcast base coat i nthe appropriate sections.
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/panelflame1.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/panelflame2.jpg

I then started applying a background pattern of what I hoped would be a random background pattern of flames...
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/panelflame3.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/panelflame4.jpg

Over the tope of it with Metalcast blue
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/panelflame5.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/panelflame6.jpg

After 4 coats, starting to come together
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/panelflame7.jpg

I had layered the designs, starting with a pearl blue flame, then a white flame, then a set of black flames. The blue I wanted to come out as a set of Ghost flames, as the Metalcast blue would disguise the base blue flames... or at least I had hoped.

As it turns out, it came out better than I planned, as the blue flames appear/disappear depending on where you are in relation to the panel... it is a really sweet effect.

Tech-Daddy
11-28-2007, 12:07 AM
(Oct. 29th, I pull the tape... and dance a happy dance!)

Pulled the masking this morning (should have pulled it last night... live and learn, as it would have helped soften the edge where the tape was. Now I;ll have to sand it down *very* carefully to blend the edge with the black so that when I paint the green stripe, I'm not painting over an uneven surface.)

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/panelflame8.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/panelflame9.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/panelflame10.jpg

Have some wetsanding to do to knock the edge down a bit, and prep for the next "stripe". I'll likely put these outside to cure a bit.

On a seperate note... we all start somewhere...
And I wnat to learn how to do True Fire.

I have never done this folks, never. I have a DVD and a set of templates to help guide me... but my airbrush's paint valve kept staying open, so I was having lots of difficulty tapering my ends. Would release the paint and carry through my air and my motion, but the paint spring just kept pushing paint... then it would click shut... very frustrating.

After about the 4th or 5th mistake, I kinda ran with it... then I started nesting other template designs into it, so see how they would look when sprayed. So, this is like a proof of concept... pre-ALPHA! LOL!!

ANYWAY... not expecting to set the world on fire (*giggle*) but I figured you would like to see what an uber noob does with a finiky airbrush in his free time!

Started out with just a panel from a dead case. Did not sand it smooth, just laid a coat of black over it to give a good, dark back canvas.
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/1stFlames.jpg

Early stage:
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/1stFlames2.jpg


Then I cleared it after a few more color swaps here. Now I know why pros have multiple airbrushes! Color shanges are very time consuming when you only have one airbrush!
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/1stFlames3.jpg

Be gentile.... ;)

Tech-Daddy
11-28-2007, 12:09 AM
(Oct. 29th.... Son of a B@!*#*@)


I am a quite a bit upset at myself right now. I was test mounting my 120mm rad setup on the Swiftech "RadBox" that I bought to help with the external mounting. Well... one screw was too long. and it punctured my 120mm rad. the build continues.... and now my search is on to repair this rad.

My problem is that the hole is directly under the screw thread shroud. And the leak is a doozie. I just pushed water though the rad "beer bong" style...

a steady flow.

I'm quite pissed @ Swiftech right now, but I'm even more pissed at myself. I felt the tension on the screw, and told myself, "back it out. that one was odd"... but I did not...

drip... drip....

likely going to be either some metal epoxy or JB Weld... *IF* I can get it down there in between the fins.

frikken lovely....

Tech-Daddy
11-28-2007, 12:10 AM
(Oct. 30th, another quick inspiration, and some fab results!)

I pulled out the the trusty rivet gun, and put the base back on this beast! This will allow me to better work on the tubing and routing... I also got tired of seeing it hanging in the garage! ;) Using some of the bitchen case feet from mnpctech, I think that says, "dont mess with me", even with NUTHIN in the chassis! Dontcha think? ;)
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/chassis1.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/chassis2.jpg


I also had a brainstorm of an idea with the front bezel. Let's tear them down and have some fun... shall we?
Front of the undoctered unit:
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/bezel1.jpg

Back of it, showing the tabs that must released to get the metal grill out:
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/bezel2.jpg

Strip out the steel meshm and get to work! ;)
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/bezel3.jpg

base coat + blue and white flames:
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/bezel4.jpg

Wonder what I've been doing this all with? ;)
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/bezel5.jpg

Metalcast blue:
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/bezel6.jpg

Final result! I'd say that sets off the front nicely.
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/bezel7.jpg

I need to get some lighting that will illuminate the front bezels, otherwise the flames are lost in the dark...

Also, during this moment, I found a way to do some flame work in a similar fashion, but that will give a really sweet effect! Going to need an extra set of hands though to make it happen. Wifey has already volunteered. *yay!*

Also, my fans and my replacement rad should be here tomorrow!

*double yay!*:banana::banana:

Tech-Daddy
11-28-2007, 12:13 AM
(Nov. 2nd... how the frick am I going to connect those?... *ding* "Ah HA!")

I started working on the back end of the mod, and was thinking that the fan situation that I have in mind was going to be a bit cluttered. I did not like that thought at all. I planned on having a white LED fan on the inside of the case acting as exhaust, that would then be screwed to an external radbox, that would then have another fan and the external 120mm radiator. The radbox and fan buy me a little space to display some tubing and such, but having 2 fans back in the rear... how would I power 2 of them without having a mess of cabling?

If you remember, *waaayyyy* back in the build on BOSS, there was a power supply mod that I did not incorporate, it used the twist on "CB Radio" type connectors now being seen on some power supplies. Well... I still had those connectors, so my plan was to run a 2 wire (12v and ground) independent to that section of the case. soldering the 12v and ground into the legs of the connector receptacle, I then soldered another set of short legs off of the solder point, and heat shrinked the joint. I then took those 12v and ground legs and soldered them onto the fan power and ground lines, and covered those joints with black heat shrink.

This effectively minimized the 8 inches of fan cord to less than an inch. If I Have to replace this fan... it will be a bear! ;)

The external fan will have a cable treatment performed to it that will mate it to the male end of the joint/plug, being sure to keep 12v and ground properly designated, and will plug into the other side of what you see in the below picture.

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/backpanel1.jpg

Going to Home Depot tomorrow, then maybe a bike shop or an auto shop... looking for some small diameter steel tubing

Tech-Daddy
11-28-2007, 12:14 AM
(Nov. 19th - rad work and back panel clean up...)

Here is a little Turkey day post of the work I have done over the past week or so....

My goal is to have the power cabling for the rear fans stealthed except for the area where the wires feed into the fans. now. Knowing that I was going to have a 120mm rad on the back, and I wanted to have an exhaust fan inside the case (components will still need airflow!), I opted to put a Swiftech rad box up between the exhaust area and the fan for the rad. This will help to break up the airflow coming out from the case, and the radbox gives the rad fan about an inch of intake space to grab it's cool air from. Powering 2 fans from an internal/external location was going to be a bit of a challenge, and I came up with the idea of just having both fans share the same 12v run. As such I put in a passthrough port, attached the + and - onto the supply side of the passthrough, and then built a cable to the external most fan on the rad using the female of the connector. Initially, I was using 1 inch aluminum spacers, but thought they looked a bit too tall, so I dropped them to 1/2 inch ones, and thought that they looked much batter. I have to grind out a litle on the Radbox in the space in front of the case holes for the hoses, else I have a bit of a creasing of the hose as they pass by the sharp edge of the radbox. Enough talking... Here are the results:

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/back_fan1.jpg
Backside of the connector with the split for the fan on this side, as well as the feed for the other side.

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/back_fan2.jpg
Alum standoffs @ 1 inch... a bit to tall for my liking, so I bought some shorter ones.

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/back_fan3.jpg
This shows the power line coming off the fan going past the external connector...

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/back_fan4.jpg
Shorter assembly height, and a shorter fan power cable, looks much better!

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/back_fan5.jpg
Closeup of the rear cable assembly.

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/back_fan6.jpg
How it looks from the top. You can see the barb location as well as the holes where the tubing will come through.

Tech-Daddy
11-28-2007, 12:16 AM
And this is where I am at currently. As I make updates, you can count on me keep y'all in the loop!
:)

-=TD

jdbnsn
11-28-2007, 12:24 AM
***Note***
I am leading off to all of my fellow TBCS'rs with a very sincere and heartfelt apology. Due to a grossly huge brain fart, I neglected to start my log on my current mod over here. I realized my mistake last week and am now in the process of bringing everyone in this forum up to date with my current project. The oversight was totally mine, and was not meant as a slight at this incredible forum. And "yes", the brain fart was a SBD...

Thanks for reading...
-=TD


LOL! Relax TD, you are always welcome here and loyalty to a forum should not be an obligation, it's our honour to have you whenever you can be here. Great to see a new project!

Tech-Daddy
01-07-2008, 02:47 AM
Thank you jdbnsn, much appreciate the understanding!
*tips hat*

Well... hello everyone!
Due to the holidays, "real life" took a serious stick to my free time. Work has been an absolute leech, and then you have the holidays between my last post and this post. It's been tough, and I am *very* sorry for not having the time or the energy over the last 1.5 months. That kind of a gap in a log is not very professional, and I apologize to anyone who has been thinking I fell off the earth....

All that said, I've got an update!
WOOT!
;)

I was able to grab some time this last weekend and make more progress. I call this update:
"WTF are you building??!?"

So grab some popcorn and have some fun! Here we go!
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/line_standoff1.jpg
2 screws, a threaded standoff and a double coax staple... huh?
...

stick with me folks, I'm kinda proud this!

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/line_standoff2.jpg
The staple come with a nail in the plastic housing... that gets yanked

Then I put the plastic piece in a vice and using a manual hand drill I bore the hole out that the nail was passed through:
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/line_standoff4.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/line_standoff5.jpg

Then, to get one of the longer screws through the plastic, I very carefully hit the hole with a 1/4" bit in a power drill and dig out a recession of the screw head to sit in, and that also gives a bit more thread exposed on the bottom end:
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/line_standoff6.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/line_standoff7.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/line_standoff8.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/line_standoff9.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/line_standoff10.jpg

Then I screw on the threaded standoff:
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/line_standoff11.jpg

And we have a finished... something! ;)
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/line_standoff12.jpg

But wait...wait... "Tech-Daddy, there were 2 screws in the picture? Where does the other one go?"
Glad you asked! I take those and screw them through the frame of the back panel of the computer chassis:
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/line_standoff13.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/line_standoff14.jpg

Then I screw in the other end of the threaded standoff to the exposed threads of the screw I just put in place:
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/line_standoff15.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/line_standoff16.jpg

Kinda neat... but looks lonely:
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/line_standoff17.jpg
That's better... but what are they for? Well... remember that fan junction that I built that ties the internal and external fans together? Well... I still need to get 12v and ground to that location... and anyone who knows me knows that the cables will not simply "fly" across the case. So, I take the cables, and where they will be seen, I make them appealing. I'm actually running a single cable inside each tube:
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/line_standoff18.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/line_standoff19.jpg

I like how that looks! I run the lines up to the structural cross bar that spans the entire side of the case, and I run my 12v and ground lines inside that piece of steel. Once it gets to the front of the case, they drop out and begin their trek down the 5.25 bay area. So I clad those lines in tubing again and built 2 more standoffs and attached them to 2 holes in bays that I will not be using:
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/line_standoff20.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/line_standoff21.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/line_standoff22.jpg

There you go! Tastefully done power, front to back, and you will only see what I want you to see of it!

As for the 3 hard drive bays that are inserted in the bottom of the case in that cage adaptor thingy, it has a spot for a 120mm fan on the front of it, and I am going to use it. But, unlike the fans elsewhere in the case, I dont want to put a lit LED fan there, as the back light will screw up the front mesh panel flame effect, so I instead went for a nice and quiet black fan. I knew that the cabling was never going to be seen, so I did not sleeve it... but I did blast it several times with vinyl dye then attach it to an electric screw driver and twist it, then touch it up with the vinyl dye. I like that look a lot better... :)
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/line_standoff23.jpg

I also put on foam, noise isolating, neoprene insulators to each screw contact point:
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/line_standoff24.jpg

Mounted it up:
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/line_standoff25.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/line_standoff26.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/line_standoff27.jpg

The res's may be relocated. This was just an idea I was bantering around.

I've also started experimenting with different types of lighting, these are what some vendors call pirahanna lights:
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/pirahanna_lights.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/pirahanna_lights2.jpg

Neat thing about these lights is that they run off of 12v DC, and can be cut into blocks of 3. No resistors needed. Put a bit of double stick tape on these and put them where you want! these are stiff PCB material so they are not really flexible... but I'm going to be trying some other possible items later on...

And... OMG! I need to clean up my make shift router table... what on earth could I be working on that would create a mess like this?!!?
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/router.jpg

Well... you are going to have to wait! I have more tools on order to hopefully bail me out of the jam that I have created. More on the results of this mess later! ;)

So, there you have it... more later on as I get to it!
-=TD

jdbnsn
01-07-2008, 03:07 AM
Dude, that is looking great! Very clean. I Digg it!

brinkz0r
01-07-2008, 03:32 AM
Really like your cable management, and the place of your res's :)

b4i7
01-07-2008, 04:04 AM
very nice TD....youre makin me want to work on Hotrod again :)

Drum Thumper
01-07-2008, 05:53 AM
Here's my question: How in the hell do you only have 1 rep box?

+rep, /Subscribe and I dugg it. :D

Tech-Daddy
01-07-2008, 11:44 AM
Here's my question: How in the hell do you only have 1 rep box?

+rep, /Subscribe and I dugg it. :D

Just luck I guess... ;)

Thanks guys...

SgtM
01-07-2008, 12:12 PM
Digg.. subscribe, +rep.. TD is the man!

Tech-Daddy
01-07-2008, 03:23 PM
Sir! YES SIR! ;)
THANK YOU SIR! MAY I HAVE ANOTHER, SIR?

:D

FrooP
01-07-2008, 03:24 PM
of course you can :p

edit:

oh look who gave you the second rep bar :p

Tech-Daddy
01-07-2008, 03:27 PM
Sheesh... forgot to take pics of it, but I picked up a set of 6, dual action siphon feeding airbrushes (generic... if I get good, then I'll spend the money on the good stuff) and a paint station stand with connections for all the air hoses, holders for each airbrush, and a pressure gauge that shows what the pressure is to all the airbrushes plugged into the base. I have to order a couple of larger needles and aircaps, as the brushes are .35 and I want a couple of them to be able to shoot .5mm so that I can hit thicker paints, pearls and small flakes later.


Pretty cool!

.Maleficus.
01-08-2008, 07:18 AM
I don't know how I managed to let this one slip by me, but looking awesome! +rep and Dugg man.

The boy 4rm oz
01-08-2008, 10:03 AM
Nice set up you got there, lots of tools just like there should be lol. Nice idea with the cable mounts, looks really clean and classy. I really like how you did that side panel, it's unusual and just looks cool, looks ever better painted. I can't believe I never saw this mod. +rep for the fantastic work

Tech-Daddy
01-08-2008, 03:12 PM
Nice set up you got there, lots of tools just like there should be lol. Nice idea with the cable mounts, looks really clean and classy. I really like how you did that side panel, it's unusual and just looks cool, looks ever better painted. I can't believe I never saw this mod. +rep for the fantastic work

Yeah... I wanted it to be a bit different than the rectangulsquaround holes that I've seen... ;)

If you like it painted now... just wait until you see what I'm doing to it next!

I'm practicing some painting on other scrap pieces, and the post above with the 6 new airbrushes is a step in the direction that I am moving toward to complete the side panels. Tehy are going to look *so* rad, but I have to practice what I'm putting on there so that I get it right!

Glad you guys like the work so far, and thanks for all the reps and Digg's... that is really, really cool of you all. :up:

Stay tuned!

jiggiwiddit
01-08-2008, 04:53 PM
this is well cool, kinda like "pimp my comp" the blue looks sooo good in the sunlight

IndyRacer27
01-08-2008, 07:16 PM
I don't know how I missed this log, but I'm glad I found it. +rep.

lmao when I saw this:
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/frame_twister3.jpg


First thing through my mind was modders' Christmas decorations, maybe for the tree next year.......:)

Tech-Daddy
01-08-2008, 07:43 PM
Yeaaaaaah.... nothing says "Geek over the edge" quite like blue painted parts hanging off the gutters... dontcha think?

;)

Tech-Daddy
01-26-2008, 12:42 AM
Thanks guys!

I have *finally* come to the decision that I made that mess of blue acrylic... and I will have nothing to show for it. :(

So, I sat down for a few hours and taught myself some stuff in photoshop, and Corel Draw...

And came up with a file that I can use to cut what I was trying like hell to create manually (without much success mind you!)

I'm going to show you guys here what I'm up to... and *hopefully* in a week or two, I'll have the acrylic cut, shaped and looking like I hope it will. My main concern is going to be strength, and will the thin spots hold up.... I dunno. I've never done this before! ;) Matter of fact, I don't think anyone has done this before... so, there may be a reason this has "not been done before"... :)

So... keeping in mind that this is going to be cut through 1/4" transparent blue acrylic...

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/rad_stand_proto.jpg

The rad will be supported by 4 legs, one for each corner. My plan is to have the rad further back on the top of the case, and the front legs actually at an angle progressing from the leading edge of the top, up and back to the rad.

Most all of the flames will be heated and bent.

The long side between the front and back legs will be bent down to the side and bottom edge of the long side of the 240 rad these will adorn. Those flames will actually wrap under the rad and lick around the fans on the underside, providing a set of supports for the rad to rest in. The ends will be heated to fold down and encapsulate the rad.

There will be no screws holding this together, the rad will be completely wrapped in acrylic flames and held in by the heating and bending of the flames to make them hold the rad in place.... that is my plan at least!

The legs will wrap through the hole I cut in the top, and then bend into a bracket that I am in the process of designing. I am hoping to keep this whole attachment mechanism screwless and clean.

There are plans to light this thing with LED's, but due to the density of the material, I've been having a bit of an issue getting good results illuminating the material... but if I can get the edges polished properly, then the light will hopefully flow from the edges....

but this is what I have been working on, and I think I am really, close to having 1 or 2 to prototype with and see if it will work!

Wish me luck! I've also got my sons pinewood derby happening tomorrow, and I need to wrap up on the weights in that car tomorrow... WHEEEEE!!! Lots of garage time over the past few weeks! And I've almost got something to show for it!

jiggiwiddit
01-26-2008, 06:01 AM
Yeaaaaaah.... nothing says "Geek over the edge" quite like blue painted parts hanging off the gutters... dontcha think?

LMAO

Good luck with the 'old school flames' bracket. :smoker:

edit: also good luck with the pinewood derby, just googled it- looks like fun.

Tech-Daddy
02-04-2008, 01:20 AM
Well... son came in 2nd on the Derby last week! Thanks for the well wishes! He came up with a really good design!

Now, on to this update... First time in a long time that a weekend has rolled around that was not :
1) Too cold to paint
2) Too humid to paint
3) Too busy with family
4) Too busy with work

Well... those things were not in the works on Sunday! Yay!

Got some time to go clean my neglected airbrush and try to fix it... and got it working much better! I still have a minor hanging issue with it... but it will get better and I continue to work on it.

So, after cleaning, I sprayed black over the 1st set of flames that I experimented with, and tried v2.

Came up with this:
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/flames_2ndTry.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/flames_2ndTry_b.jpg

Not bad, for my second time *ever* working on laying out flames freehand. I learned a lot. And will apply it to the next panel I experiment with. Hopefully I'll get back out there in the garage this week, and spray some more while the knowledge is fresh in my head.

I know it aint pro... it was more a concept for color and application. Was not intended to be smooth, as the layer I painted over on the bottom was not smooth, and I got some stuff on my french curcves that attached itself to the surface of the panel... no biggie.

But these pics have 2 layers of clear to allow me to see what paint would show after the CC process....

Learning more and more each time. Commando, thank you for your site... I am spending a lot of time on your videos and tips. Excellent stuff!!

:up::up:

The boy 4rm oz
02-04-2008, 01:30 AM
Flames look awesome dude, great work.

Tech-Daddy
02-10-2008, 11:21 PM
Well.... beautiful weather... combined with some time in the garage... equals....

3rd attempt.

I'm starting to plan out how the flames will be on the panel, so I was simulating the curve of the blue graphic...

here is what I plopped down tonight.

I think I figured out what I was doing wrong from the previous 2, and made this one better, but I just thought of something that I did that caused a lot of my overspray, and I'm going to go out and rectify that tonight. Might be a v4 if I can get my equipment cleaned up and re-racked for the 4th attempt.
:)

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/flamev3.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/flamev3b.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/flamev3c.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/flamev3d.jpg


Getting closer!
;)

More later!

The boy 4rm oz
02-10-2008, 11:27 PM
Very nice work.

p0Pe
02-11-2008, 05:22 PM
yeah looks good m8!... the decorations is veddy nice also xDDD

jiggiwiddit
02-11-2008, 08:41 PM
Very nice... green flames are so diff from the usual yellow/orange/red stuff.

b4i7
02-16-2008, 12:23 PM
hey TD...kinda late in the mod to offer...but i just realized i had these around
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v697/b4i7/DCP_0992.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v697/b4i7/DCP_0993.jpg

its part of a floor mount we make at my shope.... he have a few scrap around.... but they are roughly the size of a 80mm fan...and with a bit of modding...like say a plate to match up holes....it is able to fit a fan

jdbnsn
02-16-2008, 01:41 PM
wow, those look great for fan mounts/frames

The boy 4rm oz
02-16-2008, 11:08 PM
That they do.

Tech-Daddy
02-21-2008, 12:33 AM
Pretty cool, b4i7! I may tak you up on some of those on my next build. 80mm fans galore! ;)
Took a couple of days off at the beginning of the week for my daughter's birthday, and had some spare time.... so I whipped out another panel.

Different colors, this one was more teal than green.

I like the design, not a big fan of the color. My wife likes both the color and the design.
;)
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/flamev4.jpg

The boy 4rm oz
02-21-2008, 01:25 AM
I like that better than the green.

b4i7
02-21-2008, 06:11 PM
http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/TBCS_Group/Ichbin/Frontpage.jpg (http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13503)


congrats TD... this is a beautiful, and well deserving mod

Tech-Daddy
02-21-2008, 09:47 PM
You guys rawk!!!
;)

Thank you for the honor!

M!ST!CX
02-21-2008, 10:34 PM
very nice "start" looking forward to see it done.

Braveheart
02-22-2008, 01:23 AM
you've got skill, and nice shoes:p

Tech-Daddy
02-24-2008, 10:30 PM
Yeah, well, my shoes/feet seem to bring a lot of enjoyment... No clue why! When I was working on BOSS, I had another forum in stitches because of a shot of my feet... I mean they are big and all...

Guess that they will be like "Where's Waldo?" or something like that... throw them in from time to time.
;)

Liquid_Scope_99
03-01-2008, 03:48 AM
looking good man

Tech-Daddy
03-02-2008, 03:58 AM
I got my acrylic cut this weekend. I have a bit of cleaning up of the laser cuts, more later... iI am exhausted....

Tech-Daddy
03-03-2008, 01:25 AM
Good evening everyone... just got myself settled after a weekend meeting with the AustinModders (www.austinmodders.com), great to see all you guys again!

While down there, one of the big pieces of this mod came to me.... to say that I am happy would be a severe understatement!

This is 1/4" transparent blue acrylic... that I had lasered to be the rad stand.
This shot is simply to give you a little depth on the color... it really is striking!

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/rad_stand0a.jpg
These are pieces that were the centers of flame licks.

The whole cut:
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/rad_stand0.jpg

And several more shots after I got home:
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/rad_stand1.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/rad_stand2.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/rad_stand3.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/rad_stand4.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/rad_stand5.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/rad_stand6.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/rad_stand7.jpg

I have 98% of these flames cut. Due to the thickness of the material, and the density, some of the laser cuts did not make it all the way through. They are only a few places, but due to the delicate and intricate nature of this cut, it is absolutely essential that I have all of the cuts completed and not hanging as I pull the negative parts of the cut out. I have a plan where I will use an intricate engraver bit on my flexi-shaft Craftsman rotary tool, and use that to complete the cut from the back side of the piece. That way, if I do have a minor scratch, it will not be on the surface of the acrylic.


I have to take this moment to publically thank the person who cut this for me. A good friend that chooses to remain confidential, but they spent almost a full 10 hours cutting this. Only after the cutting had started, did we realize that the density of the material combined with the power of the laser... was going to lead to a Looooong manufacture time. *tips hat* Those that know this person, please quietly nod your head, but do not give his identity away.


After I get both frames removed, my next "impossible* task is to get it bent to the form I want without damaging it... ;) something that many are skeptical I can do! Might even be "crazy" for trying... but that is what I am. I have 2 of these to try and make work. if they do not work, then I have to find another way to execute the vision! ;) Wish me luck!

I'll post up pics of the rad stands after I have them removed.
:D

The boy 4rm oz
03-03-2008, 01:52 AM
Very very nice cuts, congratz anonymous man. Can't wait to see it bent and with the paper off.

p0Pe
03-03-2008, 03:50 AM
dude:D... gl on bending that shizz xDDD i really hope you can do it:p (fingers crossed;))

Tech-Daddy
03-03-2008, 03:32 PM
Hehehehe.... you and me both!

I have a rabidly fun idea that *might* just let me get this stuff to bend how I want it...
*maniacal laughter ensues....*

Tech-Daddy
03-09-2008, 11:14 PM
*finally* had both time and weather!

Acrylic is not something I like to muck with when it is pretty cold... I feel like it makes it more brittle. Might be just me, but if I am going to be working with my only 2 copies of my rad stand, I'm taking every precaution, real or likewise... that could make the flames unexpectedly snap....

Well, this last week was busy, then I got clipped with a cold, and that yanked the batteries for about 3 days. Feeling a bit better, the weather warmed up... so I put in a few hours in the garage!

Using a combination of bits, I slowly and carefully worked my way around the acrylic, sometimes using a fine tipped engraving bit, other times using a reinforced wheel... and I started making progress"
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/rad_stand8.jpg

I had to put a light underneath the acrylic to make out the cuts that were completely through, and then focus on the areas that were still hung.
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/rad_stand9.jpg

Some of the chunks coming off...
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/rad_stand10.jpg

Here you can see how I was using the light to path the cuts:
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/rad_stand11.jpg

Ohhhhh daaaaamn.... almost there!!!
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/rad_stand12.jpg

3 hours later, the 1st one if free!!!!
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/rad_stand13.jpg

No broken flames, everything successfully released! I have a bit of careful filing and some polishing to do, but otherwise... HELL YEAH!!!!!

now.. add into this wonderful weekend of success, my wife opted to give me my birthday presents early (Later this month on the 21st) and she landed a 22" wide screen LCD on my lap today! Also got me an MP3 player so that I can listen to tunez while I work out! (I have *got* to get into better shape!)

So.... I'm ecstatic this weekend!

IndyRacer27
03-09-2008, 11:35 PM
That flame cutout looks amazing! I wouldn't have the heart to try to bend it. Good Luck!

p0Pe
03-10-2008, 03:14 AM
omg... +rep!

The boy 4rm oz
03-10-2008, 08:21 AM
Nice cutting there.

|NQ|Squelsh
03-10-2008, 08:31 AM
Wooow! I would lock that pice in a display cabinet just to not break it. And you really want to BEND it? (Says the guy who cuts away corners of his GeForce-card)

Not to myself: I need a laser-cutter!!

p0Pe
03-10-2008, 09:05 AM
off topic


Wooow! I would lock that pice in a display cabinet just to not break it. And you really want to BEND it? (Says the guy who cuts away corners of his GeForce-card)

Not to myself: I need a laser-cutter!!

to be cut in is what a gforce card is best at:D

Tech-Daddy
03-22-2008, 02:11 AM
Took the day off from work today to celebrate the ol B-Day, and what better way, than to move ahead on the mod! ;)
First thing up is that in order for me to get most of these bends proper, I build a wooden jig that I could heat the acrylic up on and not worry about damaginf the joints in the rad. Last thing I wanted to do was do something that caused joints in the rad to unsweat...

1st pic is the acrylic laying ontop of my wooden rad/bending jig:
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/rad_stand14.jpg

Started heating the corners and applying even pressure to the side:
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/rad_stand15.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/rad_stand16.jpg

Eyeballing the other side.....
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/rad_stand17.jpg


And my first 4 bends are completed! YAY!!!! (wipes sweat)
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/rad_stand18.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/rad_stand19.jpg

Tomorrow, I'll try to get the rad into the acrylic and see how sturdy this is, and what I need to do to get it mounted into the roof section. I've got a plan, I just have to see if it will work! ;)

I've still gotta finish the bends to see how well it attaches to the top of the case... I may end up having to remake this acrylic to a different dimension. If I have to do it again, then you can count on the fact that I will use a local water jetter to cut this (same person that did DST). Or else I will have to source a larger wattage laser cutter. I already have the sheet of acrylic ready if this does not turn out well, but I'm going to do my very best to make this work! I am certainly not going to waste all the effort that my friend put into cutting this!

Damn, I'm happy to have finally bent this stuff!

Oh yeah, and to pinpoint the heat, I used a propane torch. My heat gun was too broad. I needed pinpoint heat application to make sure I did not have unnecessary bowing and shift in the acrylic.

jdbnsn
03-22-2008, 02:16 AM
Oh hell yeah, that looks hot man. Happy B-day BTW!

Drum Thumper
03-22-2008, 02:26 AM
:eek::eek::eek:

Dayum man, that is HAWT!

Enigma
03-22-2008, 04:02 AM
Oh my god, thats is sooo sweet !!!:eek:

b4i7
03-22-2008, 08:00 AM
*changes pants*

The boy 4rm oz
03-22-2008, 09:58 AM
That looks fantastic, great work.

rendermandan
03-22-2008, 10:58 AM
Those flames look great! Good job. +rep

p0Pe
03-22-2008, 11:21 AM
oh dude! you pulled that off perfectly:D +rep!

Tech-Daddy
03-22-2008, 02:37 PM
Came out pretty good! The bending jig is a bit off, but not by much, so corrections should be minimal.

Tech-Daddy
03-23-2008, 06:13 PM
I did some interpretive "test mounting" today to see how the frame responded.

Not even really a test fit, just an estimation of "where everything is going to go..."

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/rad_stand20.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/rad_stand21.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/rad_stand22.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/rad_stand23.jpg

The rad will be sitting lower than this in order for the legs to have enough material to be integrated into the top of the case roof.

What I have come up with is that my initial thoughts of having the rad unit structurally supported from wrap under flame licks to the mid section and some encompassing end wraps to hold its front and back... is not going to work. I'll need to integrate the load bearing into each of the 4 "legs", which is likely to mean I'm going to fabricate some sort of support mechanism for the top and bottom of the rad and find a way to tie it into the legs.

When I rested the rad on top of the frame, it was easily supported, When I started suspending the unit the way I was planning on tying it all together, the little simulations had a lot of frame flex. So, I will find a way to tie in my support to the four corners. I've already got an idea... we'll see what happens!

b4i7
03-23-2008, 06:31 PM
TD, now that is just pure sexy, +rep

The boy 4rm oz
03-23-2008, 10:05 PM
TD, now that is just pure sexy, +rep

I agree. Very nice work. +rep

Tech-Daddy
05-01-2008, 01:32 PM
Good afternoon everyone! Midways through my vacation between jobs, I've gotten a lot done! Between prototypes and paint decisions, I'm feeling very good!

Reservoir brackets are prototyped. I used paper to get my measurements down. I wanted on solid piece of acrylic and, if my plans go accordingly, it will use 3 bends per end to make the reservoir brackets. There will be a few more alterations to the presentation, but they will eventually be screwed into the sides of the 5.25" bay area.
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/res_bracket.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/res_bracket2.jpg


My 5th, and final flame test. "Keep it Simple"... and I like it the most! Color is spot on!
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/flamev5.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/flamev5a.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/flamev5b.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/flamev5c.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/flamev5d.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/flamev5e.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/flamev5f.jpg

I was looping a flame strand under another lick, and I tried this... I got it 50% right! ;) I know what I did wrong and will correct it when I apply this same painting technique to the side panels!
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/flamev5g_scar.jpg

Learned that I was pushing too hard on the blade when weeding my graphics of the excess tape... note to self, "GO EASY!"
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/flamev5h_scar.jpg


Also, I am not giving up on the "true fire" style of painting, it's just taking a bit more practice than I was anticipating... but practice is good!
;)
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/flame_practice.jpg

The boy 4rm oz
05-02-2008, 04:07 AM
OMG an update lol. Very nice paint buddy, keep up the good work

Drum Thumper
05-02-2008, 04:38 AM
That plex work is bad assed. This is coming along great man!

Tech-Daddy
05-02-2008, 09:38 AM
OMG an update lol. Very nice paint buddy, keep up the good work

Yeah.... about that... sorry! This last month has been a serious leech in that I wrapped up my old job and am relaxing a bit before starting the new job, hence the updates!

Hopefully, with the new position, that will allow for a bit more consistency on the updates!

:)

The boy 4rm oz
05-02-2008, 12:16 PM
Awesome. Can't wait for the next one.

Tech-Daddy
05-02-2008, 05:42 PM
Recognize these panels? ;)

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/flame6.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/flame6a.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/flame6b.jpg

They are next on the spraying block... Stay tuned!
:)

The boy 4rm oz
05-02-2008, 11:22 PM
I like that window you have cut. I almost forgot what it looked like lol.

Tech-Daddy
05-04-2008, 02:24 PM
Ok, first round of painting is done. I have a bit of cleanup to do around the panel where some of the tape let a bit through, but for the initial application, it looks good!

I have some airbrushing that I need to do as well as some *gulp* pin striping if I can pull it off! (have those other panels to practice on). The striping will be on the outer edge of the green flame work. But the process is committed to the panels now! :)

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/flamev5i.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/flamev5j.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/flamev5k.jpg

The boy 4rm oz
05-05-2008, 02:28 AM
I LOVE the paint job. The blue, green and black go perfectly with each other. Nicely done.

Tech-Daddy
05-11-2008, 02:09 AM
Thank you very much! I'm digging the colors too!
Started a new job on Monday... so I have been a bit distracted getting myself acclimated to the new company and it's work requirements.

Looks like this is going to be a good match! ;)

Palit is not a well known video card brand here in the USA... yet! ;) They are making a very strong push into the enthusiast market, and with recent reviews of their technology being very strong and promising.... I dont see them going anywhere but up! To work with the Deuce theme, I was shipped 2 of their 1GB 8800GT video cards, for a total of 2GB of frame buffer luvin! Perfect!

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/video.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/video2.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/video3.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/video4.jpg

My issue that I have to get creative about is that the card is not an NVidia "reference card" design, and as such, the full cover liquid cooling solutions that I was moving toward... wont work. So, now I get to be creative! With a rework in the power system as well as the additional 512MB of memory on the back of the unit, that is going to make it a bit tricky! Before I pull the coolers, I am going to put the cards into the current machine and bench them and make sure there is no artifactingm because once I start pulling these apart, I'm pretty sure Palit's warranty will go bye bye... :)

I've already got a plan or two to really jazz this card up, liquid cool it, and cool the memory and the VR's... I have some options!

gonna be tricky, but I think I'll be able to get some good performance *and* good looks!

OvRiDe
05-11-2008, 02:29 AM
I have noticed the Palit brand for a while now, but never have know one with them. I would be interested on how they perform! Anywho I know your going to do something great with them, so I will just kick back, hide and watch.

Keep up the great work!

jdbnsn
05-11-2008, 02:59 AM
Looks great, but I need you to check out the rules regarding sponsor placement in the handbook.

b4i7
05-11-2008, 04:04 AM
those will be super nice!

check your pms :)

The boy 4rm oz
05-11-2008, 08:04 AM
Congratz on the sponsorship and the new GPU. Yeah sponsors can be referred to but can only be added to the first post of the thread. Just a heads up.

Tech-Daddy
05-11-2008, 08:24 AM
Did not even think that this would be an issue, I will correct shortly. Headed out for Mothers Day breakfast. I will correct a blt later this morning after we have done breakfast and presents. Apologies.

The boy 4rm oz
05-11-2008, 08:28 AM
I just re read the end of your posts. Pulling heatsinks off your GPU generally won't void the warranty. manufacturers understand that you want better cooling so they tolerate it. Just don't spill coolant on it lol.

Tech-Daddy
05-16-2008, 01:04 AM
WOO HOO!!!

Fun stuff!

These will eventually be bent into my reservoir brackets that will mount them to the inside of my 5.25 bay area.
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/acrylic.jpg

The units with the holes in the pic below will be for retaining my fill ports, the additional flames are for decorative accenting.... but where? ;)
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/acrylic2.jpg

Flames anyone??
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/acrylic3.jpg

This will be my solution for supporting the rad from below, you'll see how it all ties together! ;)
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/acrylic4.jpg

With a little back light, you can see the bottom etching I threw in on the piece.... DEUCE!!
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/acrylic5.jpg

Etched material from the back
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/acrylic6.jpg

Flames with the res....
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/acrylic7.jpg

Fire and water anyone? ;)
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/acrylic8.jpg

More later!

The boy 4rm oz
05-16-2008, 03:19 AM
Nice etch and nice res insert.

Drum Thumper
05-16-2008, 03:27 AM
This just keeps getting better and better!

Zephik
05-16-2008, 04:09 AM
That etch is sweet! Great idea with the flames, that too looks sweet!

DonT-FeaR
05-20-2008, 11:05 PM
OH MY WOW i only just found this its so nice i love it!!!

Tavarin
05-21-2008, 11:04 AM
I could definitely use your amazing plexi skills. + rep.

Tech-Daddy
06-08-2008, 01:56 AM
Ok, lets have some fun on an update!
;)

I've been ordering and receiving a LOT of equipment as of late. Between painting supplies and acrylic fabrication supplies... plus some modding add ons for this unit... it's been a bit crazy at my house for a week, while the dust settles! So, the last 2 days, I went out and started using one of my newest pieces of equipment, an acrylic heater/bender!
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/bender.jpg

Let me just say, for the record, this makes for a much higher quality bend in thicker acrylic, as you dont take the change of accidentally overheating it and causing it to flame up or get too hot. Doing so causes bubbles in the material... not pretty! But to test how well it worked on 1/4" sheet cell cast acrylic, I dropped a practice piece on the heated unit for about a minute (going to take a stop watch out there and get a good precise time that is needed) and resulted in this, nice, smooth, no bubble bend on 1/4" acrylic..... Mmmmmmmmmm! :)
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/bender_thick.jpg


I also ordered some 1/8" clear acrylic rods...
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/eighth_rods.jpg

"What on earth for?", I hear you asking....
well, light pipes! I have some ideas on this, we'll see if they make the final cut!
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/eighth_rods2.jpg

Back to the video cards.. and their initial water cooling install....
Strip off the old stuff, which is actually a very good heatsink:
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/palit1.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/palit2.jpg

Thermal pads had excellent placement, and the heatsink TIM on the core was precisely placed, and not gobbed on! I was very happy to seee this, and thought that some of you may want to seriously consider Palit as a video card distributor. Very good use of thermal material on this disassembly!!!
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/palit3.jpg

Ceramique - The choice of champions! ;)
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/palit_cerim.jpg

A group shot with hte cards nekkid...
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/palit4.jpg

And a group shot of the impending new equipment...
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/palit5.jpg

The cores cleaned up nicely using alcohol and papertowels:
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/palit6.jpg

One before and one after, to show a comparison:
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/palit7_b4after.jpg

A close up of the DangerDen Maze5 block mounted:
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/palit8.jpg

Both cards done and looking siiiiiick!
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/palit9_sli.jpg

I have plans on how to re-use the video shroud, here was a test fit. I have several ideas on how I want this bit of the mod to proceed:
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/palit10_tester.jpg

And the pumps were not exempt to the modding... I picked up some clear acrylic tops for my Swiftech 355's!
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/pump1.jpg

One down, and one to go! Good comparison reference:
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/pump2.jpg

Both tops mounted with the barbs attached:
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/pump3.jpg

The acrylic has 2 spaces per top to embed LED's.... you can bet I'll be taking advantage of those!
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/pump4_light.jpg


The pics below, you will note that this one bracket was only a bending test piece. one end was performed using a heatgun or torch, and the other end was performed using the new bending station.
This end used the heatgun, and as you can see it is less than precise.
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/res_support_bad.jpg

Ow....
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/res_support_bad2.jpg

The end that was bent using the station is MUCH more precise! Bends are good quality and well executed. No rippling or bubbles:
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/res_support_good.jpg

And a test fit of the res in the bracket.
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/res_n_bracket.jpg

Lots more to come!
:)

DonT-FeaR
06-08-2008, 02:57 AM
sweettt!!!!! looking killer i told somebody about one of those benders the other day if u got the mooney they are worth it all hey...?

The boy 4rm oz
06-08-2008, 03:43 AM
Oh naked cards, avert thy eyes lol. If those GPU blocks were plexi topped that shroud idea would look even better.

Tech-Daddy
06-08-2008, 11:16 AM
Oh naked cards, avert thy eyes lol. If those GPU blocks were plexi topped that shroud idea would look even better.

Fear not, those shrouds will *not* stay stock by any means... :)

Tech-Daddy
06-09-2008, 04:34 PM
Oh, and, "yeah".... if those MAZE5 tops were acrylic... that'd be just too hot!

b4i7
06-09-2008, 11:13 PM
Oh naked cards, avert thy eyes lol. If those GPU blocks were plexi topped that shroud idea would look even better.

damn you jason....you got my gears turnin....

lookin great TD...cant wait to see what updates you have for us next :D

Tech-Daddy
06-10-2008, 12:02 AM
damn you jason....you got my gears turnin....

lookin great TD...cant wait to see what updates you have for us next :D

Nice foreshadowing there!
;)

985323
06-10-2008, 01:04 AM
Wow, nice job whatever happened to those two waterblocks on the first page? Those were KickAss! +rep /sub

The boy 4rm oz
06-10-2008, 03:39 AM
Sorry Sean, you know me and my crazy ideas lol.

Tech-Daddy
06-11-2008, 10:10 PM
Well, while not a pictorial update, it brings me great pleasure to say that one of the next pieces to be featured on Deuce, will be a contribution from b4i7!!! I am not going to say what it is, but I can assure you, if we pull this off... it's gonna look REALLY cool! ;)
b4i7 and I discussed this next item for the last few weeks and he took delivery of the equipment today to help in prototyping!

I think I can speak for him to say that we are both excited at the prospect of this next addition!

Wish us luck!
-=TD

nevermind1534
06-11-2008, 10:24 PM
it's good to hear that. When do you think you will have the next update with pics?

b4i7
06-11-2008, 10:37 PM
hehe...i think they will like this...im really pumped....

and i may update this with a couple snaps of what ive got going....but i may just wait and surprise you :D

Tech-Daddy
06-12-2008, 12:12 AM
cant wait bro.... cant wait!
;)

Drum Thumper
06-12-2008, 03:23 AM
im really pumped....


Foreshadowing? My curiosity is definitely piqued now!

The boy 4rm oz
06-12-2008, 05:23 AM
I am happy for both of you. Congratz Sean, this is the break you have been looking for. I hope it turns out great (knowing you Sean it will). Can't wait for pics DT.

b4i7
06-12-2008, 01:53 PM
im liking where this is going.....im so excited about this....im working on it while sitting at work! lol

armadilloben
06-12-2008, 04:00 PM
tech daddy, the light pipe thing is so insanely cool! +rep i love it
Do you mind if i borrow the idea? and if so were could i buy those pipes or if you know of a website that sells like acrylic things

Drum Thumper
06-12-2008, 06:36 PM
tech daddy, the light pipe thing is so insanely cool! +rep i love it
Do you mind if i borrow the idea? and if so were could i buy those pipes or if you know of a website that sells like acrylic things

Estreetplastics. Web site addy is in the wiki.

Tech-Daddy
06-12-2008, 06:51 PM
tech daddy, the light pipe thing is so insanely cool! +rep i love it
Do you mind if i borrow the idea? and if so were could i buy those pipes or if you know of a website that sells like acrylic things

I bought mine from delviesplastics.com
specifically:
1/8" diameter, clear extruded,
http://www.delviesplastics.com/acrylic_rod.html

:)

Tech-Daddy
07-10-2008, 01:32 AM
Just an FYI.... Just because I have not been updating like a good boy, does not mean that I have not been working the mod! ;)

I have made a LOT of progress on the internal acrylic structures. Several prototypes of designs that I wanted, beared out the fact that there was eimply not enough space for that particular vision application! (Glad I did the prototypes!) So, after some rethinking, I rebuild a few things, and came up with some new stuff!

As I am exhausted and in desperate need of a shower, so no pics tonight.
I have acrylic dust in places I did not know I could get it! ;)

But I think you will like where this is going!!
Hold on tight!
-=TD

The boy 4rm oz
07-10-2008, 01:38 AM
Can't wait for the pics TD.

The_Crippler
07-10-2008, 08:40 AM
I have acrylic dust in places I did not know I could get it! ;)



You'll have that. It's like when I've been grinding metal all night, no matter how hard I scrub, it still finds its way in to creases in my skin. Then my hands smell like rust the next day.

Tech-Daddy
07-11-2008, 10:55 AM
For those that were wondering what I was gong to do with the video cards... well... here is a taste!

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/vc_shroud2.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/vc_shroud3.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/vc_shroud4.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/vc_shroud5.jpg

I'll process the rest of the pics tonight. These were from last tonight.

The_Crippler
07-11-2008, 11:00 AM
Oh, now that's just nice, right there.

Luke122
07-11-2008, 11:06 AM
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/vc_shroud4.jpg



Looks killer, but will it hold in too much heat from the card?

Tech-Daddy
07-11-2008, 03:43 PM
Looks killer, but will it hold in too much heat from the card?

the hole cut into the end with the Palit logo, will have a slimline 80mm x 15mm inserted there, feeding air across the top of the board. That should help! ;)

The boy 4rm oz
07-11-2008, 11:17 PM
Hell yeah. TD modding at the best.

Tech-Daddy
07-12-2008, 12:06 AM
Glad you guys like! :)

Welll.... how did I build the card shroud?
Read on...

First thing though.... It's not totally done. I still have to get a fan mounted in the bottom of this thing, under the Palit logo.
Secondly... I need to get my bolts to properly screw in and hold in... that is always challenging! ;)

But enough about the technicalities... here's how this all went down.

Starting with the blue, 1/4" acrylic, I drew out the design on the protective paper, then cut it out in a general, more manageable form from the 24"x24" panel.
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/vc_shroud_build1.jpg

I made the design so that I had flames wrapping around the tubing paths leading to the MAZE5 GPU block. Knowing that the OD of the tubing was 5/8", I grabbed me a spade bit of equivalent diameter and put it on the drill press, and made the preliminary holes for the tubing... keeping in mind that with bending and sanding, the shape of the flames would likely change.
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/vc_shroud_build2.jpg

I then dropped in some manuvering holes to be used while working the scroll saw. My thinking was to put them in places that I may have difficulty turning the acrylic on the saw.
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/vc_shroud_build3.jpg

After the initial scroll saw cutting, the rough shape is defined. I was not totally concerned about missing my lines on the flames, as flame work sometimes takes on a life of it's own... and if I had a few flames that were not perfect... I was cool with that! Sanding will refine the shapes as I progress!
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/vc_shroud_build4.jpg

For measurement sake, I kept referring back to the card to make sure my perspective was correct. The "P" logo on the right is for Palit, the vedor that is graciously letting me mod some of their product! :)
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/vc_shroud_build5.jpg

Got the P logo cut out, and then compared it against the print out of the logo... not bad! There will be a bit of sanding here to refine the edges. Same concept here... I drilled holes in strategic places on the acrylic to allow me to manuver the scroll saw in some of the tight places.
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/vc_shroud_build6.jpg

Take off the paper protector to see how badly I've butchered this piece.... and was pleasantly surprised to not have any cracks or splinters! But... oh my, do I have a lot of cleanup and sanding to do! ;)
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/vc_shroud_build7.jpg

Just did the first bend on the side facing the card slot. I also had to cut a notch for the DVI ports. I used the acrylic bender to heat the bending line, then used two blocks of wood to press and hold the bend. My second shroud will be produced a bit differently on the bending technique, as the wood grain left some unwanted imperfections i nthe surface of the acrylic. I'm going to build me another bending jig to mimic the size of the video card and the height that I need.
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/vc_shroud_build8.jpg

I flame polished the edges of the entire piece. Lemme say, that it can really, really, *really* make the edges look good.... or it can throw a horrible wrench into the appearance if you over cook an edge. It is a very delicate dance that you must perform, *especially* on the thiner pieces (in my case the flame tips).
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/vc_shroud_build9.jpg

Looking underneath the first bend and checking my clearance.
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/vc_shroud_build10.jpg

Flip it over and visualize.... I started seeing problems with my tube inlets in this shot, and started investigating....
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/vc_shroud_build11.jpg

I <3 this shot... ;)
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/vc_shroud_build12.jpg

I dropped in 2 sample pieces of tubing to see how they would fit, and saw that they were not passing through as freely or as straight as I had hoped. So, I ended up taking my dremmel's sanding drum, and sanding/enlarging the opening to better accommodate the tubing. I also reshaped many pieces of flame work, then re-flame polished the edges.
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/vc_shroud_build13.jpg

After some more adjustments, I ended up with the below unit. Notice the flame next to the PCI power. I Had to bend a flame lick to insure that it would not impede any power cabling. Because I kept it, I May reshape it to wrap it around the cable line...

*ding*

Actually, I have a sweet idea for integrated cable management for the PCI power. I'll have to build it off of the top card since it requires a long piece of acrylic to be pulled and shaped from the main body... heheheh, fun fun!

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/vc_shroud2.jpg

The_Crippler
07-12-2008, 01:08 AM
Nice job. +Rep

The boy 4rm oz
07-12-2008, 02:02 AM
A really nice job.

Drum Thumper
07-12-2008, 03:37 AM
Very inspirational. I'd bust out my scroll saw right now if it wasn't the middle of the night!

Chewy_Solo
07-12-2008, 11:56 PM
DAMN, this is one amazing mod.... i love the blue acrylic and painting on the side panels :D
Man, i wish i could do this.... my mod wont even compare to this.... +rep

FuzzyPlushroom
07-13-2008, 03:42 PM
Incredible plexi work, man. Unique application too - you don't usually see a video-card shroud that genuinely looks good. +rep

Tech-Daddy
07-22-2008, 02:07 AM
As I have had a TON of time to work on this mod, I will have a pictorial update for you in the next day or two.

I have disassembled my primary rig (the one that housed all of my hardware that is going into Deuce) and have been installing and removing all of it in an effort to better visualize and route all of the cabling.

Well, in the coming days, there will be some good and exciting pics that I think you will like, as well as some serious movement.

To give a brief synopsis,

1) My plan for the pumps was not going to work. I mis judged the width of the motherboard and where the backs of the video cards were going to be.... but trials can bring inspiration when routed properly, and I came up with a bitchen solution for the pumps! I think you will like!

2) Chemical "WeldOn" is drying on the last joint of my reservoir brackets! I took one of the completed units and the one prototype that I did many weeks back, and placed them in the 5.25" bay area to see how they would work... and I am happy! I eyeballed those dimensions perfectly!!!

3) SLI bracket on the video cards is going to be a bit of a pain in the tookus.... since the cards each have their own full cover, I have to find a way to route the SLI bridge through the flamed acrylic *without* messing up the flow. This only impacts the top card, since the SLI bridge must cut across the flames to make it to the bottom card. I think I have an idea to minimize the flame impact.... we'll see.

4) I ordered fans for hte video cards, and unfortunately I recieved the wrong type. I am awaiting the replacement correct white LED fans.

5) In all of the hoopla of placing my case, I had the epiphany that, "Oh crap! I dont have room for an optical drive!" DOH!!! But I found an excellent item that will work the solution, an eSATA/USB chassis that will hold the CD/DVD drive. I have to check out my SATA ports on the machine, and if that wont work, then I will have to use it as USB. Fingers crossed....

more to come... but that is about a summary of what all is going on!!!
:up::up::up:

The boy 4rm oz
07-22-2008, 02:33 AM
Lots of stuff for you to do lol, at least you know where you are heading. I can't wait for the pics.

p0Pe
07-22-2008, 03:00 PM
the video card looks awsome! cant wait to see it together!!!! :D

Tech-Daddy
07-23-2008, 02:59 AM
Pics up tonight... I'm about to fall asleep on my keyboard! :)
You would not believe the number of times I had to re-write stuff just to get the pics up!

I will add full text after I have had some sleep!

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/placement1.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/placement2.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/placement3.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/placement4.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/placement5.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/placement6.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/placement7.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/placement8.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/placement_fans_sound.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/pumpcable1.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/pumpcable2.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/pumpcable3.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/resbracket1.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/resbracket2.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/resbracket3.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/resbracket4.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/resbracket5.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/resbracket6.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/resbracket7.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/resbracket8.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/resbracket9.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/resbracket10.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/pump_insulator1.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/pump_insulator3.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/pump_insulator4.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/pump_insulator5.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/pump_mounts1.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/pump_mounts2.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/pump_mounts3.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/pump_mounts4.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/pump_mounts5.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/pump_mounts6.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/pump_mounts7.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/pump_mounts8.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/pump_mounts9.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/pump_mounts10.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/resbracket10.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/resbracket11.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/resbracket12.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/resbracket13.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/resbracket14.jpg

The boy 4rm oz
07-23-2008, 03:34 AM
The graphics card shroud looks beautiful as does the pump and res mounts.

Maybe you should make a support for the GPU, it is sagging a lot with just the weight of the block and shroud, with coolant it will be even heavier. MAy be something for you to consider, I knock could snap the card in the socket and damage the mobo in the process.

Tech-Daddy
07-23-2008, 03:43 AM
the card is actually not sagging. It is the bend of the acrylic on the ends that I did to give the fan som additional room. The card is actually quite straight. A bit of bowing due to the waterblock tension.

Still working on that.
:)

The boy 4rm oz
07-23-2008, 08:31 AM
Yeah I noticed that the plexi bowed a bit more but I actually looked at the PCB itself. The waterblock you say, quite understandable once I think about it.

Tech-Daddy
07-27-2008, 02:54 AM
Finally got my other video card back last week and then *finally* got my correct LED fans delivered! (First set did not have the LED's.... be that as it may! The 2nd video card shroud was ENTIRELY too much drama. ANd I apologize in that I did not take pics of the processing today... only the results.

Card #2 I misjudged on the sanding and ended up taking too much material off, and I spent the rest of the day performing lots of custom bends and tweaks to get the shroud to lay right on the card.

That and the SLI bridge was just more drama than it needed to be! ;)
BUT... I still have some more LED's to mount in the shrouds to make them pop.... but.... welll... see for yourself!


First fan installed and looking pretty darn dapper I might add! ;) I bored out the holes with a counter sink tool to let the screws fall through deep enough to grab the fan fram for a few twists. I flame polished those too! ;)
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/vc_fan1.jpg

Put in both cards, note the SLI bridge!
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/vc_fan2.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/vc_fan3.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/vc_fan4.jpg

Turn on the fans using a little psu I have for hard drives, and drop the lights:
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/vc_fan5.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/vc_fan6.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/vc_fan7.jpg


My box is on FIRE!!!!! ;)


I have a few minor tweaks and cleanup to pull off on these units, but I am damn happy!

-=TD

DonT-FeaR
07-27-2008, 04:26 AM
wow that looks cool

p0Pe
07-27-2008, 07:31 AM
yeah!... and with 2 of thoose pumps you should do fine xD

Acey
07-27-2008, 07:52 AM
awesome effects mate. does the heat during the bending smudge the plexi?

The boy 4rm oz
07-27-2008, 09:35 AM
Man awesome work on the GPU covers, the white LED fans really make them a point of interest for this mod. I love how you incorporated the SLI bridge without changing the 'flow' of the flames.

Tech-Daddy
07-27-2008, 01:23 PM
awesome effects mate. does the heat during the bending smudge the plexi?

The smudges will be cleaned off after I am done assembling and disassembling the cards. Polish and cleaning will help immensely!

Thanks everyone!
:banana::banana::banana::banana::banana::banana:

jdbnsn
07-27-2008, 11:06 PM
I wish to inform you that this bad boy is featured!

The boy 4rm oz
07-28-2008, 12:43 AM
Congratz on the feature mate, you deserve it.

Tech-Daddy
07-28-2008, 02:24 AM
Awwww damn guys!!!
Ya shouldn't have!
;)

*blushes*

Tech-Daddy
07-28-2008, 03:21 AM
not a huge update tonight.... but a neat one none the less!
The CPU *should* now have a goood, effective white halo effect due to the addition of this little bit of LED'ness... ;)

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/cpu_bracket_light.jpg


I bought several of these ridgid strips of LED's, and they can be cut into groups of 3, and have holes for soldering your own custom wiring into them.

So, I cut 2 of then out, cut a bit of wire out and soldered it into place, and used double stick tape to mount to the bottom of the CPU water block bracket. The supply line will be disguised, but am not sure yet how.....

:)

The boy 4rm oz
07-28-2008, 03:37 AM
I have never thought of doing that before, what an awesome idea. +rep

Rigid strips you say, do you have a link? These will really help out my next mod.

DonT-FeaR
07-28-2008, 04:21 AM
hey i saw this a few hours ago while talking to tech and thought it was sickk

Tbfo hes talking about pirahana lights.....

The boy 4rm oz
07-28-2008, 04:29 AM
Never seen them. Are they the ones you put in molex connectors to light them up? I have heard them be called fireflys but not piranha lights.

Tech-Daddy
07-28-2008, 11:14 AM
Here ya go....
http://www.besthongkong.com/index.php?cPath=21_72&osCsid=61aa8ad8cf33878afe063c59b21478f9

:)

The boy 4rm oz
07-28-2008, 11:16 AM
Thanks mate. ALRIGHT they have orange!!! Just the colour I was looking for.

Tech-Daddy
07-29-2008, 01:41 AM
Quick work tonight, following up on the pre-fab'd LED strips from last night, I incorporated 2 strips of flat top white/90 degree strips to fill up the shroud's dark area on the other side of the water block (opposite of the fan).

I was using a small power source to run the fans and lights, just to make sure everything was still working after install...

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/lit_up1.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/lit_up2.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/lit_up3.jpg


....

Yummy! ;)

b4i7
07-29-2008, 02:31 AM
that is pure awesome TD.. you are an absolutely amazing modder

The boy 4rm oz
07-29-2008, 03:03 AM
that is pure awesome TD.. you are an absolutely amazing modder

I second that, excellent. Good idea to put some of those LEDs under the shroud.

DonT-FeaR
07-29-2008, 03:05 AM
well deserved the featuredness


wait till you see what im planning for moditor hope it works

The_Crippler
07-29-2008, 03:20 PM
Oh, come on - the man makes a chassis a really cool color, cuts some plexi in intricate shapes, and bends some more plexi into one of the coolest GPU covers I have ever seen and he gets featured? What's up with that? Wait, no...that actually makes perfect sense. Congrats, dude!

+Rep

Drum Thumper
07-30-2008, 02:21 AM
I'll say it again: This just keeps getting better and better!

The boy 4rm oz
07-30-2008, 04:22 AM
TD congratz on the MOTM nomination over at Bit-Tech, good luck buddy.

Acey
07-30-2008, 05:38 AM
Congrats n good luck mate. 4 of us are in the running.

Tech-Daddy
07-30-2008, 10:12 AM
*blink*

WOW!!! First TBCS and now BT... and I'm still werkin on the damned thing! ;)
This is an outstanding way to have a Wednesday!
:)

Thanks everyone!

The boy 4rm oz
07-30-2008, 10:22 AM
You deserve it mate.

Tech-Daddy
07-31-2008, 05:46 PM
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/deuce_window2a.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/deuce_window.jpg

I'm letting the clear set on the other pieces (top and other side)

And am madly soldering some LED's for accents. Once I get those in place, the clear should be dry enough for me to finish up the res brackets (that requires sanding and I dont want any more boogers in the clear.... friggen bugs... ), get the res brackets in their final place and I can start placing the tubing. I have two different ways that I have mapped out.

I also need to finish mounting the top res and stuff.... once the roof piece dries a bit more, I can get the acrylics mounted and in place to finalize the tubing!
YAY!!!

The boy 4rm oz
07-31-2008, 08:58 PM
Dude, very sexy side panel.

.Maleficus.
08-01-2008, 08:27 AM
Good luck on MOTM Tech-Daddy! And congrats on the Feature! It's very well deserved.

b4i7
08-01-2008, 05:27 PM
you got my vote :up:

kris
08-01-2008, 05:50 PM
Great paint job on the side panel:up:
keep it up:)
Oh, and good luck on the MOTM;)

Tech-Daddy
08-04-2008, 01:07 PM
Ok, so I start out with the bestest of intentions of having Seuce ready for it's debutant's ball @ Quakecon2008... so, I started working hard to make that happen... after the fact I have realized that this goal was *wayyyy* too optomistic... but hey... you aim high! ;)

SO... I start filling the machine with equipment to start getting my tubes laid out and routed.

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/qc_push1.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/qc_push2.jpg


WHat is a computer without a good PSU... and folks, Tagan steps up yet again and hammers out a home run with their STELLAR BZ900 modular PSU.... check this baby out!
All the expansion cables are kept in a service bag, that has a screw driver for those PSU screws.... there is more, but yo uwill have to read the review that will come out after I wrap up this mod. Let's just say Tagan has a great. detailed, customer centric presentation that happens right out of the box. It is a stellar unit that veels good and sturdy. I am looking forward to using it!
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/qc_push3.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/qc_push4.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/qc_push5.jpg


On the Saturday morning of QC, my wife wakes up to find her husband *still* spinning around the kitchen (yes, I took over hte kitchen, as it was just too hot to work in the garage). I had been working none stop.... and I think it was starting to show.

Center island has the top of the case with the window bent and attached. the Rad is attached, and the 2 hoses poking through there are to the rad...
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/qc_push6.jpg

I am so surprised that I was still so full of energy. I did not feel tired. Truly inspiring and wierd at the same moment.
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/qc_push7.jpg

That is Sophie... and she thinks, "Daddy haz leuzed his marblez..."
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/qc_push8.jpg

Me looking at the completed buildout of hte lower section, sans the roof and radiator...
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/qc_push9.jpg


I built a power bus bar to be used to hook up the 6 LED's that I had setup on the 5v supply side, as well as the 2 12v pumps sources. I simply took all the lines togheter and tied them into a common spade bit and attached them to a strip on this bus bar. I then built a standard female molex and tied the 12v - G - G- 5v into their corresponding bus bar terminal. I must say, this turned out to be a Godsend of work, as it allowed me to hook up an external PSU and run the pumps without firing up the unit running the motherboard. 1 plug for both the pumps and the corresponding LED work... sahwheet!
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/qc_push10.jpg

Full the reservoirs, and preparing to turn on the pumpz for a leak check... no wait... I dont eve nhave to turn on the pumps! I came back to the computer after loading the water (30 minutes, as I stepped away for a bit to eat...) and ZOMG! I'm missing water! WTF?!?!? Both res's were half full... uhm the loop on the right haz sum 'splaining to do!
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/qc_push11.jpg

Not a good pic, but I was grabbing the paper towels at this point....
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/qc_push12.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/qc_push13.jpg

I had 2 confirmed leaks. 1 off of the lower video card (cuz the water kept pouring out in lurches after collecting in the acrylic of the fan shroud!) and the other off of the pump intake.

It was here.... that I threw up my hands, stepped back, and went to QC without my rig.

Also, not pictured here was the fact that my top acrylic that my rad was attached to, cracked. I thought that I had caught all of the potential pain points, and had taked corrective actions to relieve the stresses.... apparently I missed one, because t fractured into the top window acrylics. I'll have to pull the top back off again and rebuild the window. I will likely have to contact Thermaltake to see if htey have nay spare tops laying around that I can buy off of them, because if I dont redesign this top window, I'm just going to be continually breaking and over stressing the acrylics.

what a freakin bummer.... but you dont learn without breaking a few eggs! Unfortunately, this was a rather unique egg that I had cur and etched with a laser.... &@)$&#()$*!!!!

So. I move into post quakecon mode... after taking a break and coming out to QC and hanging with the awesomness that are the Austin Modders, I return home refreshed and more relaxed.

Next up... the results of sleep and a bit more time to think about stuff....
:)

Tech-Daddy
08-04-2008, 02:26 PM
So...I started working on this now, and put my head in a "post Quakecon" mode... making damn sure that this thing would be ready for the Republic of Gamers convention happening here in Dallas this next weekend. Already have my ticket, already have my hotel room... and this time, I'm going to game and have fun! ;)

First things first.... these drives have too much bulk on the power cables... see how they roler coaster all over the place? Well... that had to go....
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/post_qc_push1.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/post_qc_push2.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/post_qc_push3.jpg
Ahhhhh! Much better!!!

My MAZE5 had a leak, under the fitting with the little nick behind it. (Staring down at the top, the nozzle on the right). I took it out, and I'll be darned if the thing did not have an O ring seal in it!!! I pulled one off of another in the garage, and it has sealed itself up nice and tight!
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/post_qc_push4.jpg

After all of my leak checks, this is what I have been left with.... yummy!!!
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/post_qc_push5.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/post_qc_push6.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/post_qc_push7.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/post_qc_push8.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/post_qc_push9.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/post_qc_push10.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/post_qc_push11.jpg


The cards are now sporting Tweakmonster BGA ram sinks, they were chromed, and seem to fit the auto motif the best of all of the sinks that I had found! I adhered them with Arctic Alumina Thermal adhesive. I used a bit more alumina in the mix to make the epoxy a bit more diluted... should I want to pull them off.
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/post_qc_push12.jpg

DonT-FeaR
08-05-2008, 03:16 AM
**** man this fkn killer i think you should loose ur marbles more and send it to oz so me and tbfo can fight over it lol wow thats really something

The boy 4rm oz
08-05-2008, 04:27 AM
Congratz TD on getting it up and running. Ir is looking great at this stage.

Tech-Daddy
08-10-2008, 11:12 PM
Deuce and I paid a visit to the ROGCon that happened here in Dallas this last weekend. It was very well received, and she behaved quite nicely!

Pictures and a little mini article are to be had here.... (http://techgage.com/article/asus_republic_of_gamers_convention_part_1/2)

I have not taken my publicity photos yet for this stage, but Greg @ Techgage caught some nice shots I thought.
:)
-=TD

OvRiDe
08-11-2008, 12:47 AM
Very COOL!!! Looks like you had a GREAT time!

DonT-FeaR
08-11-2008, 02:26 AM
nice work mate.. looks sweet

The boy 4rm oz
08-11-2008, 03:26 AM
Dude...need I say more?

Tech-Daddy
08-27-2008, 10:44 PM
Up to date glamor shots...
still have a bit more to do... but it is progressing!
;)


http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/deuce1.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/deuce2.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/deuce3.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/deuce4.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/deuce5.jpg

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/deuce6.jpg

Not done.. but daaaaaaamn close!
;)

Tech-Daddy
08-27-2008, 10:53 PM
Oh, and I would like to give a big shoutout to ThermalTake for hearing the pleas of a modder on the brink. I lost a bag in my garage of little bitsies that were some key attachment parts of the case. (That is a major reason for why there has been a gap. I have been cleaning my garage looking for these parts!!!) I also need to rebuild the top window, and would be needing a new roof section.... TT shipped me a complete refurb'd case to scavenge for whatever parts I needed!!!
Is that friggen COOL or what??!?!?

The boy 4rm oz
08-27-2008, 11:00 PM
Dude that is looking fantastic. I really love to top mount rad shroud and the side panel. Props to Thermaltake for the extra bits. Good to see a big company like that coming through for the modders.

DonT-FeaR
08-28-2008, 03:29 AM
wow

lost for words

Liquid_Scope_99
08-30-2008, 12:15 AM
sweet job man love the paint and plexi work just awesome +rep

p0Pe
08-30-2008, 02:16 PM
pure genious:D love it!

IndyRacer27
08-31-2008, 10:19 PM
Looks incredible! Great Job!

IndyRacer27
03-03-2010, 01:34 AM
I can't believe I was the last one to post here. I still remember this build, even though I haven't visited TBCS in a long time. Do you still own it? Want to sell it?

The_Crippler
03-03-2010, 02:06 AM
I'm glad you posted...I haven't had a chance to get to this site at all in the last year, and I realized that I totally lost track of this build and never saw the finished product. Sah-weet.