Project: Ronin

[Slatter]

Project Ronin, Form Following Function...

Design Problems with off-the-shelf Casing::
1. High Ambient Temperature
The ambient temperature of the region I live in is high, and with high humidity even high end Full-Tower cases fail to cool components properly.
Solution - Create higher air flow inside casing

2. Dusty Environment
This region is also very very dusty. Regradless of how clean the area around the computer is kept, dust build-ups on components occur within weeks
Solution - Use a large filtered surface area for air in take

3. Impractical Drive Bay Configuration
In order to access optical drives, i/o modules and control switches, cases have to be placed on tables. Since Full-Tower cases are big abd bulky, a lot of space is misused
Solution - Seperate I/O Drive and Switches from main unit

4. Unflexible Case Placement-ability
Most casing windows are on the left side. This means at times the window of the case faces the wall, making the window completely pointless.
Solution - Dual Window case with Flippabe M/B Section

Material List::
1. 20mm Aluminium Square Tubes - for main structure
2. 11mm 70:30 Round Mesh Metal
3. 7mm 70:30 Round Mesh Metal
4. 7mm 40:60 Round Plastic Mesh for compartment seperation
5. 30mm x 25mm Aluminium Profile (2mm thick) - will be cut intopieces to be used as angles
6. 2mm Thick Aluminium Sheet
7. 9mm x 1.3mm Rivets
8. 6mm x 0.9mm Rivets
9. 7mm x 1.5mm Hex Bolts

[Slatter]

Sketchup 1 This is the inital sketchup I did.
http://img380.imageshack.us/img380/4870/ronin1ae4.jpg
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Sketchup 2 This is a more complete version of the case design. Still missing a lot of details.
http://img399.imageshack.us/img399/881/Ronin2.jpg
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Sketchup 3 This version shows a different top design and the flippable m/b tray section.
http://img399.imageshack.us/img399/2396/Ronin3.jpg

[Slatter]

The basic materials
http://img399.imageshack.us/img399/5883/Ronin014.jpg
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The Stuff thats gonna hold it all together
http://img399.imageshack.us/img399/3356/Ronin013.jpg
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Home-Made Jig
http://img399.imageshack.us/img399/8002/Ronin000.jpg
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Cutting Begins
http://img399.imageshack.us/img399/8617/Ronin003.jpg
http://img399.imageshack.us/img399/6025/Ronin004.jpg
http://img399.imageshack.us/img399/6645/Ronin002.jpg
http://img399.imageshack.us/img399/684/Ronin001.jpg
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Filed and Cleaned
http://img399.imageshack.us/img399/9788/Ronin005.jpg
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Cutting the Profile into strips to make the angles
http://img399.imageshack.us/img399/1144/Ronin006.jpg
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Filing the Angles
http://img399.imageshack.us/img399/6504/Ronin008.jpg
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Finished Angles
http://img399.imageshack.us/img399/3714/Ronin007.jpg
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After two weeks of repeating the process
Front View
http://img399.imageshack.us/img399/3786/Ronin009.jpg

Side View
http://img399.imageshack.us/img399/3882/Ronin012.jpg

Back View Showing the M/B Pull-Out Flippable Thinggymajiggg
http://img399.imageshack.us/img399/6092/Ronin011.jpg

M/B Tray Side View
http://img399.imageshack.us/img399/5379/Ronin010.jpg

[Shabz]

The work is FAAAAAAAAANTAAAAAAASTIC !!!!!!!!!!!

Keeeeep up the goood work.... cant wait to see the finished product !!!!

best of luck..........

ciao

[Slatter]

The work is FAAAAAAAAANTAAAAAAASTIC !!!!!!!!!!!

Keeeeep up the goood work.... cant wait to see the finished product !!!!

best of luck..........

ciao

Thanks Dude...

[tinker]

Wow!
Impressive skills.

The model looks awesome too.
If it turns out like that it will be beautiful.
Looking forward to more progress.

[Eclecticos]

Looks like you have a really cool project planned out!
Sketchup models look fantastic! +Rep

[Trace]

Definatly has potential!
I like it so far
+REP for nice aluminum working.

[Slatter]

Wow!
Impressive skills.

The model looks awesome too.
If it turns out like that it will be beautiful.
Looking forward to more progress.


Looks like you have a really cool project planned out!
Sketchup models look fantastic! +Rep


Definatly has potential! I like it so far +REP for nice aluminum working.


Thanks alot everyone... I ONLY got something like 14 hours clocked on SketchUp... Will keep up with something better soon.

Special thanks for the rep points.

[Slatter]

Gonna go pick up the PSU and HDD today. Gonna throw it all in an old case to test the system till Ronin is complete.

Shots of the rest of the Hardware is coming soon.

I feel the need for a cheesy logo... Anyone speak Japanese? I need this Kanji thinggy verified...
http://www1.istockphoto.com/file_thumbview_approve/1286112/2/istockphoto_1286112_japanese_kanji_character_ronin .jpg

P.S. 3870 X2 is huge and loooooooooooooooooooooooooong... damn.

[The boy 4rm oz]

I quite like the idea. Nice start.

[Slatter]

Got some Hardware

Logitech G5 Laser Mouse
http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/7119/image019resizegf6.jpg
http://img123.imageshack.us/img123/8303/image021resizeeu1.jpg
These came with it, weights to heavy up the mouse to give you more feel. I pugged in all the 4.5g weights and you know what, it works. Been playing GRAW2 with, more on that later.

Asus Rampage
http://img230.imageshack.us/img230/9153/image029resizesq0.jpg
http://img230.imageshack.us/img230/6299/image028resizeif6.jpg
Audio Card


Thermaltale Toughpower 750W
http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/2756/image030resizeve1.jpg
http://img258.imageshack.us/img258/8632/image057resizeip6.jpg


Corsair XMS2 DHX DDR2 800Mhz 4-4-4-12
http://img79.imageshack.us/img79/3651/image033resizeom1.jpg

Hitachi 700gb 16mb
http://img230.imageshack.us/img230/381/image058resizerc9.jpg

And the star of the show, Sapphire HD3870 X2
http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/2674/image034resizewg3.jpg

Gonna put up pics of the system being put together for testing in a while... BRB

[Slatter]

At first I thought of putting the new hardware into the old system and I did... But the system wudn't boot. ALL THE LIGHTS ON THE RAMPAGE LIT UP LIKE A CHRISTMAS TREE... I thought the Asus Rampage was dead and It gave me the sacre of a life-time. Then I yanked the hardware out of the case and dropped it on my desk and connected everything. It worked fine. Which means there is something wrong with the casing... Its a bit hard to believe but thats how it is. So the new system is sitting pretty on my desk, all exposed....

Here is me putting it all together.

Old System :: Project Ronin Dress Rehearsal
http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/6852/19bl5.jpg
http://img137.imageshack.us/img137/5068/21op9.jpg
http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/7354/20ok0.jpg

Pulling apart the old System
http://img365.imageshack.us/img365/6597/55051205xw2.jpg
http://img233.imageshack.us/img233/6456/95845985cm9.jpg

Here is the dust I was talking about...
http://img174.imageshack.us/img174/8195/67570910sn1.jpg
http://img517.imageshack.us/img517/1405/51841381ic3.jpg

The Big Typhoon sitting on the Intel 915GAV waiting to be UN-installed...
http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/1132/58501531tq5.jpg

So I took the Big Typhoon and tried to put the brackets on the Rampage...
IT DOESN'T FIT
http://img131.imageshack.us/img131/1273/46931046hm3.jpg
http://img154.imageshack.us/img154/4263/76487261bd7.jpg

The Bracket hits the two pin fin heat sinks on both sides....
http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/7602/54651942ey7.jpg

So the Bracket goes in the vise...
http://img256.imageshack.us/img256/2024/36948408tq2.jpg

And I get to work on it with a file... Muhuhahahahaha
http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/9215/10vz0.jpg

Almost Done
http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/8886/11pz0.jpg

One Side Done!!!
http://img219.imageshack.us/img219/3407/12ce0.jpg

The other side done :D
http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/7906/13ss2.jpg

Like a glove...
http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/2696/14mj8.jpg
http://img233.imageshack.us/img233/4823/15nh8.jpg

In goes the Core 2 Duo E8400...
http://img135.imageshack.us/img135/3167/16zv5.jpg

Pure Massacre by Artic Silver 5
http://img103.imageshack.us/img103/8900/17rg6.jpg

And on goes the Mac Daddy of all Coolers...
http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/8122/18fo0.jpg
Soon to be replaced with a ThermalRight 120 Ultra, hehehe

BRB

[Slatter]

Glory Shots of the Desktop(literally) Test Setup
http://img140.imageshack.us/img140/7687/dscn1566st7.jpg
http://img140.imageshack.us/img140/1685/dscn1567en4.jpg
http://img174.imageshack.us/img174/3525/dscn1568dl6.jpg
http://img174.imageshack.us/img174/3561/dscn1569sb0.jpg

Shot of the G5
http://img164.imageshack.us/img164/1351/dscn1570ax7.jpg

Back to the System
http://img174.imageshack.us/img174/7369/dscn1577xn0.jpg
http://img174.imageshack.us/img174/2128/dscn1580al8.jpg

The two lil buttons that made this adventure possible....
http://img123.imageshack.us/img123/7452/dscn1581bz3.jpg
The buttons even look like the ones I will be making for the case...


Thats all Folks.... Gonna go buy the mesh and other stuff tomorrow... A lot of modding will be done this week. Stay Tuned.

[The boy 4rm oz]

Nice new tech. I hope you didn't leave that much AS5 on the CPU as you showed in the pic. That is WAY too much. My PC has been running on my desk like yours is now for the better part of 8 months lol.

[Slatter]

Nice new tech. I hope you didn't leave that much AS5 on the CPU as you showed in the pic. That is WAY too much. My PC has been running on my desk like yours is now for the better part of 8 months lol.

Yeah I did leave all that AS5 on the CPU... I have had serious problems with my 530 over heating; and that was because I was following the instructions on the pack and forums and all... So what I do is I put tiny drops of out all over the processor and a larger drop on the centre. Never had too much of an over-run yet.

[The boy 4rm oz]

When I apply AS5 I put a drop in the center and spread it out with my finger until I can almost see the through it. My Q6600 is idling at 37*c at the moment. Hits 45*c under load max.

[Slatter]

Seems like the Arachnoids are doing a bit of modding themselves...
http://img363.imageshack.us/img363/9646/dscn1593ps9.jpg
http://img505.imageshack.us/img505/3336/dscn1598as0.jpg

The Old and The New Side by Side...
http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/1161/dscn1599nf7.jpg

Old Case dies, new case lives... fair trade.
http://img185.imageshack.us/img185/6126/dscn1600nu5.jpg

So I was test fitting the m/b tray and PCI i/o cpvers from the old system.
http://img142.imageshack.us/img142/4421/65998281mu4.jpg
http://img171.imageshack.us/img171/6222/21959453or4.jpg

Thats when I realized that the pop rivets on the flippabe thinggamajigg was making it impossible for the tray to slide in and out smoothly. The fit was so tight that it was buckling before slie out.
http://img171.imageshack.us/img171/8120/81061722xv3.jpg
http://img508.imageshack.us/img508/4627/15759782zr7.jpg

So I filed it down, just a bit...
http://img171.imageshack.us/img171/8526/30732753vx1.jpg

And all hell broke loose...

First the rivets broke and the tray came apart...

So instead of the riveting on the outside, I redrilled and fitted the angles and fitted them on the inside...
http://img240.imageshack.us/img240/3672/68365300sw5.jpg

Seemed ok for a minute...
http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/1263/35366040wb9.jpg

And then I tried to slide it in and out of the case frame... and POP
http://img126.imageshack.us/img126/2848/14046552ob4.jpg

So having the angle on the inside won't work as it gives way under pressure...


So I am back to the drawing board. I am actually thinking of just cutting up the frame of an old case and using it as the "Flipper" for the time being to get the project on the way again.
Then I will come back later to this and redo the "Flipper"...

So I need everyones opinion on two things:
1. Using an old case as the Flipper.
2. Calling the "Motherboard Flippable Thinggymajigg", "Flipper" from now on
Your comments and suggestions is highly appreciated...

[The boy 4rm oz]

Nice mobo tray work.

[Dane Bramage]

impressive. i like the idea with the flippy thing.

+rep/sub

[Slatter]

4IYBIaiHUTo
Test fitting some hardware.

[The boy 4rm oz]

Looking great.

[DonT-FeaR]

cool

[Slatter]

So after my run in with the M/B Disaster, I decieded that there will be no more fabrication till I had properly designed the whole damn thing. And since I am waiting on finalisation of the water cooling system, I had a bit of time in my hand.

:D I feel a Sketchup Session coming along... :D

So here it is:

Design 1: Dual Radiator at the bottom of the case
http://img142.imageshack.us/img142/6743/ronin1dualquadbaseconf1xd1.jpg
http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/9405/ronin1dualquadbaseconf2zo6.jpg

Design 2: Single Quad Rad on Top Inside Extended Housing
http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/7475/ronin2singlequadtopse2ew9.jpg
http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/5229/ronin2singlequadtopsecoj1.jpg

Design 3:Single Rad on the side I don't like this one too much. Its not Symmetrical :lol:
http://img517.imageshack.us/img517/8743/ronin3sideconfig001kr4.jpg
http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/8417/ronin3sideconfig002mt7.jpg

Design 4: Single Quad at Base
http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/9360/ronin4baseconfig001fg2.jpg
http://img295.imageshack.us/img295/3406/ronin4baseconfig002jq6.jpg

Design 5: Dual Tri Rad at base. This is one of only two designs where the Rads actually fit inside the case... SYMMETRICALLY
http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/7933/ronin5dualtribaseconfivd5.jpg
http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/7172/ronin5duatribconfig00ij2.jpg

Design 6: Single Quad Rad in Front. It Fits, Its Symmetrical but it kills the huge open mesh effect at the front of the case.:idea:
http://img528.imageshack.us/img528/5953/ronin6frontconfig001bs3.jpg
http://img505.imageshack.us/img505/5581/ronin6frontconfig002ir2.jpg

And Finally the front Design

A
http://img54.imageshack.us/img54/7799/roninrecnoslotkf1.jpg

B
http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/2788/roninrecslotxv7.jpg

Lemme know which ones you like. I wasn't planning to water cool this case but the 3870 X2 (or the possible 4870 X2 :D:rock::D:rock::D:rock:) runs as hot as an iron, so I have no other option.

The Res Slit in front might be good for effect. I am planning to place a 12" UV behind the Res so that the blue water glows like crazy. So lemme know of your thoughts.

Thanks for reading... Later

[The boy 4rm oz]

Man great sketches, I can really see where this is heading. Nice work.

[FuzzyPlushroom]

Would a 360mm on top be adequate, while letting you avoid having to extend the housing?

Loving it, by the way. Great framework.

[Slatter]

Man great sketches, I can really see where this is heading. Nice work.

Thanks Dude

[Langer]

I love the res placement of design 6, but I'd opt for the rad placements of design 1. Perhaps use a 360 and 240 to allow extra room for a PSU mounted on its side.

[Slatter]

Would a 360mm on top be adequate, while letting you avoid having to extend the housing?

Loving it, by the way. Great framework.

Well, even a Quad rad would be insufficient, let alone a lil'ol 360. I take it you like the top placement idea, something like this maybe?
http://img294.imageshack.us/img294/7093/ronin7singletritop001xp8.jpg

[Slatter]

I love the res placement of design 6, but I'd opt for the rad placements of design 1. Perhaps use a 360 and 240 to allow extra room for a PSU mounted on its side.

Let see if I can fit two 360s a bit better... Gonna have to get really quiet fans for them, otherwise its gonna be 6 120mms howling away like a bunch of rabid wolves...

[Slatter]

A
http://img54.imageshack.us/img54/7799/roninrecnoslotkf1.jpg

B
http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/2788/roninrecslotxv7.jpg



What about this guys, res window or no res window???

[The boy 4rm oz]

The window looks cool but so does without the window lol.

[Slatter]

Just got a gift package from Koolance.

Two sets of 1/2" QDC.
http://www.koolance.com/water-cooling/images/more/vl3-13bkt_p0.jpg

and a bottle of UV Blue Coolant.
http://www.koolance.com/water-cooling/images/more/liq-702bu-b_p0.jpg

Also a case badge and sweet looking side Koolance logo. They are all going on the case.

Thanks KOOLANCE.

The QDC are an integral part of my design. You will see what I mean soon.

[The boy 4rm oz]

I really like those PCI pass through brackets, I must get some. Glad to see this mod isn't dead.

[Slatter]

Far from dead mate. Just waiting on some parts and stuff. Can't continute without them.

[DonT-FeaR]

nice stuff... i am searching for a sponser for a future project atm to...

good job with the sponser

[Slatter]

Project: Ronin 11-03-2008 01:25 AM d_stilgar
Project: Ronin 06-19-2008 07:46 PM quality work w/o powertools.
Project: Ronin 05-27-2008 04:58 PM Nice Aluminum Working! -Trace
Project: Ronin 05-27-2008 04:41 AM Nice skecthup models. -ecK

Hey Guys,

Thanks a lot for the rep point. I really appreciate it.

Take Care...

[Slatter]

nice stuff... i am searching for a sponser for a future project atm to...

good job with the sponser

Thanks a lot mate.

Good luck with your Sponsor.

[DonT-FeaR]

lol got a no reply today... from the one i would like the most.. lol oh well..

thanks mate...

ill keep tring

[Vitz¥^]

Looks like this will be aweosme when it done.

Just a thought on the rad placements (having never played with W/C i dont know if it's doable).

Can you have one rad at the top of the case and another at the bottom? you keep the symetry then and leave space for psu placement etc? Also, that would mean you could run 2 loops & 2 colors of fluid? dont know if that fits with the direction for your mod tho. Possibly anyway, as I say never done W/C.

either way +rep :D

Also, window'd res for me :)

[SXRguyinMA]

lookin nice :up: