iandh
08-01-2009, 05:24 PM
I was hoping for some materials to come in yesterday so that I could continue the R-fish for myerz635, but unfortunately it won't be here until monday so I decided to take some time out to do a quick little mod on my A05B.
I love the A05B because it is Lian Li quality, but inexpensive, it is lightweight, good looking, and incredibly compact for a full ATX case. The layout is also superb.
A couple weeks ago I picked up a Scythe Mugen II, I didn't like not being able to remove it, so needed to cut an access hole in the backplate. I figured since I had my case torn apart anyways, I might as well get a couple other things done on it that I had been planning.
I started out by using the backplate to find the starter holes for the cutout, then marked them and centerpunched them.
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn33/iandh27/A05B/A05B_mod010.jpg
I used a step drill on the centerpunched marks to start the cutout.
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn33/iandh27/A05B/A05B_mod017.jpg
Connect the dots, connect the dots...
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn33/iandh27/A05B/A05B_mod020.jpg
Then I cut the rest out using the air nibbler and air belt sander (see below). After that I fine-tuned the cutout with a file and went around the edges with a scotch-brite pad to ensure there weren't any little stray metal particles to kill my PC.
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn33/iandh27/A05B/A05B_mod022.jpg
I cut a 120mm blowhole using the same methods used above and described in my r-fish worklog.
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn33/iandh27/A05B/A05B_mod028.jpg
I had some spare perforated sheet laying around, so I used some to make a grille for the blowhole, I cut it to size with the table shear and punched the screw holes with a hand punch. Then I gave it a light sandblast to prep it for paint.
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn33/iandh27/A05B/A05B_mod030.jpg
After paint
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn33/iandh27/A05B/A05B_mod032.jpg
Here's a couple shots of the motherboard tray with the mobo/backplate/cooler mounted.
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn33/iandh27/A05B/A05B_mod038.jpg
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn33/iandh27/A05B/A05B_mod040.jpg
Some final shots:
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn33/iandh27/A05B/A05B_mod046.jpg
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn33/iandh27/A05B/A05B_mod052.jpg
I mounted my backup drive in the upper 3.5" bay instead of the actual HDD bay so that it wouldn't obstruct too much airflow from the front intake fan.
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn33/iandh27/A05B/A05B_mod037.jpg
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn33/iandh27/A05B/A05B_mod061.jpg
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn33/iandh27/A05B/A05B_mod071.jpg
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn33/iandh27/A05B/A05B_mod075.jpg
I got the handles from McMaster-Carr, they came out looking GREAT. They're also REALLY solid. I can lift the case using only one and it doesn't budge at all. It worked out perfect because the mount on the two reinforcing rails that run along the top inside corners of the case, so they aren't actually mechanically attached to the flimsy top panel. I also made up some delrin feet identical to the ones that I made up for Ryan's r-fish (worklog also in this forum)
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn33/iandh27/A05B/A05B_mod092.jpg
It's complete for now, but this project will soon be going water so I will leave it in the "works in progress" section and update it when I install the water cooling.
I love the A05B because it is Lian Li quality, but inexpensive, it is lightweight, good looking, and incredibly compact for a full ATX case. The layout is also superb.
A couple weeks ago I picked up a Scythe Mugen II, I didn't like not being able to remove it, so needed to cut an access hole in the backplate. I figured since I had my case torn apart anyways, I might as well get a couple other things done on it that I had been planning.
I started out by using the backplate to find the starter holes for the cutout, then marked them and centerpunched them.
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn33/iandh27/A05B/A05B_mod010.jpg
I used a step drill on the centerpunched marks to start the cutout.
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn33/iandh27/A05B/A05B_mod017.jpg
Connect the dots, connect the dots...
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn33/iandh27/A05B/A05B_mod020.jpg
Then I cut the rest out using the air nibbler and air belt sander (see below). After that I fine-tuned the cutout with a file and went around the edges with a scotch-brite pad to ensure there weren't any little stray metal particles to kill my PC.
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn33/iandh27/A05B/A05B_mod022.jpg
I cut a 120mm blowhole using the same methods used above and described in my r-fish worklog.
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn33/iandh27/A05B/A05B_mod028.jpg
I had some spare perforated sheet laying around, so I used some to make a grille for the blowhole, I cut it to size with the table shear and punched the screw holes with a hand punch. Then I gave it a light sandblast to prep it for paint.
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn33/iandh27/A05B/A05B_mod030.jpg
After paint
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn33/iandh27/A05B/A05B_mod032.jpg
Here's a couple shots of the motherboard tray with the mobo/backplate/cooler mounted.
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn33/iandh27/A05B/A05B_mod038.jpg
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn33/iandh27/A05B/A05B_mod040.jpg
Some final shots:
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn33/iandh27/A05B/A05B_mod046.jpg
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn33/iandh27/A05B/A05B_mod052.jpg
I mounted my backup drive in the upper 3.5" bay instead of the actual HDD bay so that it wouldn't obstruct too much airflow from the front intake fan.
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn33/iandh27/A05B/A05B_mod037.jpg
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn33/iandh27/A05B/A05B_mod061.jpg
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn33/iandh27/A05B/A05B_mod071.jpg
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn33/iandh27/A05B/A05B_mod075.jpg
I got the handles from McMaster-Carr, they came out looking GREAT. They're also REALLY solid. I can lift the case using only one and it doesn't budge at all. It worked out perfect because the mount on the two reinforcing rails that run along the top inside corners of the case, so they aren't actually mechanically attached to the flimsy top panel. I also made up some delrin feet identical to the ones that I made up for Ryan's r-fish (worklog also in this forum)
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn33/iandh27/A05B/A05B_mod092.jpg
It's complete for now, but this project will soon be going water so I will leave it in the "works in progress" section and update it when I install the water cooling.