Project: AMDG5

[Technochicken]

As you probably guessed form the title, this mod is based on the iconic Power Mac G5 case. Whether you are an apple fan or not, it is hard to disagree with the fact that this is a gorgeous case, inside and out....especially when you get it for free, as I did. The fact that the G5 looks as nice inside as it does outside brings me to my goals for this project:

1. Preserve the look of the case, inside and out, as best as possible.
2. Fit a full length ATX motherboard , 2 HDD's, 2 GPU's, and a CoolIt ECO.
3. Make it fully upgradeable. This means no modding the PSU to fit it inside the old G5 one.

That may sound like a lot to ask for, but I think I have figured out how to attain all those goals.

For starters, here's the case:
http://img849.imageshack.us/img849/9586/p4020674.jpg

And inside:
http://img838.imageshack.us/img838/9556/p4020675.jpg

As neat as it looks in there, it is an absolute pain to service it other than replacing the ram. It took me a good few hours to disassemble this thing. Here are the CPU's mounted to their heatsinks. The stock AMD cooler is for size reference:
http://img573.imageshack.us/img573/2209/p4020677.jpg

Empty case:
http://img641.imageshack.us/img641/6032/p4020686.jpg

To start off, I modified the top divider so that the end of a motherboard can fit under it. Notice that the board is sitting right where the HDD fans and HDD cage used to be:
http://img834.imageshack.us/img834/6410/p4020691.jpg
http://img837.imageshack.us/img837/8229/p4020693.jpg

Because of this, I had to move the fans and HDD cage forwards, which involved shortening the HDD cage and the piece the fans are mounted to, and drilling new mounting holes in the top tray:
http://img684.imageshack.us/img684/5960/p4030700.jpg
http://img863.imageshack.us/img863/3015/p4030745.jpg

Next, I rewired all the fans to work with standard 4 pin connectors. They all now run off 5V, because they sound like leaf blowers at 12, and push nearly as much air. The pair of fans to the left of the CPU are hot-swappable- a feature I wanted to preserve.
http://img849.imageshack.us/img849/1552/p4030729.jpg
http://img840.imageshack.us/img840/360/p4030734.jpg
http://img684.imageshack.us/img684/3253/p4040753.jpg
http://img862.imageshack.us/img862/4080/p4030744.jpg

I made a motherboard tray out of the side panel of an old case, and some aluminum flat bar:
http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/1470/p4030747h.jpg
http://img717.imageshack.us/img717/7272/p4030749.jpg

A big problem was figuring out how the PSU was going to be mounted. ATX PSU's are much taller than the apple one, so the bottom panel of the case had to be modded. I used the original housing of the PSU along with the bottom panel to make a PSU mount. I still need to work on the edges, and put some U channel on them. Since there was no convenient way to secure the PSU, I made one thumb screw mount with a scrap of aluminum bar. The other side of the PSU is secured by a neodymium magnet which is fastened to the bottom of the case. As a note, if you try gluing a really strong magnet with JB Weld, you are in for a surprise:
http://img855.imageshack.us/img855/9441/p4040756.jpg
http://img689.imageshack.us/img689/7037/p4040758.jpg

Once the internal structure of the case is modified to fit standard hardware, the PSU will be virtually invisible:
http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/8162/p4040757.jpg

I also rewired the front panel to work with standard ATX headers. Currently, everything but the headphone jack is working, which is the power button, power led, USB, and I think firewire (although I don't own any firewire devices to test with).
USB and Firewire connected:
http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/2418/p4040760.jpg

All done:
http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/674/p4040762.jpg

That's all for now. I'm currently working on the back panel. Thanks for looking!

[SXRguyinMA]

this should be cool :D +sub

[Technochicken]

Just burnt out my Dremel working on the back panel. It started making a sort of flapping noise, the white smoke came out. Now it doesn't turn on at all.

[xr4man]

things don't work once the magic smoke escapes.

[x88x]

Looks like this should turn out real nice. :D


Just burnt out my Dremel working on the back panel. It started making a sort of flapping noise, the white smoke came out. Now it doesn't turn on at all.

Hmmm, that reminds me...I really need to get replacement brushes for my 400XPR...I miss it...stuck using my 300.. :(


BTW, you wouldn't happen to have a source for any more of these cases, would you? I was talking to PLAR last night and he's looking for one.

[Technochicken]

No, I don't have a source. A friend of mine got this one for free from our school with the intent of upgrading his other single processor g5 with the parts, but he decided it was not worth the time, and let me have it.

[x88x]

Ok, for some reason I was remembering the lab at your school clearing them out or something...maybe that was someone else...or maybe I made it up.. :P

[AmEv]

So, which parts do you plan on keeping, selling, flat-out giving, whatever?


I do hope it stays original looks, too. It irks me when people change it drastically.

[Technochicken]

As for what I'm doing with the parts: All the original fans I'm using. The original PSU was dead, and I've chopped up the casing. The original CPU's probably work, but I don't know what I will do with them. The have some enormous heatsinks, which I may find a use for. The motherboard also probably worked, but I have desoldered some fan headers from it, and I removed the northbridge heatsink as well, because I may be able to use it for something.

Anyways, here's the back panel I made. To fit an ATX back plate, I had to move the fans, so I made this mounting plate for everything out of a section of an aluminum baking sheet. The shape was rough cut with the dremel(before it died)/other rotary tool, and finished with files:
http://img196.imageshack.us/img196/1645/p4060769.jpg

I pulled this out of our shed when my dremel died. With a reinforced cutting bit, this could cut through the aluminum like butter.
http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/697/p4060763.jpg

You can see the offset needed for the fans:
http://img851.imageshack.us/img851/4861/p4060771.jpg

Fan grills fit perfectly!:
http://img705.imageshack.us/img705/762/p4060773.jpg

Bolted in place:
http://img593.imageshack.us/img593/4660/p4060776.jpg
http://img862.imageshack.us/img862/1193/p4060778.jpg

I think it came out quite well. I still have to modify the fans slightly, so the fit inside the case. Next steps are to modify the PCI divider and mount the motherboard tray.

[x88x]

Oooh, a real Foredom. Nice! ...I can't decide if it's good or bad that I'm impressed by that... :think:

[AmEv]

See if you can use one of the heatsinks as your procy one.



Are you keeping the vid card as a spare?

[Technochicken]

The heatsinks would require a lot of modifications to work. I would have to fabricate a new mounting plate, which I don't really have the materials/tools to do. Also, my CoolIt ECO would probably perform at least as well. As for the GPU, it's AGP so I really have no use for it.

I can't say I really know anything about the rotary tool. My dad has had it for probably 15-20 years, because he used to do a lot of stone/wood working.

I trimmed down the back fan so it does not stick out:
http://img811.imageshack.us/img811/8030/p4060784.jpg
http://img200.imageshack.us/img200/936/p4060781.jpg
http://img807.imageshack.us/img807/8242/p4060783.jpg

[AmEv]

Looks good so far.

Unoficially subbed.


(PS: I may be interested in the vid card; depends on if it doesn't have the tiny voltage nub that Apple put on their cards, and is the revision where the groove is towards the front of the case)

[Technochicken]

The video card does have the extra pins for powering cinema displays. It is an FX 5200:
http://www.usedmac.com/catalog/images/lovemacs_1986_214760201.gif

[TheGreatSatan]

You need a window to show off that G5 logo

[AmEv]

NVM.

My vid card looks more or less like this (http://csabykabiznisz.z-net.hu/geforce4_mx440_64mb_02.jpg) one.

[Technochicken]

I'm finished! I have a ton of photos to upload, but here's a teaser pic:

http://img707.imageshack.us/img707/7914/p4080823.jpg

[AmEv]

That was quick.


Next one you get, you could probably sell it here.

[Technochicken]

It was only so quick because I am on spring break this week. I got the computer last Saturday, and have worked on it pretty much all day every day this week.

Here's the final update:

I cut the PCI divider so the motherboard could fit under it, and made a bracket to mount it in place.
http://img33.imageshack.us/img33/4760/p4070785.jpg
http://img64.imageshack.us/img64/305/p4070786.jpg

I then epoxied the motherboard trey in place:
http://img703.imageshack.us/img703/7762/p4070798.jpg

I did not take pictures of most of the installation process, but it did not exactly go smoothly. I had to remove the HDD bay fan because of clearance issues, and it gave me a lot more space to work. To mount the ECO, I removed the stock fan, and mounted it to the back fan holder with some improvised standoffs. Temps are actually unchanged, at 32-33 degrees under Prime95. Also, my second GPU just barely fits. The passive heatsink is actually touching the top divider.
http://img849.imageshack.us/img849/2006/p4080813.jpg
http://img194.imageshack.us/img194/4379/p4080812.jpg
http://img29.imageshack.us/img29/3267/p4080819.jpg
http://img200.imageshack.us/img200/6521/p4080820.jpg
http://img42.imageshack.us/img42/3477/p4080821.jpg
http://img852.imageshack.us/img852/7914/p4080823.jpg
http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/1253/p4080824.jpg
http://img189.imageshack.us/img189/4137/p4080825.jpg
http://img193.imageshack.us/img193/4030/p4080826.jpg
http://img684.imageshack.us/img684/566/p4080827.jpg

Thanks for looking!

[SXRguyinMA]

looks good! nice and clean! +rep

[xr4man]

i love it.

[x88x]

Very nicely done! :up: +rep

[Technochicken]

Thanks everyone!

I got the front panel audio working as well now. All I had to do was disable the front panel audio detection.

[msmrx57]

Very nice indeed! :up: Really clean build.

[Technochicken]

Here are some final glamor shots:

http://img607.imageshack.us/img607/883/82554064.jpg
http://img191.imageshack.us/img191/4232/35807121.jpg
http://img850.imageshack.us/img850/6051/34609921.jpg
http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/1632/38150540.jpg
http://img820.imageshack.us/img820/9117/49005878.jpg
http://img683.imageshack.us/img683/4240/72561915.jpg
http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/602/70010946.jpg
http://img191.imageshack.us/img191/7709/48466750.jpg
http://img64.imageshack.us/img64/1835/46375444.jpg
http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/581/50553969.jpg
http://img202.imageshack.us/img202/9915/10147822.jpg
http://img857.imageshack.us/img857/3634/85659109.jpg
http://img809.imageshack.us/img809/1613/12040321m.jpg

[Waynio]

I'm not an apple fan but this is a nice case internally & externally I agree :), Congrats on finishing Technochicken, looks good & tidy as planned, good mod :) +rep.

[Technochicken]

Thanks Waynio!

[xr4man]

now you just have to make it a hackintosh. hahahaha.

[Mysteriphys]

I like the looks of it, it's just too bad the label on the Vidcard is upside down compared to the G5 logo's :-P pretty sweet!

p.s. I used to have that exact same Pioneer Tuner! that old stuff is high quality when it comes to sound, I wish I'd never sold it >.<... that a clue to your next mod? haha!

[Technochicken]

Thanks xr4man and Mysteriphys.
I won't be modding the Pioneer any time soon, unless it dies on me (which it may, it's been pretty finicky for about a year). It sounds too good to tear apart.

[TheMainMan]

A very clean conversion, nicely done! As AmEv said, if you get your hands on another you could probably sell it here. I'm sure I'm not the only one who would like to have a conversion as slick as yours sitting on my desk.

[Mysteriphys]

not to go too off topic, but if you're good with soldering and such, you can probly just replace the electrolytic caps in the pioneer to solve the finicky-ness thats all i really needed to do with my old amp, I just didn't have the money/time to do it. that is all!

[Technochicken]

Thanks for the tip. I'll look into it.