Stonerboy's m-ATX build

[Stonerboy779]

Hardware

- Core i3-540 (it is still a decent little CPU - comparison to 2500k (http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/143?vs=288))
- MSI H55M-E21 (the m-ATX mobo, bit old with the origal military class and non b3 rev)
- CoolerMaster 212+ CPU Cooler (it definitely goes alright)
- Kingston DDR3 1333 cas9 2x2GB
- Asus GTX 560 TOP (absolutely love this card the other one is in the 2500k rig atm)
- 120GB Patriot Pyro SE SSD (for the boot drive and main programs)
- 1TB WD Caviar Green HDD (for the music storage and game data)
- Very generic case (with only 3 80mm fan holes stock, it has been modded a little tho)

Goal

I aim to make a solid rig that starts up quick and can handle a decent bit of work. It is to be both visually pleasing and very practical. It shall be spending its life running Hyperspin possibly a touch jukebox in the future and Spotify. Wont perform any other tasks and it will be sitting in the bottom of my arcade machine. It will be visible through a high airflow mesh that fills the gaps of a mortal kombat dragon cutout on the front and another similar cutout on the back.
I will post progress of the arcade machine here too but it may take a while.
Pics of the mildly modded case will come soon and if i can find a before shot (which i forgot to take) I will post it also.

[Stonerboy779]

The Case

The original case
http://www.budgetpc.com.au/media/catalog/product/cache/1//5e06319eda06f020e43594a9c230972d/pics/l/b/u/budgetpc-intel-s1-1-1.jpg

There is a single 80mm fan at the front for the intake and it draws air from a small slit down the bottom behind the silver face.
On the side of the case there is a single 80mm intake for the GPU/s and then one 80/92mm exhaust on the rear.

After lots of cutting and scrapping off the HDD cage I am left with this :)

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8023/7653933388_f050fba38c_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/stonerboy779/7653933388/)

Also yes that is a koolance 360 rad shroud now on the front after cutting away 90% of the metal for heaps of airflow. Turns out that rad shroud was spot on for the case dimensions thtrough some happy chance haha. At the back you can see I cut out the old exhaust section entirely.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8428/7653932276_df6611d587_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/stonerboy779/7653932276/)

Some fans in the front and no this build will be laying down otherwise it doesnt clear the monitor in the arcade machine.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7129/7653935340_e0b5ddd296_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/stonerboy779/7653935340/)

The rear fan and it is brased out with some aluminum angle and before anyone asks I will not be painting anything it will stay the mix of silver and black it is because it matches the silver casing on the back of the monitor.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8151/7653934292_6def1accdf_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/stonerboy779/7653934292/)

Another bit of angle and I think you can guess its purpose.


So now I have gone from 3 80mm fan holes to a possible 7 120mm fans plus another two on the 212+ cooler. All fans will be CoolerMaster Silent Blue led fans and all will be undervolted to 7v.

[Stonerboy779]

Back Definately neeeds a sand and some larger holes cut out that are even (previous owner was a butcher when it came to woodwork and electronics)

http://forums.overclockersclub.com/uploads/monthly_07_2011/post-78215-0-29824400-1312000293.jpg

Front the door need replacing and it will have a large plexiglass window into the inside showing the computer in all its glory as well as a neet black and blue wiring when wires are to be seen at all

http://forums.overclockersclub.com/uploads/monthly_07_2011/post-78215-0-81816900-1312000388.jpg

Inside

http://forums.overclockersclub.com/uploads/monthly_07_2011/post-78215-0-00841500-1312000503.jpg

CRT FTW!! haha

http://forums.overclockersclub.com/uploads/monthly_07_2011/post-78215-0-27313900-1312000567.jpg

Working Coin Mechs (Modified for $1 coins) Getting entirely replaced now tho.

http://forums.overclockersclub.com/uploads/monthly_07_2011/post-78215-0-85396500-1312000607.jpg

Plexiglass to cover backlight sign at top

http://forums.overclockersclub.com/uploads/monthly_07_2011/post-78215-0-02987600-1312000650.jpg

Draft of button layout (I hate this one it needs reviewing (Buttons will all be replaced with light up blue ones and the sticks will have a blue ball top)

http://forums.overclockersclub.com/uploads/monthly_07_2011/post-78215-0-71042800-1312000750.jpg

[Stonerboy779]

Finished ripping bits of the arcade machine. Things like this idea of cooling.....

http://forums.overclockersclub.com/uploads/monthly_08_2011/post-78215-0-57500500-1313296356.jpg

Or someone who had fun with liquid nails.....

http://forums.overclockersclub.com/uploads/monthly_08_2011/post-78215-0-11722200-1313296263.jpg

And my favourite this many stables on only 30 cm

http://forums.overclockersclub.com/uploads/monthly_08_2011/post-78215-0-87139300-1313296369.jpg

Finished sanding up before painting a first layer

http://forums.overclockersclub.com/uploads/monthly_08_2011/post-78215-0-74959400-1313296277.jpg

http://forums.overclockersclub.com/uploads/monthly_08_2011/post-78215-0-24960700-1313296340.jpg

http://forums.overclockersclub.com/uploads/monthly_08_2011/post-78215-0-56458900-1313296381.jpg

All these are from old posts way back some newer pics will come soon once i have done some more

[Stonerboy779]

Going to git this printed on signwriting vinyl will also make another interchangeable top as this mk one is really only useful in fighting games.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8002/7654165532_2069fef768_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/stonerboy779/7654165532/)

Also two more massive 1600x500mm prints to wrap the sides of the arcade machine with but these are big expenses for another day.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8028/7654163862_5c77d5aee9_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/stonerboy779/7654163862/)

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7266/7654164862_c9381df4da_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/stonerboy779/7654164862/)

[TLHarrell]

Sweet. Subbed.

[Stonerboy779]

Sweet. Subbed.

Haha thanks :D



Well was just testing hardware and was going to do a fresh install on the SSD but it looks like it has been sitting dead on my shelf these last few months.
Now hopefully I can get it replaced without an issue as today was the first day I opened and took it out of its packaging which kinda sucks.

Still need to get

- lots and lots and lots of led strips
- sound activated light controller
- illuminated power and reset switches
- new buttons and sticks for the arcade machine
- new coin slots machines too
- a massive sheet of perf steel powdercoat black
- some car speakers 6 1/2" splits and a shallow 8" sub
- the viynl prints but they will be last

some pics with lights on and off to give a general idea of the case with some hardware in

lights off
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8159/7654887734_5521d375b6_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/stonerboy779/7654887734/)

lights on
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8003/7654888816_eb815eb7e2_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/stonerboy779/7654888816/)

[Fuganater]

So you have a 360 shroud and your not going to watercool...


:think:

[Stonerboy779]

So you have a 360 shroud and your not going to watercool...


:think:

Yes :D

The shroud really neatens up the front and provides perfect mounting for the fans. Its not a power build and it already runs cold and silent. CPU runs on average 5C above ambient while the GPU sits at 40C stock curve but I plan to lower it with two fans mounted to my cross bar forcing more air into the GPU.

[Stonerboy779]

Got some goodies today :D

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8286/7682109168_fe24d579da_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/stonerboy779/7682109168/)

Momentary switch (one will be power and will be attached to power led and the other will be reset and be attached to hdd led)

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7125/7682108108_7ea0f68016_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/stonerboy779/7682108108/)

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8021/7682106732_3f19946374_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/stonerboy779/7682106732/)

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8151/7682105544_447bd63dc0_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/stonerboy779/7682105544/)

Sound activated lights whoo

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8281/7682104446_ec0e9635a7_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/stonerboy779/7682104446/)

Switch on the side to flip between off, flash and on

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7256/7682103358_d4f276197f_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/stonerboy779/7682103358/)

4x 1.2m off led lights (all blue on a black strip coated in a clear flexible resin with 3m backing tape)

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8422/7682102218_534b9699b8_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/stonerboy779/7682102218/)

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8162/7682101106_5fa6728d9f_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/stonerboy779/7682101106/)

CCFL kit dual 30cm blue lights to light up the marquee on the arcade machine

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7260/7682099928_618c4b7324_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/stonerboy779/7682099928/)

Xigamatech 3x 5 1/2" to 4 HDD bat converter

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7122/7682098786_a23affddc9_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/stonerboy779/7682098786/)

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8010/7682097370_29292cfc08_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/stonerboy779/7682097370/)

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8009/7682096286_9237910c66_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/stonerboy779/7682096286/)

more pics to come shortly

[Stonerboy779]

Alright I am a cable management god haha

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8425/7682092206_f8035ce4b8_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/stonerboy779/7682092206/)

literally a bees dick of space to play with

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8427/7682091506_9cb87db98a_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/stonerboy779/7682091506/)

but i can get the bottom (side) back on anyway

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8017/7682090092_c1758b9683_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/stonerboy779/7682090092/)

Had an issue with fitting my fan controller so with a bit of modding (hacking haha) I made it fit

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8424/7682094828_636b0a1721_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/stonerboy779/7682094828/)

look milimeter perfect now :D

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7139/7682118230_f215f6ef27_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/stonerboy779/7682118230/)

see looks like everything was precision made for each position when in reality I have been half assing the whole thing and been getting very very lucky haha

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7137/7682115786_9ccc989612_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/stonerboy779/7682115786/)

oh and yeah they were leds across the alu bar and they will be run off the light controller to pulse with the tunes
Speaking of which here is the sound activated light controllers home

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8425/7682114612_7efa96f158_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/stonerboy779/7682114612/)

another shot of the business end

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7250/7682089430_67227bc8eb_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/stonerboy779/7682089430/)

and with everything in the case

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7258/7682120778_0f9747f542_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/stonerboy779/7682120778/)

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8285/7682119546_da8b73326e_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/stonerboy779/7682119546/)

and lights :D

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8146/7682110520_8517f44e63_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/stonerboy779/7682110520/)

[Stonerboy779]

Oh and an appropriate comparison at this point.

I went from this pos

http://www.budgetpc.com.au/media/catalog/product/cache/1//5e06319eda06f020e43594a9c230972d/pics/l/b/u/budgetpc-intel-s1-1-1.jpg'

to this :D

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8285/7682119546_da8b73326e.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/stonerboy779/7682119546/) http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8146/7682110520_8517f44e63.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/stonerboy779/7682110520/)

[d_stilgar]

That front panel looks completely different, as well as the rest of the PC. Great job.

[Stonerboy779]

That front panel looks completely different, as well as the rest of the PC. Great job.

Thankyou tomorrow I should get most of the cutting done for the cabinet abrring any unforseen events.

[Stonerboy779]

Well did a heap of cutting today and it left me with this nice little pile of wood.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8289/7714699682_b4a5f379f3_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/stonerboy779/7714699682/)

Still have a decent bit of stuff to cut and some parts to sorce but it is nice to be able to start seeing myself the things coming together right now I am pulling apart my POS Logitech X-530 speaker system to put inside the cabinet.

[Stonerboy779]

Alright finished mucking around with speakers for now.

They came out of their pods pretty easily and I will end up mounting this pair still in their plastic mounts just for the ease of it.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8422/7715458532_37f340f759_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/stonerboy779/7715458532/)

Pulled the itty bitty sub out too and here is a comparison shot to show how small the pos is.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7256/7715453420_f60453098c_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/stonerboy779/7715453420/)

Pulled the amp plate out and very happily discovered I will have space on this to mount the PC start and reset switches I have. I will also add a master power switch and fuse to the plate and will pull this cord out and add a more heavy duty one to handle the additional power requirements.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8422/7715455054_052b9780b9_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/stonerboy779/7715455054/)

Well there is no going back now hacked the master pod in half so I could remove the wires without desoldering them from the control board.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8430/7715460124_b301f19766_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/stonerboy779/7715460124/)

Whoo mess on the bed

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8428/7715451130_69cda310ec_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/stonerboy779/7715451130/)

Oh yeah and that is a Roccat Arvo Gaming Keyboard in the background, I discovered that I would need a new Keyboard to fit the space requirements of the draw in the cabinet other standard keyboards were too wide to allow for a mouse.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7126/7715456922_76d073eb3e_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/stonerboy779/7715456922/)

[Fuganater]

Those LED fans throw off enough light for you?

[Stonerboy779]

Nope that's why I have led strips haha
yeah the CM fans give off a heap of light but I am adding LED strips to add a pulsing light, plus since all the fans are undervolted which means they glow less brightly.

[ARTbyTROY]

Over in my pinball thread you said this bad boy was dead due to no time... I'm glad you found some time.

Subbed.

[Stonerboy779]

Over in my pinball thread you said this bad boy was dead due to no time... I'm glad you found some time.

Subbed.

Yeah it was but I have found a window for a while.