Project: Black Rose

[MitaPi]

Okay, I am JUST now starting this mod so dont be expecting anything soon. For some reason people dont like to pay me on time. Which roughly translates too... little progress over lots of time. So for now I will just describe and list all that I am doing. This isnt your defyant type mod for starters. Its just going to be a easy noobalicious mod.

Okay, So I guess I should explain what I have and what I want to do with what I have right? Okay, well first off I have a Nzxt Lexa (Yes, you heard me right. I'm proud of it too!). What am I going to do to it? I am going to do this to it...

-Build a Custom Acrylic Reservoir. (see quick a^# sketch below)
-Build a corresponding Liquid Cooling Kit off of that reservoir
-Underglow the case (That is, Put cold cathode under the case)
-Back Light the front door (Putting Ultra Bright LED's behind the door)
-Create a design on something (No design yet, nor have I figured out where to put a design other than the window and/or reservoir. Cant ruin that nice glossy paint job now can I!?)
-Build a system from the CPU up. (Since thats all I have worth swap. over)

Well folks, thats about all I have for now. I am still learning Sketchup ...err... let me rephrase that. I am still procrastinating on Skethup so I wont have any super duper awesome pictures to post other than from MSPaint (to at least give you an idea) for about a week or so from now. Just keep in mind that this is just a simple mod and a simple build. All I am wanting to do here is make this rig my own. So I dont have to think everytime I look at it... I didnt buy this and its missing a side panel as well as a front panel. Happy Modding!

-MitaPi

PS. You'll have my current specs, future specs, and pictures from my own personal work log soon. My mouse needs new batteries so I am having difficulty even doing this.

PS PS. I dont want to hear anything about the name "Black Rose" Being girly or just a bad idea. The Black Rose is something that is very sentimental to me. Which is why I picked it to name this project after. Thanks to all who actually read this far! lol sorry I dont have anything to reward you with! Just bare with me for now! lol I cant even afford batteries as you can see! :P

Edit: Here is my Sketchup drawing (HUGE THANKS TO .Maleficus.)

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/MitaPi/untitled-2.jpg

[MitaPi]

WHOO HOO! I stole batteries from my TV remote! I could of swore that it was AAA... but good thing I double checked!! ^_^

Okay here is my Future Liquid Cooling Kit:

-Thermaltake Volcano 4005 Heat Exchanger
http://www.xoxide.com/thermaltake-vo...exchanger.html
-Danger Den Mag II
http://www.dangerdenstore.com/product.php?productid=230&cat=4&page=1
-Thermaltake 12cm Big Radiator (Just because it fits into the 120mm spot)
http://www.xoxide.com/thermaltake-12...-radiator.html
-VGA Liquid Cooling Block (I dont want to hear about this)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16835106059
-Tygon Tubing
http://www.dangerdenstore.com/product.php?productid=230&cat=4&page=1
http://www.dangerdenstore.com/product.php?productid=172&cat=33&page=1
-90mm Fan for Volcano 4005
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811999121
-1/2'' to 3/8''th reducer
http://www.xoxide.com/bl1to3re.html
-1/2'' System Clamps
http://www.xoxide.com/5sncl1sy.html
-3/8'' System Clamps
http://www.xoxide.com/1sncl3sy.html
-Danger Den Fill Ports
http://www.xoxide.com/danger-den-fillport-black.html
-Promo Chill 32oz. Pre Mixed Coolant
http://www.xoxide.com/primoice-nonco...id-uvblue.html

Future Specs:
-Nzxt Lexa
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811146018
-SLI Mobo (Purple ^_^)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813135225
-Geforce 7600GS 512MB
Friend
-OCZ Gold 1GB (2x512MB)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820227044
-Ultra X-Finity 600W w/ Flex Force Cables
Friend

Current Specs:
-ATI Radeon Xtasy 300SE
-1GB Dual Channel Corsair (x2 512MB)
-512MB Corsair (x2 256MB)
-Memorex Dual Layer DVD-RW Combo Drive
-2.8 GHz Pentium 4 w/HT
-Linksys Wireless G PCI w/ Speed Booster W/ High Gain Antenna
-200GB External
-40GB Internal

Here is my cruddy drawing of my reservoir:

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/MitaPi/lexa_24modified67676666-1.jpg
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/MitaPi/LexaModifiedComplete.jpg

[MitaPi]

So today I learned with shipping and handling my reservoir materials is going to cost me about 80 big ones. lol so thats kind of cool in a non cool way if you ask me. Its cool because then I can say.. yea.. I have a 80 dollar reservoir. ^_^ But its also bad.. because its 80 freaking dollars. lol

[MitaPi]

Just a quick update on my funding issues. I might or I might not get payed this tuesday-ish. But hopefully I will. Then I will have enough cash to order the materials needed to start my reservoir. I have also decided to go with your average clearer than glass acrylic. The coloring or UV reactive acrylic sheets cost twice as much as just the clear. But dont see this as a bad thing. Because in fact it is kind of good. This means A. My res will match my tubing. B. And I can have any color I want them to be. Purple, Blue, Green, etc. So! Thats just about it for now. Just on a personal note my computer took a major dump today. Thankfully dell includes that nice lil tool where you can set your computer back to how it first came out of the box. So technically.... I have a new computer now. ^_^

[The boy 4rm oz]

I have a NZXT LEXA also and I thought i mite add that only 2 weeks after i bought it the top hinge on the front pannel broke. The top hinge is plastic and the bottom hinge is metal. Warrenty doesnt cover this so i had to fix this myself.I thought i would post this to give u a heads up and be really carefull when u take the front panel of to change the fan or whatever cos its really frajile.

[MitaPi]

Hey thanks alot, I really appreciate information like that. Since I seem to be "accident" prone. ^_^ If there is anything else that you can think of telling me whether its good or bad or its just something like liked or disliked then feel free to message away! How was yours or any one else's over all reaction to this case? Is it satisfying enough for what you paid for it? Again, Thanks for the info and any futrue info! It really makes my day! ^_^

-MitaPi

PS. I just got done watching Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy and couldnt help but think that this case would be RAWKIN! for a hitch hikers theme! I am still going to name it "Black Rose" though. Because thats what it is and what it is going to be to me. BUT! I am seriously thinking about doing a hitch hikers guide to the galaxy theme! Let me know if anyone thinks thats a good idea!

[The boy 4rm oz]

Well the first time i saw this case I loved it and so did my mates lol. I live in Australia and last nite i sent an email throught the NZXT site as a semi-complaint letter. Today when i got home from school I had an email from one of the leading game pc distributers in S.A asking me to fill out a form and fax it to them and they will give me a whole new front panel. And I was like OMFG that is awesome so i filled it out straight away. I read further down the email and i found that it had been forwarded by NZXT's leading designer. I had managed to fix the case myself but this is just awesome. And this all sprang from an email suggesting that they make the top hinge metal aswell lol. So if anything happends to your case just send them an email and you might get lucky. I just clicked the last link on their support page on their site. The overall build quality of the case is supperb and anyone who likes something a bit out of the ordinary will love it. Have fun with your mod and enjoy your case.

[MitaPi]

That last part is the main reason why I love this case. It's not your average every day "box". Its different from all the other cases. lol I always have a desire to be different which is what inspired me to become who I am today. Anywho... Thanks again for that info! I'll definitely be gentle with this case. But its good to know that if I do break something I might have a chance at getting a replacement part.

[The boy 4rm oz]

Hey no problem. I like all the NZXT cases. I have always enjoyed something out of the ordinary so i got the lexa. This mod is gonna be awesome but remember, there is tons of space to hide cables around the edges of the case cos the window isnt the entire size of the side panel.

[MitaPi]

This is true... The only thing you are gonna see is my water cooling tubes and my volcano 4005 heat exchanger! Which if you ask me... is a good thing. ^_^

[MitaPi]

So just an idea.... what would you guys say to a back 120mm rad and a 5.25 rad? Would that be pointless or would that be a good idea if you can afford it?

[MitaPi]

Alrighty... I have a very depressing update today. Since I am going for a performance oriented rig and there is so much I need to buy. I wont (for now) be able to do my custom reservoir. I will still find something to do, but it wont be anything costly. (aka 80 bucks for materials for the res). So... everything else is still a go. I'm just going to buy a 20-30 dollar reservoir (for now) untill I can afford to build a custom fitted one. But I am sure there is still going to be things I can do to my case and what not thats not exspensive. Well... when I think of something I will report back in. If anyone has any idea's then feel free to let me in on them. Oh and just in case you were wondering why I cant afford 80 bucks for a reservoir. 700 bucks of computer mod parts and accessories is why :eek: . It might not be too custom at the moment! But it sure will pack a nice (performance oriented) punch! Well and it WILL look good. It just wont look one of a kind good. :(

[MitaPi]

:eek: :eek: :eek: I take that back.. its going to cost me 1010.00 dollars with shipping. :eek: :eek: :eek:

[MitaPi]

ooh ooh.. and I just added up everything I have put into it at full price (which in my opinion you can never sell for again) and itwas 2400 dollars! SO I HAVE A 2400 dollar computer! Yea! :) That made me happy.. untill I realised that I can probably only sell a liquid cooled SLI (single gpu) computer for about 1200.. which really sucks... lol

[MitaPi]

HA HA! Thanks to my new buddy I finally got some entry level drawings to post! whoo hoo!!! I have them posted up above now so people dont have to scroll through a page worth of uselessness. :P

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/MitaPi/untitled-2.jpg

[MitaPi]

Change of plans... like usual. It all tends to boil down to money. Oh well... performance over aethetics is always the way I like to go in the end.