DragonForce

[rajjinator]

i know what your thinking, breaded seabass? am i right? damn im good. anyways ... i was swiming in the sewers the other day and i came across this cheiftec dragon case just floating around. Normally i'd just ignore it and carry on swimming but next to it was a very nice (but slightly worn) dog. It was this very dog that inspired me to mod this case for my own personal use.

Here we have the case its self, cleaned up of course.

http://www.brucebaker.f9.co.uk/forumpics/DragonForce/DSCF1700.JPG

Here is a picture of all the components. This is also my work area, very messy i know, but not bad for someone who swims in the sewers i must say.

http://www.brucebaker.f9.co.uk/forumpics/DragonForce/DSCF1698.JPG

I wanted the case to appear scary and alien like. So... i was feeling some black was needed on the inside.

off come the feet...

http://www.brucebaker.f9.co.uk/forumpics/DragonForce/DSCF1706.JPG

Obviously being in the sewers a long time this case had aquired several piles of double sided tape. To achieve the best finish with the paint i had to get it all off...

http://www.brucebaker.f9.co.uk/forumpics/DragonForce/DSCF1707.JPG

next step was to rub down with scotch-brite and wet and dry...

http://www.brucebaker.f9.co.uk/forumpics/DragonForce/DSCF1709.JPG

next step was to clean the entire case and mask off the exterior paint...

http://www.brucebaker.f9.co.uk/forumpics/DragonForce/DSCF1712.JPG

http://www.brucebaker.f9.co.uk/forumpics/DragonForce/DSCF1713.JPG

Now its ready for a coat of primer...

http://www.brucebaker.f9.co.uk/forumpics/DragonForce/DSCF1714.JPG

The first primer coat being sprayed....

http://www.brucebaker.f9.co.uk/forumpics/DragonForce/DSCF1716.JPG

Primers Dry...

http://www.brucebaker.f9.co.uk/forumpics/DragonForce/DSCF1718.JPG

Its quite important to make sure you rub down the primer lightly with wet and dry paper or you'll get a dodgey finish. This is expecially true if you have a dog in your earlobe.

http://www.brucebaker.f9.co.uk/forumpics/DragonForce/DSCF1728.JPG

Time to spray the 1st coat of black. Its best to do several coats than spray it on too thick, or it'll more than likely run which will make it look like u have just literally dragged it from the sewers... possibly with a dog attached to it, or even an ill-tempered, mutated seabass.

http://www.brucebaker.f9.co.uk/forumpics/DragonForce/DSCF1732.JPG

After the 1st coat of black...

http://www.brucebaker.f9.co.uk/forumpics/DragonForce/DSCF1734.JPG

Now... i need something to occupy my mind so i dont go and touch it for at least an hour or it'll look like a man with vasceline on his fingers recovered my case from the sewers. I know, i'll fit a water block to my graphics card :D

More to come soon ppl.... maybe sooner than you think :eek:

[rajjinator]

I'm Back ! Guess what, I ordered the wrong gpu block. Oh well guess i'll have to mod it to fit then. :D

here's the old hsf...

http://www.brucebaker.f9.co.uk/forumpics/DragonForce/DSCF1720.JPG

luckily, using some long nose pliers and a trusty wooden spoon, i was able to remove it.

http://www.brucebaker.f9.co.uk/forumpics/DragonForce/DSCF1721.JPG

The Asetek GPU water block...

http://www.brucebaker.f9.co.uk/forumpics/DragonForce/DSCF1723.JPG

arctic silver 5, always useful...

http://www.brucebaker.f9.co.uk/forumpics/DragonForce/DSCF1725.JPG

If i can get it to fit, the pipes coming off at an angle might make it look a bit different as well... we will see

http://www.brucebaker.f9.co.uk/forumpics/DragonForce/DSCF1726.JPG

Next problem... the bottom of the block stops the card from pushing all the way into the agp slot. not for long....

http://www.brucebaker.f9.co.uk/forumpics/DragonForce/DSCF1738.JPG

thats better....

http://www.brucebaker.f9.co.uk/forumpics/DragonForce/DSCF1740.JPG


Righttttt............. That case should be dry by now. Time for a coat of lacquer. Heres the result after 4 coats...

http://www.brucebaker.f9.co.uk/forumpics/DragonForce/DSCF1735.JPG

hmmmm while thats drying i think i'll fit some more water blocks...

http://www.brucebaker.f9.co.uk/forumpics/DragonForce/DSCF1743.JPG

http://www.brucebaker.f9.co.uk/forumpics/DragonForce/DSCF1744.JPG

http://www.brucebaker.f9.co.uk/forumpics/DragonForce/DSCF1745.JPG

and the CPU block...

http://www.brucebaker.f9.co.uk/forumpics/DragonForce/DSCF1746.JPG

http://www.brucebaker.f9.co.uk/forumpics/DragonForce/DSCF1747.JPG

Thats all for now. Back soon

[rajjinator]

Hi, Ive had some good idea's (well i think so, comments please?). Did i mention i drilled out the rivets holding the HD Bays in earlier? no? oops.. well yea i did...

http://www.brucebaker.f9.co.uk/forumpics/DragonForce/DSCF1708.JPG

well this left me with a problem, as i didnt really want to fish out and buy a 5" HD cooler just so i could mount it into a wider bay. So... i came up with this very simple method using motherboard standoffs and a few washers...

http://www.brucebaker.f9.co.uk/forumpics/DragonForce/DSCF1748.JPG

http://www.brucebaker.f9.co.uk/forumpics/DragonForce/DSCF1749.JPG

Good finish eh?...

http://www.brucebaker.f9.co.uk/forumpics/DragonForce/DSCF1753.JPG

I needed somewhere to mount a reservoir, ideally higher than the pump to make filling the system easier. I finally decided to mount it at the back near the exhaust fan vents just above where the pump will be positioned. so i made a bracket to hold it there...

http://www.brucebaker.f9.co.uk/forumpics/DragonForce/DSCF1757.JPG

http://www.brucebaker.f9.co.uk/forumpics/DragonForce/DSCF1758.JPG

some 4mm aluminium...

http://www.brucebaker.f9.co.uk/forumpics/DragonForce/DSCF1779.JPG

http://www.brucebaker.f9.co.uk/forumpics/DragonForce/DSCF1784.JPG

http://www.brucebaker.f9.co.uk/forumpics/DragonForce/DSCF1785.JPG

HIT IT!

http://www.brucebaker.f9.co.uk/forumpics/DragonForce/DSCF1788.JPG

DRILL IT!

http://www.brucebaker.f9.co.uk/forumpics/DragonForce/DSCF1789.JPG

Drill some more....

http://www.brucebaker.f9.co.uk/forumpics/DragonForce/DSCF1792.JPG

http://www.brucebaker.f9.co.uk/forumpics/DragonForce/DSCF1793.JPG

Jobs a brownen....

http://www.brucebaker.f9.co.uk/forumpics/DragonForce/DSCF1795.JPG

Thats all for now. Next job is to cut tubing and fill and bleed the system. FUN :p

[rajjinator]

Now for the fun part... deciding how to lay out the piping. Heres a pic of the case before i started...

http://www.brucebaker.f9.co.uk/forumpics/DragonForce/DSCF1796.JPG

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm this is my brother... although prob not the best idea to admit that... I think he's just made a new invention, how to blow in your own eye... He'll make millions :?

http://www.brucebaker.f9.co.uk/forumpics/DragonForce/DSCF1797.JPG

After about 20 mins of fiddling and swapping pipe arrangements to see what looks best i came up with this layout. i think it looks quite alien like, how about you ppl? although i deffo think some green dye will be needed. I guess orange will do for now though...

http://www.brucebaker.f9.co.uk/forumpics/DragonForce/DSCF1799.JPG

Filling the system, no leaks YAY lol... mooooofishbadgerspoonmoon

http://www.brucebaker.f9.co.uk/forumpics/DragonForce/DSCF1804.JPG

http://www.brucebaker.f9.co.uk/forumpics/DragonForce/DSCF1803.JPG

Future proofing my Radiatior config so i dont need to wire in more fans if i change to a dual Rad...

http://www.brucebaker.f9.co.uk/forumpics/DragonForce/DSCF1805.JPG

Time to tidy up this mess of PSU leads....

http://www.brucebaker.f9.co.uk/forumpics/DragonForce/DSCF1807.JPG

Almost finished... maybe too many blue cathodes i dont know... i think i'll have to ditch 1 for a UV and put some dye in the water...

http://www.brucebaker.f9.co.uk/forumpics/DragonForce/DSCF1809.JPG

Ignore the random fan on the bottom its just to silence the alarm on my fan controller cus theres no sensor wire on the 120mm rad fan....

http://www.brucebaker.f9.co.uk/forumpics/DragonForce/DSCF1810.JPG

More to come soon ppl.

[rajjinator]

here are some more pics... ive added UV Orange Dye to the water system.

http://www.brucebaker.f9.co.uk/forumpics/DragonForce/F1.JPG

http://www.brucebaker.f9.co.uk/forumpics/DragonForce/F2.JPG

http://www.brucebaker.f9.co.uk/forumpics/DragonForce/F3.JPG

http://www.brucebaker.f9.co.uk/forumpics/DragonForce/F4.JPG

any idea's for more mods anybody?

[rajjinator]

Pump Silencing:

when your case is made from sewer material, suction cups tend to stay put for about 3 milliseconds and then come loose, letting your pump to vibrate away making a racket like a breaded seabass at a earlobe licking contest.

Ripping off the suction cups was easier said than done, i ended up giving it to my dog, who in the end ate all four of them.

with the base plate of the pump removed i set about mounting it to a piece of dense foam...

http://www.brucebaker.f9.co.uk/forumpics/DragonForce/DSCF1830.JPG

http://www.brucebaker.f9.co.uk/forumpics/DragonForce/DSCF1828.JPG

pump buzzing and vibrations were reduced dramatically from a result of this mod.

http://www.brucebaker.f9.co.uk/forumpics/DragonForce/DSCF1833.JPG

[rajjinator]

Fan controller modification:

I never have liked my nexus super panel...

http://www.brucebaker.f9.co.uk/forumpics/DragonForce/DSCF1861.JPG

http://www.brucebaker.f9.co.uk/forumpics/DragonForce/DSCF1862.JPG

so i went shopping....

http://www.brucebaker.f9.co.uk/forumpics/DragonForce/DSCF1864.JPG

drilling holes for standoffs....

http://www.brucebaker.f9.co.uk/forumpics/DragonForce/DSCF1865.JPG

back view with installed pcb...

http://www.brucebaker.f9.co.uk/forumpics/DragonForce/DSCF1866.JPG

soldering extention wires to the potentiometer...

http://www.brucebaker.f9.co.uk/forumpics/DragonForce/DSCF1869.JPG

http://www.brucebaker.f9.co.uk/forumpics/DragonForce/DSCF1867.JPG

front view....

http://www.brucebaker.f9.co.uk/forumpics/DragonForce/DSCF1868.JPG

http://www.brucebaker.f9.co.uk/forumpics/DragonForce/DSCF1871.JPG

http://www.brucebaker.f9.co.uk/forumpics/DragonForce/DSCF1870.JPG


Link To Original Thread (http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1188)