Project: Ioncito V2.0

Greetings, this new case is the evolution from my last project, the "Ioncito", an Ion powered, leather coated, watercooled mini ITX HTPC.

Ioncito V1:

The custom waterblock:

This one will be my "green gaming rig", Atom 330 Ion + EVGA GT 240.

So let's start with the structure, for this I'm using 15mm x 15mm x 1,5mm aluminum angles, and scrap alu sheets I got from a factory:

Manual miter saw:

First angle profile with some 45° cuts:

Both profiles with mirror cuts:

This cut is for curving the top bezel:

And these are for the 90° angles:

Bending:

This piece will go in the front, covering the blowhole (like in the ATCS 840):

Fileing+Sanding

Some filler:

Sanding:

Primer:

Front and Top plates:

Sanding + bondo to fix some scratchs and holes:

2 component Epoxy

My super caterpillar piston weight:

Here you can see a size comparison between V1 and V2:

They are both very small, V1 is: 295mm x 315mm x 160mm and V2 is 325mm x 325mm x 190mm.

Back to the structure...

A profile to close the frame:

Copper ribbets to reinforce the structure:

Angle reinforcement:

Horizontal division, mother/rad/pump/res will go on top, PSU/HDDs bottom:

Hinges for the sidepanels:

Mothertray (this piece was the most injured, needed a lot of clay+sanding):

Reinforcements + bondo... needs lots of sanding.

360° view with the mothertray fixed in place:

Just a few more alu pieces before the structure it's all done:

Bondo:

This is all I've done so far, from now on you will get the "live" updates.

Thanks for watching.

Very nice! Watching this one for sure.

Welcome to TBCS!

+Rep and welcome to the forums! This looks great!

good aluminum work! looking good. will also be keepin an eye on this build!

Very nice work, I've never seen bondo used to smooth out a panel before, I like it. I love the leather as well. :D What's the flow path on that custom CPU block? How does the Atom do for the gaming that you do on it?

Nice alum work! Welcome to the site!

i really do like this one so far mate.. looks good :)

Gotta love a scratch build!! Very nice work. Looking forward to seeing it unfold!

Thanks to all, I'm glad you like it.

Rad mount test:

I'm having trouble finding a mcp350/355 or compatible for my XSPC acrylic reservoir here in Argentine, it sucks being in the end of the world when looking for hardware :S

Quote:

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Originally Posted by elgafas

it sucks being in the end of the world when looking for hardware :S

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Damn right!!

Lol, check out this picture with attention:

hehe, nice Loki!

PSU plate done:

nice work mate.. loving this one

Thank you.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Loki

Damn right!!

Lol, check out this picture with attention:

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talk about a shameless plug! lolz
nice work!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by LiTHiUM0XiD3

talk about a shameless plug! lolz
nice work!

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:D elGafas and I joined efforts for a Ion and Nvidia grills kit for Ioncito V1.0

Assembly test:

i like :) looks like its gunna be a nice fit

Thanks!
Teaser:

Motherboard cooling mod:

The mod consists in replacing the factory thermalpad and thermal compound. For this I used Tuniq TX2 and a 0.75mm copper sheet.

It's really easy to remove the heatsink, just remove the 4 screws from the back and it pops out.

Here you can see how the factory compounds look like:

Closer:

After cleaning the factory stuff we proceed to replace both compounds.

Tuniq TX2 and copper sheet in place:

Now the temps (It's really hot in this room couse it's summer, 35°c)
Before the mod:

After the mod:

Here's a short Ioncito v1 introduction video I just made:

Here you can see the result of hours and hours of sanding and fixing scratchs and holes... smooth and rounded bezels/edges.

I just love the effect of Enermax Cluster's white light on the hardware.

Rad grill:

Needs fileing and sanding.

Oh eh, I really like what you done with the angle bar, never thought of working an angle bar like that before, impressive :).
And never thought of smoothing out a rough panel like your did neither, your a very resourceful modder.
Hell yes I'm impressed with this work :) awesome scratch build elgafas, and good to see a bit of tag team between you and Loki :D:up:.
Looking awesome +rep :).

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Waynio

awesome scratch build elgafas, and good to see a bit of tag team between you and Loki :D:up:.

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Yeah, but he has more money to spend in fancy hardware than I do :P

Cause I rock and you suck.

This is a good looking build!

Thanks Trace!

Pump, Delphi DDC1A-VC:

Blue led + Blue UV water:

A few pics of the sidepanels while I lethercoated them:

Very nice. What kind of leather are you using?

Thank you, it is a fake leather, I don't know exactly what kind... I only know it is some kind of plastic.

Aww, so nothing to piss off PETA with? :( Oh well, if v1.0 is any indication, I'm sure it'll look great! :D

LOL, no PETA activists agains IONCITO... are you shure?? I khow that you're using cat's bodyFat to make that glue...

Nice temp drop with the new thermal compound! This is going to be a nicely pulled off and good looking machine if you keep going as you have!

Thanks!

Some pics of the inside + the folds to hold the acrylic window.

Interesting; so the plexi windows is just held in by those folds in the leather?