Project Ghetto

[Drew]

:EDIT: PROJECT ABORTED, PICS WILL BE REMOVED SHORTLY TO MAKE ROOM FOR NEW ONES.


Before we start, I'd like to mention that although I have named this project Ghetto, it's a reference that it's gonna be done on a real budget. LIKE COSTING NUFFIN. I have no real set theme or final aim. Well, apart from a cool case I can call unique. So if you'se have got any ideas that might work, say so.

The only things that I have in mind are the colour scheme - Purple and Yella on the outside (used to watch the Minnesota Vikings when I was in the States) and a super duper metal flake Black on the inside. Oh, and a window of some sort. I really, really should have a proper theme....


On with the show.

I aquired this little iCute case and fell in love with it. I love these little cases, and I have another one very similar (with a plain front) that's sittin unused (painted red in the background).

I like this one better, 'cos of the purple bit on the front.

Yeah, I know, AT form factor.....but it only took 5 mins with the Dremel on the power switch and a change of I/O panel (I think that's what it's called) and it was a proper ATX case.

Since I'm using cheap cheap components, I plan to overclock. This means air flow is gonna be a priority. Water cooling is out purely on cost.

Problem is, it's a small case, so no room in the back for an extractor fan. So it's gotta go in the top. Part one of the plan.

Before the air can get out, it's gotta get in. That means a fan in the front. handily, I found this tucked away inside during the strip down...

I've seen these before, but didn't know what it was (n00b). I do now....for the uninitiated, it's an 80mm fan holder.

Check that it is what I think it is with an old UV fan....

I didn't like the bars. So I hacked 'em out, as is only proper.

30 seconds with my side cutters and 2 mins with the dremel and it's much, much betterer.

Cant see this front panel doin' much for airflow. Break out the side cutters and Dremel again.

Better for the airflow, but I'm gonna have to do something about that hole. I was gonna leave it like that (wont hurt if it's covered up) but I know it's there.

Converting the power switch to ATX was as simple as Dremelling down the knob that sticks out on the back of the switch to the same level as the red one here (from the other case). I would have used the red switch and saved some work but I'm toying with the idea of lighting the switch, and the red just wouldn't have carried the light.

Thats where we are at the moment. Not far I know, and this is likely to be a slow build (dosh problems - ain't got none...), but hey, whats the rush, right?

Ideas?

[xmastree]

Converting the power switch to ATX was as simple as Dremelling down the knob that sticks out on the back of the switch to the same level as the red one here

Possibly too late now, but there is an easier way to convert an AT power switch to ATX functionality.
The AT switch is a push on - push off switch. If you watch it in action as you operate it, you'll see a small wire loop moving, under the return spring. This is what latches it on. Rip out this wire and you have a momentary action switch, which can be connected to the motherboard, just as a regular switch would be.

[Drew]

Oh.

Don't I feel foolish.

We live and we learn....

[armadilloben]

you know drew i dont think you have enough porn lol

[Drew]

Not porn

Glamour.

I am not a pervert.

I appreciate the female form

There's a difference.

*cough*

[Ichbin]

Are you still looking for design ideas for this case?

[Drew]

Oh yus.

All creativity addressed to Drew, c/o this thread, TBCS.

Many thanks.

You really are quite helpful, Mr Ichbin.

[xmastree]

Purple and yellow you say? That lower piece on the front. Is it translucent purple enough? You could put something behind it, like EL wire, in a wiggly pattern. Or some LEDs fitted to the panel behind it. RED ones might look more purple behind that, you could take it to the store and try the EL wire to see the effect before buying it.

[Drew]

I was toying with lighting the translucent panel.. but not with EL wire.

But if I used it, I could have it any shape I wanted....

[Drew]

Itty bitty little update:

After choosing the processor cooler I want for this case....

I figure that I should check for room...good job I did.

There doesn't look like theres gonna be anywhere near enough room between the processor and the PSU (it might fit, but the airflows gonna be poo). ****.

Never mind, that's what it's all about, 'aint it?

So I thought 'If it wont fit, move summat.' The PSU came off worse, and now I want to have it external. Back to this in a minute.

I was going to put an 80mm exhaust fan in the roof, but when I removed the PSU, there was a nice gap for a fan.

Soooo I hacked up a piece of acrylic that came out of an old case, and knocked up an adaptor plate, and now I have a fan blowing in, and a fan blowing out.

Here's what I managed...

The plate will be painted eventually (when I paint the rest), I'll chop off the nuts and bolts (or use nice ones) and the fans will be replaced with purple LED ones I found on eBay.

Now I got a new problem... how and where to mount the PSU? I'm using a standard ATX PSU and am about to go worklog trawling for some inspiration...

Here's a pic of the case with the size of PSU I'm using (not the actual one...) for a scale reference.

Any ideas folks?