Project: Steel Promise

[alphastryk]

I've been lurking around here and on some other modding sites for a while now, but I just didn't have any money to build anything, so I didn't post. I've decided that I may as well get started, then deal with money (don't question my logic...)

anyways, this is a military / heavy industrial styled case. I was looking around for old army radio equipment or something, but it proved to be way out of my budget...then, I found a solution:

Its some sort of military ammo crate, and it only cost me $13!
(thats my current gaming rig behind it btw...)

The dimensions are a bit odd, but I did do a bit of measuring and test-fitting with parts I have laying around:

unfortunately, it a short case ( it looks taller because I'm measuring with a microATX board, and I plan on using a full ATX system here), so the only way I could find to put the power supply on the back panel without having crazy airflow was to put it behind the mobo I am wondering about big graphics cards and the card locking screws though...will there be enough room? idk...

anyways...time to measure more stuff..

overhead view - airflow/fans, psu, mobo, cards, hdds (above psu for now)

and...the optical drive spacing is just about perfect (especially as the drive I'm measuring with is a fairly deep one. success!

hmm...other notes... I don't want to cut into this any more than I have to, and I'm not adding any more access...that'll be some of the challenge just getting everything accessible through the top only.

anyways... I plan to mesh the back bottom bump-out on each side to allow air for the GPU(s?) (probably 8800gts 320 oc from foxconn) and psu. replace the backplate entirely with a custom one, put a 120mm fan hole in the front, cut an opening for at least one optical drive centered (horizontal), and a card reader and fan controller vertically on the edges of the front...

So yeah... I've been thinking about it alot... any suggestions to improve the layout... because the dimensions kinda just suck inside this thing...

anyways, thats the plan. we'll see how it actually turns out.

EDIT: replaced pictures with links to save the formatting...those were even bigger that I thought...stupid good camera xD

[b4i7]

for the love of jesus, please resize your pics, or use thumbnails to the high res pics


btw..welcome to the forums

[alphastryk]

lookie what I found:

http://www.action-electronics.com/panelmeters.htm

wouldn't that be a great replacement for the plain old hdd activity LED? and I should be able to have a toggle on-off backlight for it, as I already have an unused dual 4in CCFL kit... hmm... I could use some of these to show the voltage of the PSU 12, 5, and 3.3v lines too...that'd be a cool looking front panel...

[Eclecticos]

So far so good! When you find Good Mod Suppliers add them to this thread HERE

Welcome to TBCS!
I would much rather see the pics than have to click a link.
Here is a Link to a free Batch image resizer

[jdbnsn]

I resized you images for you. We definately prefer images to links here and the best size varies based on how much detail need to be seen in one shot. These are a good rule of thumb but it's mainly up to what you like, those batch re-sizers are a life saver.

EDIT: Oh I forgot to mention, it's much better to give your thread a title that reflects what is being shown. You can name your mod or describe it and folks will have a better idea of what's inside, "first mod" doesn't really describe your project. If you come up with a name PM it to me and I'll change your title. Here are some guidelines you may find useful.

[SgtM]

Lookin good. Whoever doesn't like an ammo can mod has something wrong with them. I can't read the nomenclature.. is that an old MK-19 ammo can?

[alphastryk]

Thanks for the help with resizing the images guys.

I'm not sure what kind of ammo case it is... I'll check that tonight.

I will update tonight with some more plans and parts..

oh - and I've decided to call this mod 'Steel Promise' (yay military operation name generator...lol)

ok - I won't be able to update so much tonight... I forgot about the LAN party tonight...lol, I won't be getting much work done. xD

...but I did find a nice power switch...details & pics sometime this weekend...

[alphastryk]

Now that I've mostly recovered from the LAN Party, back to work.

for those of you wondering what kind of ammo can it is:

(If you can't read that, it says Small Arms Amm. Box MK1 Mod 0)

anyways, on to work on the actual mod. I mentioned before that I had found a power switch. Its a Marine momentary toggle switch with an LED-lit tip. the LED is white when powered, and turns red when the switch is being pressed. I wired it to some motherboard headers and the +5v line to the LED, and it works great on my test system. anyways, here it is:

The ammo box came with a cardboard box inside that has very similar dimensions, so it became the planning box:

And here's my planned front panel:

the mesh I'm going to use on the sides and front fan hole came from leftovers from a gutter cover of some sort. Here it is in front of the case. I plan to paint it black before I use it though.

the last thing I did this weekend was remove the car power outlet from my thermaltake cupholder combo unit. It should fit nicely on the left side of the front panel (its in the plans as that circle with the 4 prongs sticking in)

Thats all I've got for now...

[alphastryk]

Ok, got a bit more done. Unfortunately, my dremel has disappeared completely... so unless I find it or can get money for a new one, I'm stuck for a bit on some parts. anyways, I did get some stuff done the last few days.

Firsr I clean off the parts. the top especially is less rusted than it originally looked...stupid red dirt getting in the way.

then I went ahead and marked up where I need to cut out for the GPU and PSU vents:

I wasn't able to go ahead and cut the holes out due to the missing dremel, but I went ahead and de-riveted and removed the handles and latches from both the front and the back, and boy was that a pain in the ass. it took a good half hour with a screwdriver and 2 hammers to actually get the stuff off. fortunately, I didn't dent the case or anything.

Heres how it looks w/o the handles + latches:

As you can see, I also marked out the front fan hole, but the lack of a dremel thwarted me again

I'll update again with mose progress, when I have Money and/or a dremel...

[Maz]

Hey i am actually building a rig right now w/ the psu behind the mobo. i got the width down to about 8" including video card, so if your not skiddish around opening up a psu... try your luck.