Server Case - No theme

[gntlkilr]

Ok, I've been working this mod for a bit, slowly. So here's the idea first.

I'm gonna go black case with red highlights, lights, etc.

Here's what I have so far.

Inside of the case - Standard ATX Mid-Tower

The front with the front panel off

Yeah, I know, i need to clean up those fan holes, all I had was tin snips at the time. I have a dremel and a 80mm hole saw blade now.

From the side

The whole case is being redone like my Coolermaster mod. I did a half-a#$ed job on them, and I want to do them right. So yeah, repainting!

Ok. The front panel. The fun part.

You've seent he sketchup, now here's the update on how that goes.

Here it is cut out, ready for the putty to smooth the edges

After first coat and sanding - LOTS to fill in

Second coat applied and waiting for sanding.

Yeah, thats the plexi I'm going to be putting in the front panel. I figured, keep it all together, ya know?

Next update should be early next week!

[gntlkilr]

Update time, I know its been awhile

I screwed up the front panel of the first case, no salvage. I wanted to keep the main parts of the case in the theme I have. So, I took a case that was GOING to be my wife's computer, and modded it differently.

So onto the pics!!!

The original case (web pic)

The case the from the side, window cut out, and top 12cm hole

Front with 12cm hole

Back

Stripped off the front accents to be painted

I'm going with black and red. Mostly black with red accents. candy apple red of course. Heh.

Same basic Idea, plexi CDROM tray and HDD tray, the case is meant to hole a BUTTLOAD of drives, around 4 TB worth. (Lots of pics of the baby and a few other things) Then a few other options, see below.

Specs are as follows:
Intel STL2 Dual P3 board
2 SL2GR Pentium 3 1000Mhz Processors
2 Gb of PC133 ECC Reg RAM
2 SATA II 4 Port RAID 0,1,0+1, 5, 6 controllers (found them on ebay lot sale got 2 for 10$ US, nice, eh?)
12 HDD RAIDed in a few different drives, with backups of course. Mostly RAID 5.

So yeah, uber nerd here. LOL

Mod stuff

The top of the case where the USB and Firewire were (no other USB or firewire on the board.

I'm thinking a varistor for fan control times 3, the Power swtich, and reset here. Yeah.

And of course, what update would be complete without all the other fun stuff.

LEDs, Fans, grills, switches, and Thumbscrews (i had to , they were red, LOL),

Comments/questions/bomb threats, they're all welcome, good or bad. Talk to ya'll next update, should be in about a week.

[Computer-Geek]

This looks like it will turn out good. Nice job so far.

[gntlkilr]

Thanks C-G. Its hard to start out for me, cuz I see all these great mods, and I rarely have the time to put into a mod anymore, especially with a new baby. Argh, I never thought a 3 month old could make me want to tear out my hair. LOL


Anyways.

Here's an update.

Finally got the case painted. As you saw in the last update, got some of the fun stuff, still waiting on the acrylic tubes and such, but its a slow process. I'm working on the switch top as well, that goes slow, can only do 1 coat a day or so. And each day is about a week apart. LOL

Front of the case

The back

Inside and top

Here an update on how the switch casing is going for the top. Keep in mind that I want to keep the basic frame and style of the case intact, so I'm not doing much to the shape of the case.

Where the switches be going
I'm still in the process of getting it nice and flat again after this painting. This is only the second coat or so. After about 2 more, I'll sand the crap out of it, paint again with my nice and shiny car paint, then clear coat for a few coats.

But thats the latest and greatest. I'll keep in touch.

[Computer-Geek]

Looking good!

[Blebbz]

:o You Stole My Theme!
Only Joking... looking good so far, keeping tabs on this one

[gntlkilr]

Blebbz, if I could, I'd change the theme, just for you.
Well, mostly for me, but you'd be a part of it. LOL

I want to put the lyrics of "It's All About the Pentiums" by Wierd Al on the window, just because I'm a dork/geek, etc. And I kinda like the name "Server'd". So a change is in order, I just dunno how to do it.

:EDIT:
Quickie here
Got the front accents completed.

I am SOOO proud of these. I wanted that brushed aluminum look still on it, like with the original CMStacker, but I wanted color. Heh, I got it.

[gntlkilr]

WOOHOO! Update time. Albeit a smaller one. waiting on the acrylic tubes to get here for the big one.

Ok, remember how I broke that front panel from the first case? Heh, I fixed it by glueing chicken wire under it, bondo the S*&# out of it, then painting, holds up pretty well, too

side by side with the other part I was working on this weekend.

These pics are all after 4 coats of spray putty, primer and paint each, clear is for tomorrow.

I'm happy with these. They're not perfect, but after as much work as I put into them to be flat and spiffy, this Krylon Semi Flat is exactly the shine I wanted. I was worried, cuz its cheap paint, but I'm very impressed, especially if you warm it up in hot water first. Heh
The top panel of the Zirco was where the switches, USB, IEEE 1394 were. I patched it all up and made my two holes for my Bulgin Illuminated switches. I'm using one switch LED as the power switch and indicator, and the other switch is reset and the HDD activity light. i like the idea.

Here's the closeup of the panel so far, just needs clear coat.

Well thats it for today, I know, not much, but getting these things flat was a pain the butt. Took alot of work, so I'm happy it got done.

Until next time, Mod the Planet.

[gntlkilr]

Ok, probably final update. Sorry it took so long. Being in a deployable Air Force unit tends to not give me much time to share between modding, work, GONE, wife, kid, school, etc.

But, we have an update. I posted the painted pics earlier (a couple months ago I think). But here is all the plexi installed (never could etch the HDD trays, but its a step).

Exterior Side Panel (yes, Kubuntu will be installed if I can figure out why the mobo don't work)

Front (not the greatest picture, will have better once I figure out this Mobo problem)

Interior (HDD is still needed, no optical drive tho, none, nada, will be a headless linux proxy server)

This basically was a test of what I could do and where I need to improve. There is alot of improvement needed on this case. Such as the front panel still needs lighting, it also needs a new piece of plexi, only thicker.

PSU SLEEVING! Nuff said.

The HDD trays need etched with SOMETHING. They look so naked.

The Blowhole needs something to go from the actual hole to the fan grill. I'm liking the idea of warming matching plexi and bending it around a piece of PVC tubing. then sanding, gluing, etc to the front panel. That way i get my color and my tube. Cuz its hard to find red plexi tubing for under 100 Euro per half meter.

Oh, and the top blowhole, I need to figure out a way to either hide or countersink those fan screws. *wince* ugly.

But hey, good first time out, Next time, I'm hitting up a Yeong Yang YS-221 Entry level server case like vastonecat. Heh. different colro, different direction tho. I love his build.

Ah well, until next time kiddies, warranties are meant to be voided.

[Luke122]

Edge light those drive rails.. that'll look HOT.