Project: Cosmos-S-Trail

[coolmiester]

Its that time again to get a commissioned project up and running for the Coolermaster stand at Multiplay i34 which doesn’t leave much time so expect this one to take shape pretty fast once all the background stuff is out the way.

There are three major sponsors which I’m eternally grateful for and have all supplied some killer hardware so i’ve first of all got to thank those involved for making the mod possible and vow to hopefully do them all justice.

Sponsors Include:
Coolermaster (http://www.coolermaster.com/index.html)
Intel (http://www.intel.com/)
Zotac (http://www.zotac.com/)
HWLabs (http://www.hwlabs.com/)


http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/coolermaster_logo.jpg (http://www.coolermaster.com/index.html) http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/intel_logo.jpg (http://www.intel.com/)

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/zotac_logo.jpg (http://www.zotac.com/)

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/hwlabs_logo.jpg (http://www.hwlabs.com/)


System Spec:
CM Cosmos S
CM 1100watt PSU
Intel Skulltrail Motherboard
2x Intel QX9775 Quad Core Extreme CPU’s (Socket 771)
2x Zotac 9800GX2’s
4GM RAM

Watercooling:
By me ;)

So, let the games commence :cool:

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_1.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_2.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_3.jpg

[MomijiTMO]

Hmmmmm

Looks good enough to eat. No wait. . .

[oerekum]

Holycrapathon. *Sits and waits*

[YMAA]

Subscribed :up:

[lyl]

mmm... skulltrail build. sub'ed

[coolmiester]

Cheers :up:

Guess this is a bit of a give away but hey, i like vents ;)

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_4.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_5.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_6.jpg

[Anemic]

Holycrapathon. *Sits and waits*

+1!!

Insanity! :eek:

[i found nemo]

niiiice

[septim]

vents are good...

[masxerofkartis]

Subscribed

I honestly like your paint jobs seen both yamaha stacker and Cosmos SLR they are very nice cant wait to see how this one is to turn out but anyway what theme is this case to have.

Very nice paint job on the vents

[disruptfam]

suscribed!!!! MONSTER RIG IN THE MAKING!

[manyga]

Subscribed too!!

Nice Hardware!! I can't wait for update!!

[TedShred]

vents are good...

+1:up:

stayin' tuned for this one 4sure

[emoners]

here we go...another AWESOME build coming from coolmiester! :up:

[evil-98]

wow.. awaiting updates, wish i had a skulltrail, rendering would be fun :up:

[coolmiester]

Thanks for the feedback.......... and i promise it will get a bit more interesting very soon but in the mean time the Cosmos is stripped and ready for anodising ;)

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_7.jpg

[Pedalmonkey]

cooler ur builds are always top notch and i expect nothing less from a build of this insanity in hardware.

[skinnee]

ooohh...fully anodized case internals!!

sub'd

[Arni]

next p0rn project ;D subbed

[Chewbenator]

Always love your case mods, really looking forward to this one.

[masxerofkartis]

i was always wandering what steps do you take to do a paint job on one of your cases????

And what method do you use to paint it???

[lior307]

Give us more pics - Looks great !!!
Which pump you intend to use and which Parts you are going to cool (Except the Cpu's)??

[draytox]

Cheers :up:

Guess this is a bit of a give away but hey, i like vents ;)

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_4.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_5.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_6.jpg

Those "vents" look a lot like a set of indicators off our SS.

http://www.modifiedstreetcars.com/car_images/holden/holden-SS-VZ-138.jpg

Except u got 2 chrome strips of course ;)

[masxerofkartis]

What car is that in the pic???

Anyway they hell rmind me of Mercedes slk or slr side vents

[coolmiester]

As always, cheers for all the feedback and comments as it does help loads.

I didn't get anywhere near as much as what i'd planed today but i did get both vents mounted ready to be stuck in place after the panels are flattened and sent for powder coat to give better finish for paint but no real hurry as the painter is on holiday next week :|

He did drop some of the paint off today which as always is pretty much just like a new car so i'm happy with that.

I dunno, i seemed to spend more time looking at the damn thing today than getting into my usual attack mode but i seem to have more of a game plan so i guess all was not lost :lol:

Oh yeah i borrowed a Cosmos 1000 side panel off my mate Tom so i didn't have to deal with the mesh panel in the Cosmos S which was a big help :up:

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_8.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_9.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_10.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_11.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_12.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_14.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_15.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_16.jpg

BTW the vents are an aftermarket replacement for a Peugeot 206 (http://www.ecosse-peugeot.co.uk/show_product.asp?id=1271) here in the UK

[lennox]

this already looks like an amazing project.

sorry i'm a little behind the times... does the Cosmos S come stock with the 3 fan ports in the top? can you fit a radiator up there without mods?

[emoners]

you using automotive paint coolmiester?

[Fumle]

If the Cosmos S came in black, we would have nothing to do: http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=187614

But it looks really nice so far.

[4Qman]

cant wait.

[Flarexi]

Just when I tought my cosmos is cool I saw this :shakes:

GJ Can't wait for this one to finish :P :clap:

[junkun13]

more!

[masxerofkartis]

Very nice clean job. How did you cut that part off the side panel??? Laser???

[coolmiester]

No laser cutters here...........all done by hand ;)

OK, there's a few imperfections which you wouldn't get with laser but much more fulfilling to know you did it all yourself with a fret saw.

Anyway, as you can see the front of the Cosmos S mesh is being replaced with 5.25 aluminium plates which will be anodised black once all the cut-outs have been finished and have chrome hex bolts.

The top one will hold a 4" TFT - two which are already been cut are for dual reservoirs - middle one will hold fan controllers and the bottom one for both Zotac and Intel logos

Few shots of the finished Zotac logo with frosted white and orange plexi attached to the back which will be lit up from behind once everything is anodised and installed.

.........hope they like it :up:

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_17.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_18.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_19.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_20.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_21.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_22.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_23.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_24.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_25.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_26.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_27.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_28.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_29.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_30.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_31.jpg


@ masxerofkartis - Jigsaw for the side panels and fret saw for the logos

[RockfordFosgate]

Hand made rulez coolermiester modding proffessor :up:

[septim]

thats very nice work. time consuming but worth it. more pictures please.

[emoners]

how will that plate get attached?

[xTKxhom3r]

wow that looks ssiicckkk

[masxerofkartis]

No laser cutters here...........all done by hand ;)


@ masxerofkartis - Jigsaw for the side panels and fret saw for the logos

funny but i never thought a jigsaw could cut on circle outline. What kanda blade are you using??

By the way i hell like the lettering are those plates to be put on the front???

[coolmiester]

Yeah, see the cut-out plate lying in front of the side panel on this picture (http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_9.jpg) - Basically, you can see the hole drilled in it which allows the jigsaw blade to go through so you can make a start but apart from that you simply follow the pre drawn outline which could be for the vents in this case or for windows etc.

Jigsaw blades are just standard steel cutting blades with fine teeth :up:

I guess its one of those practice makes perfect kind off jobs.....and i've had plenty practice :)

[LogAn'sRun]

But do you think you could cut a perfect circle with a 36cm diameter with a jigsaw? If so, what advice can you give me, because I gots shaky hands. . . =)

BTW, been pricing to get it done by laser and they want my left arm for that simple job (me thinks what life would be without Leftie. . . mmm. . hmmm. . .mmm. . No Fun)

[coolmiester]

But do you think you could cut a perfect circle with a 36cm diameter with a jigsaw? If so, what advice can you give me, because I gots shaky hands. . . =)

BTW, been pricing to get it done by laser and they want my left arm for that simple job (me thinks what life would be without Leftie. . . mmm. . hmmm. . .mmm. . No Fun)

Its maybe taken for granted by those that use a jigsaw regularly but most shapes can be cut with one.

My advice would be to practice on a similar piece of material to get the feel of how that particular material cuts - let the jigsaw do the cutting and don't try to force anything as you will break the blade and always cut inside the line as you can always file and tidy the cut later.

This circle (http://www.coolercases.co.uk/theme/3.jpg) is done with a jigsaw for a couple of theme mods (http://www.coolercases.co.uk/theme/ATI_nVidia_650.jpg) i did a while back.


[edit] Oh, just noticed the circle cut for the Yamaha case window in my av also......that would of saved me some searching :rolleyes:

[LogAn'sRun]

hmm, that's good to hear. I think I might have to go see if i can find some 2mm scrap aluminum somewhere as I want to cut out my door next week. . . .

What do you recommend as a guideline? Do you use a wood circle to follow as a guide or do you just freehand it inside the lines like you mentioned?

BTW Sorry for the Off-Topic.

[TedShred]

Man, you always get such an awesome smooth shine when you go glossy black on a build!:cool: Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm thinking a gloss black like that comes from a body shop. Or is something like that possible with primer and rattle can? (I'm going gloss black on my case and am quickly losing hope that it's a colour I could pull off myself. Without looking terrible, that is.)

[coolmiester]

I got to hold my hands up and say it went to the body shop for paint and clear coat and oven baked, likewise the side panels once the vents are installed as the time limit on this build doesn't leave room for any mistakes what so ever so i thought best let the professionals do their stuff.

The chassis and 5.25" plates left for anodising today and i'm on making the reservoirs at present and all is going well but that clock just won't stop ticking :eek:

[coolmiester]

Time to get a bit work done on the three Coolermaster Aquagate's and the replacement reservoirs ;)

Got all three res's stuck together using my new found friend Poly Weld with FB barbs fitted all seems fine but will be leak testing before final fitting.

And a couple of shots of the new look Aquagate in a standard Cosmos S which i did a while back for testing :up:

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_32.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_33.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/aq_64.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/aq_65.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/aq_33.jpg

[xTKxhom3r]

wow awesome res!!!

[just a noob]

simply amazing work, i dont think i would ever have hands steady enough for cutting out the individual letters with a hack saw, and on a different note, are you getting any sort of compensation for this?

[pvtdonuts]

I'm gonna say they compensate him by letting him keep all the stuff...

[Pedalmonkey]

ok, guys he doesnt use a jig saw or a hacksaw to cut out the Zotac logo. im pretty sure from the pic its a scroll saw. which is a lot like a cross between a bandsaw (I.E. it has a base to set your peice on) and a jigsaw(ie the blade goes up and down instead of around). you can buy scroll saw blades that have teeth on all sides which make it easy to cut the circles and stuff. not to cut down on coolers skillz, hes got plenty to go around. :P

[psmawson]

i vote for copin saw

[Chewbenator]

@ masxerofkartis - Jigsaw for the side panels and fret saw for the logos

eh so you did THAT with a fret saw? Wow.

[coolmiester]

Yeah, i use a fret saw (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fret_saw) for all the small lettering etc and a jigsaw (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jigsaw) for the bigger side panel stuff :up:

[pika198]

more pics more pics :D

[b@llz0r]

i always thought modding is the modern equivalent of the hot rod.... this just confirms it!
Subscribed!

[coolmiester]

Admittedly not a lot of case modding going on here at present as the Cosmos chassis is at the anodisers so I thought I would get the system up and running on the bench just to make sure everything was working………………i knew that mini Cosmos waterbox would come in handy one day :D

Anyway got it all up and running like a dream with the CPU’s being cooled by 2 D-Tek FuZion and a GTX480 so everything’s nice and cool there but Zotac are still to decide whether to run two GX2’s or three GTX280’s so pointless putting the GFX under water just yet though I was tempted to fit the monster EK block that weigh in at 1080g each :eek:

That’s about it for now until the chassis returns and the side panels get back!

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_34.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_35.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_36.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_37.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_38.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_39.jpg

[phelan1777]

yet another awesome piece.

[TedShred]

Awright, the mad mini! I just get such a kick out of that little guy... love it!:up:

[Deux]

Looks great, I always love your work. Just thought you and the guys at Zotac might want to know that you can't run Tri-SLI on the D5400XS because it uses older Nvidia chips to provide SLI.

[MrBean]

Yep, Deux is correct, best you can do here would be SLi via 2x cards.

No tri-sli supported on SkullTrail.

[coolmiester]

Well that solves that problem...........glad you guys are paying attention coz i ain't got a clue :D

Cheers guys :up:

[coolmiester]

Its a bit of a headache choosing which blocks to go for CPU's and NB due to hose routing but after much head scratching it looks like D-Tek FuZions for CPU's and a DD MC-Chipset block with a modded mounting bracket will be best.

So, decided to make myself a nice little mounting bracket for the MPC-Chipset block.....

Started by scribing the shape onto a 3mm piece of aluminium then took the original MPC mount to mark hole alignment.

Not sure if there's time to get it anodised black or whether i'll just have to paint it but either way it looks OK and fits like a glove :up:

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/nb_block_1.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/nb_block_2.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/nb_block_3.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/nb_block_4.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/nb_block_5.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/nb_block_6.jpg

[rafwlkp]

Almost like Storm ^^
I like it ! Keep going mate :D

[Lloyd]

Looking SWEEET Paul

[coolmiester]

Cheers, yeah a mini Storm :yepp:

Got the side panels back from powder coat today which is a great way of flattening down the standard brushed aluminium and a great flat base for primer so its time to start attaching the vents.

Had to use that 2 part metal stuff to attach a couple of bolts to the back side of the vent to enable it to be screwed down.

I also got hold of this Terotape and Primer which gives the vent a nice cushion to sit on which hopefully eliminates paint cracking when the side panel flexes.

So anyway, this is how it looks and now i've got a night of bodging and wet sanding ahead to blend the vent into the panel then get it into primer ready for paint.

Just did a test fit with the chrome bits on to see what the whole thing looks like in black :up:

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_41.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_42.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_43.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_44.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_45.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_46.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_47.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_48.jpg

[atlxkevinx]

Simply Amazing! I love your builds! Keep us posted!

[Extigy]

your skills with a saw are very impressive. I've had a fair bit of practise but this is something else... Excellent build.

[masxerofkartis]

Only 1 comment respect Ver nice work dude :up::shocked:

[CyberDruid]

Awe inspiring:up:

[coolmiester]

Hey thanks for the kind words :up:

On a side note, i've been in touch with Andreoid to see if it was possible to get one of his Ram Block (http://www.meisterkuehler.de/forum/303693-post19.html) but unfortunately his mill is down and i'd be looking at over 4 weeks to get one shipped so if anyone has one for sale let me know and i'll have it..........though i need it pretty quickly :(

Soz for the off topic.

[septim]

nice vents.

terotape = adhesive backed foam insulation? sealed that vent mounting to the panel nicely...

[coolmiester]

nice vents.

terotape = adhesive backed foam insulation? sealed that vent mounting to the panel nicely...

Sort of, though i don't want to give the impression the vents are just stuck on so will be moulding them into the panel with bodge (bondo) before paint, a bit like ones i did a while back :up:

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/images/vents/30.jpg

[emoners]

Sort of, though i don't want to give the impression the vents are just stuck on so will be moulding them into the panel with bodge (bondo) before paint, a bit like ones i did a while back :up:


this i wanna see...& maybe copy :D

[coolmiester]

Sorry to keep boring everyone with this :rolleyes:

A long day of filler - sanding - wet sanding - more filler - more wet sanding and not much more tbh but all ready for primer, paint and clear coat so see what tomorrow brings ;)

Oh yeah and i polished the NB block mount :up:

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_49.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_50.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_51.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_52.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_53.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_54.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_55.jpg

[TedShred]

cool stuff! Lookin' forward to the the p,p and cc.

Nice polishing on the NB. My alu-polishing attempts have been pretty lame in comparison, but I had a problem with some bad polish ("Thunderbolt"). I ordered some of that "Peek" polish that you like, so it should work better.

[Pellepel]

yeesh! when I first saw your Yamaha build I was like :shocked:. Now this! man your builds are inspiring :up: can't wait to see more!!

[emoners]

wouldn't it have been better if the vent was moulded before the side panel was powder coated?

[coolmiester]

wouldn't it have been better if the vent was moulded before the side panel was powder coated?

Not really, because you can't powder coat plastic with good effect as powder coating is applied electrostatically and then cured in an oven.

Basically, powder coating was a little trick i found to get rid of the original grain effect on the side panels and is a great durable flat base coat to lay paint on :up:

[coolmiester]

Good and bad news today!

Got the panels back from paint today and one turned out fine while the other had a few little reactions which the painter put down to water caught in the vent from wet sanding so its got to be re-done which is a bit of a pain but these things happen i guess.

Here some pictures of the good one.........the other is already being re-sanded.

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_56.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_57.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_58.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_59.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_60.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_61.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_62.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_63.jpg

[Pied]

Wow, so far it looks awesome. I bought a Cosmos S a few days ago. How do you go about painting aluminum and plastic. The Cosmos S looks good, but some parts make it looks cheap.

Subscribed :)

[Arni]

sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet

[Anti`]

nice choice of smokes :)

[Aphex_Tom_9]

envious, sub'd.

[TedShred]

... Basically, powder coating was a little trick i found to get rid of the original grain effect on the side panels and is a great durable flat base coat to lay paint on :up:

That black is killer! Man oh man:up:

For the powdercoat base is there any particular shade of black that is more appropriate than others or does it matter at all? I'll be finishing most of my exterior in some shade of black, and figured it'd be a good idea to ripoff, er... emulate.. yeah, emulate... your methods.:) I want the plastic chassis "frames" to match the panels, so I want to paint them together but with the panels p-coated with a basecoat.

The polishing job on the alu is totally inspiring - that looks exactly like chrome!

[coolmiester]

Thanks Ted :up:

I had the panels done in satin black powder but that's not full story if your wanting to replicate the process.

After the vents were fitted i wet sanded the whole lot with 1500 then 2000gritt which gets it pretty flat but still leaves a good key for paint. .

One thing i did miss out was that the panels will still need cutting back with a further 2000grit wet sand then machine polished and waxed which basically gives it a factory finish :up:

Good luck!

[TedShred]

Thank ya. Ah, so a bit of sanding before (edit: and even after) the paint. Got some 1500 and 2000 on hand too. Perfect:up:

[disruptfam]

love those panels look great

[Serpentarius]

nice work .. this looks better than the SLK version you did earlier

[coolmiester]

Nice one thanks - wish i had more to report tbh but its just been a case of redoing the panel which is in primer again waiting for paint and clear coat then waiting for the chassis to get back from the anodises but after that the plumbing should begin.

I also ordered a Mips Ram Freezer 4 Block for the RAM which should be here in a couple of days.

Sorry, that's about it :(

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_66.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/mips_nickel.jpg

[coolmiester]

Again, my apologies for all waiting for the wet stuff to start taking shape but there's not much i can do until the chassis gets back other than to make the black bits blacker and the shiny bits shinier :lol:

So, in keeping with the black / chrome of the vents.........


http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_67.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_68.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_69.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_70.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_71.jpg

[rafwlkp]

This black is so shine...what do u use to polishing ?

[coolmiester]

This black is so shine...what do u use to polishing ?

Neither has been done yet but i will use Diamondbrite Protective Glaze Sealant (http://www.diamondbriteshop.co.uk/product/Protective_Glaze_Sealant_500_ml_DB29) for the final polish after machine polished with Farecla Advanced G3 Liquid (http://www.farecla.com/index2search.asp?id=535)

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_65.jpg

[rafwlkp]

And u use slowrotational grinder ? I have slowrotational grinder (Bosch) and Farecla sponge but I didn't know what use to polishing...So now I know ^^ Thanks mate.
Oh, I forgot. How many Diamondbrite Protective Glaze Sealant u need to polish case ? 500ml is enough ?

[pcaddict]

looking good, subscribed..

[coolmiester]

MIPs Ram Freezer 4 (http://www.mips-computer.de/) turned up first thing this morning so i set about getting it fitted but ran into problems right off the bat :S

Basically once i got the stock heat spreaders off the Hynix HYMP512F72CP8D2-C4/Y5 Ram (http://www.hynix.com/datasheet/pdf/module/DS_512Mb_DDR2(C-ver)_based_FB-DIMMs(Rev1.0).pdf) it soon became apparent that the centre processor was 1.2mm higher than the memory chips either side.

Hmmmm........after much head scratching i decided to shim the memory and as luck would have it i had some cheap aluminium heat spreaders which just so happened were 1.2mm thick and already had thermal pads on them.

So i set about cutting eight of them in total (two for each stick of memory) down to 50mm x 15mm which fit perfect.

Just a case of adding them and a little AS5 to the reverse side of the memory and and assemble as normal.

Leaving the actual RAM hex bolts loose so the four individual memory stick could move from side to side in the slots, the whole unit then fitted straight into the board with no problem at all then the hex bolts tightened up.

All in all a bit fiddly but well worth it as it's one of the best machined blocks i've laid eyes on in a long while.

I'll let MIPs (http://www.mips-computer.de/) know of the issue with this particular RAM so they could maybe machining some heat spreaders for this memory which would be easy for them to do and make life much easier for anyone else in this situation.

Still not linked hose up yet but its been running fine for the last few hours so all is well but looking forward to see if it actually works.

Also today, my good mate Tom also picked the 2 chassis up this morning and it should be back here Tuesday so i can start getting it re-assembled(mines the black one)

Anyway, a few pictures as usual..........BTW the 3rd but last picture shows the copper/brass version along side the copper/brass nickel plate one i'm using.

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/mip_1.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/mip_2.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/mip_3.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/mip_4.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/mip_5.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/mip_6.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/mip_7.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/mip_8.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/mip_9.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/mip_10.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/mip_11.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/mip_12.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/mip_14.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_72.jpg

[MomijiTMO]

Nice save there mate! That Ram Freezer looks stunning.

[Pellepel]

wow nice ram cooler

[rafwlkp]

What can I say... just pwn3d ^^

[disruptfam]

that wb top is nice :)

[coolmiester]

Not sure if this is in the shops yet but the nice people at Coolermaster sent me a couple of their new Ultimate UCP 1100W PSU's (http://www.coolermaster.com/products/product.php?language=en&act=detail&tbcate=22&id=5218) to play with so got one hooked up to the Skulltrail already and is working a charm............very very quiet :up:

Also Zotac contacted me this morning and have another GX2 being shipped for tomorrow so i can eventually get this HUGE chunk of copper strapped to them (weighing in at 2180g i think they will need some kind of support made) ;)

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/ultimate_1.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/ultimate_2.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/ultimate_3.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/ultimate_4.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_73.jpg

[Om3n]

Really nice bud :up:

[septim]

nice PSU, nice blocks...

[emoners]

the res will be mounted horizontally?

[coolmiester]

the res will be mounted horizontally?

I'm using two of these which essentially are Coolermaster Aquagate Max (http://www.coolermaster.com/products/product.php?language=en&act=detail&tbcate=1&id=3855) with the guts taken out and replaced with reservoirs i fabricated and DDC pumps.

I'm currently running the system on the bench using an external waterbox which may have confused things.

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/aq_64.jpg

[emoners]

oh ya...forgot about that...since i was staring at this pic:

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/ultimate_1.jpg

[masxerofkartis]

I'm using two of these which essentially are Coolermaster Aquagate Max (http://www.coolermaster.com/products/product.php?language=en&act=detail&tbcate=1&id=3855) with the guts taken out and replaced with reservoirs i fabricated and DDC pumps.

I'm currently running the system on the bench using an external waterbox which may have confused things.

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/aq_64.jpg


If you have taken radiators that you like and not the cm ones, ddc pumps, reservoirs fabricated by your self then what did you leave on there??? yubes or the block???:D

[coolmiester]

If you have taken radiators that you like and not the cm ones, ddc pumps, reservoirs fabricated by your self then what did you leave on there??? yubes or the block???:D

LOL not a lot tbh - still got the ESA PCB in see if i can still get that to work :D

[coolmiester]

Got the case back from the anodisers this morning in Ikea flat pack form courtesy of Tom so set about re-assembling it which was a lot easier than i first thought looking at all the bits.

So glad i went with anodising rather than paint or powder coat which i did consider at one point as it looks great.

Once that was riveted back together i had to keep going and added the painted surrounds and chrome rails just to see how it was looking.

All in all a pretty productive time as its the first time i've seen it starting to come together and i think i'm liking it already.

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_80.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_81.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_82.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_83.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_84.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_85.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_86.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_87.jpg

[emoners]

paint job looks GREAT! :eek:

[masxerofkartis]

Is that painted by spray or did you powder coat the case??? Anw i love the paint

[coolmiester]

That part of the case is plastic so got the paint and clear coat treatment.

Thanks :up:

[clock_ed]

This is looking pretty sweet already. You said the plastic parts got the clear coat treatment? Do you mean that you sprayed them, wet -n- dry, spray black again untill smooth then clear gloss?

Also, I used to own a cossy s that had to be returned :(, and now a standard cosmos. What do you think about the build quality? I thought the cosmos s was really flimsy compared to the steel cossy.

Also I found that the hd cage is a VERY tight fit and get scratched when insterted in the case. Be careful as all the paint will look a mess pretty quick. lol ;)

[coolmiester]

This is looking pretty sweet already. You said the plastic parts got the clear coat treatment? Do you mean that you sprayed them, wet -n- dry, spray black again untill smooth then clear gloss?

Also, I used to own a cossy s that had to be returned :(, and now a standard cosmos. What do you think about the build quality? I thought the cosmos s was really flimsy compared to the steel cossy.

Also I found that the hd cage is a VERY tight fit and get scratched when insterted in the case. Be careful as all the paint will look a mess pretty quick. lol ;)

The plastic surround parts were lightly wet sanded to give a key then one coat of primer followed by two coats of black then a final clear coat and oven baked for 30 mins - all still need rubbing back with G3 and machine polished for the final finish.

I played an active roll in the development of the Cosmos S and currently use both so needless to say i'm a big fan of both Cosmos 1000 and S.

Steel is always going to be more rigid than aluminium though i prefer the lightness of the S but wouldn't say it was flimsy tbh

Not using the HD caddy in this build (not enough room) so i should be good on that one but cheers for the heads up :)

[xtclocker]

I loves it. Looks sexy!

[disruptfam]

fantastic paint job!

[coolmiester]

Thanks for the feedback as always :up:

I'm sure i saw Cyber do something similar but i could be wrong and couldn't find the thread but decided to mod a couple of EK 775 mounting brackets for the back of the motherboard and as there was some hot looking stuff on there thought it best to drill some air holes in just to be on the safe side :thumb:

Once that was done added the mounting hardware and blocks to see how things were looking and looks like the NB block fits a treat though not sure what colour it should be?? - i'm thinking brushed alu might be better in keeping with the RAM Freezer though i'm not counting out black just yet.

Mounted the Board in the case for a test fit with a couple of standard CM Aquagate Max'x and it looks like hose routing is going to be just about perfect though i'm bound to come across some hitches along the way but doesn't look too bad at all as it is.

I had my doubts about all the cables on the PSU but CM have certainly put a lot of thought into it, especially for the Cosmos S as it fits a lot better than i originally thought.

BTW this is all just test fitting for now and a total strip down is imminent but i'm a happy chappy and can go for a pint feeling pretty good with how things are coming together :thumb:

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_88.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_89.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_90.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_91.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_92.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_93.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_94.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_95.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_96.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_97.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_98.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_99.jpg

[Dangals]

looks great so far - can't wait to see some more pics!!

Keep up the good work!

[Arni]

Damn sexy !

[masxerofkartis]

Very nice job. Should i imagine there's another rad to be mounted on the top??? Anw pls post some pics from the front of the case.

[MomijiTMO]

Feeling hot hot hot

:party::party::party:

:YIPPIE:

Go Skulltrail build go!

[coolmiester]

Here we go, this is a bit more colour coordinated;)

Dropped the tops off at powder coaters mid morning and had them back at tea time and am i glad i did tbh as they look real nice.

Also got Eddy to express me a couple of EK-FC9800 GX2 SLI - Nickel-Plated (http://ekwaterblocks.com/shop/product_info.php?cPath=21_31_42&products_id=255) over which are more in keeping with the overall scheme :up:

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_100.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_101.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_102.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_103.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_104.jpg

[pcaddict]

do you gonna buy sb block: http://www.vadim.co.uk/product38736/Blastflow+Tidal+Skulltrail+SB+Block ?

[rafwlkp]

black rox^^

[coolmiester]

do you gonna buy sb block: http://www.vadim.co.uk/product38736/Blastflow+Tidal+Skulltrail+SB+Block ?

Danger Den do one also but either wont fit unfortunately with two GX2's in the top two PCi slots - having said that my SB seems to run cool and quiet unlike Darths so though i'd rather be able to watercool it its no real biggy i can't especially as it won't be seen once the cards are mounted.


black rox^^

Cheers bud :up:

[twwen2]

Ooh la lah! Very nice, i love the black & copper look:cool:

[disruptfam]

wow man the black looks really nice!!!

it's a shame you cant use a sb block.I heard the sb fan is noisy as heck

looking forward to more updates!!

edit: off topic but "Unfortunately as from 07/07/08 V-Solutions LTD has ceased trading".vadim is closing down?

[RickCain]

Reading this thread makes me realize I gots no skillz....

Incredible build.

[coolmiester]

We had guests up all weekend that just wanted to drink and drink..........which don't make them bad people in my book and i participate best i could but all i really wanted to do was sit and admire how well the case is looking.

Chrome vents match the chrome Cosmos rails like perfect - let me get the paint machine polished tomorrow and i'll try and get some better pictures...

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_105.jpg

[disruptfam]

Wow!

[emoners]

i so love the side grills! :up:

[Dangals]

speechless!!

[rafwlkp]

What can I say... just pwn3d :D I love ur projects... What next ? 3x 280GTX watercooled in custommade case ? ;)

[oerekum]

Really slick.

[lolhalol]

amzing... as always u come up with the top draw mods

[TedShred]

another awesome Cosmos!

:clap:

[coolmiester]

In keeping with the black / chrome theme and thanks to Eddy i got a couple of Nickel-Plated EK-FC9800 GX2 SLI Blocks (http://ekwaterblocks.com/shop/product_info.php?cPath=21_31_42&products_id=255) expressed over and set about getting them fitted.

Took about 2 hours in total but time flies when your enjoying yourself - they do look a bit naked without the covers on so after a little trimming i re-used the covers though i'll have to find some way of fixing them properly because there nothing to actually fix them to but i'm sure i'll find a way.

Also had the front bezels anodised (cheers Tom) but they were to dull so had them painted and clear coated which looks much better and got the Aquagate ones fitted though the it was starting to get dark out and the pictures aren't the best but you get the idea.

Oh yeah, the board with all blocks added now weighs in at a staggering 6670g :eek:

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull105.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_106.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_107.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_108.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_109.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_110.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_111.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_112.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_114.jpg

[IcepiK]

:shocked::up::clap:

[Arni]

:banana::banana::banana::banana: :eek:

[skinnee]

:shocked:

Amazing! Keep going! :up:

[coolmiester]

Taken all of the above on board about the SB being covered by the cards i had to make some serious decisions.

The dilemma has always been that in order to run Skulltrail with two GX2's in a Cosmos they have to use the top two PCi slots due to the PSU location directly below. (see here (http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_115.jpg))

The good news was the reply from Intel that its fine to use the top two PCi slots - the bad news is that in order to do so i would have to remove the card covers so as not to obscure the SB fan too much.

There was no way around it so not much point in dwelling on the "what ifs" so took the covers back off the cards and got them mounted and tbh i'm quite liking being able to see all of the blocks and running the hose through the cards is looking a strong possibility and should look pretty cool if i can pull it off.

Just did a quick bit of hose routing to show how this would look....

Anyone see anything i don't because you start to become blind to the obvious but i think im good to go with that.

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_116.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_117.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_118.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_119.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_120.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_121.jpg

[Colossous]

Looks sick duder :up:
The only thing that sticks out to me (just a personal thing) is the blue plastic on the 5.25" bays as everything elde is black and chrome - i'd maybe paint them black but thats just a personal thing !! :D

[coolmiester]

Looks sick duder :up:
The only thing that sticks out to me (just a personal thing) is the blue plastic on the 5.25" bays as everything elde is black and chrome - i'd maybe paint them black but thats just a personal thing !! :D

Gotcha :up:

I'll see how it looks once the liquid goes in because it does look a bit bare as is but may look a bit more colourfull once the dual loops get filled.

Orange for the Zotac loop and Purple for the Intel loop......thats plan a] anyway :confused:

[ThrustSSC]

Amazing build, top notch quality and attention to details.
I would recommend you to use this T line :
http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/bicrl.html
in my opinion looks better than the that bulky derlin one you used :)

[taowulf]

Beautiful work as always, your Stacker builds have inspired me (but not yet enough to finish mine, heh) and your Cosmos builds make a case I originally thought ugly a work of art.

[coolmiester]

Right, i think i can move on now and finally put the GFX card issue to bed :lol:

Well, one last thing........just made some nice little spacers to replace the plastic ones that kept popping out and now keep the cards much more stable and parallel :up:

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_122.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_123.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_124.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_125.jpg

[rafwlkp]

omg... I cant speak, it's sick ! In positive sense ofc :)

[Asgard_thor]

omg..
AMAZING


P.S. get that stock CM fan out of there

[pvtdonuts]

omg..
AMAZING


P.S. get that stock CM fan out of there

Well seeing as he's sponsored by coolermaster, unless they have a better alternative, it's probably gonna stay.

Back on topic, why purple for the intel loop? Why not blue, that way it matches with their color scheme as well as the bay locks

[Aphex_Tom_9]

that looks so diesel. can't wait to see how it performs...

[Dangals]

Looks great - can't wait to see it up and running!!

[Arni]

That is legal ? :D

[just a noob]

like what donuts said, blue for intel would make more sense

[Helfarch]

Don't suppose nickel plating the rest of the copper blocks is an option?

[disruptfam]

Amazing work!!!!

[revogamer]

thats absolutely gorgeous!

[charles_h]

Stunning work!

Truly inspiring. :)

[menace2society]

That's what I want for Xmas!!! Can you make me 2 :up:

[The Shooter]

One word amazing!

[RockfordFosgate]

OMGMen you are the really professional :up:

[coolmiester]

I've been in touch with Coolermaster and they are going to do there best to get me a set of Black quick release buttons over so fingers crossed on that one.

Anyway, i wanted to make all the front bezels easily removable (well apart from the Aquagate ones as they are part of the actual units) so i chopped up the original Cosmos bezels and after a bit of filing / sanding, stuck the little end bits on with Devcon Plastic Steel Putty which worked out pretty well and amazingly they all line up give the front end exactly what i was looking for so i'm happy with the outcome.

Still have to get the plexi and lighting in for the Zotac logo.....

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_130.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_131.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_132.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_133.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_134.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_135.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_136.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_137.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_138.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_140.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_141.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_142.jpg

[manyga]

Awesome work!

[just a noob]

thats a :banana::banana::banana::banana::banana:in' case/setup

[disruptfam]

:eek2::eek2::eek2::eek2:

hope coolermaster comes through with those black release clips!!!

this project looks amazing

[evil-98]

most definitely amazing :up:

[IcepiK]

what about dvd-rom?

[coolmiester]

what about dvd-rom?

LOL, there ain't one - not really needed for a show case but once it gets back and i start using it on a day to day basis i will probably add one or just use an exturnal one.

[disruptfam]

external one matey..I like that arrangement :)

[evil-98]

get a slot feed rom and just slot one of the plates :up:
ive always wanted to do that but the plextor slot drives
cost 2 arms.. lol but will definitely add to the wow factor

edit:

this one looks nice http://www.newegg.com/product/product.aspx?Item=N82E16827131352
but its discontinued here :shrug:

[coolmiester]

Hey cheers for following the show and my apologies for not responding to each individual post every time even though i take all on board and appreciate every one but i'd rather wait till i have a valid update to justify the post instead of a load of "thank you" posts to falsely keep the thread alive imo.

Anyway, best get one of the sponsors names up in lights as they donated a couple of GX2's ;)

Its not the finished article but got a couple of clear LED's behind the Zotac bezel just to see how it looked with the plexi in place which i hope they are happy with.....

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_143.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_144.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_145.jpg

[septim]

perfection...

[just a noob]

does zotac do ati cards?
edit: where did you get those vents?

[emoners]

i am so loving it! :up:

[mit78]

beautiful rig,i like very much this case.
when is finish?

[dingdong555]

WOW!

That yellow is....





PERFECT!!!

[masxerofkartis]

does zotac do ati cards?
edit: where did you get those vents?

Zotac hasn't yet broken contract with nv. You could go gainward but i can't see why buy a zotac ati card when diamond exists. Afterall brand doesn't anymore play a big part as long as warranties are ok.

Anyway lets get to the matter at hand very nice case, love the led's,can't understand why use 2 loops especially since you can hide the 1 of them and have 2 extre drive bays. Anyway i love it :respect:

[coolmiester]

I was just going through the hose routing in my head and it soon became apparent that it just wasn't going to work with the barb position on the Aquagate's so decided to make a new back plate and mount the inlet barb on the other side which will make hose routing much easier..........once the hose goes in you will see more clearly but just thought i'd post how it looks as it fills all the gaps for the fans etc and basically looks a lot cleaner.

Just got to do the other one now!


looking at the pictures the outlet is bottom left and inlet is top right
http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/barbs_1.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/barbs_2.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/barbs_3.jpg

[emoners]

nice concept coolmeister! :up: but how about changing the stove-type grill? it kinda doesn't "blend" with the other components...how about a mesh?

[surrealX]

Great work so far. Can't wait for this to be finished

[coolmiester]

I'd planned on going orange and purple for the two loops but orange UV dye is such a hard one to get right its becoming a real pita even with the help of Rob at watercooling chucking me practically every known orange UV dye known to man over i still can't seem to get it right.......

Anyway, my troubles might have accidentally been taken care of while looking at Fan controllers.

I came across the Sythe Kaze Master 5.25inch Fan Controller (http://www.scythe-eu.com/en/products/pc-accessory/kaze-master.html) which i thought a couple of them could be modded into looking like the front blank plates given their use of one way black plexi fronts (http://www.scythe-eu.com/fileadmin/images/accessory/Kaze-Master/Kaze-Master-5_25-BK-Side-View.jpg)

So anyway i added the silver hex bolts to the front of them and got them mounted which fit in absolutely perfect.

Although the pictures don't show the true colours, the fan speed digits are in bright green and the temperature reading is bright blue so i think that's going to be carried through into the two water loops which will make my life a whole lot easier.

Anyway enough talk and on with some pictures......


http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_147.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_148.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_149.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_150.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_151.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_152.jpg

[phelan1777]

Hey, Coolmeister if my gf and I move to England like she wants, think I could get your magic touch on my Stacker? :P.

I know its no Cosmos, but hey, some of us like classics:D

[Arni]

Hey, Coolmeister if my gf and I move to England like she wants, think I could get your magic touch on my Stacker? :P.

I know its no Cosmos, but hey, some of us like classics:D

He was moded Stacker too ;)


coolmiester

nice, do u plan swap front scythe's to one piece?

[eXa]

<3 STC-01\810...

But the more i look at cosmos the more i like it. Cooler master makes nice cases, Coolmeister makes them incredible.

[coolmiester]

Hey, Coolmeister if my gf and I move to England like she wants, think I could get your magic touch on my Stacker? :P.

I know its no Cosmos, but hey, some of us like classics:D

Your going to love the all new aluminium Stacker then Phelan ;)

[Side note] - you seriously considering the move??

[phelan1777]

Your going to love the all new aluminium Stacker then Phelan ;)

[Side note] - you seriously considering the move??
I am drooling already........



Yes we talk about it, her entirely family is from England though she is American by birth.

I have yet to fly other to meet the rest of the family but have met quite a few.

Crazy bunch, lots of family, especially compared to mine.

When we get married, its going to be in the same church her parents were married in, in the same town her mum grew up in. Happens to be right across the street from where my gf's Aunt and Uncle live.

From the English folks I have met, you all are a crazy bunch and much of the food I have tasted is awesome..........this coming from a Scotch/Irish/German........:rofl:
There is a group of Daughters of the British Empire here, they moved over here and some how found each other, and when they all get together, the husbands and the wives.......HA they make College Frat parties pale in comparison to the amount and variety of alcohol.


He was moded Stacker too ;)


coolmiester

nice, do u plan swap front scythe's to one piece?
Yeah, I have been following his work as many have here, I think, not sure, but managed to get his attention and post his stacker in the Slacker thread.

I really like the Cosmos and wanting to get one, but the gf won't be happy as is my Stacker is buried right now cause the guts of my PC are on my desk.

[disruptfam]

those scythe fan controllers look great go well the zotac plate very nice.

[skinnee]

your builds always impress the hell out of me CM! Excellent work! :up:

[coolmiester]

Great feedback on this build thanks but still waiting for rads to turn up so no water just yet though thought i'd post some random pictures of the case of how it will end up looking minus the green / blue fluids.........just wish i could capture better how nice the paint turned out :)

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_155.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_156.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_157.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_158.jpg

[IanY]

That's just over the top.

[IcepiK]

What is that in the top 2 slots? An LCD ?

[coolmiester]

What is that in the top 2 slots? An LCD ?

Yeah, its a 4" TFT similar to the one i used in this mod (http://www.coolercases.co.uk/images/prod_log/dual_5.jpg)

[Mick64]

This is one awesome PC! :clap: One day, when I win the lottery.....:rolleyes:

[disruptfam]

how much are those tft's going for?

[dsecrieru]

Yeah, its a 4" TFT similar to the one i used in this mod (http://www.coolercases.co.uk/images/prod_log/dual_5.jpg)

Where do I get one?!

[coolmiester]

how much are those tft's going for?


Where do I get one?!

Was a UK company called Flatvision (http://www.flatvision.co.uk/) but wasn't cheap iirc

My buddy Tom just pointed me to B-Billion (http://stores.ebay.co.uk:80/b-billion-com_W0QQssPageNameZstrkQ3amefsQ3amesstQQtZkm) who seems to have screens for all occasions and pretty reasonably priced.

[b@llz0r]

those sythe kaze masters look cool.... mine has green letters up the top... where did you get yours?

[coolmiester]

those sythe kaze masters look cool.... mine has green letters up the top... where did you get yours?

Yeah these are green on the top line and blue on the bottom but doesn't show to well on camera - bought in the UK

[dsecrieru]

Was a UK company called Flatvision (http://www.flatvision.co.uk/) but wasn't cheap iirc

My buddy Tom just pointed me to B-Billion (http://stores.ebay.co.uk:80/b-billion-com_W0QQssPageNameZstrkQ3amefsQ3amesstQQtZkm) who seems to have screens for all occasions and pretty reasonably priced.

Can't find any 4" TFT on their website (flatvision)... :(

[coolmiester]

Can't find any 4" TFT on their website (flatvision)... :(

Found one though not sure if its the one i got - Open Frame LCD Monitors (http://www.flatvision.co.uk/Products.php?Cat=OFM)

Best give them a ring like i did :up:

[mpower1001]

Absolutely Gorgeous Build :clap:

[robzila]

what did you do to make the top grill mesh chrome instead of the stock black?

This is phenomenal, keep up the great work!

[skinnee]

Okay, one thing I have been noticing but haven't wanted to critique as your skills are well beyond mine.

The red line above the 5.25" bays, just above the LCD. To me, the color red just doesn't work with the rest of the build. Orange like the Zotac O or silver/chrome.

Like I said, just something that has been catching my eye everytime I view your build. I'm still amazed by your builds! :up:

[coolmiester]

Slight problem - me and Willie at HWLabs got our wires crossed and i ended up with chrome GTX240 and GTX360 when i actually needed an X-Flow GTX360 for the top but as there was no time to get one over i ended up using a black X-Flow GTStealth.

I'm also still waiting on the Intel logo for the front bezel and the black quick release buttons from Coolermaster, both of which should be here tomorrow so i'll get those fitted as and when but should be well on schedule for Multiplay i34 on Friday.

Still can't get the 4" TFT working using an Apple DVI to s-video dongle but i still got a few days to try and get that sorted one way or another!!!

Apart from that, i got both loops routed and filled with both Aquagates taking care of things no problem and everything's running nice and cool ;)

Few other minor little bits and pieces but i got to admit i'm more than happy with the outcome both inside and out :)

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_2000.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_2030.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_2040.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_2050.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_2060.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_2110.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_2150.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_2160.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_2170.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_2190.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_2200.jpg

[ibm390s]

impressive job. and very nice combination of colors. :up:

[TedShred]

Man, I still can't get over that awesome black paint.

Love the green and blue in there. That shade of blue is particularly nice. The visual effect goin' on in the GPU blox is soooo pretty!

:cool:

[dsecrieru]

Sweet! :up:

Now, all it needs is a see through, smoked side panel :D.

[rafwlkp]

Damn u again ownz man...:clap:
Very clean like to Skulltrail & 2x 98gx2:D
Great, just great.:)
When next project ?:rolleyes:

[mpower1001]

You have some serious talent :clap:

[skinnee]

Nice, I see the red is gone! :clap:

Even with the rad mix-up...this is one hell of a project build!

Well done coolmiester :up:

[Pellepel]

freakin awesome!

[Dangals]

wow - love the way you have routed the tubing for both loops!!

[Arni]

:shocked::shocked::shocked::shocked::shocked::shoc ked::shocked::shocked::shocked::shocked::shocked:: shocked::shocked::shocked::shocked::shocked::shock ed::shocked::shocked::shocked::shocked:
DAMN~!

[disruptfam]

Wow!!!

extremely nice build... I think the black rads would of suited more so than the chrome ones..but what can you do.. :)

I vote for mdpc...:up:

Just need to tidy up the wires abit more:sofa:

[IcepiK]

might be noob question but, what direction is the bottom rad fan blowing, up or down?

and what direction is the blue flow going.. res>rad>bottomGPU>topGPU> ?

[twwen2]

That looks fricken unreal. Congrats coolmeister :up: :cool:

[coolmiester]

Hey thanks a lot for all the positive feedback everyone......kinda makes it all worth while.

Anyway, those kind people at Coolermaster had be some black quick release buttons shipped over Fed-Ex priority from China and i got to admit they look much better so a massive thanks to them for that :up:

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_2400.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_2210.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_2230.jpg

[skinnee]

Those do look better than the blue ones IMO.

[disruptfam]

10000000000000000 times better no doubt!

[skinnee]

those are some ridiculous bends between cpu0 -> nb -> cpu1.

Did you angle cut the tube ends...teach me sensei! :yepp:

[IcepiK]

wow, those are cool, I hope they sell those black ones on the coolermastershop.

can you answer my previous question:


what direction is the bottom rad fan blowing, up or down?

and what direction is the blue flow going.. res>rad>bottomGPU>topGPU> ?

[weston]

nice job bud! Best looking computer I've ever seen!

[Nate P.]

Excellent, top notch job!

[coolmiester]

might be noob question but, what direction is the bottom rad fan blowing, up or down?

and what direction is the blue flow going.. res>rad>bottomGPU>topGPU> ?

Sorry Icepik, missed that one.

Bottom fans are pulling air through the rad and the loop is....

RES >>> Pump >>> RAD >>> GPU1 >>> GPU2 >>> RAM Freezer >>> RES

[coolmiester]

Just using the last few hours to put down the last final touches :up:

Made a little light diffuser out of mirrored plexi to sit behind the Zotac logo which holds a 4" white cathode and gives a much more even light glow.

Then onto probably the most fiddly job of the whole build...........sanding and polishing the Intel logo. The thing is so small it took ages but i got to admit looks the business.

Still needs fixing on and a final polish it but this is how its looking....

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/intel_zotac_3.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/intel_zotac_4.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/intel_zotac_5.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/intel_zotac_6.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/intel_zotac_7.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/intel_zotac_8.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/intel_zotac_9.jpg

[Captain Zero]

Good grief that's sexy. Real craftsmanship at work here, kudos.

I want one. How much for a custom build? And would you consider doing another Cosmos 1100?

[IcepiK]

Is this the same elbow fitting that you used?
http://www.frozencpu.com/products/5402/ex-tub-137/Danger_Den_90_Degree_Elbow_Delrin_Fitting.html?tl= g30c101s746

And if so, I guess all your fittings and tubes are 1/2in and this fitting is the only 1/4in to 1/2 in. Does that constrict the flow at all? I need one but was hoping to find one that was 1/2in to match the rest of my fittings......


Also, where can I find those double threaded fittings you have? (red circles)
http://img301.imageshack.us/img301/536/mlmlen4.png

[skinnee]

Is this the same elbow fitting that you used?
http://www.frozencpu.com/products/5402/ex-tub-137/Danger_Den_90_Degree_Elbow_Delrin_Fitting.html?tl= g30c101s746

And if so, I guess all your fittings and tubes are 1/2in and this fitting is the only 1/4in to 1/2 in. Does that constrict the flow at all? I need one but was hoping to find one that was 1/2in to match the rest of my fittings......


That is a delrin 90 at the bottom of the second gx2 block, yes. It will work with all G1/4 fittings.

The G1/4 is the thread, not the ID or OD of the whole, you're getting thread and ID/OD confused.

[IcepiK]

OK, what about those brass colored double threaded fittings, I need one of those. Can't find them

[IcepiK]

How did you paint this part? Powdercoat or spray paint..? Sorry, I'm full of questions, I just love how your build is going....and I'll be starting mine soon


http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_12.jpg

[just a noob]

did you make that ram cooler by chance, or did you buy it? i'm sorry if i missed a link somewhere

[coolmiester]

That is a delrin 90 at the bottom of the second gx2 block, yes. It will work with all G1/4 fittings.

The G1/4 is the thread, not the ID or OD of the whole, you're getting thread and ID/OD confused.

Well put skinnee, thanks :up:


OK, what about those brass colored double threaded fittings, I need one of those. Can't find them

Male to Male G 1/4 BSPP Nipple (http://www.dangerden.com/store/product.php?productid=286&cat=34&page=1)


How did you paint this part? Powdercoat or spray paint..? Sorry, I'm full of questions, I just love how your build is going....and I'll be starting mine soon

That part of the case is plastic so can't be powder coated (well not recommended as powder needs to be oven cured) so its painted along with the plastic side bezel mount things.

The silver bits are polished steel (http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_71.jpg) - not recommended unless you got a lot of patience.



did you make that ram cooler by chance, or did you buy it? i'm sorry if i missed a link somewhere

Its a MIP's RAM Freezer 4 modded to fit FB DIMS from earlier in the log (http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showpost.php?p=3118988&postcount=95) :up:

[skinnee]

Well put skinnee, thanks :up:

No problem...I will accept payment in the form of mentoring me on tubing like you did for this build. :D

[Fumle]

Nice work Dude

But did you not mount the top handle in reverse ?

[coolmiester]

No problem...I will accept payment in the form of mentoring me on tubing like you did for this build. :D

For sure, no worries :up:


Nice work Dude

But did you not mount the top handle in reverse ?

I did, well spotted. I do it with all my Cosmos as i personally think it looks better and makes the case look like its going forward rather than in reverse :D

[eXa]

Petras also carries the male\male fitting

http://www.petrastechshop.com/dadenmatomag.html

[Fumle]

I did, well spotted. I do it with all my Cosmos as i personally think it looks better and makes the case look like its going forward rather than in reverse :D

I dont :)

I think it looks weird because the holes in the back are larger then the front ones

"my way" looks better :)
http://momskarrusel.dk/pics/DSC00276.JPG

[Extigy]

Just saw this case in the flesh at i34 (UK LAN tournament) and WOW. Finish is increddible and the routing of the wiring/tubing is very neat. Thumbs up!

[lior307]

Great Stuff ,
Now what about you show us some Benchies \ OC ????
I would like to see the Temps in this amazing Case !

[Chris1985]

Very nice build. Absolutely love the outcome :up::clap:

[coolmiester]

I dont :)

I think it looks weird because the holes in the back are larger then the front ones

"my way" looks better :)
http://momskarrusel.dk/pics/DSC00276.JPG

Yeah you're right, your way looks better.


Just saw this case in the flesh at i34 (UK LAN tournament) and WOW. Finish is increddible and the routing of the wiring/tubing is very neat. Thumbs up!

Cheers, you should of stopped by and said hi :yepp:


Great Stuff ,
Now what about you show us some Benchies \ OC ????
I would like to see the Temps in this amazing Case !

Now that the show is over we'll be working on that side of things once the case gets back ;)


Very nice build. Absolutely love the outcome :up::clap:

Thanks for the support :up:

It was also nice to see banners with my Cosmos SLR mod on and finally some random pictures from Multiplay i34....

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/i34/i34_30.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/i34/i34_31.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/i34/i34_32.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/i34/i34_1.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/i34/i34_2.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/i34/i34_7.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/i34/i34_8.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/i34/i34_9.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/i34/i34_10.jpg

[skinnee]

3 of the pics no workey...

Even the CM chick knows which one is the best. ;)

[dsecrieru]

I'd love to 'mod' that booth babe! :eek:

[disruptfam]

CM yours is by far the best one there no doubt! nice work!!!

[IcepiK]

I'd love to find out how he made those top bars on the red case, Is that red acrylic? do they light up? :up:


coolmiester , you have any pics with that LCD screen on? I havent seen any yet..

[coolmiester]

Just to conclude the mod.

Thanks again for all the feedback, its had nothing but high praise from start to finish which really made it all worth while and hopefully i'll have something similar in the pipeline pretty soon ;)

Thanks again and heres a few of the final pictures (lots of them btw) with the black quick release buttons....

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_2200.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_2210.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_2230.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_2250.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_2260.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_2270.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_2280.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_2290.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_2310.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_2320.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_2340.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_2360.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_2370.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_2380.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_2390.jpg

http://www.coolercases.co.uk/skull/skull_2400.jpg

[just a noob]

do you have those vents on both sides of the case? and if you do is one upside down, or are there both left and right side vents?

[eXa]

Lol @ the Mercedes SLR case... i would be ashamed going to lan parties with that.

Ur case on the other hand... its a beauty!

[Pipi]

The SLR is his case too BTW :P

[IcepiK]

Is the 4" TFT broken? I havent seen a pic with it working yet...:shrug:
http://img352.imageshack.us/img352/3787/skull226013b47euz9.jpg

[eXa]

The SLR is his case too BTW :P

Ooops :p:

Well, still wont change my mind.

[skinnee]

excellent build once again CM!!!

Looking forward to your next one...:up:

[Martinm210]

Dang...that is just pure art! You have some amazing skillz, hand tools and all...wow!