Project Illuminated - XtremeSystems Tribute

contaminations generally means rust mate :)
upon sand blasting, the surface will be extremely vulnerable to moisture, oil (from our skin), and other particles from the environment.
thats where the 4 hours window comes into play, so make sure you primed/coat it within the 4 hours window\

if you're looking for SA3 profile, an electric sander would help :). you really don't have to go through the trouble of sand blasting them.

i have no prior experience with copper, but i can look it up for you.

would love to write more, but im currently out of town, letme get back to you once im back at my place

kudos for the black sparkle idea :up:

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Originally Posted by dro

contaminations generally means rust mate :)
upon sand blasting, the surface will be extremely vulnerable to moisture, oil (from our skin), and other particles from the environment.
thats where the 4 hours window comes into play, so make sure you primed/coat it within the 4 hours window\

if you're looking for SA3 profile, an electric sander would help :). you really don't have to go through the trouble of sand blasting them.

i have no prior experience with copper, but i can look it up for you.

would love to write more, but im currently out of town, letme get back to you once im back at my place

kudos for the black sparkle idea :up:

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Ah I see.

I would love to hear any information you would like to give on the subject for sure! Don't feel obligated of course. :)

I'm not unsure if going to the trouble of removing the paint from the inner copper fins is even worthwhile now. :shrug:
I don't think it will increase cosmetic appearance much anymore (since both front and back of the rad will either be covered by fans and(or) fan grill and the chemical solvents I've been reading about I fear will harm the bonds.

As far as contamination is concerned, aside from taking the obvious actions like wearing latex gloves, after I remove the paint (by let's just say sanding), couldn't I just wrap the entire rad in a few layers of saran wrap real fast to keep it safe until it's time for it to be nickel coated?

Thanks for all the information thus far btw. :)

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Originally Posted by pingpong1455

@xaxis whered you learn to rewire (im guesing lengthing) cables

i kinda wana learn for my build so no ugly extensions

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I'm not quite sure what your asking me here pingpong... Do you mean, how do you rewire the fans in order to place them series? Or just how to add/decrease length to the wires?

Whenever I sand blast something to be painted later I always just seal them in a plastic ziplock bag or some type of plastic or clean paper. If you use gloves when handling the parts and then seal them from the elements you will be fine. There are parts at my work that cost in excess of $100,000 and this is the same process we use. Whether you are going to plate them or paint them it doesn't matter the handling is the same.

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Originally Posted by xaxis

I'm not quite sure what your asking me here pingpong... Do you mean, how do you rewire the fans in order to place them series? Or just how to add/decrease length to the wires?

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im asking add/decrease length like you i would like to control all fans individually :D

i resurrect thee thread :D

updates ?

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Originally Posted by pingpong1455

i resurrect thee thread :D

updates ?

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not dead... just waiting on various parts to be returned to me. :)

Next softbox is going to be at least 36"x36" and tungsten lighting = never again.
http://www.xaxis.net/downloads/image...ation/0059.jpg

http://www.xaxis.net/downloads/image...ation/0060.jpg

http://www.xaxis.net/downloads/image...ation/0061.jpg

http://www.xaxis.net/downloads/image...ation/0062.jpg

If I can find three Bitspower GPU blocks this week I'm going to switch the motherboard back over to Bitspower blocks. I have lots of trivial updates I could post, but really I'm waiting to build still, thus the delays.

Nice EK Classified Block :up:

Xaxis - Still waiting to get the parts back from nickle plating?

Leave that classified block on there, it suits the CPU block soooo well :)

I'm loving the pics!

very nice looking board/blocks :up:

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Originally Posted by jpm804

Nice EK Classified Block :up:

Xaxis - Still waiting to get the parts back from nickle plating?

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Nickel plating plans have changed, I think for the better (and certainly for the less expensive, I'm getting powder coating at cost of material... plus the guru doing it is brilliant at his many crafts... he actually does do plating but... well the chemicals are nasty and after much thought I decided against it).

I'm going to repost part of what I posted elsewhere to demonstrate the color of the coating. When I say color, the best part is difficult to show the brilliant effect without perhaps video, but depending on the angle you turn the sample piece below, the color can appear pure silver, all the way to a dark smoke black... I wish you all could hold it in the sunlight and see for yourselves... Something tells me a high-def video will be made eventually... There's just no other way to demonstrate the beauty of the effect:

http://www.xaxis.net/downloads/image...ation/0064.jpg

http://www.xaxis.net/downloads/image...ation/0065.jpg

http://www.xaxis.net/downloads/image...ation/0066.jpg

http://www.xaxis.net/downloads/image...ation/0067.jpg

Alex (the powder coater's) talent and what I've seen him produce is what convinced me to go this route in the end. This 3 coat layering (2 different colors and a top coat) applied in a manner that requires years of experience produced the above sample which is just a scrap of aluminum.

Admittedly he is taking his time, partially my fault because I was flat on my back sick for a week and didn't come to look at the samples he had made promptly but also he's not earning a nickel for doing any of this for me, so I fully expect him to prioritize his money making endeavors ahead of my powder coating requests. I'm going in tomorrow again to learn and hopefully bring some stuff home with me this time.

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Originally Posted by dingdong555

Leave that classified block on there, it suits the CPU block soooo well :)

I'm loving the pics!

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Thx. Yeah the block does mesh real well. Maybe one day b itspower will make a CPU block that can compete. I'd buy it up in a heart beat.

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Originally Posted by Chicken Patty

very nice looking board/blocks :up:

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Thx. :)

The powder coat looks boss, you can see that with light it will have a great color and depth.

The motherboard block + supreme lt = pure win for looks ! :yepp:

Did you nickel plate the LT or you've got the nickel version already ?

That EK block on the classified looks so clean '-'

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Originally Posted by the_dope_chaud

The powder coat looks boss, you can see that with light it will have a great color and depth.

The motherboard block + supreme lt = pure win for looks ! :yepp:

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Thanks to ya much bru. :)

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Originally Posted by Blizzy

Did you nickel plate the LT or you've got the nickel version already ?

That EK block on the classified looks so clean '-'

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Yeah, SNiiPE was kind enough to have the LT nickel plated along with some of his build parts awhile back... my luck as it were: EK released the nickel plated version about a week later I think... Anyhow, switched off the Derlin top from my other LT and through it on the Nickel. ... Also, on good days I can even figure out how to match my socks! :D

whats the word on the case?

xaxis um that wiring question i had ?

http://www.xaxis.net/downloads/image...ation/0068.jpg

http://www.xaxis.net/downloads/image...ation/0069.jpg

http://www.xaxis.net/downloads/image...ation/0070.jpg

http://www.xaxis.net/downloads/image...ation/0071.jpg

http://www.xaxis.net/downloads/image...ation/0072.jpg

http://www.xaxis.net/downloads/image...ation/0073.jpg

http://www.xaxis.net/downloads/image...ation/0074.jpg

http://www.xaxis.net/downloads/image...ation/0075.jpg

http://www.xaxis.net/downloads/image...ation/0076.jpg

http://www.xaxis.net/downloads/image...ation/0077.jpg

http://www.xaxis.net/downloads/image...ation/0078.jpg

http://www.xaxis.net/downloads/image...ation/0079.jpg

Status: Working on fan controller, waiting for more parts, working on custom bay reservoirs with internally installed LCD screens, rads will not be painted the same color as above, the above color takes on basically whatever color is ambient in a room (thus the reddish tone).

EDIT: Not all rad grills shown, nor did I photography every last powder coated part of this color. ... battery died.

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Originally Posted by dubtown

whats the word on the case?

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Just playing that waiting game... I could assemble the bulk of it but I'm also waiting for the screws I'll be using... Wait, wait, wait.. That's what I've been doing quite a lot of. Live and learn, next build I fully intend to have it organized so as it is much more fast paced. :)

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Originally Posted by pingpong1455

xaxis um that wiring question i had ?

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I hope to I can give you the information you're looking for in an upcoming pseudo-tutorial of my fan controller assembly, fan mods, etc. ;)

Powdercoating turned out great :up:

I might have missed it but did you powdercoat the whole case or just some pieces?

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Originally Posted by jpm804

Powdercoating turned out great :up:

I might have missed it but did you powdercoat the whole case or just some pieces?

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I went in not knowing exactly what I was going to have done. As of now, the MM case parts that are being coated are:

-Motherboard Tray
-Motherboard Tray Stand
-Motherboard Tray Back Panel
-Motherboard Tray (pictured) expansion slot panel
-Bottom Panel of Ascension & Pedestal
-Horizontal Strut Supports Pedestal & Ascension (4 in all)
-Bay Drives of Pedestal & Ascension (3 total)
-PSU Shells (2 total)
-Lots of UN Brackets

I'm envision and hope that including the rad grills of the same color I'll have created just the correct amount of contrast to leave a balanced look.

The radiators are going to be white, so, wherever a radiator is attached, the order is this from outside to inside: external rad grill -> case panel -> enermax fan -> radiator -> internal rad grill ...

Thanks for asking, helped me clarify things for myself a little. :)

Speaking of nickels, nickel plating that would have looked pretty damn beautiful too :)

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Originally Posted by dreamaxx

Speaking of nickels, nickel plating that would have looked pretty damn beautiful too :)

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I agree, even had the option, but for a number of reasons I decided against it.

1) The inconsistency among the different metals to be plated would = severe pain.

2) Would have taken a significantly longer amount of time.

3) I'm getting powder coating done at cost of materials. :D

Yeh that powdercoating finish is gorgeous. What colour is it?

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Originally Posted by dreamaxx

Yeh that powdercoating finish is gorgeous. What colour is it?

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Well, Alex mixed a few different colors together and also did three layers. He deemed the color 'Bleeding Black Smoke' ... He's the harshest critic of his own work. I can't wait to wheel the case out in bright sunlight to take some pics. It appears silver tinted with these almost monochrome-opalescent "bleeding" puffs of "smoke" alternating back and forth as you move by it. Yet, it's very subtle at the same time. ... I wish I could give you a straight answer or number in regard to the powder number but I can't remember which ones he mixed nor the ratio. I'll ask this week when he gets back from a vacation with his 5 year old.

The color looks Awesome!
Your photography skills are definitely improving with each batch of pictures.

I know from my build that all those fan wires become a major hassle so I look forward to seeing how your going to tackle them along with your controller.

keep up the great work! :up:

UN Absolutes (custom modified by Dave) under early morning lighting through window.

http://www.xaxis.net/downloads/image...ation/0080.jpg

Notice how Dave designed these Absolute Brackets so they're fully adjustable along the mounting part of the brackets length. I requested this and I also asked that the UN logo be flipped about because despite me being groggy and not taking any shots of the Absolutes with the logo shown proper above, it will show correctly when it comes time to mount my pumps in the fashion I intend to.

Anyhow, also thought this photo might give a glimmer of the powder coating reflective nature. You can vaguely make out my reflection in the brackets along with the window behind me.