[PROJECT] "The blank.box"

[Vargher Warg]

Hey smee! Like the good people have said before me! - those fans looks really awsome on the rad. This was a great idea you came up with!

I wish that I was that creative with idea's! - sometimes concerning my own build!

And btw! - yeah! living in a rental apartment can be difficult with workspace sometimes - I'm trying
to save up money to buy me a house again - I miss my workshed.

But all the extra money slip through my hands into the pockets of computer hardware retailers
or auto-tuning shops.

I'll follow your build and progress with great interest from now on mate!


Edit: I have to restrain myself of buying more fans!

[smee]

He meant that he wanted the performance of the YL paried with the housing of the TT, he didn;t care much for the orange. Back on topic, it tooks great, glad you got the sizing issue fixed, waiting on updates!

Oh ok.
Thanks mate

Those fans look awesome on the top of the rad, I like the way this thread is going

Lol, I like them two
I'll keep updates coming as much as possible.

Hey smee! Like the good people have said before me! - those fans looks really awsome on the rad. This was a great idea you came up with!

I wish that I was that creative with idea's! - sometimes concerning my own build!

And btw! - yeah! living in a rental apartment can be difficult with workspace sometimes - I'm trying
to save up money to buy me a house again - I miss my workshed.

But all the extra money slip through my hands into the pockets of computer hardware retailers
or auto-tuning shops.

I'll follow your build and progress with great interest from now on mate!


Edit: I have to restrain myself of buying more fans!

Lol vargher Thanks m8!
Your all so encouraging


Yesterday I woke up with a cold so I wasn't able to get much done.
I started cutting the window out of the side panel and I also got my radgrillz.
I've still got the cold *sniff* but I'll take some pictures and post them *caugh* in a while.
Thanks!

[smee]

Another UPDATE

I've done alot of things in the past 48 hours, But I'll start with some wire management

I did some soldering on the rad fan wiring:

(yes, very messy table)


I tested them and they all work great
Now I don't have 6 nasty wires hangin' around on the rad

Heres the rad grillz I got yesterday:



Outta da box... they look sweet

Here's what I did with the small grill:





Cut out a squarish circle in the black thing that use to have the power button in it.


Put it together




Put it on the front plastic piece.
BTW, I put a longer wire on this fan because it needs to reach behind the mobo.


different view


On the case


Looks pretty good!
This mod took me about 10 minutes... record time

More mods in next post!

[Nate P.]

Wow, looks very nice! Do ya have any tips for sleeving wires? I was having a hell of a time.

[smee]

Wow, looks very nice! Do ya have any tips for sleeving wires? I was having a hell of a time.

It's pretty easy, really. You first take off the connector (if any) at the end of the wire, then cut the sleeving to the length you want. Put it on the wire, cut about 1in of heatshrink for both ends of the wire(s), put one heatshrink on one end of the wire (covering a half an inch of the wire(s) and half an inch on the sleeve) and the other heatshrink on the other end.
Then get a blow dryer and turn the blow dryer on hot and blow on the heatshrink untill it shrinks
and voila, you have a beautifully sleeved wire

[Nate P.]

What sleeving did you use? It looks higher quality than mine.

[smee]

More mods!!

I finished cutting out the side window, I did it with my good ol' dremel and some reinforced cutting disc's.

It took a while, but was well worth it


Fits very nicely, now I just have to go get some plexiglass.
And, BTW, the rad is not mounted on the bottom of the case, it's just sitting there for now.

Next mod:
The other day my mom and I went to Target... I was looking through the isles when I came across these:

And I thought, oh, I could use those!
They cost like 7 bucks each, I bought them

This morning, I cut one of them up a little,

I cut a little piece out...


Then I folded the edges over and fit it to size. Then screwed it on the case.


Close up


Full picture.

Now i've just got to cut the top of the case and mount the rad to the case and rad grill.


I might do that tonight, not sure yet.
I'm still not feeling so well... *sigh*..... *cough*.... *sniff*.... etc

Tell me how you like it all, comments and ideas are welcome!
~Parker

[smee]

What sleeving did you use? It looks higher quality than mine.

Actually, the sleeving I used came with the fans.

[Nate P.]

Wow, window looks excellent! You can get plexiglass at Home Depot for really cheap, BTW.

[smee]

Wow, window looks excellent! You can get plexiglass at Home Depot for really cheap, BTW.

Thanks!
It's not perfect, but it will be fine once I get some rubber edging and some plexi on it.

Theres a store called Tap Plastics down the street that I'll go to, they've got like ever kind of plastic you'd ever need and ever want to see, and they can cut it right there for you.
But thanks for the recommendation

[Nate P.]

God, you must live in the perfect part of town. Computer shop down the street, plastic shop down the street too.

[smee]

God, you must live in the perfect part of town. Computer shop down the street, plastic shop down the street too.

Lol, and home depot, orchard supply, the mall, walmart, etc...

[silverphoenix]

Oh you did your cuts already lol, I was going to suggest for rounded corners what I did with my external box was use hole saws then I used a 2x4 which I held in place with a clamp on the steel as a straight edge guide for the jigsaw and for steel use alot of cutting lubricant. Most cases don't use that thick steel and are usually mild My hot rolled 16gauge was a B*tch to cut. Awesome Idea with the silent wheels, so the actual blades are still within the 120mm I see.

[smee]

Oh you did your cuts already lol, I was going to suggest for rounded corners what I did with my external box was use hole saws then I used a 2x4 which I held in place with a clamp on the steel as a straight edge guide for the jigsaw and for steel use alot of cutting lubricant. Most cases don't use that thick steel and are usually mild My hot rolled 16gauge was a B*tch to cut.

It took like an hour to cut out that window, I used 4 reinforced cutting disc's to do it too

Awesome Idea with the silent wheels, so the actual blades are still within the 120mm I see.

Thanks
The blades are 130mm, but the holes to mount the fans fit in the 120mm mounting holes on case, rads, etc...
It's a 130mm fan in a 120mm housing.

[smee]

Smee
good job, just take your time slow with cut off wheels an secure the object, save alot of wheels. note wear eye protection when working with dremel's

thanks kapt

I had the panel secured to a table, and I went slow (one inch every ten minutes or so).
And I had my glasses on
Thanks

[disruptfam]

looks very nice matey!!!

what fans are those?

[smee]

looks very nice matey!!!

what fans are those?

Thanks
They are Thermaltake 130mm Silent Wheel fans, I got them on sale for $5.99 shipped from newegg, but now there $10 shipped.

[septim]

very nice work you did cutting that up. maybe you should have gone 1/2 window only? still nice job...

[smee]

very nice work you did cutting that up. maybe you should have gone 1/2 window only? still nice job...

I was thinking about doing just half, but for what I have planned I need the full window.
Thanks

[~aoe~]

Very nice work

Looking forward to following your progress.

/subscribed

[dropglock]

Looks good, keep going! Can't wait to see the end result.

[smee]

UPDATE!!!!!

So the other night I got to some cutting...


Drawn out




I cut it out with my dremel (I love dremels )

I don't have my camera with me now, but I'll take some pics of it assembled with the rad attached later and post them.

For now,
Parker

[Papu]

Noice!!!!!!!

[Nate P.]

I voted for the Blood Iron. I have one, and it's simply the best bang/buck motherboard ever.

[NaeKuh]

LOL very nice...


I find it kinda funny tho, that i think your fans total cost more then your case. :P