Project Slumber Parties UPDATED 11-19-09 10:05PM

[scgt1]

Hey man way to go taking s**t and turning it into a dream... just got my haf as well... and i gotta say... whoever you bought that from is an absolute idiot. I guess you were born to fix his screw ups and make it even better man

Keep on cracking man your almost there!!!!

Well stay clear of Turk_Fx on Hardforum, Anandtech, and EVGA forums. Hell any other forum that has that user name. I know he is on those three for sure. How many cards are you going to be installing in yours? Since he screwed me on everything else I'm sure you can guess that I didn't get all my pci mesh covers. I think I only have 3. Not sure if everything will get used in those empty spots yet or not. Currently I will only have 1 dual slot gpu and XFI Fatality card I believe. Its been so long I don't even know what I have laying in the cabinet anymore. LOL

[alphadog009]

I will be using 2 8800 gt's as of now and yeah i really like the red and black but i think im gonna go for black matte with black gloss and white accents... i have this crazy idea in my head... hope it turns out well... we'll see i guess huh?

but thanks for the info... yeah there are only a few trusted names on forums i would buy from... but i haven't bought anything off a forum yet so i'll see about that... you will have one open slot if you have only 3 covers but if you get a cold cathode i think most of those come with a pci bracket on/off switch so now you have a reason to buy a cold cathode lol good luck man!

[scgt1]

I actually have several red and clear ones so maybe that will fix that issue. I will have some things accented white also.

[scgt1]

Remember that teaser from earlier?

[alphadog009]

NICE MAN!!!! Bloodrage fits perfectly with your color scheme too... christmas presents are always the best... and youve got the watercooled edition so you will definitely get some great clocks with that board!

[scgt1]

So I did a trade on Hardforum for this:

He was looking for a I7 920 and had a this beast that I wanted since it compliments the whole theme perfectly. I live about 30-40 minutes from a Microcenter which have been selling them for $199.99 the better of the last 4+ months. So we did a swap Cpu for This beauty and a 500 gig sata 2 samsung drive.
So no more suspense. (because I know your just on the edge of your seat)

[scgt1]

NICE MAN!!!! Bloodrage fits perfectly with your color scheme too... christmas presents are always the best... and youve got the watercooled edition so you will definitely get some great clocks with that board!

Xmas presents? Are you kidding? I had to buy that sucker. LOL I didn't get one computer part for my build for xmas. Everything was too expensive my fiance kept telling me LOL.

[scgt1]

It was actually ordered from The Egg on 11/3/09 for $244 shipped after Bing Cashback

[alphadog009]

Xmas presents? Are you kidding? I had to buy that sucker. LOL I didn't get one computer part for my build for xmas. Everything was too expensive my fiance kept telling me LOL.

well its a self-christmas present lol those work too and its about 2 months early i guess... even better

well we all need someone to keep the checkbook straight huh? otherwise we'd all have beautiful systems and be gaming in cardboard boxes on the street lol

[scgt1]

well its a self-christmas present lol those work too and its about 2 months early i guess... even better

well we all need someone to keep the checkbook straight huh? otherwise we'd all have beautiful systems and be gaming in cardboard boxes on the street lol

Yea well I pay most of the bills so I allow myself to splurge at times. It was more so a b-day present for myself since my b-day was 11-8-09 a whopping 28.

[scgt1]

Not sure if I stated this earlier since I've been away from this thread so long.

Ok so earlier I mentioned how the glaze screwed up the paint job I spent a few weeks on. Yea for me. So I took the case back apart again and blasted the paint back off and took the panels to Garland to a powdercoater I found no where else but Craigslist. I looked through his galleries on his website and he does great work from what I saw. I'm pretty sure I posted when I dropped it off, but anyway here are a couple photos he sent me. He said his flash isn't working right so they aren't the best. Hell I don't take no where near the quality photos most of you guys do here with your studio setups and stuff.
First photo he sent me back when we had nothing but cloudy skies and rain. He said his flash wasn't working. LOL I'd say

The following two are the only other ones I've received from him granted they are much better photos and actually show what he is capable of.


I will get more photos of it when I drop the window panel and other bits off. I was supposed to do that tonight, but my fiance has been out of one of her night meds that allow her muscles to relax and help her sleep. So its been a nice weekend for both of us. So today her legs were hurting her too bad to get out unfortunatly.

[scgt1]

Well I wanted to do something to the window side panel to show off the drive lock detail as well as incorporate the company into the case design. I came up with the patented S that is in the company logo:

I looked through a total of 150,000 fonts and couldn't find that damn font for the S. I eventually took paper and traced it out from a bag Drew it on the panel and drug out a jigsaw.

Looks good huh?

Take a closer look:



I had a piece about 1/4" long left to cut out then needed to reshape some of the panel flat and would have been golden and ready to powdercoat after rounding edges up some. Low and behold the panel tore on a seam in the opposite direction of what I was cutting. Not to mention almost 2 inches away from where I was cutting. I was livid. I saw the whole project falling apart. After the paint to glaze fiasco. Then this arg.

[scgt1]

I forgot all about posting this nice part:

You know those CM drive lock buttons pictured some time ago? I didn't like the outcome of them. Paint just didn't look right it wasn't consistent and looked blotchy in the recessed area that says "Cooler Master." I decided I would soak the buttons in a glass with goof off to loosen the paint a little so I could wipe the paint off and start over. Well While I was letting them soak outside I was looking through fonts for the above mentioned issue.

Some time went by Oh yea some time allright about 2 hours or so I was like oh crap the buttons. I went outside to find a nice glass of red and black ooze. Oh man lemme tell you. I about lost it. I was so pissed at myself for forgetting them. I felt for sure I was going to have to buy another case just to get the damn $1.50 worth of buttons.

So First we have the screwed up paint job. Then we have the melted push lock buttons for the drive rail locks. Lastly we have the great defect in material on the side panel. What else could go wrong with this build?

[alphadog009]

:/ man thats harsh.... dude those panels are steel they should never have any defects... that is really tough...

[scgt1]

Now to the great experience with CM that I mentioned earlier:

Well anyone that works with metal knows metal doesn't tear. Well at least it isn't designed to. So you could guess what my argument was with CM when I called in after the panel ripped. Of course they wouldn't hold up to their great Korean material. They feed me the bs about how they don't warranty against modding. I kept arguing against the fact of its a obvious flaw in the material. Of course they won. Well much earlier I was told to file a parts request for the buttons that had a nuclear meltdown. I haven't gotten any updates on that part request number after weeks. So I asked about those since I was told they weren't going to warranty the panel. He said he doesn't know why they weren't already sent out and said they would add them with my order for the panel. Well the next day I ordered a new panel from them. Keep in mind these are 6 small plastic buttons about the size of a quarter they can't cost more then $1.50 for all of them. Hell they could ship in a padded envelope for all I cared. I didn't even mind paying for them. I just didn't want to pay $8.00 or what ever for each pair of the actual locks since I didn't need the whole assembly.

Well like 6 days or what ever went by and I get the package. The panel came in a mint Cosmos box wrapped in a thin plastic bag and a small piece of cardboard paper wadded up in the bottom. I didn't notice any damage to the shipping box what so ever. The packing job was useless. No protection was actually around the panel. So it moved around inside the box. Had this box been crushed by UPS's great service (like many of my packages have been) the panel would have been totally trashed.

Now with the mention of trashed. I did receive the panel damaged. Not by UPS though as you can see the shipping box was great:



Below is the great packing job:


Now we have the great product:





Great work packing department for Cooler Master!
This was damaged prior to packaging then packaged anyway. Low and behold no drive lock buttons to top it all off.

So I called in furious as hell. I was then told sorry this and that and we will take care of it. Yadda yadda yadda. BS!!!
I asked about my buttons and was told they wont send them because of what happened to them. I told them thats fine. I didn't expect to get them for free, but I wasn't going to pay for the whole damn lock mechanism when I didn't need the whole thing. I didn't mind paying for the buttons. I had to argue just to get them to ship it 3 day vs ground again. Well It shipped out Dec 15th with 5 locks. I asked the next day after I got the email why it only had 5 locks. They said it was out of courtesy and that they don't warranty items for use with Goof Off. Like I told the idiot (Marvin) yet again I didn't mind paying for the buttons.

Well with the 3 day select shipping it was slated for Dec 18th for the delivery. I kept checking the tracking and it kept saying in transit from CA. Usually late the night before it hits Mesquite then moves on to the local distribution center which is just around the corner. Well the morning of the 18th I look up the tracking again and it still shows in transit. I gave them the benefit of the doubt with xmas and all and waited till the 21st and called UPS of course the shipper has to put a trace on it. I call CM and ask for them to place a trace and was told yet again by wonderful helpful and oh so friendly Marvin that he would call and have a trace put on it and I would get an email order update that afternoon. I waited until 10:30 pm that evening and filed my own trace on the package via the email since CM dropped the ball yet again and didn't do it.

I waited and waited for these two idiot companies to figure out what was going on until I called in a few days before new years. I believe it was somewhere around the 27th. Asked firmly to talk to a supervisor right off the bat. Told him that their service was terrible in their packing department because I'm going through this crap when I had a panel right here at the house, but it was damaged prior to packing. I told him about the package being lost and that I was told on the 21st that a trace would be put on it. I told him it was never done and I had to do it myself. He said he was sorry to hear that bla bla bla. He said that he would personally call ups and see what was up with the package. I asked if they could ship another package out with proper packing along with 6 locks. He said they would get that out same day. Of course we all know business only ship out by noon. Everything else goes out the next day. So another package is shipped 3 day select with 6 locks supposidly this time.

Well got that package today. In a pretty beat up Sniper case. I asked ups if I could open it to see if its damaged. She said I had to sign first. I said well what if its damaged. She said I would have to pay the shipping. WTF. since when do you pay shipping when the shipper damages the contents? Wow just adding to the long list of reasons I HATE UPS!
So I signed opened it up right there in their office. There was another smaller case box inside. Inside that was the panel. I pulled out the panel inspected it and well not as much damage as the previous one. It was fixable. Basically the top and bottom corners were bent out from 90* on the screw mount side. I just put each corner on the rug and pushed down good as new. Inside was a smaller power supply box enclosed were 7 lock setups with buttons. Of course only 3 of the setups were complete. Hell I just wanted the damn buttons though.

So thats more or less up to speed so far on the build. Waiting on a day where the fiance is feeling up to driving around to get Bei Fei the panel for cuts and then the parts up to Jacob Cozby the powdercoater.

I will take some photos of another part of the build tomorrow. Hell I haven't even opened the box yet. I just know what it is and know the guy is good for it.

[alphadog009]

wow that kind of service is totally unacceptable. First of it its coolemaster's fault that the panel ever got damaged... secondly they can't seem to get putting a panel in a box right. For all you know they sent you a panel from a previously damaged case! On top of that they screw up your order for buttons twice... so much for courtesy! Man thats terrible costumer service... if i were you id go right like flaming review on newegg, tigerdirect, and the like.... hit them where it hurts because i know that i look at those reviews...

[scgt1]

wow that kind of service is totally unacceptable. First of it its coolemaster's fault that the panel ever got damaged... secondly they can't seem to get putting a panel in a box right. For all you know they sent you a panel from a previously damaged case! On top of that they screw up your order for buttons twice... so much for courtesy! Man thats terrible costumer service... if i were you id go right like flaming review on newegg, tigerdirect, and the like.... hit them where it hurts because i know that i look at those reviews...

Yea I was really thinking of getting a Haf 922 for my fiances build, but I'm thinking something else now. If I ever have a problem with a CM case again I can't imagine the mess I will have trying to get things straightened out. = my satisfaction rating with CM

[alphadog009]

well ive had bad experiences with all these companies... antec, thermaltake, apevia, the works with all of them.... for my sisters computer a case that was supposed to come with a psu didnt come with one although it clearly said so on the box... we bought it from directron and they said it was apevia's fault, called apevia, they said it was directrons fault... its not like i care who's fault it is... i paid for a psu didn't i? so give me one cuz i dont have it! finally my dad, who is very aggressive about those kinds of things, threatened to write a letter to the CEO of both companies and bring the government in and all kinds of stuff.... finally directron gave us a psu... but you sometimes have to threaten i guess because these companies think they are too big and that we the consumer can't do anything... reality is we the consumer have all the power we need to group together and use it because then maybe we can get companies to listen....

[scgt1]

well ive had bad experiences with all these companies... antec, thermaltake, apevia, the works with all of them.... for my sisters computer a case that was supposed to come with a psu didnt come with one although it clearly said so on the box... we bought it from directron and they said it was apevia's fault, called apevia, they said it was directrons fault... its not like i care who's fault it is... i paid for a psu didn't i? so give me one cuz i dont have it! finally my dad, who is very aggressive about those kinds of things, threatened to write a letter to the CEO of both companies and bring the government in and all kinds of stuff.... finally directron gave us a psu... but you sometimes have to threaten i guess because these companies think they are too big and that we the consumer can't do anything... reality is we the consumer have all the power we need to group together and use it because then maybe we can get companies to listen....

Yea with the economy the way it is you would think companies would bend over backwards to keep clients. Yea CM is right up there on the "We don't give a rats a$$" scale lemme tell ya. They should have offered to give a discounted credit back along with the damn shipping I paid. Since it took 3 packages to get it right granted one wasn't their fault although they chose the shipping company not me to ship the first 3 day package.

[Utnorris]

Like the build, although you have had a lot of issues, you will appreciate it more once it is done. Sent you a PM about the powder coater also.

[scgt1]

Like the build, although you have had a lot of issues, you will appreciate it more once it is done. Sent you a PM about the powder coater also.

Thanks replied back with details.

[individual]

I saw the letters CSX and i was like :O then i saw the damaged case and was like

I agree with what you posted earlier, you really do need to have sponsors for anyone to take notice of your build on these forums, no one cares about the little guy anymore....

i ordered the enermax 85 a few days ago, should be here by friday arvo hopefully. I think maybe you just got ectremely unlucky with the cosmos case, and yes I am dissapointed in them for sending you that pile of junk, thats just terrible. I've bought a few cases and recently bought the stacker CSX diamond plate and the cosmos 1000 gargoyle limited editions, so HOPEFULLY they come in good shape.

anywho, keep this up I'm really REALLY liking the colour coordination of this build

[scgt1]

I saw the letters CSX and i was like :O then i saw the damaged case and was like

I agree with what you posted earlier, you really do need to have sponsors for anyone to take notice of your build on these forums, no one cares about the little guy anymore....

i ordered the enermax 85 a few days ago, should be here by friday arvo hopefully. I think maybe you just got ectremely unlucky with the cosmos case, and yes I am dissapointed in them for sending you that pile of junk, thats just terrible. I've bought a few cases and recently bought the stacker CSX diamond plate and the cosmos 1000 gargoyle limited editions, so HOPEFULLY they come in good shape.

anywho, keep this up I'm really REALLY liking the colour coordination of this build

Ok you confused me in my own worklog. LOL The other boxes were just what Cooler Master shipped a new Haf 932 panel in. lol

[scgt1]

So was able to meet up with Bei Fei this evening to get the window panel from hell cut on the waterjet. This guy is awsome at what he does. Very hands on and works hard at making sure things are done how you want them. Something that alot of people don't do anymore these days. It took a bit to get it sized right for the panel. I originally sent images to him with the large letter on the top and the phrase below it. He then returned a modified layout to me that looked so much better then I would have thought it to. I never even thought to lay it out the way he did. Just plain spot on awsome!


Below we have the panel along with a test cut piece of steel w/ flash:

The fiance kept telling me she wanted this piece over and over so I asked him if we could keep it. LOL Shes already got a use for it.

Next up photo of the same thing without flash so there is no glare:


Next we have the panel right after the cut:


Finally a poor quality video from my digital camera. It seems black and white and semi dark because of the distance from the machine. The camera and I were getting wet as it was. LOL

Must invest in a better camera or get the different lenses for this Canon!

Now the idea and goal for today was to run to have the panel cut in Irving then up to Garland to Jacob my powdercoater. Well I checked my email before I left Arlington and didn't hear back from Jacob so I thought everything was cool. After I was at MultiCam and back on 635 I called Jacob to let him know I was on the way and got his voicemail. I then checked my gmail and he sent a email probably right after I left the house. He was heading to a Mavs game. LOL So I wasn't able to shoot any more photos of the case being powder coated. I just left the parts and window panel at his house. Hopefully he checks his email before he goes to bed since its just sitting outside his garage. LOL

So we will see what I can come up with on Sunday when I will be stuck in Dallas for 9 hours with nothing to do. LOL

[jedihobbit]

Looking good, however always thought "standard" paint, i.e. ye old reliable canned varity would hamper heat exchange??? Noob question on that part as I've haven't gotten that far into WC.