★★★ Project: Icebreaker ★★★

[bundymania]

Hey guys,

today, it's once not time for another review, but for a worklog!

It all started with my Corsair Obsidian case, that started to look too big and too black for me after some time, so I wanted to start something new!

As there aren't too many white cases, that look pretty good, I finally decided for a Fractal Design Define R3 in the color Arctic White.

In this worklog, I want to inform you about planned and finished mods and also hope for constructive posts.

The current plans included - of course - watercooling for CPU, VGA card and mainboard, maybe also the RAM for optical reasons. The color scheme will include white, light blue (water) and maybe purple (2nd loop!?).
Of course, spontaneous changes could happen in response to new ideas or good proposals that I prefer.

As I already had a few engravings in the past and I really liked them, this is likely to happen again in this log.

Also, I'll of course cover the basics: lighting, sleeved cables and whatever might come to my freaky mind!

An airbrushed design would probably also be great, but just as (and too) expensive on a large surface, if I don't find a cheaper alternative.

The other side panel will maybe get a window in the style of an iceberg or just a plain, simple window.


Let's get to the planned



Case: Fractal Design Define R3 - Arctic White

http://www.fractal-design.com/?view=...gory=2&prod=53




Mainboard: EVGA X58 SLI LE
CPU: Intel Core i7 920
Watercooling: Mips set with white tops, Fullcover Block + Mosfet cooling
CPU waterblock: Watercool Heatkiller Special Edition with Plexy top
VGA card: Sapphire 5850 with EK Fullcover Waterblock
RAM: 6GB Kit by Corsair
PSU: Enermax 620W, white painted and sleeved
opt. drive: Samsung DVD LW
SSD: Kingston V100 128GB







Storage: 1TB HDD

other watercooling components: 5/8" tubing + barbed fittings, Laing DDC-1T pump, XSPC Laing acryl top,
and one or two reservoirs.





















- 09/20/10: begin of this worklog!


Update 09/21/10:

ice crystals on a HK 3.0 LT - maybe useful somewhere else as a nice effect




First tests with engraving:





Misc. hardware and moddingparts from Aquatuning & Caseking & some other places:




Update 09/25/10:

Side Panel shipped to a guy which is able to make the windowcut for me with a Waterjet



(Yep, the very old phone is rare and may would get a high collectors price @ebay )

Colors (half transparent) from Molotow arrived:




Update 09/30/10:

Windowcut in Sidepanel is ready - thanks goes to Ace.KIA@forumdeluxx.de



Special Version from the wanted RAM Waterblock with white Top arrived - Thx to Mips-Computer.de & Sixtron




Update 10/08/10:

- more Parts arrived from new Sponsors EK Waterblocks, Magicool and Bitspower !
- little Paintjob Test



Update 10/14/10:

- Koolance Waterblock changed to EK Block, because imo it fits better with the white top in the Ice/Winter Theme
- Slotbrackets painted white
- Black Screws from the Slotbrackets changed to clear/iced looking screws
- one of the Rads painted white
- Fanmount dissasembled from the Casebottom
- BeQuiet PSU was changed to Enermax Liberty 620W - white painted and cables sleeved white
- Sketch for Plexiglass engraving done by Beer design

Update 10/19/10:

- White paint for the Screws, Backplate and Bracket from the 5850 Card & Waterblock


Update 10/28/10:


Laser Engraving is ready, thanks goes to www.martmamod.de







and thanks for the Sketch to www.beer-design.com


Update 10/31/10:

Some color tests










Update 11/14/10:















(anything must go out, which pays no rent )



(nope..can´t find the tripod while making these pics





Radiator fits good



White Screws for the Boardblocks:




Update 11/18/10:

Different Tops for the CPU Waterblock / Rad & CoolCover Mounting Screws Paintjob







Paintjob



Update 11/20/10:

CPU Waterblock now with Plexy Top, Mounting-& Logo Plate painted white and a light test:






Update 12/02/10:














Little Update today after a longer Break - Ram Waterblock changed and Cool Cover Mounting Kit painted and installed











Imagine white Leds and Screws in the EK Ram Waterblock and HK 3.0 !


Screws and EK Logo painted white







Now with lighting - i like it !










For supporting me with this project, I'd like to thank Aquatuning , www.highflow.nl , www.frozencpu.com , www.sidewindercomputers.com , www.a-c-shop.de ,www.aquacomputer.de , www.phobya.com , www.kingston.com , www.magicool.biz , www.ekwaterblocks.com , www.martmamod.de , www.bitspower.com , Caseking , Tecnofront , MIPS Computer , www.beer-design.com , Noiseblocker , XSPC and the user "delicious_cake" for helping me with the translation of this