Thermaltake Armor MX+ DARK Mod.

[DARK_01]

Hi Everyone on XS forum.
i just like to introduce myself " Hi im DARK " I am new to u guys on XS forums
& i am very impressed with the systems and the time everyone takes to help each other out hear. ..
Im new to WC and i know a little about OC but not a great deal.
Im more of a hardware person .
Anyways ill jump into what im hear for .
i been working on a mod with my thermaltake armor+ for the last few weeks as i work and dont have a great deal of time to spend on it.
Anyways this is my first mod so be nice .
first of all i striped everything out of my case. To a bard chassis.
Ps sorry about the bad quality pic i dont have a tri pod.
Also Some pic are done on a cam that isn't the greatest quality.
ill try fix this by the next mod i do. .

[DARK_01]

Continues >
So after i striped it down i prepared it so that my radiator fitted down the bottom and as the thermaltake armor + dont have fan mounting at the bottom i had to make my own holes and air flow vent in the bottom of the case.
So i went about this by first measuring the Radiator and making a template from it to work from.
So i marked where i wanted the rad to go on the bottom and mark it out.
next i drilled the holes for the fan to screw into through the bottom.
This is the rad fitted into place. fits like a dream . .
Ps sorry about bad quality again.

[DARK_01]

Next step i took.
Was to drill the air flow holes.
So what i done was just marked with my trusty pencil a pattern like on the front panel air flow and began to drill my holes. .
My battery powered drill just handled it. poor thing run out of battery 3 times.
The thing i wasn't expecting thow was that the metal is pretty slippery so the holes aren't quiet exactly even. But as there going to be between my rad and fans it will be unseen anyways.
So anyways hear what it turned out like before painting.
Its all sanded down thow in these pics.

[DARK_01]

Next step painting.
So after drilling i decided its time for paint.
Went down to the local hardware store and pics up some white night spray cans.
Satan Black & Satan clear.
i painted the 5.25 bay a gloss black and the rest in the Satan black.
Satan black is like mat black but a little nicer finish.
So this is what it turned out like afer some painting .

[DARK_01]

Next Cable sleeving.
So i decided that the cables from the top panel where ugly.
So got some cable sleeving off ebay and just finish it today.
this is what im currently up to. still a work in progress .
Also done some other cables coming from my cold cathode lighting.
the power cable going to the cold cathodes.
So this is some before and after shots of what the cable looked like & what it looks like now. i think its much better .
Any tips, advice, Questions are welcome.
Thanks for taking the time to look at my project.

[DARK_01]

Also forgot i pop riveted the 5.25 bay back into place.
Also put the side panel on to get a visual of what its going to look like in the end.
This is how it turned out.
Also im thinking of changing the side window so it doesn't have the fan slots in it.
I am going to buy a new piece and maybe tint it. .
Btw my theme is going to be Black , White & chrome fittings.
Should look sexy.
Anyways ill post some other stuff i am doing this weekend.
Thanks again

[eltinio]

Could it be an option to open up the bottom fan holes to get a maximum of air flow? Just cutting out 2 120mm holes with a basic fan grill will get more and and maybe less noise (got a similar grill on my LL pc v-351 and I see al ot of people who are cutting them out because of the noise and flow.)

It's just an suggestion and don't take just my word for it but it looks like it could kill the airflow to the radiator.

[Church]

Pitty that you already painted case. I'd cut out on case bottom rectangular area + some fangrills for more professional look, or big round holes .. but not lots of irregular punched holes. Current variant is not exactly good looking and such holes will restrict airflow a bit.
EDIT
Hheh, seems that i'm not the only one with such views, and not exactly faster typer

[DARK_01]

I tested it with 2x 120mm fans without rad in place and i got substantial air flow. Might cut it down a little. The holes.
Good idea thow thanks for suggestion ah much appreciated..
also i am going to run the fans on low voltage anyways like 7v. keep it silent.
So cutting it might help. might have to do that with my dremel i just got.
Something else to do over the weekend.
Also just got these grills in yesterday for the top of my rad.
Biohazard theme
Thanks eltinio & churchy ill do that with weekend .

[Church]

Imho on bottom big cutout holes can be left open even without any grills at all - there is not much possibility to touch something in regular usage from below of case, and from top it will be probably covered with rads or fans, right? Depending on airflow direction there if it's fans to blow inside case i'd put some dust filters though.
EDIT
On 2nd look at case you'll probably need some legs or wheels for case, if you're going to use case bottom for airflow, to rise case a bit. Don't know if it's as it looks (maybe you have removed some stock legs before painting case), but as it's now it looks like when standing on floor or table those air intake holes will be almost fully covered.

[DARK_01]

Yea u right i got some legs to raise up up like 80mm maybe a little more off a old cabinet. . also removed the stock legs as im raising it higher for air flow.
Also yes the air is blowing into the case. i purchased aluminum covers and filter materiel for the bottom fans.
The covers have like .05mm holes maybe a little larger so they collect dust. the bio hazard ones are just for looks to cover my fans at the top. .
Thanks for advice.
anywyas these are the feet i am thinking of using on the bottom to raise it.
Also yea its going to be covered with rad and fans the hole. so yep u spot on. .

[Church]

Hmm. maybe better wheels? (from some case spare parts (IIRC some shops sells lian-li parts including these), or from some furniture shop). This way case will be risen too, yet more easy movable (after installing all liquid cooling stuff cases can be rather heavy). One should spend some time to find really good looking ones/fitting with moding theme.

[DARK_01]

True i might have to look into that.
Great idea ill have a look around this weekend.
Thanks for idea Churchy.

[pooal]

after installing all liquid cooling stuff cases can be rather heavy). One should spend some time to find really good looking ones/fitting with moding theme.

+1

For time being they will do though, but wheels are a good investment for sure especially ones with stop locks on em(seen as your setup is up on a bench/table), standard coaster wheels are cheap and easy to come by(and nasty), but you can get chromeys and such easily enough online in furniture parts stores etc... if you dremilled or jigsaw cut the fan hole you would not see any imperfections due to the rad coverage so +1 on cutting that out


nice job on the case so far
and that gear aint far away either

[pooal]

ya did alright with those holes, most of the ones i've seen look like bullet holes.Lol

[DARK_01]

Woop woop gear is close now.. im cutting this bottom out this weekend. like today or tomorrow.
also painting the pci brackets for my gpu and sound card to match up with the black theme.
yea the legs will do for now. im ant in any hurry to get wheels but a good thought for the future investment.
thanks pooal (paulvision) im guessing. ? ..

[audioave10]

Such a huge difference once the inside is painted...nice.

[DARK_01]

Thanks audioave10

[pooal]

.
thanks pooal (paulvision) im guessing. ? ..

yep it's ''paulysvision''
that black tint perspex quote for the side panel was harsh!!, should look around i reckon you could get it heaps cheaper when it becomes available again.


edit- that black tint looks worth the wait!!

[Martin S]

Nice paint job

[DARK_01]

Cheers Crys1s_Gam3r . Just go to show if u spend time painting its worth spending the time to wet dry sand it to get a nice flat finish . and plenty of light even coats .

To pooal i got perspex quote for a 400x410 piece for $14 ! much cheapers $145 for tinted LOL. had to buy a hole sheet of tinted thus why it was so expensive.
Thanks to everyone's Responses

[DARK_01]

Hi everyone.
Just a quick update from what i been doing this weekend.
First off i painted the spare PCi covers that i forgot to paint at the start.
Also painted the PCi bracket for the cold cathode controller.
hears a before and after of the Cold cathode controller.
Its sound modulated to make my cathodes react to music.

[DARK_01]

Update Part 2
I also cut the bottom out like churchy suggested. .
I put the rad into place to see what it looks like to.
Covers up the hole perfectly .
Ps i got a small tripod to, works good.
hears some pics of what it looks like.
Pss the flash made my cable sleeving see though for some reason in person its not see though thow.

[DARK_01]

Update Part 3
I also put all the case back together (top and front panels).
i changed the LED's in the top panel from Blue (stock) to white and Purple.
The HDD activity LED(Purple) and the power indicator LED(white).
Can't tell thow till i put all my hardware back in and power it up.
but i tested it and it works 100%.
hears some pics of my case back to its former state !..
just after her make over .
Put the res in its bay where its going to live. maybe one more up. not sure yet.

[pooal]

subscribed

keep res there, the lower the easier it is to push the water!!
and your making a little ext. for the fill port so it should work ok!!
except maybe the flow mtr position may interfer with devices located under it?? mmmM i suppose you'll know when all your gear shows up

Edit- wheres the omega photos? that thing is a noteworthy mod tool for sure! should post a couple