Who's using a Lian Li PC-343 Cube?

[virtualrain]

I've got one of these on order for my new build and looking for inspiration.

I've seen builds here by Ashoof and Doubage... (nice stuff!)

Anyone else got one with pics to share?

[Mekrel]

I have one but with the internals powdercoated black.



thats how it currently stands until I find a motherboard I want.

[virtualrain]

Thanks Mekrel, What options did you buy for the case? How are you planning to mount drives? What are you using for covers on the front (for the RAD)?

BTW, I like the powder coating... I'm going to get my internals powder coated black as well (thanks to you!).

I'm also going to fab a new aluminum backplate with a removable horizontal motherboard tray that can be viewed through the top window. I'll add cutouts for dual PSU's and if space permits, a triple rad across the back.

[\Karting_freak]

since you've planned so much modding of the original cube, i'd suggest going custom case. ii'd be a pain in the a$$ modding that beauty. i myself am planning to go custom, i like several designs on the market but still there is no ideal case as i see it.

[Mekrel]

Thanks Mekrel, What options did you buy for the case? How are you planning to mount drives? What are you using for covers on the front (for the RAD)?

BTW, I like the powder coating... I'm going to get my internals powder coated black as well (thanks to you!).

I'm also going to fab a new aluminum backplate with a removable horizontal motherboard tray that can be viewed through the top window. I'll add cutouts for dual PSU's and if space permits, a triple rad across the back.

I have bought none yet, but only because I want to see what options I have when the components are installed.

I will be using the separate perforated A16 plates for the front, and maybe a scythe karma bay for the other side to blow air over hard drives mounted with some silent mounting brackets.

Top plate has been sent off to a laser cutter to have a pa120.2 design cut out of it, and then when ChilledPC release their radgrills - it will have one of those on top.


Custom feet drilled and tapped..

[Pete]

When did ya get that? You had it powered coated by Tom too?

There was one ebay.co.uk went for £152

[DarthBeavis]

MM cubes FTW. Lian Li makes great towers but MM are the Cube masters. No need to mod, just one call and u can get the MM custom cut.

[Grinch]

+1 for MM

[Mekrel]

MM cubes FTW. Lian Li makes great towers but MM are the Cube masters. No need to mod, just one call and u can get the MM custom cut.

Nah mountain mods are common as muck, and look far too custom and industrial.

I've only ever seen one in the flesh and it just screamed out 'custom made box, bolted together'.

[virtualrain]

Nah mountain mods are common as muck, and look far too custom and industrial.

I've only ever seen one in the flesh and it just screamed out 'custom made box, bolted together'.

It's definitely a matter of personal taste. The MM cases are well designed and well built... no arguing that.

For me, the MM cases are more at home next to a snap-on tool chest in the garage than in the den. It's really just personal taste.

Modding the Lian Li will not be difficult... just adding a new aluminum back plate with a pre-built motherboard tray (perhaps even from MM) will be trivial.

Mekrel, how much is laser cutting costing you? I want to have some additional holes cut into the top plate as well and may use laser cutting on the rear panel if its not too pricy.

[Mekrel]

Not sure how much it will be costing me as of yet, around 35 pounds roughly I think. I've sent the piece off and the design, just waiting to hear back.

I'm sat with my finger over P5K board, don't know if to buy or not

[\Karting_freak]

i like MM myself, BUT they are still far from being great and i still insist on going custom, 350usd for MM case is too much imo

[virtualrain]

Not sure how much it will be costing me as of yet, around 35 pounds roughly I think. I've sent the piece off and the design, just waiting to hear back.

I'm sat with my finger over P5K board, don't know if to buy or not

What do you have to provide the laser cutting shop in terms of guidance as to what/where to cut?

[Mekrel]

What do you have to provide the laser cutting shop in terms of guidance as to what/where to cut?

I provide them with google sketchup images with measurements etc.

[mjassbong]

I am in the process of building one right now. It's been a 5 months project since I kept changing things around. Below are some pics of the initial intended set up: dual loops with 2 x MCP-655s, PA120.3 on the front, PA120.2 at top, and DVD-ROM plus other 5.25" peripherals on the opposite side of 120.3.

Now am going all out, ditching all of the 5.25" peripherals, with 3 loops: 2 x PA120.3 at the fronts, PA120.2 at top still, 2 x DDC with PTS top, and keeping the right mounted MCP655 where it is. I will have some new pics up in the next few days.

[NaeKuh]

mmmm... i like my U2 powder coat better. :T

I would prefer a U2 over a LL.

[Grinch]

mmmm... i like my U2 powder coat better. :T

I would prefer a U2 over a LL.

agree 100%

[Anemone]

Have one but only starting slowly. Work and a new baby eating up way too much time to spend on this solid. Not to mention that I'm likely aiming for the X38 mobo - so no rush needed.

Triple rad - single loop for cpu/chipset
HR03+ on the 8800 for now

Used the ACRyan radgrill with some small adjustments to stand in front of the rad (the radgrill is just a teeny bit too narrow for the opening, but a bit of artistic filler and it works out just fine) I can remove the front with the grill attached, and clean the filters over the intake fans. 6 fans push pull config

Did a window on the top, but I had 2 120mm holes cut in it so it will still act as a vent. I don't need to see much down through that, but it will make a nice lighting affect.

Rad is on the mobo side so the fans after blowing through the rad, heavily ventilate the mobo area. Water cooled things are the only things that get hot in that area, and I want to make good use of the airflow. The rad shouldn't heat the air too badly and it will be vented out the top and back.

For the far side I'll be going with a Silencer 850 (not out yet), and in the front I have a 38mm filtered fan blowing in the bottom. That is also where I'll mount a single 120mm rad if I decide to watercool the G92 of the future.

Also on the right side I went with a leftover TJ07 drive cage mounted to the back to hold 3 drives on a 120mm mounting. Lots of space for the drives to stay cool, and a solid aluminum housing that keeps the drives from being suspended on just a fan and then that fan mounted to the back. I have them, but didn't like the rear mounted drive cages. They pack the drives too tight, and the 80mm fans seem like a waste on a perfectly useful 120mm mounting. Moreover, if you use those mountings with the 80mm fan, you cant use thumbscrews to mount the drives because they won't fit through the opening. Nice idea of theirs in concept, but wasn't what I wanted.

The longest front mounted item would be 1-2 DVD/BD drives and it's pretty easy to get the hardrives out even with those in the front. Other devices like a rad, or front fan controllers and all the usual front bay stuff doesn't take much depth, and thus the hardrives are not cramped.

One problem, I still have to find one more TJ07 drive cage. No one has contacted me with a leftover one yet (hint!).

I'm trying not to fill this thing sky high with a huge wishlist. I'll take good solid performing items like the 120.3 rad, but I want room to move in this case. I want to swap parts in and out without worry, so I'm thinking carefully before adding too many items.

Using microres is an example of not overdoing the space. Dual pumps power the main loop, both for redundancy and good flow if I decide to add any VRM blocks and such. GPU will be on a separate loop so it can be removed if needs be and leave the main loop intact.

Don't have pics atm, but ask questions if you have them.

[virtualrain]

I am in the process of building one right now. It's been a 5 months project since I kept changing things around. Below are some pics of the initial intended set up: dual loops with 2 x MCP-655s, PA120.3 on the front, PA120.2 at top, and DVD-ROM plus other 5.25" peripherals on the opposite side of 120.3.

Now am going all out, ditching all of the 5.25" peripherals, with 3 loops: 2 x PA120.3 at the fronts, PA120.2 at top still, 2 x DDC with PTS top, and keeping the right mounted MCP655 where it is. I will have some new pics up in the next few days.

Is that sound-deading material you are using? Do you have any experience with how well it works?

You might be the first one to have wall-to-wall carpeting in your case!

Look forward to more pics.

[virtualrain]

Rad is on the mobo side so the fans after blowing through the rad, heavily ventilate the mobo area. Water cooled things are the only things that get hot in that area, and I want to make good use of the airflow. The rad shouldn't heat the air too badly and it will be vented out the top and back.

Great idea... Ever since I got into this hobby, one of my main principles has been to use airflow through the rads to then cool other things wherever possible. If the air is flowing, you might as well use it for something!

In my rig, I plan to have the mobo tray horizontal so that the top fans in each drive bay column are blowing through the rads and then that air is flowing over the motherboard.

[mjassbong]

agree 100%

Again, it's a matter of preference. I've seen a friend's MM UFO but I still like and prefer my LL

[mjassbong]

Is that sound-deading material you are using? Do you have any experience with how well it works?

You might be the first one to have wall-to-wall carpeting in your case!

Look forward to more pics.

Not sure how well this sound dampening will work out but I will find out soon. Am covering most of the case because of 3 pumps and a total of 17 Yate-Loons

[Aqua-Pc's]

I had a problem deciding what was better so i got both a PC343 we used in a review and a MM horizion

[k00lance]

I had a problem deciding what was better so i got both a PC343 we used in a review and a MM horizion

Did you invent the thor?
That was really nice /w WC inside the 343b case.

[Aqua-Pc's]

Yeh that was one of ours thanks for the compliments

I got to keep the one they used in this review as it came back a little worse for wear