Silverstone Fortress FT01-SW Modding options?

[mattlef]

Hey everyone.
This is my second (but first with a purpose) post here at XS. I've been lurking around for a while now, reading, getting ideas and tips.... felt it necessary to become a part of one of the communities I respect the most.

now, that being said, Here is my current dilemma, I'm working with the new FT01 and I have huge plans for this beautiful piece of Uni-bodied Aluminum.
But the thing about plans is that they need to be executed properly.
I've seen some beautiful works of art here, and i want this to become one as well.

Cable management will be resolved with a new modular PSU as well as better behind mobo tray cabling.
Should I Paint or Powder coat the interior black? Toss the Cold Cathode and go for a string of LED's? Oh, and dont worry, I will be stealthing that black optical drive... getting new dremel blades to trim off the sides of the bezel.

modders I need your input!

[SNiiPE_DoGG]

Hmmm since your in Canada I don't really know of any powdercoaters but if your willing to go to the US, I hear Cyberdruid (user at XS) has an excellent powdercoating service.

Find a unique look, if you REALLY want to go black inside that's OK, but don't just do black because everyone else does, try find a color you really like and make the whole case themed.

[SpazBoy357]

...if you REALLY want to go black inside that's OK, but don't just do black because everyone else does...

^^ Agreed!

Paint: It's cheaper and you can do it yourself, but it scratches more easily. You don't have to completely disassemble your case. You get the pride of saying you did it yourself when it comes out looking awesome.

Powdercoat: It's tough as can be, but more expensive and should be done professionally. Your case will need to be broken down all the way.

Another thing to think about: If you ever want to change the color or mod the sheetmetal in the future, powdercoat can make it more difficult.

[mattlef]

I think I'll actually paint it myself... but the reason for the Black it to help mask the cabling and allow for whatever sleeving is visible to blend in with the black background. There is a guy here in windsor who would do powdercoating, but his process is 3 weeks..... is that normal? i thought it only took a few days...

As for Ghosting the drive, I think I'm going to go a different way..... i'll leave ghosting to the last resort. I'm also going to paint the DVD drive.... but it'll be done in such a way that it will be a brushed aluminum look so to match. I hope it turns out the way I hope, but it not, I can always ghost ... I just wish the Lian Li Drive bay fit this case... such a great little bezel.

[theToX]

i have a FT-01B on the way. unfortunately it has the silver inside but i plan on painting it. I didn't really want a window. Im also going to be doing a full sleeving job and plenty of cable management.


sub'd to see what everyone else comes up with.

[mattlef]

I've actually narrowed it down to what I want to do, I'm gonna do a Copper Basecoat then a brushed black coat to allow some of the copper to show through, should look incredable

[Tile]

Another thing to consider doing is removing the stock hard drive cage and replace it with a Lian Li one mounted longitudinally.

[theToX]

i will be removing the hard drive cages all together and using Scythe himuro drive enclosures in the 5.25" bays. those are just until i grow the balls to drop $150 on two Silent Drive 2002 enclosures

[mattlef]

lol, see, I might go for one of the lian li ones, but my issue is this, I have three, soon to be four HDD's. I dont only use this as my gaming rig, but as well as my home theatre server and so on. All If done properly, I am confident I can make it work... I've got a few ideas floating around that would help tie everything in together, its just picking one thats the tough part

[theToX]

yeah i hear ya. i will be setting up a HTPC(similar to the one tremelose built) in the near future and if something else works out the way i hope it does ill be setting up a nice big home server as well.

[tootall]

I was also looking at the Lian Li's along with everything else I considered a "high end" mid-tower. The main thing I did not like about the Lian's was the power supply mounting. The use of a secondary bracket and the fact that the bracket is designed for a rear fan supply. I know they make a more current bracket but could not really find it in stock as buyable anywhere. Bottom mounted power supplies really limit your options on a mid-tower but I really think that is the way to go. My 620HX is a tank and I really wanted it on the bottom! I finally settled on the FT01 (black, no window). So things to watch for. CPU heat sink can not extend past the motherboard edge by much or it will hit the top fan grill. I am figuring less than 1/2". As you can see his Xigmatek does fit and I think it will for my DFI board as well. If you have side mounted SATA connectors like I do on my DFI it looks like it may be difficult to easily get all six cables through the acess slot. If you pull air in from the bottom with your power supply, at least with my 620HX, the vented grill is not centered. It actually blocks part of the fan opening at the rear, not a lot so I think it is okay.

[theToX]

i just got my FT-01(black, no window) and swapped my parts over. Here are a few pics. Please dont mind the messiness, its a work in progress. The interior will get painted, hard drives mounted differently, full sleeving job and cable management to come.

[rjkoneill]

hi there - i am thinking of getting one of these
question. could you fit a 240 rad in the gap between the bottom of the case and the bottom of the drive bay cage [or where the hdd racks go]

could you give me a measurement from the bottom of the case to the drive bay cage?

if anyone has watercooled one of these cases yet - i would love to see it and it would help me out a great deal!

[theToX]

so u want to know from the bottom of the 5.25 bays to the floor of the case? ill measure it tonight and let you know

[rjkoneill]

yes please
from the floor of the case to the bottom of the drive bay rack
where the hdd racks go

thanks a lot dude

[theToX]

sorry, i passed out last night. ill take the measurement as soon as i get a chance today.

[Om3n]

Would like to know these measurements too please.

Thanks

[theToX]

i suck guys sorry. i promise i will measure it when i get home from work today.

[rjkoneill]

im going for a more efficiant 120 rad now was thinking of mounting it either above the lower hard drive cage, if not - where ever else it will fit

[Tile]

The best place to mount the120 mm radiator is at the back of the case with the rear fan pulling air through it. If you are prepared to do some modding you can fabricate an adapter mounting plate for a 120 mm fan hole to replace the stock 180 mm fan and from it to attach the rad, fan and a MountainMods drive cage assembly.

[emoners]

thought it would come with a black-powdercoated interior.

& aren't those 180s loud? & are they moving any air?

[theToX]

thought it would come with a black-powdercoated interior.

& aren't those 180s loud? & are they moving any air?

the windowed version comes with a black interior....i wish the non-windowed came with a black interior...im going to take care of that when i paint mine though.


the 180's aren't loud at all. they move decent air and there are very few(if any) 180mm upgrades. you can however downgrade to 120mm fans since the locations all for it.

[Tile]

I want to know if the Fortress 180 mm fan mounts can accomodate 120 mm fans.

[theToX]

yes they do.

[Om3n]

2 reviews I've found, which might help

Bit-Tech

Mod Brothers