PROJECT: MM Pinnacle 300 (previously Ugly Duckling)

[Kibbler]

Top job!

Thanks for your kind comment

[RCG_Bex]

I love it! I love the colours and the planning. I may have to copy some of them :P

Definitely inspired me to get back and get my rig finalised!

~Bex

[Blizzy]

Nice job you've done there! Best Pinnacle case i've ever seen :]

Does the pinnacle comes with the vandal switches for power/reset ? if so, what size are they ? 22mm ?

[Kibbler]

I love it! I love the colours and the planning. I may have to copy some of them :P

Definitely inspired me to get back and get my rig finalised!

~Bex

Thanks, go ahead and copy as much as you want .

Nice job you've done there! Best Pinnacle case i've ever seen :]

Does the pinnacle comes with the vandal switches for power/reset ? if so, what size are they ? 22mm ?

Thanks Blizzy . MM cases come with 2 22mm switches, no LED, screw terminals. I wanted LEDs (for power and HDD activity) and solder tags are easier to heatshrink over so I am installing some new ones. These, to be precise.
///

Not much progress this weekend. Finally went to see Terminator Salvation last night and it was fun...but inconsistent + disappointing (my God does Christian Bale ever smile??). My GF now has a brand-new niece so it was off to visit family and her sister in-law today! All in all...I wish it was still Saturday. Sigh.

I did try to document the SATA punch-down wiring and crimping process, figuring though it's old news to the pros it might be helpful to neophytes. Alas I left the lens VR on while shooting from tripod and the end results were rather poor.

Picture speaks a thousand words. Be sure to use an "end cap" for the end and "through caps" for the lower drives.


Blurry photo of a better-than-usual mess.


More to come.

[Someguy1982]

Great job so far, I'm interested in getting one of these cases myself. Cant wait to see what you can do with it!

[Kibbler]

Great job so far, I'm interested in getting one of these cases myself. Cant wait to see what you can do with it!

Thanks Someguy. I'll say this about MM cases...they're designed with bolt-on parts in mind and to that end they excel absolutely. But when it comes to custom work the tried-and-true ATX airflow (front to back, bottom to top) is not conducive to clean builds.

I have an idea in mind for a re-configured Pinnacle that would allow similar parts arrangement to TJ-07s, from which I think we have seen some of the best and cleanest builds so far e.g. Murderboxes.

EDIT: lolz?

[Someguy1982]

That would be a nice option for a side panel, unless there's something I'm missing in the drawing.

That's one thing I noticed after looking at all the cases. Sometimes you look at the panel options, and one type has the side you want to use, but its not the case you want. For example, would it have killed 'em to make a U2-UFO with 3X3 120 fan hole side option? 3 triple rads on the top of the case would make me happy : ) It's available as a triple quad for the extended version, but then they don't have the side available that I would have liked to get for the other sides of the case. It's a tease!

Oh well, for now I'm watching and preparing.

[Kibbler]

That would be a nice option for a side panel, unless there's something I'm missing in the drawing.

That's one thing I noticed after looking at all the cases. Sometimes you look at the panel options, and one type has the side you want to use, but its not the case you want. For example, would it have killed 'em to make a U2-UFO with 3X3 120 fan hole side option? 3 triple rads on the top of the case would make me happy : ) It's available as a triple quad for the extended version, but then they don't have the side available that I would have liked to get for the other sides of the case. It's a tease!

Oh well, for now I'm watching and preparing.

I figure you'll have to order off the menu, so to speak (i.e. talk to Ben and/or place a custom order).

[Someguy1982]

Yeah I haven't called them yet. Guess I should before I place an order in case there is something more that can be done. I understand that the triple quad won't fit on a non-extended U2-UFO, but a 3X3 probably could! I'll call when im closer to buying. Until then, I will observe and try and absorb the coolness.

[Blizzy]

Did the wheels come with the case ?
Sorry for asking so many questions, its cause i plan on getting one

Check this out:
http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/aqcodefiwiwa.html

I think you could fill both loops with it, without "mixing" water from on loop to another, and with a funnel you can choose which hole to fill

[Kibbler]

Did the wheels come with the case ?
Sorry for asking so many questions, its cause i plan on getting one

Check this out:
http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/aqcodefiwiwa.html

I think you could fill both loops with it, without "mixing" water from on loop to another, and with a funnel you can choose which hole to fill

No worries about asking questions man, fire away. Castors are extra from MM and cost an arm + leg to ship. No way. The good thing is the castor mounting holes seem to be standardized and I found a good set of castors locally. They're identical to the ones offered by MM, except I paid ~$4 instead of ~$16 + $30 in shipping had I ordered them online. $4 vs $46, no brainer.

Unexpected benefit to using castors is: When I had the stock acrylic feet installed the base was uneven for some reason, like a chair with one short leg. Now with castors all four corners are making good contact.

I saw that fillport recently. The Babelfish translation gives me a headache. So it's basically a fillport...with 2 ports. Functionally it seems no different from using a normal fillport and a splitter. And I'd have to drill out the existing hole to 44m. Nah, not gonna happen.

[Kibbler]

It's always towards the end of a project that other new ideas emerge.

It would only take a custom front panel, new top and bottom panels, and cutting the side panels. PSU and HDDs would go to the front just under the optical drive bays. Pumps go between rads. Motherboard would be inverted ATX. Basically a Mountain Mods iteration of the usual TJ07 build.


Alas this concept is beyond the scope of this project. It will be refined and hopefully fully fleshed out in time for the upgrade to Intel's next "tock," Lynnfield.

[Blizzy]

No worries about asking questions man, fire away. Castors are extra from MM and cost an arm + leg to ship. No way. The good thing is the castor mounting holes seem to be standardized and I found a good set of castors locally. They're identical to the ones offered by MM, except I paid ~$4 instead of ~$16 + $30 in shipping had I ordered them online. $4 vs $46, no brainer.

Unexpected benefit to using castors is: When I had the stock acrylic feet installed the base was uneven for some reason, like a chair with one short leg. Now with castors all four corners are making good contact.

I saw that fillport recently. The Babelfish translation gives me a headache. So it's basically a fillport...with 2 ports. Functionally it seems no different from using a normal fillport and a splitter. And I'd have to drill out the existing hole to 44m. Nah, not gonna happen.

Maybe this then:

http://www.performance-pcs.com/catal...ducts_id=25761

[charles_h]

Kibbler, I'm intrigued by your "TJ07 layout" concept for the Pinnacle. I think it's a great idea. As you say though - something for down the road...

[Kibbler]

New bit of color

[SNiiPE_DoGG]

Blue and orange - MUCH better color combo, I love it

[Kibbler]

Blue and orange - MUCH better color combo, I love it

Thanks S_D. I came to the same conclusion when I realized, oh yeah, nothing else in the case is green.

Another moment: Realizing I bought a wrong batch of screws (high tensile alloy steel instead of stainless). That means they rust you idiot!



Fans, p-clips, etc. will be re-attached once the new stainless socket caps arrive.

[Blizzy]

What size screws are you using ?

[Kibbler]

6-32 1/2" and 6-32 3/8"

[Blizzy]

I don't understand this screw mesurement at all, lol
Is 6-32 same as M4 ?

[Kibbler]

I don't understand this screw mesurement at all, lol
Is 6-32 same as M4 ?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_case_screws

I think 6-32 is the same diameter as M3.5 but thread pitch might be different.

1/2" and 3/8" just refer to the length.

[hmmisee]

I love this build. The attention to detail is magnificant. I can't wait for the finished product!
Though for me, the wheels ruin it :

[dreamaxx]

I also dislike the wheels :O

Apart from that it's really lovely.

[Kibbler]

hmmisee and dreamaxx: Thanks for your kind comments. Point taken about the wheels...I wanted this build to be as functional/practical as possible. With drain ports on the bottom it made sense to use castors to raise the floor, though I get what you mean about hurting looks. Any suggestions?

Just picked up 2 spools of 18awg (I think about 200ft) and a boxful of Minifit-jr pins. Time to get cracking (again) on another set of custom cables for this:

[hmmisee]

If you just want custom case feet i really enjoy the mnpctech ones
http://www.mnpctech.com/CaseFeetMachined.html
But i fear they wont be high enough for you, so theres always these ones
http://www.mnpctech.com/Aluminum_Com...Case_Feet.html
n__n