09/10 Project

[callen_1]

be sure, you're explainations helped me in understanding when you say that you only post pics 'cause they describe themselves, it's very often true, but from time to time, I don't understand it, so when this is the case, be sure that I'm gonna ask

Note for you: Post your updates as you did, change nothing despite....you said that you post an update when you think there's something worth. What was the one special update worth to post in the last great update? maybe you'll give us the next steps part to part, because EVERY part of your update was worth shown on his own

One question remains: What colour shall your water have and will your amazing res be visible from the top of the case?

Cya

Cheers, Chucky . I'm glad the explanation helped a little. As far as the "special udate" goes i was most happy with the acrylic towards the end of the post so i thought it was worth posting.

The res also will be visible from the top and the coolant is going to be blue. I think there are better pics of the rad mounting on the first page if that helps.

Thanks agian, mate

it's nice that you're giving this case such a good look, something that not very much people did before, so it is very original

You can say

- Raw=original case
- Design and detail = Callen_01

Well, at least nobody can say it isn't different, that i'm sure of

Thaks, Oli4v .

I read the whole thread any i can only say awesome. You got some mad skils.

Awesome! It's great to hear when people burn through the whole thread , thanks for taking the time, mate

[Xion X2]

callen, don't change your update style. I personally enjoy it. We each have our own style. I prefer to keep mine a bit shorter because of how long it takes to upload/link pictures as well as provide commentary, but it's nice to have someone such as yourself whose update takes about 30-45 minutes to fully ingest. It's like sitting down with a nice sitcom or short film.

You really are helping set the bar high for fabrication. I think that I'm doing ok, and then I see how easy you make everything look. It takes me 2-3 times as long to do some of this stuff.

The design of your build is starting to come together, and I really think that it's going to look fantastic when finished. It looks as if your entire ceiling will be the reservoir, and that can really bring the inside to life since the coolant will be constantly bubbling. That was a sweet idea and will help put a signature on your build that will last in reader's minds for quite a while since it's a unique effect.

Just stay focused and keep doing what you're doing. One step at a time and then onto great things.

[callen_1]

callen, don't change your update style. I personally enjoy it. We each have our own style. I prefer to keep mine a bit shorter because of how long it takes to upload/link pictures as well as provide commentary, but it's nice to have someone such as yourself whose update takes about 30-45 minutes to fully ingest. It's like sitting down with a nice sitcom or short film.

You really are helping set the bar high for fabrication. I think that I'm doing ok, and then I see how easy you make everything look. It takes me 2-3 times as long to do some of this stuff.

The design of your build is starting to come together, and I really think that it's going to look fantastic when finished. It looks as if your entire ceiling will be the reservoir, and that can really bring the inside to life since the coolant will be constantly bubbling. That was a sweet idea and will help put a signature on your build that will last in reader's minds for quite a while since it's a unique effect.

Just stay focused and keep doing what you're doing. One step at a time and then onto great things.

Hey thanks, man. I really do appreciate it .

btw, some of the pics might suggest the work didn't take that long but holy s#@t does it take a while to rout some of that stuff!!! I stress the whole time too, because it only takes the smallest mistake and there goes 5 or 6 hours work down the drain . It's even worse when your working on original case parts cos you can't just whip them up again. I think i lost hair when i was cutting the holes in the top and front of the case lol . I used to look like this , now i'm just this guy;

[Xion X2]

Hey thanks, man. I really do appreciate it .

btw, some of the pics might suggest the work didn't take that long but holy s#@t does it take a while to rout some of that stuff!!! I stress the whole time too, because it only takes the smallest mistake and there goes 5 or 6 hours work down the drain . It's even worse when your working on original case parts cos you can't just whip them up again. I think i lost hair when i was cutting the holes in the top and front of the case lol . I used to look like this , now i'm just this guy;

Yeah. I can totally identify with the stress when working on the frame.

There are times, when you're working with materials you have plenty of, that are lots of fun because you know you can just whip another one out. But when it comes to the case frame I'm always stressing and thinking to myself.. alright, don't *#& this up. Nice and slooooowwww.

But then, when you've successfully modified the frame in the way you wanted, nothing is more rewarding. At least for me.

One thing that I've realized lately is how much "correcting" or "refining" can truly be done with files and sanding. Getting a lot of good practice in with that lately. Especially the acrylic/lexan work.

[woffen]

The craftsmanship on this build is just sick! Very very nice

Looking forward to more stunning pics!

[Alexandr0s]

Lawl, Xion, Callen, seeing you two discuss modding is like watching two yogi's discussing Life, the Universe and Everything else .

[Wezly]

Alright, that's it.... After watching callen and xion perform miracles with routing tables, I am compelled to invest in some quality tools and materials.

This is an amazing thread, and I again have no idea how I missed something like this!

I'm still drooling over the SSD gems/powercores/containment fields and the spacers in what used to be the 5.25" bays!

Spectacular...

[shazza]

This is what I'd call a "sleeper." Started off kinda slow - very unassuming. Then, wham - we get to see the skill and truly amazing creativity Callen is bringing to this mod. By the way, I just counted 65 posts in this thread with the word AMAZING in them (make that 66 now).

[individual]

its amazing zenzizenzizenzic (look it up :P )

[bentleya]

I think i need to add another Amazing to the thread , Absolutely Amazing work .

[Alexandr0s]

*decides to break the pattern* It's Awesome!

[tool_462]

*goes to register www.billiondollar-pc.com in preparation*

[individual]

*tells god he has some serious competition*

[voigts]

I've already spent too much money on tools this year. Now you guys are making me want to go get a real router table. My table is just too basic to do much more than route edges with.

[Kibbler]

Ah...

I was away for a short while and I come back to a 1gb update. Custom res. Custom lit front door. LEDs. OMG custom ram block. Flush-fit blue acrylic inset in clear acrylic.

You have such keen attention to detail...it's really totally beyond me and my ability to describe it. And the structure of this worklog creates an odd kind of dissonance with the project itself. Your updates read like "ok so I figured out how to do this part so here's what I've been working on hope you like it" but the reality is you must have planned out every single piece way beforehand, either in CAD or in your brain.

Part of me thinks: It would be interesting if callen started with a render of the entire thing and then we as readers can follow along and go "oooh so that's how he does that, aaah so that's what that is."

Another part of me thinks: Why ruin the surprise?

Sorry for rambling, just trying to get my thoughts together on this fantastic project. Please don't let that take away from the quality of work going on here. It deserves every accolade + superlative said so far, and still more on top. Mind-blowing in the most literal sense. My skull actually exploded, I'll be cleaning brain matter off my desk after this post.

PS Before I read it, I knew it would be a good update when I had to go back 2~3 pages of comments to find the actual update.

[tool_462]

PS Before I read it, I knew it would be a good update when I had to go back 2~3 pages of comments to find the actual update.

There should be a rule in the work log forum:

If your build is popular, you must build fast enough to update once per page with pictures.

The penalty, of course, for not keeping us satisfied is sending the completed build to me.

[callen_1]

Yeah. I can totally identify with the stress when working on the frame.

There are times, when you're working with materials you have plenty of, that are lots of fun because you know you can just whip another one out. But when it comes to the case frame I'm always stressing and thinking to myself.. alright, don't *#& this up. Nice and slooooowwww.

But then, when you've successfully modified the frame in the way you wanted, nothing is more rewarding. At least for me.

One thing that I've realized lately is how much "correcting" or "refining" can truly be done with files and sanding. Getting a lot of good practice in with that lately. Especially the acrylic/lexan work.

I agree 110%. The feeling of relief is pretty crazy, but the stress gets worse and worse the more you complete, because if u f@#k up there's so much more work u need to re-do!

Your also right about the files, but to be honest (when it comes out right) i definitely prefer the look of a clean routed edge. It only really counts if the part will be seen anyway.

The craftsmanship on this build is just sick! Very very nice

Looking forward to more stunning pics!

Cheers, bud It's always nice to get positive feedback . Just be sure to give me negative feedback too if i need it.

Lawl, Xion, Callen, seeing you two discuss modding is like watching two yogi's discussing Life, the Universe and Everything else .

Haha, we're just amateurs to the likes of people like Charles_H, CptDreadFlint, Shazza, 99% of the other people on extreme, 99% of the Germans and 100% of the crazy skilled people that have a PC on MDPC.com!! (sorry if i missed anyone lol )

Alright, that's it.... After watching callen and xion perform miracles with routing tables, I am compelled to invest in some quality tools and materials.

This is an amazing thread, and I again have no idea how I missed something like this!

I'm still drooling over the SSD gems/powercores/containment fields and the spacers in what used to be the 5.25" bays!

Spectacular...

"SSD gems/powercores/containment fields" haha i liked that one! I wish you had been lurking around the thread sooner

This is what I'd call a "sleeper." Started off kinda slow - very unassuming. Then, wham - we get to see the skill and truly amazing creativity Callen is bringing to this mod. By the way, I just counted 65 posts in this thread with the word AMAZING in them (make that 66 now).

Only 65? I better lift my game . It's always hard to tell what a project's gonna be like after the first post, especially if that person's basically never posted anything before. I wish i knew how to do that rendering stuff but it's just beyond me (i could try google but i'm lazy). This project has changed about 10^8 times (or zenzizenzizenzic as individual would say) since i started so it wouldn't have made a difference anyway. Gotta love wing'n it.

its amazing zenzizenzizenzic (look it up :P )

That's a new one, never heard anything like it before! Thanks for the complement, mate

I think i need to add another Amazing to the thread , Absolutely Amazing work .

The more the merrier , Thanks, bud!

*decides to break the pattern* It's Awesome!

lol Cheers, man

*goes to register www.billiondollar-pc.com in preparation*

I thought it was a real link so i clicked it haha. i must have sniffed too much mineral turps, i'm getting dumber by the day

*tells god he has some serious competition*

I did sell my soul to the devil so he better look out

I've already spent too much money on tools this year. Now you guys are making me want to go get a real router table. My table is just too basic to do much more than route edges with.

If there is any bit of seriousness in this post it's this - Get a decent router table, you will not regret it. Like right now! GO!!!!

You make incredible stuff anyway, i'd really love to see what u could do

Ah...

I was away for a short while and I come back to a 1gb update. Custom res. Custom lit front door. LEDs. OMG custom ram block. Flush-fit blue acrylic inset in clear acrylic.

You have such keen attention to detail...it's really totally beyond me and my ability to describe it. And the structure of this worklog creates an odd kind of dissonance with the project itself. Your updates read like "ok so I figured out how to do this part so here's what I've been working on hope you like it" but the reality is you must have planned out every single piece way beforehand, either in CAD or in your brain.

Part of me thinks: It would be interesting if callen started with a render of the entire thing and then we as readers can follow along and go "oooh so that's how he does that, aaah so that's what that is."

Another part of me thinks: Why ruin the surprise?

Sorry for rambling, just trying to get my thoughts together on this fantastic project. Please don't let that take away from the quality of work going on here. It deserves every accolade + superlative said so far, and still more on top. Mind-blowing in the most literal sense. My skull actually exploded, I'll be cleaning brain matter off my desk after this post.

PS Before I read it, I knew it would be a good update when I had to go back 2~3 pages of comments to find the actual update.

The fact you went to the trouble of writing out you thoughts is a huge complement, Kibbs!! So thank you very much .

Now, as far as planning goes, it's a mixed bag. I originally had a PC-A10 case from my last build and spent many, many, many... hours measuring and re-designing the internals of the case to give it a cleaner look (for example; i didn't want to have any holes in the mid plate that i wouldn't use). That was originally going to be all the work i would do on the chassis until i decided i didn't want to simply run the tubing through a hole in the aluminum.

This is is when i started thinking about using a small piece of acrylic to tap bits into for the pass-through (thanks for idea #2 Charles. Idea #1 was the face plate). It was also around this point i had the idea about a large res at the top of the case. Another guy (sorry, i can't remember the name) posted the same idea just before i was about to post, so there goes my originality .

The small acrylic would have looked s#!t so i decided i might as well cover the entire mid-plate. When i was designing the CAD for the acrylic, somewhere along the line i decided to add covers for everything.

Most of the ideas i've had are just extensions of other peoples work. But then again it doesn't matter what you do, someone's bound to have done it before! A lot of the ideas i come up with are usually at work where i have tonnes of time to do nothing but think.

This is where i thought about the weird acrylic slots at the front, the cuts and lighting in the door, the blue acrylic, and where i worked out most of the other small hitches i was having trouble with. There are just too many distractions at home. If i did manage to sit down and try to brain storm some ideas i'd just end up rummaging through the fridge within 5 minutes.

Anyway that's basically a rundown of the project up until now. So i guess it's my turn to apologize for rambling . Maybe one day you could teach me to use sketchup?? but for now it's all stored in the old noggin.

There should be a rule in the work log forum:

If your build is popular, you must build fast enough to update once per page with pictures.

The penalty, of course, for not keeping us satisfied is sending the completed build to me.

Damn, well i hope you enjoy your new pc

[callen_1]

I did a bit of work over the last couple of days so it's update time. Don't worry though, you won't have to purchase
any more data blocks after viewing this one!

I was gonna use vandal buttons for power and reset but i've decided to try and make my own. In this update i've only
done the holes for the case, so nothing special. It was however the hardest part.


Here's the plan -






To get the best results as well as repeatable result, i made up a little jig -






After routing to size -




I decided to rout a lip into the jig which will let me rest it on the edge of the case. This helps hold the jig stable and it
also means both hole cut will be on the exact same level -






Look mum (mom), no hands! -






First a quick cut with the dremel -




Add a touch of tape to the jig and hit it with the laminate trimmer -








Next problem -




i had to mark the black bracket while it was screwed to the case otherwise it would be impossible to get the holes in
the case to align perfectly with the holes in the bracket. There was a problem with this though. It would mean the
marks are on the wrong side and the bracket, and it would have to sit upright so i could see the marks when routing.

This was fixed by taping it to a piece of wood -




I then cut with the dremel -




And then routed out the wood below the holes (sorry the bracket is the wrong way around) -




And after routing -






I'm real happy with the results. I though i might have to hit it with a file afterwards but you cant even feel the seam
between the case and the bracket.


So that's the first thing i got out of the way on the weekend. The second thing i wanted to complete was the cable
routing for the GPU power. There was really only 1 way i could run them, and that was through the mid-plate, but i
wanted to keep it as neat as possible. This idea comes from someone else on the forum, i just can't remember who
(they had a tj-07 i believe, but then again who doesn't these days )? If it's you then please yell out, i gotta give
credit where credit is due .

This is my dodgy plan -




Drew out the boundaries -




Next i jumped on CAD and printed out the plan to size. Then cut and taped it to the mid-plate -






Using the smallest drill bit that would fit in the chuck, i made guide holes for the bigger bits -










Now i could use the bigger bits and feel safer about drilling without drifting -








When i measured the thickness of the cable with the sleeve on, i forgot that the heatshrink was actually the thickest
part. I was lucky i left enough room between the holes because i ended up needing to use a 4.5mm bit instead of the
3.5 i had planned for. So, more drilling -




And now it fits, hurrah-






So that's all well and good, but i still had another hole to cut in the original mid-plate -




After Screwing the acrylic back to the mid-plate i used a nail to mark the corners -






It's a bit hard to see so i marked them for ya -




I was just about to make another jig when i realised why the dimensions i had drawn up for the boundaries of the
holes sounded so familiar. Out of coincidence, the jig i made for the buttons was exactly 1mm bigger in both directions
than the boundaries i had drawn for the cable holes. It saved me about an hour, i just had to break off the lip (i swear
my luck's running on empty!) -




Hit it with the dremel -






This is a tribute to any Aussies on the forum (and anyone else with a union jack in their flag )-






Time for the trimmer again -




Hard to tell but it's all cut out -






Again, i'm really happy with the cut -






And lastly, I cleaned up that dirty rusty cover -




F#*k, sorry guys but there were more pics than i thought..... again .


Cheers for looking through

Callen

[.raw]

Awesome work

[callen_1]

Awesome work

Thanks, mate . Glad u like.

[jcool]

Very nice yet subtile mod! I wish LianLi would make em like this - still got a bunch of A10 cases left in stock, wanna mod them

[callen_1]

Very nice yet subtile mod! I wish LianLi would make em like this - still got a bunch of A10 cases left in stock, wanna mod them

Damn, i wish you told me earlier! i paid a fortune for mine because i couldn't find them anywhere. The cost would probably end up the same if i'd bought them from u anyway . But, back on topic, i don't wanna see another one of these cases ever again haha.

[CptDreadFlint]

Seriously Callen...I can't get this stupid smile off my face after seeing the level of execution you bring to the poker table.

Love love love (yes. that's THREE Loves ) what you did to create the holes for your power/reset switches. Reminds me a little of CyberDruid's Side Window Cut out tutorial but like...oompla loopaed. lolz

Enjoyed the pic explanation on how to eliminate "drilling drift", which takes more skill than Tokyo drift. heh.

I lack the online vocab to thoroughly express how much I enjoy your gift, me hearty! Seriously. The level in which you execute your fabrication ideas is just friggin' amazing. (chalk up another amazing from me.)

My turn to stir:

How did you get all this done and still have time to have Easter dinner with the fam? Spill publically here. Now.

[karbonkid]

Your manner of 'hitting' and 'jumping on' things is quite unlike any other I have seen.

Just brilliant.

[Xion X2]

Great job on that PCI-e mod. You'll just have to make sure that you stick with cards with two six-pins and not an eight-pin like the new 480 or 5970 has.

I do have a question. Was it intentional for this piece right here not to line up on that right edge? (I'm sure it probably is and you just forgot to explain it.)