Project Quintessence

[voigts]

Bottom Rad Fans and Grille

I haven't gotten as much done as I would like since the last update, but I've managed to get a few things done. For whatever reason, the more I looked at the square fans on the bottom of the case for the bottom rad, the more something just didn't look right. I decided I wanted something rounded instead of just squaring off the fans. I got inspired by an idea that AnG3l used in his Sors salutis mod on Bit-tech where he cut a fan out of its chassis. Looking for something round that was about the same internal diameter as a case fan housing, I found that 4” PVC pipe couplers have a diameter almost exactly the same as a fan. I bought two couplers, and started working.

First, using a Dremel, I cut the fans out of their frames.



Using the table saw, I cut down the couplers to the same 1” height of a regular fan. I left the thicker middle area of the coupler there to give me something to glue the fans to. To get them to fit over the holes I had already drilled in the bottom of the case for the bottom rad, I sanded off an area of them both in the middle, and then glued them together with PVC pipe glue.





The assembly is screwed underneath to the bottom case plate.



I masked off where the fans contact the frame and painted them hammered black.



Using some 2 part epoxy, I glued the fans to the frame.



I used the scrollsaw and cut out a fancy grille for the bottom fan assembly. I will of course cover up the fans tags and sleeve the wires.



Rear Fan Hole Grille

I decided that I didn't want to leave the rear fan hole plain, so I designed and cut a fancy fan grille out of 1/8” acrylic, and painted it to match the bottom fans grille in a metallic black hammered paint.





Front Panel Trim Piece

I got the front trim piece cut out. I used a piece of wood that is already slightly cupped to help with curving it to match the curve of the front panel. I cut the piece out once, but it didn't turn out right, so I recut it and got it right the second time.



Top Rad Mounted

I got the holes drilled and countersunk to mount the top radiator. To give it enough room to vent out of the top of the case, I have it spaced 3/8” from the top with nylon spacers.



Some New Goodies

I got in a bunch of new parts and goodies. I was very lucky in that I caught the new MB at Directron in stock. It was the only one they had in stock, and I got it! Since it will take me a while to finish this build, I went ahead and put the new MB and CPU in my Zenith case. I also switched out the Corsair RAM for 8gb of Gskill Ripjaws.









Thanks for stopping by.