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Watercooling my $19.99 case (t_ski's version)


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OK, wangerin's got his case-mod thread going. Turns out I bought the same case, so I thought I'd do my first worklog here, and share my ideas.

 

First, some before pics for you:

 

dsc04476dr6.th.jpg dsc04482ld2.th.jpg dsc04485bp9.th.jpg dsc04486mx2.th.jpg dsc04489mu7.th.jpg dsc04493te6.th.jpg dsc04495st0.th.jpg

 

The case itself meausres roughly 7.5 x 21.5 x 16.5 inches. The mobo tray to opening measures 5.25", and the total space from current PSU opening to the edge of the top panel measures 6 5/8".

 

So my goals are this:

 

1. To open the case up to allow as much airflow as possible

2. To mount my GT360 in this case (not an easy task - I'll explain more later)

3. To try to do my first mod with a theme

4. Use some new techniques that I have not seen before

 

First mods are:

 

Adding a 120mm fan mount to the front of the case (replacing the puny 80mm restrcited hole there). Before:

 

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After:

 

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Next, you'll notice another puny 80mm mount on the top rear of the case:

 

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Bye-bye:

 

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And finally for today... Due to the slide-out feature of the motherboard tray, the only fan mount available is a 60mm mount. I don't have a 60mm fan, and the last I knew they were either under-powered or overly-loud:

 

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good-bye to you as well:

 

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The front 120mm fan hole will be left open, and the other two areas cut out today will be filled in with some modder's mesh.

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Thanks guys. I need to make two more cuts before I can move into the case. The first one is for the rad, which I have actually done some prep work for. The other cut is part of my signature airflow improvements, which I will give more details on when I do it.

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I got some more work done today. I plan on posting some more pics tomorrow, but I also start class, have some stuff going out to the PO, and want to try to get a few more mods done on the case. We'll see what I can get to...

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I got up early, so here is the update.

 

As you can see from the pictures of the front, I have a fan mount created for a 120mm fan. However, the front bezel does not allow much air to move through it. There are just little slots there, and the bottom of the bezel is not open due to the "grab handle."

 

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I need more air!

 

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The next step is to mount the rad in the top. A lot of careful measuring and drawing:

 

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Several hours and several cutting discs later:

 

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As you can see from the pics, the case is not deep enough to contain the radiator by itself. I had to offset the rad forward a little so the back end is inside the case, which still lets the front get covered by the front bezel. SVC did not list the case dimensions on the site, so I was not able to prepare for this. But I think it turned out well. As you can see, I need a small spacer between the rad and the case. I had one made out of plexi, but it's too small. I went to Staples and had them print out the template on 11x17" paper, but for some reason they shrunk the image slightly. Not enough to notice and cause me to think I should measure it, but when it came time to check things out it was about 1/2" too small. I know, I know... Measure twice, cut once....

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I have even more tools than what you can see. That's only the screwdrivers, wrenches, files, scapers and hammers. Farther down the workbench I have all the measuring tools, levels, staplers, pliers, crimpers, clamps and other misc gear. Under the area that most of the pics are taken I have two drawers. One of them has all the power tools (jig saw, recip saw, circ saw, wizard (dremel), 2x drills, a rotozip, sander, router, and an accessory kit for the dremel). The other drawer has a socket wrench set, jeweler's screwdrivers, chisels, planes and PPE (personal protective equipment).

 

If you ever find your way downstate you can drop by and we'll mod something... ;)

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If you ever find your way downstate you can drop by and we'll mod something...

 

You're just saying that cause I voted for ya in Angry's "Member of the Month Club" thread at amdmb back in the day. :D

 

Unfortunately I still have some outstanding arrest warrants from my last downstate excursion.

But if I can grab a whoker co-pilot and a fast car I'll call ya from a Stuckey's when I hit the halfway mark :)

 

Keep them pics coming. Got any "Binford's"?

http://www.hiarchive.co.uk/binford.php

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You're just saying that cause I voted for ya in Angry's "Member of the Month Club" thread at amdmb back in the day. :D

Ah-ha! So you were the one! Thanks ;)

 

No Binford's, but I do have a lot of antiques. I was lucky enough to inherit the files, chisels, planes and some other fine tools from my grandfather recently. He passed away about 30 years ago and my grandmother has held on to them all this time. She's going through that phase where she feels like she's getting so old she has to start giving everything away as to not burden anybody when she does finally go herself. Not that that will be any time soon, as she is almost 85, living on her own and still very active.

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