Project: Epiphany 100% Complete (bad update)

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DAE_JA_VOO
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Project: Epiphany 100% Complete (bad update)

Post by DAE_JA_VOO »

PROJECT COMPLETE - FINAL PICS HERE

Okay guys, I was planning on starting this thread when I know when i'm buying my hardware, but i have done a bit since i started, and taken many photos, so i'll sommer start now.

The main inspiration for this case mod came from seeing THIS monster in a CustomPC magazine.

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After i saw this case, i knew i wanted one like it, so i set out to build one like it.

Here's the plan:

Clear case
Lots and Lots of cables
Lots and lots of chrome
Blue trim, not green.
High-End water cooling

So, i bought myself a Gigabyte Clear Case from Sybaritic. Building it took about an hour. Here's a bunch of stuff they give you in a little box:

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That 5.25" Gigabyte panel is going straight to my dog as a toy. Here's a side shot of the case, built:

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Front:

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Rear:

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It's a nice case, but it needs alot of modding. I don't want the fan hole on top, so i need a new top panel. I CERTAINLY don't want this haggard Gigabyte etching on the side panel, so i'll need a new side panel too.

As stated above, I want nice cooling, so I ordered a bunch of stuff from the U.S.A. It should be arriving any day now. In the mean time, I got my Coolwave dual 120mm power radiator.

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I also got 2 Clear Antec Tricool 120mm fans for the rad (thanks Carly!!)

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Last edited by DAE_JA_VOO on 22 Nov 2007, 21:23, edited 131 times in total.
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DAE_JA_VOO
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Post by DAE_JA_VOO »

Here's a pic of my little pug, Max. He slept on the bubble wrap that my case came in while i built it.
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The first thing i did was replace those HAGGARD gold screws that came with the case with allen cap screws, but they're too small, i'm not happy with them. I'll buy bigger ones, and polish them nicely so that they SHINE. Sorry for the blurry photo.
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I also didn't like the front bottom panel, as it had an 80mm fan hole, which is useless to me, so i made a new one. In this pic, it doesn't even look like there's one there, but there is.
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So i masked it up and planned a 120mm fan hole in there.
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I still haven't cut that hole, as a 120mm hole saw costs about 150 bucks, and i only wanna cut 3 holes, so i'll get someone else to cut it for me.
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DAE_JA_VOO
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Post by DAE_JA_VOO »

Okay, i decided that i don't want to go with one of those conventional fan grilles in front, so i bought some blue plexiglass (thanks MAIZEY!!!) and designed one.
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Here's a pic of the uncut plexi:
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Cutting it was very scary, i was afraid of messing it up. You see, when you buy perspex, it often haves chipped edges, so you have to buy it bigger than you want it, and sand or file the excess away. So i sanded for ages to get it just right, drilling those holes was scary!!

Here's the end result:

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I then masked it up again to round the corners and drill holes to mount the Fan.

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I fould a very sophisticated tool to mark round corners, commonly known as a washer. It works wonders, and only costs a few cents.

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Here's a shot of the grille almost finished:

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Then i ran into a problem. The grille was ontop of some screws:
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So i decided to grind away gaps for those screws, but in the process, i avenged my poor dremel. I'll get another one tomorrow (today)

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What do you guys think so far?
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DAE_JA_VOO
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Post by DAE_JA_VOO »

So what do you guys think so far!? I need opinions!
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Post by Syndicate »

Looks good, but I think you should put a few more blue perspex panels to balance it out.
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Post by Monty »

I like it

THe fan hole ontop, y dont you intergrate it into ur mod somehow.

Can u pls pm the pric e of the case?
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DAE_JA_VOO
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Post by DAE_JA_VOO »

@ monty, i don't want any 80mm fans in my case, they're noisy. Besides, a new top panel only costs aboutR40 from maizey.

@carly, yeah, i'm nowhere near finished, there's quite a bit more blue plexi waining to be worked on and put on the case.
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Post by Monty »

DAE, y dont u cut the top hole into a cool shape the create a "plug" out of blue perspex
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Post by DAE_JA_VOO »

I don't really wanna do that. I need to mount the main box where all cables will run from on the top panel.
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Post by Monty »

ok

were are you mounting the radiator?
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Post by DAE_JA_VOO »

That's a suprise for later! :wink:
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Post by Samaya »

That grill looks seriously good. Nice worksmanship there. I assume you cut the holes with a hole saw?

Cant wait to see the other panel for the side...
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Post by TheDee »

Looks A man!!!
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DAE_JA_VOO
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Post by DAE_JA_VOO »

Samaya wrote:That grill looks seriously good. Nice worksmanship there. I assume you cut the holes with a hole saw?
The bigger holes are cut with a 28mm holesaw, the smaller are done with a big drill bit.
Samaya wrote:Cant wait to see the other panel for the side...
The new side panel isn't going to be very modded, but the opposite panel will haveva few mods.

Thanks for all the conpliments guys!! i'm working on the radiator's fan grille at the moment, will keep you posted.
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Post by SHL3B1B »

@DAE_JA_VOO
thanks for building that computer for me... :lol:.
Looking great... i cant wait to see the finished product.
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Post by DAE_JA_VOO »

rabb1 wrote:@DAE_JA_VOO
thanks for building that computer for me... :lol:.
Looking great... i cant wait to see the finished product.
Thanks bud. This mod is gonna take quite long though, as working with plexi is a slow (and irritating) process. For the last hour, i've been sanding a 245x120mm piece of plexi, just to get it to those dimensions. Then i have to re mask it, draw up some fan grilles, pray, and then cut tyhe holes. The grille will probably only be finished late tonight if i want it perfect. So doing this for an entire case is gonna take long.

Then i need to send my optical drive covers, PSU cover, etc etc off to be chromed. But that will only happen later, after i've got all my hardware. I want to make sure that my PSU can comfortably run all my hardware before i open it up and void the warranty.

Okay, back to sanding for me. :(
*starts crying*
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Post by Futs »

This is gonne be one nice mod + with the components added its gonne be a good preformer aswell
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DAE_JA_VOO
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Post by DAE_JA_VOO »

I feel like crying. I sanded the rad's grille for about 2 hours, measured everything for the holes, and while i was drilling the holes, the drill bit chipped a huge chunk out of the perspex. :(

Oh well, off to Maizey again tomorrow to buy some more plexi. Hopefully i don't brake tomorrow's one too.

I'll post pics tonight.
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Post by muffinman »

Pics?
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Post by DAE_JA_VOO »

They're on their way. Sorry i'm taking so long to post pics, i'll post them now.
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Post by WiK1d »

DAE_JA_VOO wrote: So i decided to grind away gaps for those screws, but in the process, i avenged my poor dremel. I'll get another one tomorrow (today)
What!!!! 8O LOL, dude that sucks!! Damn, I feel so ashamed of my mod now... :oops:
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Post by DAE_JA_VOO »

Okay, as promised, here are pics.

Here's the Radiator's grille all measured up after 2 hours of sanding to get it JUST right.

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And here's a pic of the chip in the plexi caused by the drill bid. I almost cried. Sorry for the low quality pic.

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I was thinking of making the rad's grille 2 seperate grilles. What do you guys think? 2 seperate grilles or one full grille?

I started working on the cover for the optical drives. This one is on clear plexi, it's just a test, i'm make it again in blue plexi tomorrow. I put prestic on the plexi and pressed it against the drives to get the perfect fit:

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I then marked out the openings, but alas, the top drive's opening is too close to the edge.

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so i'll have to make the cover accross 3 5.25" bays, the one above the top optical drive will have a fan controller in.
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Post by WiK1d »

Dude...I am totally impressed with your mod already, your corners are sooo nice...

But you nearly killed my 56K connection...LOL!
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Post by DAE_JA_VOO »

Hehehe, thanks wikid, your opinion is important to me, so keep posting.

Those round corners are so easy to make, it takes a minute on each corner.
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Post by WiK1d »

DAE_JA_VOO wrote:Hehehe, thanks wikid, your opinion is important to me, so keep posting.

Those round corners are so easy to make, it takes a minute on each corner.
Dude...what are you using?? And waht did you do to your poor dremel>>
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