Project: Chromebox (56k modem superdupermegakiller thread)

Project: Chromebox (56k superdupermegakiller thread)

Hey and welcome to this very uniqe mod!

First of all, i'm a swede and this is my first mod since -00. So my english may lack a bit.

This started out with me wanting the smallest case out there, fitting a standard ATX motherboard.
So i was able to find this black Advance HTPC 2610-case. Dimensions: 17.9" x 5.5" x 14.5"


It was so small that it was almost impossible to hide all the cables as the layout for the PSU-placement was all wrong (in my eyes), making the cables poiting towards and all over the motherboard.
As it is only 5.5" high it was almost impossible to do something about it.


So here is where it all started, i got myself a dremel and cut out some new fittings for the PSU making me able to turn around the PSU so the cables went the other way and totally hiding em.

While i got my new hardware, i also knew that my xfx 8600GT "xxx" wouldn't fit with the sideplate on and i also cut out the fan holes for the 2x120mm fans for better airflow and lower noise.



I will do something similar when i get my schyte infinity-1000 as it is 6.3" high and my box is only 5.5". i got some idéas in my head on how i want it, but you'll be able to see how it turns out later on!

But after a few weeks looking at it and changing all the hardware init, i got bored, it also had alot of annoying scratches here and there that i couldn't get rid of, all because of a very crappy original paint. So i decided to use some sandpaper along with my power tools.

I'll let the picutres speak for themselves.

Oh yeah, my 3 harddrives was stuffed inside my case, making the heat go up pretty much, so i decided to put them on the backside.



Fear my skills! haha




So, finally, after using alot of sandpaper, cutting and drilling, my RAID0-setup with 3 discs ended up here:

btw, some pictures shows some serious scratches from the sandpaper, it's all gone as you can see on some pictures, don't have them in proper order. So you don't think i ended up with some scractchy look I've only used 600-sandpaper for this finish, thou i'll get some 1000-paper or higher to see if it makes it more mirror-finished.

i also made a custom cover (airduct) to hide the power and sata-cables and at the same time get better cooling for them as one of my 120mm fans are fitted under my DVD blowing against the airduct!







I've started on using sandpaper with my power tools on the front-panel as well, pictures will be up as soon as i'm done!

And for the PSU i'm gonna do an airduct with a nice boombox bass reflector-cone for air outlet on the front and a nice little window on the PSU and sidepanel so you can look right in.

It's some pictures missing out, cant seem to find em, but i think this will do atm.

Comments, questions and such are welcome, positive as constructive!

Is that an air duct for the HDD???

If so...WOW, great idea!!! I was wondering what your avatar was!! KUDOS.

Nice!

I personally wouldn't want my HDD's out of the case.
I'd probably kick them or rest my toes on them too often...

That is a sweet case mod! It would be great for LAN parties! From the looks of it you could practically throw it in a backpack and carry it off to your LAN.

thideras: Thanks! And yes, it's an airduct! I was not able to remember what the word was in english hehe! as i have a 120mm fan under my DVD-rom blowing on the hdd's from the inside, it blows out all over the HDD's

Hazaro, thanks to you to! But it wouldn't wanna worry about that, as it's gonna stay on the desk, having the discs pointing down against the table, check the first pic, on how it should be "laying" hehe.

it's in the beginning of the project atm, so it's alot left, until it's done!

Caust1c, hehe, i've tested that actually! and i can fit both the computer along with kb,mouse and my 20.1" flatscreen in the backpack hehe

Haha sweet! Thats going to be my first project if I ever get into modding. Great Idea! Keep up the good work. *subscribed*

If it doesn't fit, Cut a hole!

Caust1c said:

Haha sweet! Thats going to be my first project if I ever get into modding. Great Idea! Keep up the good work. *subscribed*

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Hehe Thanks alot dude!

JamesXP said:

If it doesn't fit, Cut a hole!

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Not really i was already aware of that before i got the HW

Are you going to repaint it? If not you might still want to use some kind of a clear finish on it, you'll have to put something on it if it's steel or it'll rust. Love that metal look though. Keep it up!

Ye i've had that in mind (not against rust thou, it's all aluminum!), but i really don't know what to use, but first i'm gonna make the surface mirror-like, got any ideas what to paint it with?
Thanks!

I'd get some plexi and box the HDs in for safety then cut vent holes. Nice work!

ben333 said:

I'd get some plexi and box the HDs in for safety then cut vent holes. Nice work!

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I agree, especially if you are going to be bringing it to lan parties. Beautiful work though!

Also, a clearcoat may even enhance the mirrored look, if you're thinking of doing one.

I really appreciate your comments !

Boxing in the hdd's... I rarely move around my computer, but it happens sometimes, I'll give that some thoughts thou and see what i can come up with!

Italidonian, ye, that's true! I'll look around and get some nice clearcoat that doesn't get yellowish after a while.
Have had that "luck" with some clearcoats (for some of my cars) and it turned out to be rubbish.


EDIT: some stuf that's arriving to my PC has been delayed, it has taken about 1 week extra so i can't do any upgrades until monday, earliest.

its looking good

Thanks!

Here's updates. Been cutting and stuf these days, since i got my schyte infinity this monday, so i've been meassuring out where to cut.

NOTE
The thing i like about my "nice" holes on the sideplate (for my GPU and now also my CPU) is that i could easily remove, replacig it with a window kit, if i'm about to use the case as a real HTPC in the near future. Hehe.

Keep in mind, that i'm telling this because i got a feeling that ppl thinks that i'm only cutting out these holes so i can fit them. But i like it.

1. I wanna see the heatpipe-cooling
2. Provides extra cooling and leaves some of the heat outside
3. It's chromed and fits the rest of the case
4. I wanna have something uniqe!

/NOTE

I got better pictures of my airduct for my hdds too, will be shown on a picture or two. Things i've done so far is:

* I've cut out of the grills on the back of the case for my 2x 80mm fans

* Also been making up some space around the PSU, thou i don't think you'll see all the work i've done there, since it isn't visible on the other pictures.

* I have been sanding almost the whole front-panel.

* Cable arrangement on the back of the frontpanel, integrating an extra USB connector for the IR-reciever and such. (you'll see)

* Modified my PSU cable ararangement and cable output. Also resized the 24pin connector down from 90cm to about 30cm. (Damn that took time soldering and cutting all those cables)

That's what i can recall so far.
I got some new power cables for the harddrives and some new chromed thumb screws, i will be putting up some pictures later on how i managed the cable arrangement for the drives and from my PSU.

I didn't have my camera available when i did all the work, since my lazy friend forgot to bring it back in time.
Oh well, here's some pics, i'll drop more(alot) pics later on tonight around 03.00 or something like that. (8.40pm over here right now).

HDD Airduct

Hey looks pretty awesome work you are doing there sk1llz --- subscribed