Ron Prouse makes a clear case-in the sense that if you're determined, you can make something equally see-through. Check out his work and you could win his creation!
When it came to quantifying extremes my grandfather used to say 'It helps to understand the difference between scratching your bum and tearing yourself a new arsehole.' Clear acrylic cases are an example of the latter. You want a case window? Here's a case window that re-defines the meaning of visible components.
This Modjitsu is a little different to the usual as it's part review, part assembly and part modding. The idea is to show off some products, explore the uses they can be put to, and then combine all of the elements into a completed project. A project that might become your very own!
The concept of a 'see-thru' case is nothing new, but only recently has it been possible to buy a good quality acrylic case that is assembled 'off of the shelf' -- albeit with some disclaimers regarding the possibility of Electro-Magnetic Interference (EMI) affecting the end user.
It's the perfect vehicle to show off another new-release product, the WaterChill liquid-cooling kit from Asetek -- the same people who manufacture the VapoChill PC refrigeration units.
When these two components are combined, along with some gentle modding and effective lighting, the result is a show-piece case that not only looks great but has the performance pedigree to match.
As usual, the raw materials that made this project possible are testament to the generosity of several suppliers. These companies regularly 'give something back' to the Atomic community, so remember that supporting those who support your hobby is good karma!AusPC Market (www.auspcmarket.com.au) -- Topower 550W PSU. Quiet, good looking and very nice!PC Case Gear (www.pccasegear.com) -- Acrylic case; ThermalTake duct-mod; Perspex grills; LED fans; CCFL tubes; and LaserLEDsPC Range (www.pcrange.biz) -- Asetek WaterChill liquid-cooling kit and RheoBus.The prices for individual components are available at the supplier's Websites. However, the total cost was over (RRP) $1,000.
ABOVE: Thicker equals longer.
The case came with all the screws required to assemble the average PC, the reason soon became obvious -- every screw is around 5mm longer than 'standard' because they have to pass through the extra thickness of the case. Mounting spacers were supplied for the 3.5in drives and brass 'buttons' with O-rings were used to attach the faceplates. The starting point will be to fit the water-cooling components, as their location is critical for good system performance.
ABOVE: Watch out for hoses facing the wrong direction.
The first mod was an additional radiator shroud, required so the radiator core can be mounted to the top of the case with the fan underneath -- the WaterChill radiator is actually designed to be on its 'side', so if it was mounted using the fan-holes then the hose connections would be facing the wrong direction! Sheet steel, 1.5mm thick, was folded into shape, a 120mm hole was cut for airflow and hammer-tone silver paint applied.
The original rivets were drilled out, and the radiator reassembled with the new shroud attached using the original mounting points. Aluminium grill was sandwiched between the two surfaces to protect the exposed copper fins, and the mounting holes tapped to accept 4mm screws. The holes have been offset slightly to avoid the possibility of accidentally screwing into the Copper tubes.
ABOVE: Masking tape prevents scratches.
With the mounting points determined, the case top was removed and covered with masking tape to protect it from scratching during the cutting process. A jigsaw was used to cut out the hole slightly smaller than required, with #120-grit sandpaper used to remove the last of the excess. To stop the hole from becoming elongated, the sandpaper was wrapped around a sanding-block made from 100mm PVC water pipe.
ABOVE: Brasso to polish acrylic?
Once the blow-hole was the correct size, the cut edge was sanded down with increasingly finer grades of Wet'n'Dry sandpaper, the final finish achieved with #1200-grit using Brasso metal polish as the lubricant. As long as all of the imperfections are sanded out, this last step will achieve a 'glass-edge' similar to the original cast-acrylic finish of the case. Used gently on a soft cloth, Brasso is also a good medium to remove any residual stickiness from the masking tape adhesive.
ABOVE: Leave the hole rough for better grip.
The WaterChill pump and reservoir are assembled as one unit. However, this made it hard to find a suitable mounting space. So they were separated and a new reservoir mounting bracket fabricated from an acrylic off-cut. The process used was identical to that for the top blow-hole, but with the hole in the centre left slightly rough so that it had some grip for a press-fit.
Issue: 137 | June, 2012