Project: 2744 (project status: canceled)

[PCC- Builder Dan]

This being a case modding forum, I thought I'd post a project log here. This system is going to be my going-to-college system, as I want something more theftproof than a laptop. Also, I want something I can upgrade easily.

My hardware specs:

DFI NF4-Ultra Motherboard (AMD 64, 2x PCI express 16x, no SLI)
AMD Athlon 64 4000+ (San Diego core)
Sapphire X700 Pro (256 MB ram)
2 GB system ram
Antec Phantom 500 Watt PSU

This system is going to be in a custom-built cube case, with 2744 cubic inches of volume. (Hence, the project name.) It's going to be water-cooled, thanks to Danger Den.

For the moment, here's a teaser, via MSPaint. Expect more (with photos) tomorrow, when the Newegg stuff arrives.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v318/TechnoDann/cubefront.jpg

Big thanks to the folks at Newegg and DangerDen, the guy in EBay I got the slot-load DVD drive off of, and to Jon, for the power supply, fans, and the knowledge to make this whole thing work.

[mlbpro417]

Quit teasing us and give us more!!!!

[PCC- Builder Dan]

Sorry... I don't have CAD software, so I can't do nifty 3-d models. (And, my paint skills are rather weak.)

But, yeah. More stuff arrives today. It's already on the truck for delivery, so I should be updating before dinnertime.

[PCC- Builder Dan]

Updating... Good news, bad news.

Another big box arrived today, this time from that 'egg' place.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v318/TechnoDann/cube/722newegg.jpg

Now that I've got that and my DangerDen stuff...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v318/TechnoDann/cube/722DDen.jpg

I put the system together, pushed the handy on-motherboard power button, and... Nothing. According to the status LEDs on the board, it's the video card.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v318/TechnoDann/cube/722bench.jpg

Newegg will be getting an RMA in just a few minutes. Fortunatley, they will cross-ship graphics cards, meaning that as soon as they get the RMA, they'll ship out the replacement.

Newegg rocks.

And now, I am going to go eat dinner, and then go to the hardware store to get some hardware for the case. Stay tuned. :thumbsup

[CGD]

nice system :thumbsup
You said 2x PCI express 16x... and no SLI. Is crossfire already out?

[PCC- Builder Dan]

No, actually. It uses the NForce Ultra chipset, which has enough PCI-express lanes for two 16x cards, but doesn't support SLI. With older chips, it was possible to make them work with SLI. I don't intend to, mostly because I don't need SLI.

[PCC- Builder Dan]

I started slicing and dicing angle aluminum...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v318/TechnoDann/724layout.jpg

Imagine that the motherboard is where that big envelope is. There really isn't much space inside this system. The pumps are about 5 inches away from the motherboard.

Speaking of the pumps...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v318/TechnoDann/724pumps.jpg

Aren't those things nifty? They're about two inches on a side.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v318/TechnoDann/724radreflect.jpg

Check out the finish on the radiator. It's an absolutely beautiful paint job. I wish I could have it on the outside of the case, just to show it off. Alas, it doesn't fit with my plans, though.

Speaking of which... This system is going to be a cube, 14 inches on a side. My plan is to make all the faces (except the bottom and one side) be blank and mirror-finish black. The one side that isn't blank will have the lighted slot for the DVD drive, the power button, and two USB ports. All the other connectors and whatnot will plug in via the bottom of the cube. Also, all the ventilation will be out the bottom.

[PCC- Builder Dan]

So... I got my video card back, and it works! The system is currently testing its memory. (92% done, 5 hours, 46 minutes into the tests.)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v318/TechnoDann/cube/802bench.jpg

I've gotten more work done on the frame, too. It's all riveted together now. The next step is attaching the motherboard supports.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v318/TechnoDann/cube/802frame.jpg
Both of those upright peices really do go straight up. It's just because of the way the photo was taken that they don't look straight.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v318/TechnoDann/cube/802corner.jpg

Also, the holes in the radiator were just too small for the bolts that are going to hold the fans on. They've been widened out, and now everything fits.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v318/TechnoDann/cube/802rad.jpg

Next step: start making the mounts for everything.

[PCC- Builder Dan]

Here we go again... The motherboard supports are finally finished.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v318/TechnoDann/cube/808moboback.jpg
As you can (kinda) see, the supports are aluminum U-channel. The motherboard standoffs are screwed into one side of the U, and the other side will face the side of the cube.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v318/TechnoDann/cube/808system.jpg
The motherboard will actually mount near the top of the case. In this shot, it's lying on its side.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v318/TechnoDann/cube/808IOarea.jpg
There's about an inch and a half betwen the horizontal rail and the base of the motherboard. This is to give me enough space to bend cables around and through down there.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v318/TechnoDann/cube/808systemrad.jpg
This is where the radiator will be positioned. Big thanks to my sister for helping hold everything together. (the pic was flipped sideways in MS Paint, by the way. :thumbsup )

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v318/TechnoDann/cube/808underside.jpg
Here's what the system will look like from the bottom. You can see how close the radiator comes to the I/O area of the motherboard. On a completely unrelated note, check out how packed that area is. Six USB ports, two ethernet jacks, firewire, six-port audio (5.1 surround sound), SPDIF digital audio in and out, and mouse and keyboard.

[MaxMercury]

Dan,
I'm a little confused. When you say "bottom," do you really mean "back?" I mean, if you set your PC on your desk, and you really mean that those ports would be on the bottom, how do you plan to get to those ports? And what about ventilation? You say that'll be coming from the bottom as well? Do you plan to have a special desk? (I just saw that you'll have water cooling, which I know very little about, but even still, I remain confused. :wig)

Anyway, VERY cool project, Dan!! :thumbsup

-- Max

[PCC- Builder Dan]

It's all a bit confusing, isn't it?

The case actually will be sitting with all those ports facing straight down. It'll have rather tall feet (1.5 inches), so there should be plenty of airspace down below the system. To get to the ports, I'll have to lift up the system, and reach around under it to plug stuff in.

Yeah, ventilation will be interesting. Hopefully, three fans (and a carefully placed duct) will be enough to keep the system cool.

[mlbpro417]

Looking good, keep up the good work.

[PCC- Builder Dan]

It's been a while, hasn't it... My only excuse can be college. I'm still living at home, but between college and work, I have no free time.

Recently, I had some time to work on the cube, so I did. And... Nothing was coming out square. I was using all the care I could, but things weren't lining up. This case, though it's a nifty idea, is simply not possible for me at this time.

[Project status: canceled.]

On a lighter note, I've got some ideas for a much simpler mod, consisting of a V-1000 (in silver), and watercooling and stuff. When I get more free time, I may be posting another project log.