---Brightness---

[flix29]

Hey guys,
this will be my first worklog here at overclockers UK.
But maybe some of you already know my latest finished projects, Aprire, Full Steam Space Mashine and Pandora - HTPC. Now its time for a next project.


I already started this project in the end of 2014, now I'm making progress and want to show this project. 2014 I've been lookung for a big case with enough room for watercooling and hardware.
This is why I want to mod a Bitfenix Shinobi XL, which was provided by BitFenix.

This Case should get a very clean look, just a few colors: white, silver, a little black. I will redo a lot of thing in the case. For example a new mainboard tray oder relocate the positions of the radiators.

I think I'm done round about 40%.
I will hand in more updates later this week, so we will reach the current status very soon.


The parts I will use:

Hardware:
Case:
- BitFenix Shinobi XL white
- Asus Sabertooth Mark S
- Intel Core i7 4790K
- 2x 8GB Kingston HyperX Fury white DDR3-1866
- 2x 240GB HyperX 3K SSD white
- 2x KFA2 GeForce GTX 970 HOF 4GB
- Super Flower Leadex 80Plus Platinum Netzteil - 1200W
- [...]

Cooling Parts

CPU block:
- Bitspower CPU Block Summit EF - BP-WBCPUIAC-CUMBKWH
- Bitspower CPU Block Plate For Intel CPU(Silver)

GPU block:
- Bitspower VG-NGTX980GXHOF

pump:
- Laing DDC-Pumpe 12V DDC-1T Plus PWM
- Bitspower Pump Cooler For DDC/MCP355 (White)
- - DDC TOP Acrylic Version

radiator:
- 2x Hardware Labs Black Ice Nemesis Radiator GTS 360
- Hardware Labs Black Ice Nemesis Radiator GTS 240
- Hardware Labs Black Ice Nemesis Radiator GTS 120

Fittings:
- Bitspower Silver Shining




A very big thanks goes to the following companys:


















The Case:

Some very nice features and top quality.


You can reach this point without drilling:

 

[flix29]

Thank you.

First stuff arrived:

Big thanks to Bitspower...

and Aquatuning.

mounted the pump, I think it is looking damn good

 

[flix29]

Next update:

To mount two 360 and one 240 radiator I had to change the position of the original radiator mounts.
So I've cutted some wholes into the frame... and installed some new mounting plates.

...and installed some new mounting plates.

test fit:

To give the case a little bit more stability, I installed some alu sheets on the front of the case.

filed the aluminium until my arms hurt ...

next test fit:

thats it for now.

 

[flix29]

Another very nice package arrived these days.
It includes a very good looking Power supply from Superflower, thank you Caseking
1200W of white Power

I was not sure if the small reservoir will look good, so I made a new one.
Finally I decided to use the bigger ones, that means 250mm instead of 110mm.

Thats why I also needed some new covers for the reservoirs.

At first I've cutted some tubes to the right length, after that I marked the wholes on adhesive tape:

To drill the wholes, I need to fix the parts:

I pre-drilled with a 3mm drill, after that I used a 20mm one.

After that, I used a angle grinder to cut the rest, works very good

filing:

temporary result:

besides that, I cutted a plate to mount the pumps:

I really love to play arround with Bitspower stuff

Thats it for now... I have to to do some exams the next week, than I will continue

 

[flix29]

Thank you guys.

Originally I planed to use a X79 System. Instead of this I will use a Z97 System.

And I can proudly present you two more Sponsors.
Kingston supports this project with two of the Kingston HyperX 3K SSDs in the special white 240gb version.

Besides that, they sent me two Kits of the Kingston HyperX FURY 1866 Memory, also in white.

Thanks for that

Besides that Gosumodz supports this project with some sleeving gear.
Also a big thanks to them, for the support.

I will use Arctic White, Steel Grey and Cosmic Purple

The new Alliance Combs will match perfectly to this project, but there are still some missing.

I also orderd some white connectors at Gosumodz, makes it a lot of easier and cheaper to order them in there than in asia.

See you with the next update.

 

[flix29]

Hehe
I feel exactly the same when I see amazing builds.


This small alu profiles are need to mount the mountingplates for the pumps and reservoirs.

The mountingplate for the pumps was already cutted, I just need to add some holes.

Some more sheets for the reservoir mounting plates and rad covers.

More mounting blocks...

Mo...Mo...Mo...Monster Drill :jawdrop: (3mm/18mm)

With this big drill, the holes in the centre was drilled. The contour of that was cutted with a scroll saw.

Putted everything into the case:

What do you think?

 

[flix29]

Exceptional work so far man, really! Love the colour scheme so far. These are my kinda mods, fabricating parts, filing then down to fit, taking a case and cutting and modding it and putting way more stuff in it than was intended! I love the front panel and side reinforcements you made but tbh, I think my favourite part are the res holders. They turned out awesome!

Thank you. Still a lot of work like this to do... complet exterior will be redone

I wasn't too sure about the ally tubing, although all together that looks great.

Wish i had the skills to do things like that.

In my oppinion every one can do something like this. Just take your time and it will work.

The sleeves for the reservoirs are so cool! The top corner where the radiators meet looks like it will be tricky though.

Yes it is... needs a lot of Bitspower stuff to do the loop in this corner.



The first polished Reservoir cover is done.
It looks much better than I have expected.
Until know I need nearly 20h for one cover....

 

[flix29]

Time for a small ne update.

A new package frome Bitspower arrived these Days. tanks a lot.

This includes among other things these two pump tops: Bitspower Premium Magic-Cube Type DDC MOD TOP G1/4" (Acrylic Version).

The nice thing with the magic tops is, that they can e connected very easy and in a lot of variations.

They also fit on the mounting plate which was planed for the other pump combos.

besides that, the package includes a new CPU block: Bitspower CPU Block Summit EF.
It will match the color scheme perfectly.

I also have done some things on the case.
The motherboard tray needs to go.
I need the space for optimized tube routing

the tray:

Try to find a good combination for the pump outlet, not that easy... ^^

result:

On the one side there will be a temp sensor and on the other side a tube to the 240mm radiator on the bottom:

Thats it for now

 

[flix29]

I like it.

Very white. I like it

Nice looking build

Thank you.

out of of everything so far the thing i love the most if the tube rez covers they look amazing.
You should send that design off to Ek and see what they say that design looks just right

Thanks, I dont think that EK is interested in products like this. Red Harbinger offers a similiar product and EK didnt copy that until now.

Thanks for subbing. :thumb:

I got some really nice hardware fromKFA2.
KFA2 supports this project by offering a GTX 970 HOF.

Thanks a lot.

I think this card is one of the best looking VGA Cards on the market at the moment.

what is better than one card?
correct, two cards! :clap:

and what is better than two cards?
three? no... Two cards with nice blocks from Bitspower! :clap:
Thanks to Bitspower.

 

[flix29]

Yeah,
I think best available combination of vga and block at the moment.


I removed the cover of the motherboard, I think it looks much better this way.
just the green an beige colored connectors muck up the look.

Also removed the air cooler vom the KFA2 GTX970 HOF cards

insert the cards...
After I've done this, I realize that the white tones are not the same.

After that I mounted the Bitspower Summit.
I dont know yet, if i will keep the black mounting mechanism or change it with a nickle plated one.

At first I dont want to use the white backplates, but meanwhile I think it looks much better with this backplates than without.

With mounted backplates:

What do you think?
Does it look better with or without the backplates?

Some more random pictures:

I will be back in a few days, I hope.

 

[flix29]

Yes, meanwhile I think it looks much better with backplates.

New Update: new motherboardtray

After a lot of measuring and marking I cutted a 3mm Aluminium sheet and drilled the first wholes.

I also need to cut some wholes where the graphics card can be putted in.

I forget a picture of the finished wholes... here it isnt already filed.

After that I need some new motherboard standoffs. I had to made my own because there werent any standoff in the correct sice available.

Test fit:

 

[flix29]

Thanks a lot for your kind words.
This is how a worklog makes a lot of fun.

The following update is the last one of the past. You are updated now and all following posts are actual.



I've designed a PCB to give the interior a cleaner look.

The layout is drawn with Target. I thought I can do this in one evening... not really... takes my three days.
A lot of measuring, drawing the connectors, big mistakes... etc...

At first I want to summerize same potentials, but at the powersuply I couldnt recognize same potentials with the multimeter. I dont know if this is caused by some protective mechanisms or somethin like that...

The circuit board has a 400my copper cover on both sides. I hope that is thick enough to keep the heating on a nice level even under full load.
maybe I will get some problems at the 24Pin lanes... we will see... ^^

layout side 1:

layout side 2:

The problem is, that I have forgotten to mirror the layout before printing...
I dont have an easy access to a laser printer... so its a problem. At the first try I asked a freind to print it for me... to complicated, so i ordered my own printer.
Tis is how it works: direct-toner-method


Some pages out of a catalog glued on a normal blank page and printed:

cutted to right size:

I wanted to try if the transfer from paper to copper works, so I cutted the PCB:

I take the electric iron and start to transfering:

the result was really bad... :duh:
Second result with much more preasure comes out much better but even not perfect. I hope it will become better when i have my own printer and can change the settings of the printer.

 

[flix29]

Its for the power supply. I cant describe You will see it when its done.

No progress on the PCB but on another site.

Until now I didnt make any progress on the exterior, this has to change.

A package from Plattenzuschnitt24.de arrived yesterday, thanks for the nice support.

Based on this, I could start working.
At first I cutted some profiles:

mounted to the case.
Some acrylic sheets I've ordered fitted perfectly into this rails.

After that, I have done the cover for that.
At first some cutting:

finished cuttings:

To avoid a gap between window and cover I milled some notches into the acrylic. I dont have any pictures of that but you can see them a little bit in the following pictures.

Thats it for now.
Next step: New front.

 

[flix29]

Thank you.
Yes the motherboard tray is cutted with a scroll saw. I will paint it.
I hope I can do that the next week.


Today I continued with the front.

At first I need to mark all cutting edges before I can start sawing.
After this was done, I took the saw and my dremel:

After that I fieled down the edges... but I dont have any pictures.


For making a bending form, I bought some MDF.

Finished the bending:

Tried everything on the case:

Tomorrow I will glue this parts together.

 

[flix29]

flix29 is your day job Mad Scientist? This is epic work you are doing I'm really looking forward to what you do with the psu I'm intrigued !!

Thank you.

The profile on the MDF is perfect, well spotted. I was thinking about using an old MDF kitchen counter for the same reason. The front cover looks very interesting so far, can't wait to see more!

Incidentally, I've thought about using a router (nice Festool btw ;P) on acrylic panels but thought it would melt or burn the plastic but judging by the pile of shredded plastic it looks like you managed it! Did you have to do anything in particular with the router to get a nice finish?

MDF is a very nice material to work with. Glued together at the moment. I will make the top cover later. An update will follow on sunday because im not at home tomorrow.

The festool OF1010 is the best tool I ever bought. I have no problems with melting plastic or something like that, even if I just use very cheap milling cutters. But I think this has nothing to do with the router, it is caused by the acrylic. In the past I just bought "Plexiglas XT", because it was cheap. For a few euros more I bought "Plexiglas GS" and this is so much better to work with, no melding, nice bending etc. Everything is better.

 

[flix29]

no problem.

Small Update:

All parts glued together:

Started grinding and filling:

Tested the result by using some primer.
Its not perfect but looks really nice, I think.

I friend helped me to engrave the logos of the sponsors to the sidepanel.
I think it comes out very nice. With some light behind it, it will look even better i think.

 

[flix29]

Thanks for the kind words.