Project: Blackfenix

[BuToNz]

Project: Blackfenix (WIP)

So here is my Bitfenix Prodigy build, decided to move away from full towers as all my gaming is done in the living room now.

ALL PICTURES BELOW ARE FROM THE WIP STAGE! When complete there will be high quality/resolution pictures taken.

Specifications:

Bitfenix Prodigy Midnight Black (Of course )
Intel i5 3570k @ 4.4GHz (Stock volts)
OcUK branded H80 AIO
Asrock Z77E-ITX
8GB Black Dragon 1600MHz
MSI GTX570 Twin Frozr III Power Edition
2x 120GB OCZ SSD (RAID 0)
Corsair TX550M PSU
Zalman ZM-MFC1 Plus Fan Controller
1x 200mm Bitfenix Spectre Pro Red LED
2x 120mm Bitfenix Spectre Pro Red LED
Razer Naga Molten Edition
Q-Pad MK-85 (Red switches)​

Modifications done:

• Paint front fascia surround black from silver
• De-badge and relocate (Carbon Fibre wrap and magnet) >>>Clicky<<<
• Add LED's to inside panel adjustable via fan controller
• Add LED's to underside with 'fade' effect controller >>>Clicky<<<
• Replace power/HDD status LED's with red ones from the original blue >>>Clicky<<<
• Sleeve 24pin/8pin with paracord 550 (Black, Charcoal Grey and Red)
• Replace plastic side panel thumb screws with higher quality metal screws >>>Clicky<<<
• Silver Zinc WASD/ESC key caps >>>Clicky<<<
• USB blanking caps to hide blue USB ports on front panel
• Sleeve GPU power (6pin PCI-E x2)
• Sleeve front panel connectors >>>Clicky<<<

Modifications planned:

• Sleeve fan cables and Molex/SATA power
• Create 'blanking' plate to hide cabling on sides of PSU bay
• Under motherboard lighting

WIP Pictures!
Sleeving work:

Spoiler

24pin Sleeved in paracord

8pin and 24pin Sleeved in paracord

My first practice cable

6pin PCI-E's

Front panel connectors

Modifications:

Spoiler

Carbon Fibre Case Badge

Front Panel Status LED's

Thumb Screws

Key caps

Benchmarks:

Spoiler

3DMark11 (Performance)

Heaven 3.0 (Maxed)

CrystalDiskMark:

ATTO:

IntelBurnTest:

Temps:
(1hour of Prime95 Blend):

More to come

 

[BuToNz]

Looking good & nice shots. What braiding have you used, looks like Paracord?

Thanks! Indeed it's paracord, using the shrinkless method. Still training it to stay in line quite a bit more to do sleeving wise.

 

[BuToNz]

Updated with more pictures, specifications and plans!

 

[BuToNz]

Update: Finally getting a replacement from MSI, they are sending a shiny new GTX 570 Twin Frozr III Power Edition! Should go really well with my colour scheme so will be updating this thread sometime before the weekend. Stay tuned!

 

[BuToNz]

very nice doesnt the badge on the mouse scratch your hand?

Lol! I've made it magnetic so I can stick at where I like on the case. On mouse shot was just to show.

Nice braiding work!

Also, what keyboard is that?

Thanks buddy It's a Qpad MK-85

Looking good!! Love the braiding... Is it easy to braid with paracord then? I see it's cheaper than normal braid/sleeve. Also, did you use 4mm for your cables? I use standard 550 Paracord which is around 4mm, if you like I can PM you the ebay seller I buy from, he's got really cheap high quality stuff. I know people who have ordered and it's been hit and miss on quality.

Thanks,
Cam.

Thanks! Pretty easy to sleeve with paracord, I use a little bit of masking tape on the pin to stop snags. Then melt the end and twist it on so I don't need to use heatshrink (Apart from on the practice cable of course).

 

[BuToNz]

GTX 570 arrived today, couple of scuff's on the cooler which is a little disappointing (I'm a bit OCD about these things). But hey, runs much nicer than previous reference GTX 570 so I won't complain. Currently stress testing for the day, I'll get some benchmark screenshots up.

Perhaps later today or tomorrow I will install PSU (Currently using an old one which is sticking out the back a little) followed by a nice bit of cable tidying.

 

[BuToNz]

Picture update!

Spoiler

Before and after sleeving

Completed both 6pin PCI-E's

Teaser of the inside of the case (Complete with sleeved PCI-E's)

With side panel on

Things done today:

• Installed PSU/Routed cables
• Sleeved both PCI-E 6pin extensions
• Added USB front panel blanking

Things to be done over the weekend:

• Sleeve SATA cable and front panel connections
• Tidy up wiring as best as possible and zip tie in place
• Figure out a good way to blank off the PSU bay

 

[BuToNz]

Having looked at your mouse I went out and bought the same one.. It's very sexy indeed.

Nice to look at, pain in the ass to keep clean! My left click keeps going 'Soft', I've found out it's due to the plastic prong which clicks down on to the microswitch 'shaves' tiny bits of itself off. A quick blow under the left click fixes it, seems to be a common issue with the V1 Naga's

I think you'll come across the same issue in a matter of time, but hey it's covered by warranty

 

[BuToNz]

Any 550 paracord will be fine, best place is to look on the bay

My technique:

1. Remove wire
2. Measure the length by pulling the wire in line with the paracord, measured from the very end of the cable (Where it is crimped down)
3. Hit ends up of the paracord with a lighter slightly (Less than half a second) this will stop fraying
4. Tape over either pin with masking tape
5. Pull sleeving over the wire making sure it doesn't snag
6. Heat up pin with lighter for couple seconds (Close to the paracord) then squeeze the paracord while hot to bond to the pin
7. Pull paracord tight and do the other end in the same way
8. Clip back into the connector and give it a pull to make sure it's in properly

Can get some pictures up if anyone is interested in my method?

 

[BuToNz]

Another picture update!

Spoiler

All I've done is sleeved the front panel connections - I'm waiting on a suitable SATA power cable to arrive, still pondering how I will make a PSU blanking plate. Idea's welcome! I'm far from done with this, still lots of cable management to do but I need to save this until all the cables are ready (IE I've done the SATA power).

 

[BuToNz]

SATA power completed today (Heatshrink end not as tidy as I'd of liked but it won't be on show anyway):

Spoiler

 

[BuToNz]

Still awaiting a custom order, since then I've just been sleeving to pass the time!

 

[BuToNz]

Power cable braided:

 

[BuToNz]

Loving the custom braiding and the new logo.

Looking really nice

Thanks!

That power cable looks awesome! I love the attention to detail everywhere else too.

How are the metal keycaps? I was thinking of getting some but not sure if it's worth sacrificing the illuminated letters.

They were nice to use no doubt, I used them in conjunction with some rubber O-Rings to dampen the bottoming out. I have since moved on though to a Corsair K70...update incoming