Thermaltake UK Modding Trophy 2018 #TT20

LuckyBenski said:
Subbed! Love that case, been lusting after it but can't justify putting yet another build on the queue... Maybe I'll be satisfied watching someone else work in it!

Thanks for subbing, the case is huge.

AML Custom Pc · 10 Oct 2018 at 13:38

alex crossland said:
So. Much. RGB.

Yes a lot of RGB, for this build I am just going to stick to one maybe 2.

AML Custom Pc · 13 Oct 2018 at 16:40

Small update,

Had some more goodie from thermaltake,

Thermaltake Dasher Gaming Mouse mat,

Thermaltake X1 RGB, think I am going to mod this.

TT esports Nemesis mouse RGB

Like I said in my last build log I will be updating once I have more products.

If you have any question please feel free to leave them below

AML Custom Pc · 8 Nov 2018 at 19:17

Hey sorry for the lack of update, this one is a bigger one, finding it hard to mod, work, family and time to post.

[URL='https://flic.kr/p/MHYSxc']I do need some feed back on this post, I don't know if I am going to use pastel fluid or clear with dyes we have lots to choose from, I was going to go orange and black.

Here is the choices,

I have also have another package from Thermaltake,

We have some 90 degrees fitting and some extension, I am still awaiting on c-pro fittings,

We have 2 Pacific RL 360 Rads,

I also got a bending kit and 2x Pacific pump res combos.

The Thermaltake Pacific Lumi Plus, I am going to integrate these in to the custom distro plates.

And last but not least I have been sent Pacific V-RTX 2080 series waterblock, this is a great looking block, can't wait to get my graphics card from Asus.

Ryzen 2700X

Asus 2080, can not believe how big the heatsink is

Asus Strix Motherboard,

Testing,

I have spent a few days testing paint, machine settings, and even did a quick test on some cable combs, I have also got some sleeving that I will be using, went with orange, carbon and black.

I just need to pick up all the cast acrylic on saturday and then it is full steam ahead.

Cable combs.

]

I have upgraded my CNC to the work bee from ooznest,

]

Did a little test on machine speeds and feeds,

]

This will be the colour, I am using for the sleeving,

]

I didn’t know if I wanted to paint my fittings so I did a test think I am going to go black with a hint of orange.

]

Think I am going to stick with the black and maybe add some orange.

I will try and show every process of me making my distro plates, so if you are not following the build log best hit the follow button.

Richard[/url]

AML Custom Pc · 9 Nov 2018 at 18:26

Baden said:
As a Thermaltake fan i'm looking forward to seeing the finished product! Sweet design lads!

Thanks glad you like.

AML Custom Pc · 18 Nov 2018 at 19:04

So I have a few days off work this week have the house to myself so thought it was best to get a move on, so I have pull this case apart.

I dont need the back or mid plate as I will be replacing these with distro plates, here is a litlle sneak peek,

I have have no back on the case, I can start the basement, this is going to house the PSU the res and pumps and RTX 2080 card.I want to have a false floor, this will help cable manage the fan cables pump.
Start with marking it out.

I did make a mistake here, I had to move the RTX back 30mm I amended this when I cut the acrylic.

This could have cut with a jigsaw and filed down put I wanted to to use the CNC, plus the more I use it the more knowledge I get.

forgot to share my stack of acrylic I am sure I will need more.

I have place the false floor in to the case and add a big piece of acrylic on the back I am using 3 of these for just the back distro plate.

Its, start to look like something.
I tested the psu, I want this to over hang so it goes through the back of the case.

Think it looks good, at least I know the holes are straight.
Next was to try and get everything level, the has really pee me off, because I want to make the distro at the back of the case, and the case is being judged I need all the edge match and need it to work. I used the CNC to take a mm off at a time on the bottom and the side. I took 5mm each side and it was still a bit off, here is a photo any way.

I know the cause and a way to fix it but I will do that once I have done the distro plate but will need to do it before I put the mid plate in.
This is what I want to make, this will be on the back of the thermaltake level 20 xt.

I have never seen one done where the loops cross over in the distro plate, I have never done one before and with my old machine I had only ever done basic 120 res nothing as big as this and with a short time frame, here we go.
I am using 10 mm cast acrylic 365mm by 465mm. We are doing a base, this is one loop, middle for the second loop, and the third is the lid.
I made a custom bracket on my waste board so I new where to place the acrylic so each piece is using the same zero on the CNC.
This is what we started with,
Lid

I machine out the gpu, psu and the io, and drilled all the holes, everything going well.

Next, We do the middle

Everything still going well, and for the base.

Now that we have every thing is cut we need to tap the holes this didn't go well I normally use 3.3mm hole and use a m4 tap with my drill, this have always work for me when I have made custom motherboard trays and always did it this ways, should have done it by hand as the bit got to hot and was not doing the thread just a hole. I was gutted saw the light, when I should have just taken my time.
We did get a few positives it looked great everything fitted well and I could start to see my vision.
Negatives I messed up on the taps and I will need to sand the channels down.

I did test fitted it in to the case and it look great.

I was hitting my head off the wall and needed to step away, trying to think of a way for it to work.

The next day I went back to the shop and re bought the acrylic, I changed the design just a little bit and went back to the machine,

This time when it was all completed I taped all holes by hand,

Once the holes were tapped I needed to screw them all in.

At this point I was yes it done, just need to leek test,

I filled it up and left it over night, the blue tape on the photo below is the fill line

As you can see it drop on a little but its too much.I added a few more screw but it does not seem to work.

I have spoke to a few people, I have no idea where the water is escaping and it could be an issue with the o ring channel could have a few deep pockets, it means the o ring is not sitting right.

Now I have two of them.

I now need to think how I can fix this, or I need to rethink the distro, maybe I should not over lap the channels.

Any ideas leave them below.

Thanks for taken the time to read the post.

AML Custom Pc · 18 Nov 2018 at 23:21

LuckyBenski said:
This is looking amazing so far!

If you empty the distribution unit and then disassemble can you see where the moisture is going? It's hard to tell from photos but I wonder if it's seeping between the panels via capillary action.

What are you using for gaskets? Are the channels clean and smooth? Have you checked the entire mating surface of the panels for swarf/imperfections/burrs of acrylic?

I'm surprised you can use a tap set with a machine, usually you have to turn it one half turn by hand then back it out, repeatedly, so it's very much a hand only job. Using it like a drill will just drill out the hole smoothly, or crack the material.

I have checked them all one of the channels for the o ring is deeper than it should be and the second sheet does not seem to be sitting right, I have decided to do the hole back panel again, going to change the design, don’t have much time left the system gets pick up on the 7th dec.

AML Custom Pc · 27 Dec 2018 at 16:14

Right guys, I had to start the Mod again, with me changing the back distro, it meant all my sizes were out.

I started with a simpler design but still has the WOW factor, I think this is just down the the size of the case, I did remove the second loop. I also have to change how I want to mount the panel back to the case, I did want to keep both side panel but I will be removing one of them.

Once I made the new back, and sorted the mount for the top panel and side panel, I was happy to start the internals.

I started in the basement I recut the bottom panel this is 20 mm from the base of the case I have done this to hide the cables going to the 3 control boxes, which will sit behind the screen you should be able to see these from the right hand side and the top of the case.

Once I was happy with this I started with the side panel which will hold the screen, I am using the screen to show celebrate thermaltake product over the last 20 years.

You can see I am sticking to the plan I submitted to the competition.

These are the cable combs I will be using.

I even made some little brackets to hold the mid plate in place,

Once I installed the brackets, I added the mid plate which will hold the motherboard, passthroughs and another custom distro plate. I will be keeping the mid plate clear so you can see straight into the basement.

I have added the sponsors logos to the side panel, I got this mod from the modding pages on bit-tech, I have used etching cream to etch the side panel. I tested this on the project no name side panel.

I cut a TT logo out on vinyl, applied the logo and then applied the cream I left it on for around 15 min and then washed it off,

Before,

After,

I am very happy how this turned out, I just want it to be seen.

Now it was time to do the side panel,

You will have to trust me, the panel looks great, you will see this in final photos.

Next I need to add the vinyl to the side panel and paint the screen cover, this didn’t take to long, I cut the logos on my vinyl cutter and applied them to the side panel. I have added these to the top panel which will be painted matt black and I will be painting the reverse side orange.

The screen fits in great.

Apply all sponsors logos

Test fit

The panel is all set for paint,

I have also ran my cables from the psu these are now in place and will not be removed, they look great.

[URL='https://flic.kr/p/MHYSxc']Right guy's I was running out of time, and didn't want to miss the dead line so here is #TT20 hope you like it.

Hope you all like the photos.[/URL]

Sorry again that I jumped to the finished photos. I need to make sure I completed it on time