airdeano's Rig Gallery - Project: Carbon Isotope 690

[airdeano]

Hello,

I am airdeano, I have been modding PC's for a bit and have started a project "Carbon Isotope 690".

This has all started as an old school case of Cooler Master's CM 690. Plain jane basics of a black

painted exterior, plastic front bezel and top panel, and unpainted interior. I do have the windowed

side panel with that ugly fan spot.

I had started CI 690 back in September as a notion, but with some research online and lurking in

OC3D and other forums, I'd decided to further the idea.

First, gotta field dress the case with all the older components. Disassemble the case, drill and

remove the drive cages and optical bays, top and rear supports, and i/o service.

Next, clean, sand/debur and prep metal surfaces. This was fun and tedious.

Then came the disaster. After applying the etching primer, I started to apply the top color coat in

light coats. After the fourth (waiting 10-15min flash-off) the last cover-coat was applied.

Then it happened, the paint was cracking and lifting in spotty areas. Mainly in high-view areas.

I had to wait 48hrs to view the carnage. broke out the sander and 80grit and it was coming off

in large flakes.. The areas not effected were stubborn and attached, but the layers was too

great to "fill" the gaps. So I had asked a powder coater friend to blast the case to bare. $45.00

later it was done. He graciously offered to coat the frame pieces for material cost. so that part

is done. Now to further the completion. The white 3M Di-NOC is on order along with some other

vinyl knock-offs to compare finish, ease of application and asthectics.

So where are we?, I will assemble the case together without the HDD cage, optis are in danger of

not making it either. motherboard tray has been updated with a cpu cooler cut-out, psu pass-through

and will be fiber-wrapped. The topand front panels have been deribbed behind the mesh. Mesh color

is undecided to remain black or color them white. fthe psu area will need to be smoothed and consider

radiator support. The top of the case has had the "grille" area removed for either the 240 or 360 radiator

support. I have 120.2 and 120.3 radiators for comparison and fittment. Up till now I haven't really sorted

the manufacturers of this build, but as "things fit" into the case i will then show manufacturer support.

Sorry for the long post, but I'm loving this hobby and wanna share..













any comments, questions or suggestions are gladly appreciated.

airdeano

[dugdiamond]

specs please

also... it would be nice to see inside your case, with everything too

[tharionos]

aye specs and inside pics !!!!!

[airdeano]

Originally Posted by dugdiamond

specs please

also... it would be nice to see inside your case, with everything too

currently for pix, the case is in major pieces.

specs to date are:

custom crafted cooler master 690 (in progress)

intel 2550k processor

gigabyte ga-p67a-ud7

8gb GSkill ddr3-2133 pc3-1700 (f3-17000cl11d-8gbxl)

msi n560gtx hawk

corsair hx850

noctua nh-d14

corsair force 3 90gb (boot)

no opticals (like tom, i dont like them everything is externally driven)

airdeano

[Larriy]

Nice to meet you I'm Romantically Round.

[TheEastSideGamers]

Pics from the internals please! And great specs mate

Is the 2550k any better than the 2500k?

[airdeano]

hello all,

been pretty nutty since the last update. but here goes.

i took the crackling frame to the powder coater and he dipped and blasted the case, but he went on

and coated the frame before i could finish modding the rest for "accessories". so i got the frame

back from the powder coater and it looks fine. but i'll probably have to re-do it, 'cause i'm not done

hacking, welding or fusing, but it'll do for now. pictures to follow. setting up hosting account for photos.

the plastics of the case are not finished, but closely represent the end look. i've used some nVidia case

blades for representation and will probably be black (or white). the mesh screen for the front will span

the complete front cutout. i'm thinking possibly replacing the mesh in the front panel with a tron lumination

plate, offset enough to allow air to pass to the 360 front radiator (possible move to a 420 radiator).

i'm ok about the roof panel. not wowwie enough. i'm thinking expanding the 120 fan area to 140mm

plasti-weld the opening and expanding it to 420mm (knocking out the panel i/o). and again finishing with

a grille treatment from front to back. and possibly use the same tron illumination panel on top. dunna know,

just running off options.

fab work:

frame - fill and smooth un-needed holes, mod radiator on front panel substructure, configure new res/pump

combination using alphacool DC-LT pump(s) and dual bay res (Tom's idea of four pumps - thanks TOM!),

look to machine res/pump adapter(s), locate res/pump location, fab 240 radiator uprights for side intakes (x2),

make decision if radiator in roof or fans, make decision on 360 or 420 front radiaitor selection (and stay with it!),

once decided, fab radiator/fan holding bracket. find cheaper countersunk rivots.

sheet metal - decide on side panel idea. received 500r panel (too large - good - for opening) possible tune

the size for cm690 or rob the bulge and attach to plain case side panel.

electrics:

PSU - got paracord, wire, ends and pins so get crackin' playing here in the forums gets no sleeving done.

WC - secure res/pumps



front shows radiator intake and cm690 blades.



side view with 360 in front, 240 on the wing on top of XSPC res/pump. the cm690 nVidia green blades

really show out, but lotta peeps can't stand them, especially the chrome ones, so i'll black or white them

out to blend astesitics(sp) with white prime and prep for white vinyl di-noc.



top view with OE mesh and i/o (blah..) gotta secure a couple of the top panels to fuze and finish the exhaust

dunna know if i'll keep the 120x60 rad in the PSU slot??

my brain is playdoh!

airdeano

[airdeano]

Originally Posted by TheEastSideGamers

Is the 2550k any better than the 2500k?

i've got it on the test bench "breakin' in" nothing thrashing, yet. i've posted 4.5 @ 1.29v @ 74° loaded 12hr on prime95 air (dh-14)

but i'll lean over and crank it down and up..just to "test the Magic Smoke" inside. i hadn't benchmarked it as of yet. kinda scrappy

with a 9400 gt. LOL the hawk(s) are in boxes.

airdeano

[airdeano]

alrighty then,



modified the front panel frame to accept 120.3 radiator (so that decision is outta the way)

the 140.3 was too tall by 25mm and the fan choices (for now) are low. the fans just do

come to the mesh line will need to buffer 1-2mm clearance for mesh and fans.



mocked up 500r side panel for dimensions and layout. the panel is larger in all aspects. the

air-flow feed seems to be sight-lined, but things change. possible mold in NACA duct for air

inlet.



hummm, looks to be a genuine pain in the ass, but you won't know until its all hacked up and

fitted.

airdeano

[mundivalur]

Looks like fun fun !