Project: Compulsive

[Sneaky]

alright, I wanted to give you guys over here at OC3D a glimpse of whats going on with my and my SFF project

here's the worklog so far:

10/30/06

I've always wanted a small, but still powerful computer to play around with, for use as a LAN server for CS Source and other games. But at the same time, still be a functional gaming computer for when its not being used as a server.

Now, as the leader of the WFB High School tech club, we need a solid server to run games off of at our LAN Parties, which finally gives me an excuse to have some fun with a slick little SFF Build in the only SFF case that I have ever taken a true interest in for a build.

I present you with Project: Compulsive

Case/Components:

• Enclosure: Lian Li PC-V300B Black Aluminum MicroATX Desktop Case - HAVE

• Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo E4300 Allendale 1.8GHz 800MHz FSB 2MB L2 - NEED

• Motherboard: Abit Fatal1ty F-I90HD (ATI Radeon Xpress 1250 chipset, Micro ATX) - NEED

• Memory: 2GB (2x1GB) OCZ Platinum Revision 2 DDR2-800/PC2-6400 (4-4-4-15) - NEED

• Graphics: Sapphire ATI Radeon x800GTO² 256MB GDDR3 PCI Express x16 Video Card - HAVE

• Audio: Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeGamer 7.1 Channel PCI Sound Card - NEED

• Storage: 2x Hitachi Deskstar T7K250 250GB 7200RPM 8MB Cache SATA II (RAID 0) - HAVE

• 5.25 Devices: Black Samsung 52x32x52x16 CD-RW/DVD combo drive - HAVE

• Power: PC Power & Cooling Turbo-Cool 510-SLI - HAVE

Cooling:

• CPU Heatsink: Thermalright XP-120 - HAVE

• CPU Fan: Arctic Cooling AF12025 120X25mm (56cfm @ 24dba) - HAVE

Fans:

• 80mm Case Fans: 2x Arcic Cooling AF8025 80x25mm (26cfm @ 24dba) - HAVE

• 60mm Case Fans: 1x Panaflo L1 Ultra Quiet 60mm FBA06T12L (12cfm @ 24dba) - HAVE

• 40mm Case Fans: 3x Sunon 40x20mm MagLev Fan (KDE1204PKV3) (6cfm @ 18dba) - HAVE

 

[Sneaky]

11/02/06

got the case in today (I put extra silver LL thumbscrews on it for now until I get black ones - the screws that it shipped with were made of aluminum and started stripping out when I only took the side panels off of the case *shrug*

so far the case is nice as hell, and it definitely looks like a fun case to work with... can't wait until I get started on mods and building

 

[Sneaky]

11/02/06

I threw some rubber edge trim around the wiring holes in the drive bays to clean up the inside a little bit:

 

[Sneaky]

11/02/06

sleeved the front panel connectors:

 

[Sneaky]

11/04/06

started drawing out my first mods on the case:

modding the HDD cage backplate for a 60mm fan that will be on the outside of the case

and cutting out all the 40mm fan grill work on the back of the motherboard tray, as well as adding a third 40mm fan on that peice (all the X's mean that part is getting cut out)

 

[Sneaky]

11/04/06

got the first mod done:

cut it out with a scroll saw:

cut a small tab to allow wires to be routed into the case and put some rubber edge trim around the hole:

just threw a cheapie 60x15mm fan on there from an old PIII machine for mock-up until I get a new panaflow to take its place:

and installed:

 

[Sneaky]

11/05/06

today I grabbed some smaller edge trim for around the 60mm HDD fan hole that I cut to turn down the ghetto-looking-factor

 

[Sneaky]

11/06/06

got some round 5" anodized aluminum handles in from mcmaster today:

mock-up placement before holes were drilled:

holes drilled and handles installed - lookin good!

 

[Sneaky]

11/07/06

got the 40mm fan grills cut out and added the third 40mm in the center

 

[Sneaky]

11/11/06

got some flathead 8-18 stainless M3 screws painted black (first coat) to use in place of the thumbscrews on the side panels

 

[Sneaky]

11/12/06

the screws after a second coat of black, and a coat of clear - black, sexy, smooth, and shiny!

 

[Sneaky]

11/21/06

got some of the needed fans in yesterday (monday), and will hopefully get the rest of the fans + 40mm fan grills by the weekend

 

[Sneaky]

11/22/06

got the last fan I needed along with the 40mm fan grills today, sleeved them all, and installed them

lookin' good so far

 

[Sneaky]

11/30/06 (plans for mobo have since changed - the P5B-VM does not support RAID, nor OC very well)

got bored and printed out a 1:1 picture of the mobo I plan to get (Asus P5B-VM G965)... and figured out how the XP-120 would sit in the case

took a picture through the PSU opening - the 80mm side fan is basically right against the side of the XP-120 - hopefull it'll be able to fit in there alright on the actual board (you can see the fan clip resting just a mm or so within the fan housing - the actual board will be raised up about 1/4" from the standoffs and the clip should clear the fan then)

 

[Sneaky]

12/26/06

OK - so work has resumed on this project - the PSU (PC P&C 510-SLI) finally came today, so I got started on wire management:

first off, I rarely use the front panel connectors for USB/firewire/audio, so I pulled out the entire unit and replaced it with an aluminum plate that I cut out of an extra Lian Li 5.25" bay cover:

then I installed the sunbeam 6-port fan bus, and then started setting up all the fan wires that will go to it:

PSU got installed, and then I cut out a section of the bays to allow the PSU wires to pass through and be hidden:

and the back of the case with the PSU installed and vented PCI plates:

 

[Sneaky]

2/12/06 (finally resumed work on the project - really want to get this done, and then will just redo my main rig come late spring/early summer )

card is in - its an x800GTO² that will do 570/640 with upgraded cooling, for now its on stock, but I have a x850XT stock heatsink coming for it

now I still need an E4300, P5L2D-VM DH, and 2x1gb DDR2-667 before its actually up and running (going to be using my 2x250gb Hitachi T7K250 SATA II drives in RAID 0 for it)

 

[markkleb]

lookin nice, I always wanted one of those cases.

 

[FarFarAway]

Very vry slick as usual Sneaky, good work

 

[chudley]

Looking great, attention to detail (screws) is perfect. Just wonder where everyone would be without a dremel.

 

[Dav0s]

awesome, as with all your projects mate

whats next on the things to do?