Project: MNU by Kylevdm

Hey!

Well it has been a very long time since I gave any of you any updates! I have been incredibly busy with school work preparing the move to university and also doing lots of background stuff for this mod which has meant there was no point in continuing on with the actually modding of this PC. Why may you ask? Well I would like to say a massive thank you to Fractal Design for sponsoring this mod with their new case, the Fractal Design Define R2. Although it has not arrived yet it will do in the near future!

Thanks Fractal!
 
name='Ducky Spud' said:
Nice job getting sponsored :) Look forward to seeing more work on this project, looked like it was going to be a good one lol
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Cheers Ducky! I am really looking forward to cutting on the R2
 
It is update time! Yes, I said it! UPDATE time! I had a nice knock on the door today, from the couriers... and what did they drop off at my door? The Fractal Design Define R2 which this mod is now based on. As you may have gathered I am ever so slightly hyper about the fact and for that reason, I am going to let the pictures talk rather than attempting to put how I feel about this case in words...

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This case is pretty awesome, as many people have expressed the panels are a bit thin in some places and is not the lightest case in the world but when you remove the side panels which have the Bitumen sound damping material the case is not that heavy at all!

Now that I have taken the before pictures... I think it is just about time for me to get closer to the “after” pictures, eh? I am hoping to have another update in the next few days if not you lot need to start pestering me, OK? Right now that you have accepted your mission it is time for me to accept mine, and break out the Jigsaw and drill and start stripping this B-E-A-U-tiful case down and start prepping the surfaces for painting and cutting.
 
I really dont like that case at all, looks like an Antec P180 copy tbh. Its also far too much money for what it is. The Xigmatek Utgard absolutely rapes the fractal on every level.

Meh its ok where its a freebie but I wouldnt suggest anyone buy it :D
 
name='tinytomlogan' said:
I really dont like that case at all, looks like an Antec P180 copy tbh. Its also far too much money for what it is. The Xigmatek Utgard absolutely rapes the fractal on every level.

Meh its ok where its a freebie but I wouldnt suggest anyone buy it :D
Click to expand...

I quite like it but I am slightly biased after being given the opportunity to work with it. It gives me loads of challenges to over come especially getting a PA120.3 in it :)

But as you say it was sponsored so I am not complaining :)
 
name='delusion77' said:
I agree with TTL. Id love to work with one of lianli's elegant cases.
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haha, wouldn't we all?

name='siravarice' said:
I actually thought that was a P180 Mini when I first looked at it lol. I hope you're gonna do somthing good! :P
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It does look much like it but once you have opened it up it is nothing a like
 
name='xCowBoy' said:
Very interesting work log. Sure will follow. Well done.
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Cheers CowBoy!

Well I promised you an update... unfortunately it is nowhere near as big as I first hoped! Well to be honest it is not much of an update at all more just a few pictures of the case stripped down and some photographs of the tubing that I will be using in the machine.

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The chassis without all the plastic!

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the 3 bits that are make the front panel

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the fractal case has 2 sets of hole for watercooling... I am trying to work out the best way to cover them up or utilize them.

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The entire case is held together with black pop rivets ... I am going to attack them with a drill this week :)

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the white XSPC tubing

I may as well inform you what my plans are for the front panel... Well it is more of a, can you help situation. I want to keep the same design but change it in some way to allow me o still open and close the door which is a fundamental feature of the case. I was thinking of potentially just increasing the size of width of the bull bar to all the door to open without blocking it in anyway. You have any ideas?
 
Oooo, look at this another update this week... Not much of an update but when I got this done this evening I thought it was worthy of an update.

Before I got the case from Fractal Design I asked Bill if a triple radiator would fit into the case and his answer was yes, it is possible... So I went ahead and organised to get the case shipped off to me. Today I had a few minutes between studying to strip out the drive bays, which are no longer needed as I wanted to be able to watercool this beast and had other plans for the drives, but once I had removed the 10 or so rivets and attempted to place the radiator it I was faced by a this!

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The old style Thermochill PA 120.3 is a match made in heaven for the Fractal Design Define R2! Take a look at how much space I have to play with on the top on bottom of the case, about 2mm in total.

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Looks like it will be neat once finished. Has this progressed any though? You were progressing with that old case but now your starting over?
 
name='Steve-O-' said:
Looks like it will be neat once finished. Has this progressed any though? You were progressing with that old case but now your starting over?
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Hey, sorry for the late reply! I have been diagnosed with viral labyrinthitis so have not been modding at all! :(

I am indeed starting again but this time with the Fractal design Define R2 as the base.

I have been told that this may last for up to 6 weeks so there may not be any updates for a while and for now I look like a drunk with no alcohol! And modding while "drunk" is not the best thing in the world I want to live past my 18th birthday!
 
Even though I am ill the postie is not! Look what arrived today :) :) :D My cables from NZXT!

The braid is a decent quality but the cables are black so you do not see any funky colours leaking through!!!!

CHEERS NZXT and excuse my slightly lazy photography of said cables I do not have the energy to set up a soft box to stop the reflections etc

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Oh and I am not planning on keeping them like that... there is going to be some modding done to them too :)
 
name='Steve-O-' said:
Good to hear. Although the mod is much more important than your health. :P j/k.
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I agree! Hence why my body has given up for a while... I am normal out and about 14-18 hours a day 7 days a week! I have come to the conclusion my body has been burnt out :(

but on a bright note!

I have another sponsor update :)

I am going to be working with TM3 Connections a company who supply audiophiles with everything they need!

TM3Connections originated from an idea born from a desire and passion to provide fellow enthusiasts with home audio and video equipment. Relentless in the pursuit of hi-fi perfection we like most of you have spent a small fortune, sometimes with very little gain.

We have realized that some Hi-fi kit was sometimes overrated, over marketed and certainly overpriced. There is a massive group of people who have already made the same discovery, preferring to construct their own designs or using other not so highly marketed brands which have a huge reputation amongst the various AV forums.

The members of TM3 have between them over 20+ years of experience in various fields ranging from wholesaling, engineering, electrical installation, marketing and accounting. Between us we have added our own individual talents and constructed a very able and enthusiastic group...
Click to expand...

They provide braiding too and are kind enough to send me enough braiding to sort this mod out!

Now for the little amount of really ish modding I have managed lol... I have only really managed to mask stuff off and start marking it out.

The front panel is going to have to have to be completely remodelled! The Fractal case has small lips on the fan holes which I am going to have to get rid of so I have marked out a 1cm border which will get rid of the lip as shown below :)

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marked out front panel

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