unusual case mod idea

[Devo234]

Hi guys

As the title suggests ive had an idea for an unusual case mod and would like to hear your thoughts on whether you think its a good idea or even possible...

The situation:

i have a white bitfenix shinobi which i love and really would like to watercool when ive got my rig built. i know it only really has the option to mod a rad in the front but i would like to do a full cpu gpu loopwith two rads.

The idea:

i dont really need to have an atx board and i could easily live with an matx board. so my idea is to tap out some new threads for the mobo standoffs and modify the rear i/o panel to move the matx board as low down as i can get it. Doing this would allow me to fit a 60mm thick 360 in the front in push/pull and a 30mm thick 240 rad in the roof in push. the main reason i want to do this is because i havent seen it done in a shinobi before and more rads = more fans = lower speeds and noise.

Do you think this is a good idea and would it even be possible to modify the rear i/o in such a way?

All comments greatly appreciated

 

[SeekaX]

Hi guys

As the title suggests ive had an idea for an unusual case mod and would like to hear your thoughts on whether you think its a good idea or even possible...

The situation:

i have a white bitfenix shinobi which i love and really would like to watercool when ive got my rig built. i know it only really has the option to mod a rad in the front but i would like to do a full cpu gpu loopwith two rads.

The idea:

i dont really need to have an atx board and i could easily live with an matx board. so my idea is to tap out some new threads for the mobo standoffs and modify the rear i/o panel to move the matx board as low down as i can get it. Doing this would allow me to fit a 60mm thick 360 in the front in push/pull and a 30mm thick 240 rad in the roof in push. the main reason i want to do this is because i havent seen it done in a shinobi before and more rads = more fans = lower speeds and noise.

Do you think this is a good idea and would it even be possible to modify the rear i/o in such a way?

All comments greatly appreciated

there are a couple of things that would put me off.
1. you will have to mod an awful lot to make everything fit. you will need an entire new back panel.
2. an matx board in a shinobi would look really weird
3. why not buy a different case

shouldn't a rad be possible in the front when you rip out the HDD and 5.25" cages?
then you could have a 45mm/360mm top and a 45/60/80mm/240mm front.

 

[Devo234]

yh i realize it will be a lot of work to get it to fit but i really like this case and haven't really seen any other ones that i like more than this.

a 360 wont fit in the roof due to the front i/o being on top of the case and with a regular atx board there is only just enough room for the roof fansive just done a quick measure and i was to fit an matx board as low down as possible ill have about 80mm to play with in the roof. So i could fit either a 60mm in push or a 45 in push/pull. and with quite a few matx boards supporting sli/xfire i wouldnt be limited to a single card either and with two good size rads in there ide easily be able to cool them

 

[Yarek]

you might pull it off ..

- make sure you'll know how to make new threads and what thread it is. just drilling thru probably won't do. the thread holes usually are "partly punched thru" for gaining thickness for the thread lenght. you'll probably end up looking for rivet nuts.
- prepare yourself for that you might not be content with the final look, unless you make entirely new custom back plate.
- if you won't make new, then chopping it right above the psu
- cutting out the unneeded expansion slots
- add support bars in both corners right from the bottom to the top on both sides
- and make a plate to fill the empty space above(while doing so, might consider incorporating a fill port up there)

after all this, consider some paintjob for the back parts, so it would not look so crude.

and if you are considering cutting the mobo tray as well, consider saying goodbye your structural rigidity as well. unless you'll end up doing a lot more

its a simple thing to cut the case in half, not so simple to make it work

and, at last, how about Shinobi XL

 

[1woo]

I don't understand why everybody is trying to put him off. I'll say if You like modding and You feel like doing it, just jump on it and do it.

 

[Devo234]

Thanks for all the tips yarek. And i really like the idea of putting the fill port in the back panel i never would have thought of that.
I have even been thinking of custom making a new rear panel as that would be easier than modifying the existing one.

I did consider the xl version but i really like the smaller mid towers cases

Thanks 1woo i dont know if ill do it yet it was just one of those moments when i was starin at my rig and thinking what i could do to it lol.
I havent modded a pc before and really want too. Ive modded and custom built other things mainly modding cars and custom building snake racks.

Hopefully funds will allow me too fully watercool it soon

 

[Yarek]

well, if you have the access to right tools, making your own back plate, you might even consider cutting the mobo tray at the bottom, making some extension plate to fill the void up there between the tray and the roof, and perhaps go full lenght to the fronf panel if you are considering removing the 5,25" cage completely .. in other words, it's up to you, your hands are free

good luck with the funds too

 

[Feronix]

Maybe this is too easy but... What about drilling the holes for your rad off centre, like in the Arc Midi R2?

 

[Devo234]

Maybe this is too easy but... What about drilling the holes for your rad off centre, like in the Arc Midi R2?

It probably would work but i wouldnt like the way that the rad or fans would hang down cover quite abit of the board thanks for the suggestion tho mate

 

[Feronix]

It probably would work but i wouldnt like the way that the rad or fans would hang down cover quite abit of the board thanks for the suggestion tho mate

What about mounting the PSU in the 5.25" bay like Alpenwasser did in his ZEUS build. You can then easily mount a rad in the bottom under the motherboard. Don't need to mod the back panel that way, you'll just lose a few PCI slots if you use a reaaaally thick rad.

 

[Devo234]

ill check it out dude