Storm'd!

[Defyant]

update!!!


ok! after much deliberation on my part! i decided to still run the EL wire...but not to join as seen before.


this time i will simply run 3 bolts! that originate from the single source.


and will use some freshly brought Blue EL this time.

Using the same technique shown above a groove or channel is engraved in the smoked overlay outer panel.

the channel is blown clean

and the first of the bolts is layed in the channel and is temporarily taped in before more permanat glueing is applied.

All three bolts are layed in connected to a common power and a thin beed of glue is applied and allow to dry.

The original plex panelis then drilled to allow the EL wire loom to feed thru and layed over the smked plex and bolted down.

A sandwich effect where the EL sits between the 2 panels.

A qick "lights out" test shows how well the wirie contrasts behind the tinted smked outer panel.

Last but no least is to (for now) temp glue down the "STORM'D" letters and fire it up again

the beuty is that the EL wire is sound controlled!!! and flashes like real lightening.


Here is a small 800k avi file showing how the lightening flashes.

Ejoy

http://www.goatlan.com/noozl/MVI_9009.AVI

[Defyant]

to help case cooling ive decided to add a mesh grill right above the HDD, this will allow the HDD to run cool and keep internal temps down.

hole is also cut in the orig plex panel and is routed to allow the edge of the mesh to "sit down" and allow the top shadow plex panel to remain flush.

The mesh will "blend in " better once the brown paper comes off.

[Defyant]

From front! to Rear!

You all know of course STORM'D will be water cooled, for the job of cooling water i've selected the BIX single 120 rad, with enuf air flow this rad should comfortably handle the job of keeping hardware temps to a reasonable level.

Again using the "PIGGY-BACK" style of mounting.

first obsticle to get around was the fact that the SUNBEAM case only has a 80mm hole @ the rear!!

There was no real way to simply cut the hole larger....there just isn't enuf room...and somthing ppl should take into a real consideration when choosing a SUNBEAM case!!!!


I'd have to use an adaptor!


An old 80-120mm clear plex adaptor i'd had laying around came to the rescue,

The next obsticle to the PIGGYBACK mount, was side slide panel!

On the SUNBEAM cases the side panel SLIDES out from the rear ! it dosn't open away like conventional cases.
and becasue the RAD is a 80-120mm adaptation it hangs past the side of the case by just a few anoying millimeters.

The solution is to make the RAD Modular! the RAD+FAN+ADAPTOR assembly has to some how be "MOVABLE" to allow the side on STORM"D to slide out.



Heres what i came up with.


The idea was to extend the original fan mounting holes one the back panel in a figure 8.

the bit of plex left between the 2 holes is dremeled away.

Next was to add a "LOCKING" system to the the ADAPTOR



The orig holes are thread tapped , HEX head bolts are fed thru, locking nuts are added to the rear and a decent glop of glue will hold them in place.

When mounted to the RAD and EverCool Allu 120 fan, the assembley looks like this.

After initial testing to see how strong the assembly would be, i decided that adding holes to the ADAPTOR would not weaken it's over all strenght and allow the 120 fan to draw in some extra needed air and help get over the restriction of the 80mm hole.

Last was to simply LOCK the unit into place!!!


The larger holes allow the HEX head bolts to pass thru the panel... they then slide lock down and secure on the smaller holes.

A simple "locking" device will be added to ensure the rad dosnt "unlock" itself

the the tight fit! and the wieght once filled should ensure thisdosnt happen.


All that will be needed as to leave a little extra slack in the Water hoses that lead out to the rad to ensure the modular design works.

[Defyant]

On the home stretch!!


Todays lil effort really moves this mod along

Tis was off to the local fastners shop to pickup the last and final batch of HEX heads.

I even managed to pich up replacemant HEX head bolts for HDD CDROM and case screws!!! altho i wont be using any on this mod i can sure find uses for these
sexy lil things on other mods!!!!!

Ive lost count how many hex heads are in this mod! and to be honest with the price of these things per item! i really don't wanna think about it

but the mod wouldn't half as special with em so i'll shut up

First thing this morning was to go back over and rework a few niggly things.

Its was pointed out that the over hang on the internal STORM duct grills could be seen.

A retrim fixed these

The Split loom cover that i's used on the wire for the 4 STORM duct fans was a bit bulky looking,,, so all the wires were redone and covered using more flexible
techflex.

The pump also got the Techflex treatment

Next was to bolt the REAR STOM duct panel back on.

With all the extra wires comming out the side i decided to make a "patch" panel

[Defyant]

this is more for asthectics more than any pratical reason! i just thought it would be a nice touch to add a plug in panel somewhere into this mod

its a simple 12mm strip of clear plex, that will sit along side of the STORM Ducts and work as a wire tidy




ive also added a Molex to supply power to the HDD as you will see further on.

2 x RCA power plugs will supply power to the Fans and to the pump.

The other 2 holes will act as wire tidys for the split loom.

.

Time to get down to some spaghetti management



With the Wire tidy secured in place and the fans and pump "hard soldered" to the RCA plugs its time to feed and cover the front panel wires.



These were a bit of a pain in the proverbial to do... because of the "tight fit" but the end result was well worth the effort.

[Defyant]

with that out of the way next was to bolt in the CDROM


The CDrom sits above the pump.

and slots into plase from the rear to help stelth it a little and not stand out so much internally its had a few coats of matt black

with the cdrom in place the Matrix Orbital is bolted back in

Next to go back in is the SATA HDD , with its custom brackets its till a simple 4 bolt installation.

[wingman358]

Lookin' good... I really like the simplicity of this case; it's not gaudy like so many others. Nice clean work.

[Defyant]

thanx wing!! soz i havnt been updating!!!!

better catch this thread upto date




A side shots shows that the HDD now sites sidways in the case.

The same splat loom is used for the SATA cable and some simple cable clamps are used to run the cable in the right direction.

Adding the power which wires down to the previously installed female molex

Again a cable clamp is used to give direction.

the whole area altho never actually seen! comes off as being more managable and tidier looking

[Defyant]

Again from the front -----to the ---> rear!


Almost forgot to add holes for the RAD's hoses to pass thru!

nothing super special here! holes are cut and flamed to keep the glassy factory look

with the board in the case is actually starting to resemble a working PC

[Defyant]

I had to think about this next idea for a few weeks!! the original plan to hold the top water tanks in place , was to glue small plex plates into the sides of the tanks

like plan flaps, then drill holes and bolt the tanks down onto the top of the case!

well i gotta admit! i wasnt keen to spoil these sexy lookin little tanks by gluing ugly wings!


today it came to me! a "locking slide latch type system"!!! yup! a mothfull in theory! but in practice a really easy simple design!


its kinda hard and ling to explain so add comment and hope the pics tell it right




The latches!

these connect to the existing top bezel bolts and silde back and forth

The Strom Res's have groves cut @ both eands ..these will be cleaned and flame polished!!

The Storm res's can then be lowered in from the top of the case and locked into place using the slide latch system.