KNS-04: Cube

[Kumo]

I know, i know... So looooong since my last modding project. But i'm back with a real project. I've just started it, but as you can see, it's taking shape. It is a PC for downloading and other auxiliary tasks, as others projects of mine that you might have seen, but more sophisticated, not in components (nothing very special), but in design.

The Cube
I found this lighted CD storage in a shop. And spent some days thinking about it. And after return to the shop with a measuring tape, i had to buy it. The design is cool and i've wanted, since my last projects, to build a red computer (Primary) because my other mods are mainly dark colored.

By the moment, i'm not going to use the lights board that you can see in the pic below, but i want to light the case with red lights to get an effect close to the original lightning (first pics). The board looks very simple and upgradable, so perhaps i will use it in another porject. Below that, you have a comparison between the original board, and the Epia board, for this machine.

The Mod
The firs step is to make some room for the components. So, after removing the original board, i cut the bottom of the inside cube. That way i can operate parts easily and venting all casse with a single big fan at the front/top.
Cutting the inside cube isn't easy. You don't have many space to maneuver with the (fake)Dremel and the low visibility inside. So, after cutting, i had to retouch and file edges, a lot. Anyway, without the bottom side, the duty is easier.

Now, you can figure how it will looks at the end and the visibility of the components (althougt front/top mesh and fan will cover them a lot). Some red lights are required (in the To-Do list)
To reach that last photo with the cube's inside view showing the board, you need to make the base, before. The base is made of plexy also, but factory black and silver painted (i have to fix that). At the final stages of the project it will need more work, but by the moment, only the basis is needed: Holes for motherboard screws and a big one for wires.

The board is not centered on the base, i left more room in one side to put controls (buttons and others) and let the PCI slot be still functional.

The first auxiliary work i've done is to make/adapt a fan speed regulator, for the main fan (120mm) placed in the cube's hole.
It is a cool mini-project by itself, to test my (a bit rusted) skills with the soldering iron.
The origins are in a cannibalised 3 channel AKASA fan control. By one side, for this mod i only need one regulator. On the other side, the needed parts were there and i didn't have to buy anything.

Basically, all the job is: 1) Desoldering the part from the original board. 2)Estudying how the circuit is routed. 3) Attacht them back in the most compact and nice way that you can achieve. 4) Put an extra wire for the RMPs meter. 5) Your personal touches... Heatshrink, painted edges... All you want.
It's a small job to make a full guide so, if more info needed, just ask me

And that's all, by the moment. Althoug this is not a very long and complicated project, it will take me some time, because i need to get some componets and over all, some time to get a quality finish. I hope you understand it. As soon as i'll have more pics of the following steps, i'll publish new posts.

[SXRguyinMA]

this thing looks like its going to turn out neat

[The boy 4rm oz]

That cube looks awesome, nice find. A fantastic start. Can't wait to see how it turns out.

[aintnothang]

cool.

[SXRguyinMA]

stupid spammers

[progbuddy]

Originally Posted by SXRguyinMA

stupid spammers

Seriously...

Anyways, this mod looks like it's headed in a good direction. Good luck to ya. ^^

[FuzzyPlushroom]

This is gonna be a neat little mod, I think. Looking forward to seeing how you pull off the lighting! +sub

[Kumo]

Thank you, guys. I'm cooking the next post.

By the moment, the most difficult part is to find a suitable PSU. Perhaps the best option will be a kit with a Pico-psu or such as. I could draw power for lighting from USB port, imo. Mmmm... Well, let me a while with the gimp to resize pics.

[Kumo]

Slow, but go on.

I bought this for the case:

2 120mm fans and a SATA 2,5"/ 250GB Samsung drive. 2 fans because i didn't know which could render better. The red and black one is silent and good looking (i have one on my desktop rig and performs very well) but maybe better for an industrial looking mod. While the dark red (a little pink on the pic) is lighted and blows more CFMs. Anyway, you never have to much fans, not for this case, but for another one
I know Epia boards doesn't need too much venting, but I like to use fans, just in case, and is useful to fill the gaps (That's is so big as 120mm, I installed smaller ones in others Epia projects). You know, bigger fans, more CFMs and more silent, usually.

Mesh
Resuming the works, I've done the mesh for the fan in the main hole. Actually, is bigger than the fan (120mm) as it has to cover all the opening (130mm). It's made from a portion of A.C. Ryan mesh that I grabbed from an laptop cooler dock (That's another history). I used pliers and hammer to shape it.

That's how it render in the hole. I like the black / red mix and the mesh fits perfectly,

At the end, I chose the dark red fan (dark when lighted). It works OK with the speed control (lights are also dimmed) and blows OK (up to 49.58CFM) noiseless, at any speed (up to 1200RPM). You can see the good effect with mesh and lights. For the test, I've used the bottom of the cube that I cut on my previously post.

Supports
I've had 2 ideas about fixing the fan to the case. I show you the first one, but is discarded. I'll use the second (in following posts) but I leave it here just to show you the development. And maybe someone will find it useful

The idea was to fix 4 plexy dices in the corners, but as they was too tall, I thought to lower them, with a better shape (and make them cooler). To get the shape, has to remove a lot of plexy with the (F)dremel.

The problem is that I cannot achieve, with my current tools, the precise shape i want (although the piece isn't so bad) IMO. In add, my second idea is better. I could put the fan as lower as the edge of the case is, and fill the gap between the inner cube walls and the fan.

On the other side, i almost choose a Pico-PSU as PSU for the mod (with an external AC/DC converter, like in a laptop). And if i can find something in eBay, it will has an optical drive (slim slot-loading, is the target).

[overmark]

Your project looks really good so far, great idea, keep up the good work!