Cowboy's Acrylic PC - It's finally HERE!

[MpG]

Originally Posted by Cowboy

Can anyone tell me if it would be ok to cut a little bit off the left side of this adapter's pcb? I need to cut it so that it fits.

What are you attaching that area to? It looks like the cross-hatched pattern of traces are a ground-plane for the board, since they meet up with the two middle pins on the mini-molex socket.

You should be fine cutting the board, as long as that part of the board is touching nothing else. And I'm fairly certain that you'd still be fine if it's touching the same case that the PSU is attached/grounded to. I'm just not 100% certain on how multi-voltage PSU's treat current that doesn't return on the same cable lines they left on, though. Maybe someone can verify that part of it.

When/if cutting the PCB, use a method that doesn't create much vibration, just to make sure that no solder joints crack/break elsewhere on the board. (This includes using a vice and a hammer )

[Cowboy]

Originally Posted by MpG

What are you attaching that area to? It looks like the cross-hatched pattern of traces are a ground-plane for the board, since they meet up with the two middle pins on the mini-molex socket.

You should be fine cutting the board, as long as that part of the board is touching nothing else. And I'm fairly certain that you'd still be fine if it's touching the same case that the PSU is attached/grounded to. I'm just not 100% certain on how multi-voltage PSU's treat current that doesn't return on the same cable lines they left on, though. Maybe someone can verify that part of it.

When/if cutting the PCB, use a method that doesn't create much vibration, just to make sure that no solder joints crack/break elsewhere on the board. (This includes using a vice and a hammer )

Thanks, I used a dremel.

Anyways, more pics of wat I've been working on while I wait for another rad:


My NB cooling mod in all its glory. Yes, that IS a zip tie.


Disassembly Goodness


Another shot of my ladies... I mean... My 4870's.


I managed to fit my slim slot loading drive on top of my 5.25" bay... who knew? I figured I wouldn't have room for it so I bought an external... oh well


Since fitting a 120x2 rad internally meant sacrificing my HDD bay (it was a PITA to install the drive anyways). I slipped my Hard drive under my Boreas! haha

More to come !

[Arinoth]

Man its looking great and if your starting up a new system that you can oc under water how am i suppose to keep up, eh, lol

[Cowboy]

haha, well... I dunno?

A core i7 @ stock still beats a Phenom 2 @ 4 ghz in the majority of tests, so I guess your still "ok" lol.

[Wall86]

You should have a 240 mm Rad pretty soon.

One question though, any reason you did not choose to go with 2x2GB RAM? I here the Mushkin Ascent Redlines are pretty good.

[Cowboy]

Originally Posted by Wall86

You should have a 240 mm Rad pretty soon.

One question though, any reason you did not choose to go with 2x2GB RAM? I here the Mushkin Ascent Redlines are pretty good.

Well, I figured that 2 gigs under xp would be plenty. Plus I heard that 2 modules is better than 4 for overclocking, and that 1gb modules were better clockers than 2gb modules.
Just what I heard.

I picked up another 2 sticks of corsair dominator 1gb modules, so it'll be 4x1gb for me.

[chrisk]

Does the case flex much with all the components installed when you move it? How sturdy is it?

BTW looks kick-ass!

[Cowboy]

Thanks!

The case is ROCK solid. I mean at first I was nervous that I would crack it or something, but the guys at clearpc.ca know their stuff! Lucite (the material it's made of) is REALLY sturdy. No flex, no cracks, nothing.

[Cowboy]

A little bit of black spray-paint goes a long way, IMO


New and Improved Dust filters:


Backside: Also, notice the foam in-between the backplate and the board


Black IO bracket


Power supply goes in last, right after mounting the second rad. No radbox here!
Notice the black fan grills, I painted those as well


Its a tight fit, but the adapter and the psu play nicely after I intervene with some elbow grease.


This is my rig in its "alpha" stage


My Boreas (its kinda scared... doesn't really know what I'm planning on doing to it, heck I dont even know) The box in the background (the 600w silverstone psu box) has got duct tape over the front of it, and the warning "ALEX's (magic) box of hardware and other crap. DO NOT, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES throw it in the garbage"


What's this? Its my super awesome and super massive phase cooler; right after the paint dried and I put it back together. Looks pretty badass eh?

A shot of my case on top of my phase cooler (which is on wheels!) just to compare how small my case is compared to this monster.

More TO COME!

[Cowboy]

Oh and btw:

Does anyone have 2 120mm fan grills (of any kind/colour) that they are willing to part with?

I'll be painting them black anyways, so it doesn't matter what colour they are. As long as their identical in shape and design.

Thanks.