Project Log: The way a Cavalier 3 Should Be! (56k beware!)

kenc51 · Post by **kenc51** » Thu Aug 25, 2005 9:28 am

gvblake22 wrote:The top 120mm fan is intake right now and I have the Swiftech MCX159-A on the NF4 Ultra chipset.

Will that work with a intel chipset?

very nice by the way....

killswitch83 · Post by **killswitch83** » Thu Aug 25, 2005 9:34 am

I can't compete with that, lol. I'll damn well try though, except I'll be using the Tsunami Dream case (for those who didn't know). That is some sweet sweet work Blake, cheers!!

gvblake22 · Post by **gvblake22** » Thu Aug 25, 2005 9:46 am

kenc51 wrote:
gvblake22 wrote:The top 120mm fan is intake right now and I have the Swiftech MCX159-A on the NF4 Ultra chipset.
Will that work with a intel chipset?

very nice by the way....

Yes, you just need to buy the other version:
http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/swmc3.html

I got the AMD one and it actually came with the intel retention clips also so who knows why they bother to sell two different versions. I like the cooler though, works great. The fan is VERY quiet and I felt the base during operation and it gets very warm so has great heat transfer. It's a little expensive, but I think it's the only good cooling solution that would work well on this board as far as compatability issues.

And thanks for all the kind words!

If anyone wants any better pics or a better explanation of anything just ask and you shall recieve ;)

killswitch83 · Post by **killswitch83** » Thu Aug 25, 2005 9:52 am

Do my eyes deceive me, or does that top intake fan have a heatsink on it?? That is a crazy mod I've never seen before. Moreover, where did you get that setup, or did you create that?

gvblake22 · Post by **gvblake22** » Thu Aug 25, 2005 10:10 am

killswitch83 wrote:Do my eyes deceive me, or does that top intake fan have a heatsink on it?? That is a crazy mod I've never seen before. Moreover, where did you get that setup, or did you create that?

Umm, what?! A heatsink on a case fan?! lol

No, I don't have a heatsink on that top intake fan, it is a metal mesh dust filter/guard: http://www.svc.com/12mga-sil-11.html

I made the whole "setup" out of the two empty 120mm fan frames and sandwiched a real/working 120mm fan between them, zip-tied the whole thing together and screwed it to the top of the case. It all just hangs straight down from the top where it is screwed in with four regular fan screws.

kenc51 · Post by **kenc51** » Thu Aug 25, 2005 10:29 am

You should start a new thread with hints & tips for other members...

may prevent some silly mistakes!

?

SlipSand · Post by **SlipSand** » Thu Aug 25, 2005 3:01 pm

Warm air rises have that as exhaust. And I seriously think you should have painted the inside.

gvblake22 · Post by **gvblake22** » Thu Aug 25, 2005 5:00 pm

SlipSand wrote:Warm air rises have that as exhaust. And I seriously think you should have painted the inside.

Yeah, I've only had this up and running for less than a day now so I'm still tweaking stuff. I have a lot of that thin aluminum left over and I seriously thought about cutting a wide strip of it to put along the bottom of the case and possibly up the middle between the motherboard and drive cages. I think shiny aluminum inside there would look pretty cool. I'm still also considering painting it. For some reason I still have this tugging feeling to paint the inside black, but, again, I haven't decided. I also eventually want to cut a window on the other side panel as well.

So I don't think this is the last of this project, but I need to take some time off before starting more mods as school is about to start and I'm pretty exhausted from running 90 miles a week for cross country and even just working on the case. But don't worry, I'll try to keep updating the thread if any new worthwhile changes occur.

As for the heat rising issue, I honestly just can't see it being too overpowering because there is decent airflow through a very small space so it doesn't seem like the hot air will have enough time to just float up and gather anywhere. Plus the temperature difference between the air around the processor and at the top of the case (which is almost all full of components or fans) is gonna be that much different or have enough of a difference to cause problems.

^^As you can see, there is not a whole lot of space at the top of the case for pockets of stagnant hot air to gather.
But, again, I will try different combinations of cooling to see what works best.

gvblake22 · Post by **gvblake22** » Thu Aug 25, 2005 5:11 pm

I actually just remembered I have a HUGE piece of black foam-core baord that I could cut up and place inside the case as sort of "paneling" over the ugly gray bottom and mobo tray. I think I may try that actually as it is not as permanent or time consuming as paint would be.

killswitch83 · Post by **killswitch83** » Thu Aug 25, 2005 5:39 pm

heheh, you just gave me a kick-ass idea for my case....paint the mobo tray and the whole inside with UV reactive paint; under a blacklight that would be soo fricking sweet

gvblake22 · Post by **gvblake22** » Sat Aug 27, 2005 9:55 pm

Ok, well, I decided to put my HUGE piece of black foam core board to good use

:

I just did a little measuring and cut out three separate little rectangles and placed them inside the case around the motherboard to cover up most of the ugly gray interior and also spruced up the wire management a little bit while I was at it:

I think I like it. Next stop is a window on the other side panel!

SlipSand · Post by **SlipSand** » Sat Aug 27, 2005 10:27 pm

Nice Nice

cubedgame · Post by **cubedgame** » Tue Aug 30, 2005 8:00 pm

Nice rig, man!

-mogwai · Post by **-mogwai** » Fri Sep 09, 2005 1:17 am

good job, homes.

killswitch, let me know what you do to your case. i have the same thing and i've yet to see a case mod for it.

killswitch83 · Post by **killswitch83** » Fri Sep 09, 2005 6:14 am

will do, I'm still working out the specifics about my window, but as far as my plans for the interior goes, I'm thinking enough UV products in the case to make the whole damn thing glow, lol. It'll look awesome, but expensive on one side! The OCZ PowerStream 600W I'm popping in there will be fully-sleeved in UV Blue and Green heatshrink, not to mention UV reactive PATA and SATA cables and floopy cable, and I am thinking about painting the whole inside of my case with a UV reactant paint that's actually clear under regular light. This thing will be glowing

-mogwai · Post by **-mogwai** » Fri Sep 09, 2005 10:29 am

sounds cool. i have a 520w ocz modstream in mine. i'm thinking of going the uv route, but i dunno when. i'm also thinking of replacing my thermaltake fans for some higher quality fans. hopefully, i can find some brushed aluminum fans or something that looks similar to that. i'd go with chrome, except for chrome's not my thing.... i like the clean, sophisticated, cosmopolitan look (which was why i bought the case in the first place).

there was a totally sweet aluminum case i saw at compusa the other day for like $60. i almost bought it, but i didn't like how it was engineered internally.

http://www.compusa.com/products/product ... &pfp=srch1

this is the case i was talking about. it's as light as a feather.

killswitch83 · Post by **killswitch83** » Fri Sep 09, 2005 10:50 am

hell, do both

; the more mods the better, and I'm with you on the brushed aluminum look because chrome is ok on bathroom accents and kitchen accents and appliances, but not on a computer, lol. The brushed look is more mature, richer look and texture, and just overall kick-ass. As for the case from CompUSA, I've never heard of the manufacturer, and while the exterior looks decently clean, I doubt the manufacturing processes would be as good as your Tt case. It would be ok for a cheap build, but for a personal build I always go for something that's built to last, because I don't want to have to replace the case for a long, long time, unless the ATX standard phases out, which would be a long ways off, even with the advent of BTX and E-ATX, because ATX is most familiar among system builders I believe. Always go with what you know man

-mogwai · Post by **-mogwai** » Fri Sep 09, 2005 1:09 pm

you might not be able to tell this from the picture, but the side panel of the compusa case is porous (it's got holes to let out light from inside). that'd look pretty frigging xtreme!!1!!!111!1

killswitch83 · Post by **killswitch83** » Fri Sep 09, 2005 4:56 pm

oh yeah, I think that would be cool for light filtering, but for functional uses like cooling, I don't think it would be too effective. That's why I like the Tt case, because they have hellacious front and rear 120mm cooling with their case fans, which personally I think are pretty effective, unless of course you compare them with Sunon, then they have no breathing room at all, lol. Plus, since we already know that the Tt case is capable of a side 92mm fan at the least, I plan on sticking a 120mm in the side. I am really fond of the Tt case, in case you couldn't already tell, lol

gvblake22 · Post by **gvblake22** » Tue Sep 13, 2005 10:24 am

Well, FINALLY got my Jab-Tech order:

...and they work!!!

And a couple other things to play with:

Stay Tuned...