Project Twice7: Currently no name

[groutyzoob]

My goal is to put this into a Twice7:

http://verbicide.ca/images/worklog/2008-twice7/01-guts.jpg

http://verbicide.ca/images/worklog/2008-twice7/01-hdds.jpg
(Ok maybe not the hard drives)

Without it looking like my old setup:
http://verbicide.ca/images/worklog/2008-twice7/01-old_twice7.jpg


STEP 1:

Went to Canadian Tire, picked up some Thin Metal jigsaw blades, and a pack of screws.
http://verbicide.ca/images/worklog/2008-twice7/01-screws.jpg
No pic of the blades.. I used them before I started taking pictures .

Using the Thermochill grill as a template, I cut out the holes, filed and sanded the edges.

http://verbicide.ca/images/worklog/2008-twice7/01-cutout.jpg
http://verbicide.ca/images/worklog/2008-twice7/01-cutoutb.jpg

Test fit of the grill.

http://verbicide.ca/images/worklog/2008-twice7/01-grill.jpg
http://verbicide.ca/images/worklog/2008-twice7/01-grillb.jpg

It's mostly OK. It looks like I didn't make the holes big enough so I can still see the case behind the grill. I might go back and file it away, but right now my #1 goal is to get that stupid mess off my desk!

NCIX didn't ship me the FG120.1 that's supposed to go on the right side of the case... I will need to get that back. Not sure if I'll be cutting that one out.

[groutyzoob]

Had problems fitting my PA120.2 using the stock fan holes that MM put in the case.

Here's the fix! I messed up with the first hole... woops!
http://verbicide.ca/images/worklog/2008-twice7/02-rad_hole2.jpg

Also had to tear away some foam that I used when the rad was mounted sideways.
http://verbicide.ca/images/worklog/2008-twice7/02-rad_hold.jpg

Sitting flush against the floor:
http://verbicide.ca/images/worklog/2008-twice7/02-rad_inside.jpg

Screws to mount the fans to the rad.. no proper screw driver to fit through the fan screw holes!
http://verbicide.ca/images/worklog/2008-twice7/02-rad_screws.jpg

Rad mounted!
http://verbicide.ca/images/worklog/2008-twice7/02-rad_mounted.jpg

[groutyzoob]

Somewhat unrelated, but here's the video card I am using. Watch for the next post or two to see why I posted this ;)

http://verbicide.ca/images/worklog/2008-twice7/03-3850-s1.jpg

Accelero S1 + stock backplate for increased pressure!
http://verbicide.ca/images/worklog/2008-twice7/03-3850-s1a.jpg

Check how close the Swiftech RAM sinks are to the fins:
http://verbicide.ca/images/worklog/2008-twice7/03-3850-s1b.jpg

http://verbicide.ca/images/worklog/2008-twice7/03-3850-s1c.jpg

Stock ram sinks:
http://verbicide.ca/images/worklog/2008-twice7/03-3850-s1d.jpg

[groutyzoob]

Here's a quickie to help cool the P5K Premium NB.

http://verbicide.ca/images/worklog/2008-twice7/04-nb_cooler-1.jpg
http://verbicide.ca/images/worklog/2008-twice7/04-nb_cooler-2.jpg
http://verbicide.ca/images/worklog/2008-twice7/04-nb_cooler-3.jpg
http://verbicide.ca/images/worklog/2008-twice7/04-nb_cooler-4.jpg
http://verbicide.ca/images/worklog/2008-twice7/04-nb_cooler-5.jpg

[groutyzoob]

Just realized the screwdriver + screw pic didn't make sense. Maybe this will help:

http://verbicide.ca/images/worklog/2008-twice7/05-rad_mounted_a.jpg
http://verbicide.ca/images/worklog/2008-twice7/05-rad_mounted_b.jpg
http://verbicide.ca/images/worklog/2008-twice7/05-rad_mounted_c.jpg

I had to slot my jeweller's screw driver through the corner hole in the fan to fasten it to the radiator.

My crappy sleeving job using bits and pieces hehe.
http://verbicide.ca/images/worklog/2008-twice7/06-sleeving.jpg

Unoptimized settings for my E8500 OC.
http://verbicide.ca/images/worklog/2008-twice7/06-e8500-oc.jpg

[TAZTG]

Wouldn't Twice 7 be the name?? That first PIC looked like one big pile of parts was it actually running?

Look forward to future updates.

[groutyzoob]

Twice7 is the name of the case :)

Fitting stuff in...

WOOPS!
http://verbicide.ca/images/worklog/2008-twice7/07-vid2_0.jpg

http://verbicide.ca/images/worklog/2008-twice7/07-vid2_1.jpg

http://verbicide.ca/images/worklog/2008-twice7/07-vid2_2.jpg

The Accelero S1 is too tall for the case!

http://verbicide.ca/images/worklog/2008-twice7/07-vid2_3.jpg

Swiftech MCW60 to the rescue!

Some miscellaneous shots:


I wonder what this is for?
http://verbicide.ca/images/worklog/2008-twice7/08-psu_shroud.jpg

I really need that missing FG120.1!
http://verbicide.ca/images/worklog/2008-twice7/08-temp_grill.jpg

[groutyzoob]

Finished modding my X-Fi with LM4562's for all of the outputs.

http://verbicide.ca/images/worklog/2008-twice7/09-xfi_a.jpg

http://verbicide.ca/images/worklog/2008-twice7/09-xfi_b.jpg

Rather poorly done.. I'm still learning how to properly solder surface mount components. Extra solder around the cap legs because the last one I had moved too much and broke the joint.

[OutKlast]

Finished modding my X-Fi with LM4562's for all of the outputs.

http://verbicide.ca/images/worklog/2008-twice7/09-xfi_a.jpg

http://verbicide.ca/images/worklog/2008-twice7/09-xfi_b.jpg

Rather poorly done.. I'm still learning how to properly solder surface mount components. Extra solder around the cap legs because the last one I had moved too much and broke the joint.

Whats this mod for/about?

[groutyzoob]

Whats this mod for/about?

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f46/hotrodding-x-fi-laymans-guide-no-56k-226975/

Makes the X-Fi sound much nicer :)

[James]

Question: How hard would you rate that sound card mod? I'm tempted to do it, as I have the soldering skills, but at the same time, I haven't been soldering delicate parts in nearly 2 years, so I'm out of practice.

*Edit: Also, what was the total cost in parts for the Opamp, cap, etc.?

[groutyzoob]

Question: How hard would you rate that sound card mod? I'm tempted to do it, as I have the soldering skills, but at the same time, I haven't been soldering delicate parts in nearly 2 years, so I'm out of practice.

*Edit: Also, what was the total cost in parts for the Opamp, cap, etc.?

Three op amps cost about $10 USD shipped from National Semiconductor
The huge Black Gate capacitor is about $8 USD if you can still find them. I got mine from partsconnexion.

The capacitor was quite difficult, took me about 30 minutes just for that.
The op amps weren't too hard, just very tiny and you need a steady hand. I clipped the legs off of the stock ones and "dragged" the remaining bit of the leg out of the solder pad with the solder tip.

[James]

Nice, you replaced all 4 OpAmps for the main plus surround outputs. (Most of the other mods I've seen only replace the main as they are using headphones.)

[groutyzoob]

SO
here's the clean side of my build :)
http://verbicide.ca/images/worklog/2008-twice7/10-mobo.jpg

X-Fi with foam and some shielding
http://verbicide.ca/images/worklog/2008-twice7/10-xfi.jpg

Back of case mobo side
http://verbicide.ca/images/worklog/2008-twice7/10-backmobo.jpg

How I mounted the fanmate that controls the rad fans. Temporary solution that will probably stay for a while..
http://verbicide.ca/images/worklog/2008-twice7/10-fanmate.jpg

[groutyzoob]

I managed to keep one side clean at least.
http://verbicide.ca/images/worklog/2008-twice7/10-top.jpg

The reason I needed the PSU shroud. SAFETY :)
http://verbicide.ca/images/worklog/2008-twice7/10-psu.jpg

Where I stashed all of the cables. This case is difficult to manage, even with modular cables. I think my Scythe Quite Drives, and Nexus 80mm fans are partly to blame. I'm not keen on chopping off the tails of those fans yet...
http://verbicide.ca/images/worklog/2008-twice7/10-cables.jpg

The whole side
http://verbicide.ca/images/worklog/2008-twice7/10-psuside.jpg

Crammed the tubing in the top.
http://verbicide.ca/images/worklog/2008-twice7/10-tubingtop.jpg

Some more foam to dampen pump vibrations
http://verbicide.ca/images/worklog/2008-twice7/10-foam.jpg

[James]

OK, I'll bite:

What's with the giant foam pad in front of the PSU?

[groutyzoob]

To help prevent the pump from vibrating against the case :|

[James]

Ahh, fair enough.

I picked up some Petra's Gel for mine. Basically it's a big chunk of unfinished silicone. Pretty nice at absorbing the vibrations.

[groutyzoob]

http://verbicide.ca/images/worklog/2008-twice7/11-8800gts512_a.jpg
http://verbicide.ca/images/worklog/2008-twice7/11-8800gts512_b.jpg
http://verbicide.ca/images/worklog/2008-twice7/11-8800gts512_c.jpg

[Tech-Daddy]

Those EK blocks kick the llamas ***.... I love those things!
:)