Project: 98EXL Thermaltake Aqua Computer Armor

9

98EXL

Gawd
Joined
Mar 16, 2006
Messages
580
Hello everyone! I figured I would start on my worklog for my first real big modding project. I've been building PC's for awhile, none of them really 'clean' and not up to my OCD standards. I will say, I have been getting parts for awhile now from here, and buying new but here is the vison.

I have my 3800+ dual core chip on an Asus A8N-Sli Deluxe board that I want to water cool using Aqua Computer gear, all inside of a Thermaltake Armor case. I had gone back and forth between the Armor or a Lian Li V1000 cases for months. After seeing so many LL cases, I didn't really want to do another LL case, so since I have had great experiences with TT cases, I decided to go with the Armor.

As of now, I have my 64-bit system running for almost a year I guess, but the TT Xasier III case has got to go. I'm sick of running so many 80mm fans, and water cooling looks something to entertain my brain for awhile with. I have everything I want to really get things going, except the AquaStream, and flowmeter.

(I'll have pics up shortly) So far I have dismantled the armor case, and have painted the inside a semi-glossy black (to match the exterior of the case) I've wetsanded a lot of it so it is starting to look very nice. Next thing to do after that is spray a light clear acrylic coat to ensure the paint won't flake off for any reason.

I will mount the 360 Airplex on top of the case, since there isn't really any room inside for me to put it. It's using the AC Radiator mounts. Since the top of the case has the USB/Firewire ports, and the vent for a fan, I am going to block off almost the entire top of the case with a 1/8" black acrylic sheet so heat rising doesn't 'heat soak' my rad. For now, all I am going to water cool is my proc, NB, and my 7800GT OC. After that I may do other parts, but for now that is all I want to do, mainly because I want to OC my proc a bunch.

I really think I will be able to open some people's eyes to how well a TT case can be done, since I feel the general consensus about TT is not as good as some other companies. I will have to admit, this will be a kinda slow project, between work, wrenching on the car, the motorcycle, oh, and the girlfriend. I'll have updates of where I am now shortly.

~98EXL
 
cool... i like your confidence in your own project.
/subscribed

edit: sorry off-topic but i just noticed that oneil has a mitch hedburg quote in his sig aswell... i thought i was the only one :-/. sucks that he died, long live mitch hedburg
ok sorry, back to you 98EXL
 
ooh, already some attention, yes, I am very confident in this project, should be cool bitchin' camero when it's all done
 
I temporarily lost my digital camera after a really drunk night at a party, it was in the trunk still (no I didn't drive), so I took pics last night of what's going on.

So forwhatever reason, if you don't know what this looks like together, here it is, forgot to take a picture of that:
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Here is after the the inside was painted a nice glossy black, which kinda matches the outside of the case. The flash really screws everything up, but a lot of the inside of the case is going to be covered with plexi, so it isn't perfect everywhere. Also my radiator is test fitted for placement.
237650025_d120944e51_b.jpg


Front shot showing the paint drip, (and wet sanding was taking too long) which will be hidden anyway, and the Airplex Evo on top.
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Top angled shot.....I have an idea of what to do with the holes in the front of the Airplex Evo External Mounts.....since I am having the tuing go straight through the case, not using right angle plug and cool fittings.
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Here is one pile of stuff out of the case, grommets and misc car parts :D
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Here is part of the goodies I already have. Looking closely you will see an AC thermal sensor, AC Cuplex CPU block, some tubing, some fittings, more case parts, and my HDD cage painted, which is going to get a make over this weekend I hope.
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I drilled out all of the pop rivits holding the top of the case on, and there were 3 in the front and back, and 2 on each side, plus another 2 on the back, crazyness. After I drilled all of it out, I pulled the top off, realizing I need a quick coat of black on the top. You won't see it, but it needs to be done.
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The top is off. The idea here is to use some black acrylic to make a mounting plate for the rad to sit on, so that hot air will not rise out of the case, and 'heat soak' the Evo. Acrylic is on the way....it's back ordered, but I'm not worried.
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My Aqua Tube and Aqua Bay will be here on Saturday, as well as a chipset block. This weekend I hope to get some of the last parts of the case painted black, put a nice clear coat on it, and hopefully mount the Aqua Bay and tube, although I imagine that won't happen, and I'll break out the dremel, and dremel out some of the mobo tray to hide all of the cables.

So what do you guys think so far? Constructive critisism is ALWAYS welcome.

~G
 
weekend update

I'm really pissed off and irritated....I used a clear glossy spray paint to hopefully repel small scrathces when installing stuff into the case, and instead of it being clear everywhere, it looks grey in some areas. I'm going to try to wetsand it and see if that works.

I did realize I need my dremel to get the aqua bay to fit in, but that's not that big of a deal.

PIctures to follow shortly.
 
after a lot of trial and tribulation, I've decided to scrap the paint job. I drilled out all of the rivets, and my case lay in pieces. It's now time for some aircraft remover which will strip all of the *cough* bad paint job that I did on it off.

This time I plan to do everything correctly, with the etching primer, and all of the wetsanding which I knew I should have done in the first place.

I'll upload the new pics at work tomorrow. I will be able to do some small hacking to the case now that it's in pieces like this. Question to find the answer for is, where do I get black rivets?
 
well....I just went to AutoStoned* and got 320 dry sand paper, 800 wet, (I have 1000 and 1500 at home already) some of the duplicolor self etching primer, and the gloss black. I also got my aircraft remover, so I can strip all the paint off the inside of the case, and start all over. I'm stoked.

* I call it AutoStoned instead of AutoZone because of a trip my buddy had while getting spark plugs. My buddy asked for regular ceramic plugs, and Mr. AutoStoned behind the counter said something along the lines of, 'we have reuglar (ceramic) and platinum'. My buddy replied with just give me 4 ceramic plugs. Guy was a moron...not to mention I've asked for relays and/or relay sockets before, basic electrical gear, they have no clue. So it's nickname is AutoStoned...if you can't find it, good luck having someone there find it for you.
 
^^ Sweet, it has me interested too!

Spent time with the Aircraft Remover tonight....worked well on some pieces, others it didn't. I have some pics, will post tomorrow at work, too lazy to do it now after an hour of sanding.
 
here is what about an hour of Aircraft remover and sanding does...two pieces down, 4 or 5 more to go

249004636_2bbc60d1dc_b.jpg
 
How hard is that to work with, where can you get it, and how much does it cost?
 
if you are refferring to the aircraft remover, it's pretty easy to work with, read the directions on the can, spray it on, wait 15 minutes, scrape off. I can only find it at AutoZone for about $8/can
 
That's cool.. pretty good removal.. is there much clean up after you scrape it off?
 
I haven't had much luck with the aircraft remover, I'll post some 'in the process' pics hopefully tonight if football doesn't consume my life
 
well I have made tremendous progess. I found that hand sanding was a complete waste of time. I realized that using a wire wheel on a drill worked freaking wonders. I got all of the paint off, and things are looking great. I have some pictures to post up later today. I am going to get my shop in the basement setup with my ghetto rigged spray paint booth. Then, I'll wash all of the pieces and start the priming process.

I also cut the 92mm and 120mm restrictive grills on the back of the case out. Looks like there will be much better airflow.
 
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