Thermaltake CaseMOD Invitational Season 2 Entry - G-X902

[kazuma]

Hello Guys!

 

My name is Jonathan A.K.A SpH!Nx and kazuma, fairly new to the "modding world", and this project/mod of mine will be my entry for the Thermaltake Case MOD Invitational Season 2. I have been lurking around here in LTT for quite a while now and seeing all the amazing builds and case mods in here gave me a lot of inspiration.

 

Before anything else, I would like to say thank you for dropping by and taking your time to take a peek at my work log for this project. This is going to be a "life changing"  journey for me. 

 

For this first post/update, there's really not much that I could throw in except for a few photos of the components for my project. The theme that I went with for this project is, well, some sort of Gundam "ish" theme. I wanted this project to be simple but still packs a little bit of punch or a little bit of "Wow" factor. I named this project "G-X902". "G" is for the theme, which is Gundam "ish" and the color scheme of the build, which will be gun metal gray, "X9" is for the star of the show, the Core X9 case, and "02" stands for Season 2 of the Thermaltake Case MOD Invitational. The name looks simple, but still has some deeper meaning into it. And in addition, I will be adding a little bit of twist/surprise in this project. I won't reveal it until the build is close to completion. By the way, this will be a "sponsored" build, so if I broke any rules, please send me a PM!  :unsure:

 

Here we go!

 

First off, of course, the main star of the show, the monstrous Core X9 (this thing is heavier than me!).

 

 

 

 

 

And of course, having a monstrous case means you need to have a monstrous power supply too!

 

 

 

 

 

Last week Saturday and Sunday, I was able to do a little bit of aluminum cutting. This will be part of the top panel for this build/project. 1/16" (1.5875mm) thick aluminum is fun to cut using a jigsaw...... and painful in the ears too!

 

 

The photo above was taken last Sunday. That was the furthest that I got to do last weekend since while I was doing and marking the measurements for the cut, it started to rain, and it started to pour, and then it REALLY started to rain, HARD, and in addition, the wind started to pick up, A LOT (I live in "Winterpeg")! So I decided to stop working on it since everything is getting really wet from the stupid rain. 

 

 

 

Well, that's it for now for me. Hopefully, this coming weekend, the weather will be much more better so I could "cure my itch" for modding! If you guys have any suggestions or comments, as long as they're not violent reactions, please feel free to drop them of in this thread.

 

Again, thank you guys for checking out my work log. Be sure to come back again next time!

[olback]

*Adds Forum Post to bookmarks*

[kazuma]

*Adds Forum Post to bookmarks*

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Followed

[kazuma]

Followed

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Thank you Star Paladin!  :lol:

[kazuma]

Hey guys!

 

Here I am again and I have a small update for the top panel. Spent tons of time filing down the sides and edges of the aluminium sheet. 

 

 

 

 

 

And let the excruciating filing begin.. 

 

 

And this is how the top panel will look like. Although I still need to bend the edges of the top panel frame that I made. I might try that tomorrow or I might strip off the X9 case to pieces to take some more measurements. The top panel will have 2 opening doors.

 

 

Thanks for checking out my work log and see you guys in the next update! 

[kazuma]

Hey Guys,

 

This will be my last update for this week. Nothing much, really. I spend this day testing and doing bends. And for some reason, some stupid reason, I can't find the other (Left door) door for the top panel. Looks like I will be re-doing the left door for the top panel next weekend  .

 

I was able to bend both sides of the top panel frame. And now it's time to bend the sides of the door for the top panel.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next weekend, I will try to start with the side panels after I re-do the other door for the top panel. Thank you again for dropping in and checking out my progress/update! See you on the next one!  

[kazuma]

Little update! Some components that I will be using in this project. 

 

Avexir Blitz 1.1

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thermaltake Pacific RL480 radiators.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thermaltake Pacific P1 Pumps

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Till' the next update!  :lol:

[kazuma]

(September 5th Update)

 

Hey Guys! Here I am again with a little update. I finally was able to finish the doors for the top panel. I got stuck with bending earlier this day.

 

I was able to do a little work and cutting earlier with the side panel. I will probably continue it tomorrow as long as we don't get crazy, heavy rain here. Another long session of cutting and filing again tomorrow I guess! 

 

 

I was able to take some photos of the Riing 12 fans this morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

That's it for now! See you guys tomorrow for another update! 

[kazuma]

My last update for this week. Another pretty small one.  

 

I was able to finish up all the cutting necessary for one of the side panels (left panel). I would like to apologize in advance with this update. My photos are a bit crappy than usual. 

 

 

 

 

 

Time to cut some acrylic sheet! 

 

 

 

Again, I would like to apologize for the quality of the photos. For some reason, my hands are extra "shaky" today. I really don't have those fancy DSLR cameras and I am only using my old LG Optimus. It's not that I have been producing high quality photos, but the photos that I have for this update is worse than the last one. Again, I apologize. 

 

 

 

Next week, I will be doing the other panel (right panel) and will try to mount them in the case. After that, I will be probably start to do A LOT of acrylic sheet cutting. Will add grilles on the panels too. Or I might try to dismantle the case and paint it up while the weather here is still around 25 "ish" degree C. See you until then! Thank you for checking out my small update!   

[gipsy danger01]

Followed for sure[emoji106]

[kazuma]

Hey Guys! Another update!

 

I was going to post an update last night, but I fell asleep after doing some photo editing for my work log photos (putting in logos). I was exhausted from work, then as soon as I got home, went straight to do some modding/cutting. 

 

 

First off, this is what I have planned for my interior (bottom) arrangement. Since I am planning on, at first, using x2 480 radiators on the bottom of the case, I ended up having this kind of arrangement. Although I ended using x2 360 radiators since having x2 480 radiators on the bottom with both having push/pull configuration, I won't be able to fit the pumps on the back side, beside the power supply. I will relocate the power supply mounting spot in the middle just like this:

 

 

 

 

So, let the murdering (well it's just more on cutting) the back panel of the case begin! I missed using my Dremel rotary tool, but I remembered why I stopped using it. If you are interested in getting a rotary tool, please avoid cordless/wireless rotary tools! Almost halfway through my cut, it died on me. So I ended up using my favourite murdering (cutting) tool, jigsaw!

 

 

 

 

Today, I started to do some acrylic cutting and bending. Quite a learning experience. I learned, DO NOT IMMEDIATELY TOUCH THE ACRYLIC SURFACE RIGHT AFTER YOU POINTED THE HEAT GUN AWAY! 

 

 

 

 

 

I made 3 pieces of these that will go on the back of the top panel frame. 

 

 

It will go like this.

 

 

 

 

 

Did a little bit of painting so I could try if this gun metal grey color would fit my liking with the red acrylic.

 

 

That's it for now for me! I will try to go back on working on the side panels tomorrow. See you on the next update!

[kazuma]

Last update for this week:

 

I was supposed to continue work with the side panels, but then I heard that today is the last day of summer, which means this is my last day to do some decent paint work. Well, that's just what I did. 

 

Dismantled the X9 case (man I have never, ever removed that much rivets in my life!  ), then did a little bit of cutting for the front panel. 

 

 

I thought cutting aluminum sheet with a jigsaw is deafening, but man! Steel + jigsaw = .... what? what's that again? 

 

 

 

 

 

Next week, back to doing some work for the side panel, and hopefully, finish the top panel so I could start to do some mounting brackets for the top panel frame to the case. Thank you for checking out my work log and hopefully see you next week! Ciao! 

[kazuma]

Hey guys! Not much of an update for this one. Got sick since Friday night, so.... yeah.....  Although I tried to still do some work on my project yesterday, but I just stopped. Everything just didn't went smooth. Anyway, the PC components from Newegg came in last Friday (finally) after being stuck at customs for almost 2 weeks. Again, a HUGE shout out to Newegg! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next week, i'll probably blitz  my work progress for this project. That's it for me for now! See ya on the next update! 

[kazuma]

Hey guys!

 

Here's a quick update. Finally got the top panel installed in the case.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tomorrow, I will try to do the side panels (left and right).

See yah on the next one!

[kazuma]

Hey Guys! Update time!

 

I did the grille for the bottom part of the left side panel. Did the cuts using jigsaw and spent a lot of time filing it down. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It will look like this.

 

 

 

 

In this photo, I have fully completed installing the left side panel on the case. the left and right side panel will open up like this. 

 

 

 

Time to sand them down! 

 

 

For some reason, a thought came into my head when I was about to sand the aluminum side panel pieces. I wanted to try and see if I can do a "dirty" brushed-aluminium effect on them, although I know this effect wont be seen when the pieces of aluminium are all painted up. I referred to it as "dirty" brushed aluminum since, well, you can see it in the this photo. 

 

 

 

 

Yeah, not so clean huh? But at least, now, I have a rough idea on how to do the effect properly.  

 

 

 

 

Time to do the acrylic part of the panel grille. This was my first time using a moto-saw, and it took me a while to cut the grille holes on the acrylic sheet. I could have done it a bit quicker using my jigsaw but I wanted to try the moto-saw out. 

 

 

 

And of course, spend A LOT of time filing and sanding it down to get lines straight.

 

 

Still needs a bit more filing.

 

 

 

 

The weather was a little nice yesterday, so I decided to try the paint that I bought a few days ago to see what it will look like on the panel.

 

 

 

 

Aaaand, the paint looks good on the panels! Well, at least for me, it looks good.  

 

 

 

Needs a bit more polishing. But I intend to finish cutting up all the aluminum and acrylic pieces first before polishing up all the acrylic parts. 

 

 

 

 

That's all for now. Hopefully I could finish up the right side panel next weekend, then after that, I will be moving on doing the front panel. Until the next update! Ciao!  

[kazuma]

Hey guys! It's been quite a while since my last update and I would like to apologize. The weather here is not helping at all and got some unexpected things that happened here so I needed to clear those up first. Anyway, here's my update for this week.

 

First off, I received a new set of RAM modules. These DDR4's look tasty! Huge shout out to AVEXIR!

 

 

 

 

Last week when the weather outside was still nice, I started to do the right side panel cut outs.

 

 

 

And of course, spent a lot of time filing the lines down. 

 

 

 

 

Time to drill some screw holes.

 

 

 

 

 

The next day after I did the aluminum cuts, the weather got worse. The temperature dropped drastically, and when I say drastically, I tried to do some work outside, and as soon as I got outside, I noticed  I could already see my breath. Got no other choice but to continue work in our basement. Kinda sucks since the available workable space down there is only around 5'x 5' max. Anyway, time to do the acrylic cut outs for the right side panel.

 

 

 

 

 

 

So last night, I finally got some free time to do some work again. I decided to start the front panel.

 

 

 

Woke up this morning and decided to start cutting up the aluminum sheet for the front panel. If only power tools can speak, my jigsaw would be cursing at me for too much abuse.  

 

 

Went outside for a quick smoke and noticed that it was a bit nice outside. Stopped doing the cutting for the front panel and of course, I decided to do some paint work while it's still nice outside.

 

 

 

I proceeded to work on the front panel from I left yesterday after painting the aluminum pieces for the side panels. Time to get my trusty ol' jigsaw to work.

 

 

 

And of course, time to work my biceps again. Let the excruciating filing down of the edges start!

 

 

Time to do some bending! Every time I am bending sheet metals, or sheet of aluminum in this case, that is lower than 22 gauge, I always do a little "chant" before I proceed. "Please dont b*tch out on me, please dont, just this time, please....." Knowing the fact that my bender is only rated to bend 22 gauge and up and knowing that using this bender to bend 16 gauge sheets will probably break the bend or cause some cracks on the bend, that chant of mine kinda helps out ease the paranoia away. For me that is.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The first half of the panel! My little chant never fails!

 

 

 

Here's the 2 pieces of the front panel. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not the cleanest bend, I know, but I am still happy and quite satisfied with the result. That's it for me for now. 2 more weeks to go, and I still have TONS of stuff to do. See you on the next update! Ciao!  

[kazuma]

Hey guys! Sorry about this very late update. The weather here is driving me nuts to the core. I ended up trying to paint everything that I could yesterday and today. I did a few more cutting of aluminum sheets for the power front I/O port and for the power supply.

 

I got all the panels installed now. 

 

 

 

 

Got the plate that will hold the I/O port up on the top front of the panel cut out. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New placement for the power supply.

 

 

 

 

And of course, here's the photos for my paint job attempt yesterday and today. The weather temperature here earlier was -2c degree and the warmest was 6c degree. Hopefully the paint job would dry up normally.

 

 

Front panel.

 

 

Top panel.

 

 

 

 

Side panels.

 

 

That's all for me for now. After I finish all this up, I'll start to assemble the case and move quickly on putting the system together. See yah next week!

[Exotath]

Man, this is some quality work. Very nice.

[kazuma]

Hey guys! It's a bit late but here are some more photos. I finally got an extra time to put logos on these photos and upload them all. Been one hell of a wild ride back at work this past few weeks.Got a little "promotion" back at work, but man! The responsibility and the additional work load on my shoulder was just overwhelming this past few weeks. But anyway, here are the final photos that I have. I have these finals photos in my SD card for the past 3 weeks, but haven't had an opportunity to put the sponsor logos on them and upload them for worklogs. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now, time to hibernate to get back some sleep. Finally!