"Demon Speeding" HAF XB - Tek by Design

[TekLord]

PROLOGUE

I recently acquired a Cooler Master HAF XB case from a friend. At first I wasn't sure what I was going to do with it. I have several builds currently in the works and I wasn't sure I wanted to take another one on, at this time. However, after having the case in my possession for a few short days, I changed my mind. The more I studied the case, the more ideas came to mind. I knew I wanted to do something different with this case. I also wanted to try some techniques that I haven't used before. I wanted to do a completely different theme then any of the other builds I've done before. I wanted something supernatural.
 
I present to you:
 

 
 
With contributions from:

 

 

 

 

 
- Components - 
 
Cooler Master HAF XB Case
Gigabyte GA-990FXA-UD3 Motherboard
AMD FX-6300 CPU
Powercolor Radeon HD 7970 GPU
Crucial Tactical Tracer 8 gb 1600mhz Memory
Cooler Master Silent Pro Hybrid 1050w PSU
Samsung 840 250gb SSD
 
- Cooling -
 
XSPC Raystorm AMD CPU Waterblock
XSPC Raystorm 7970 GPU Waterblock
6x Cooler Master JetFlo 120 White Fans
Swiftech 8-Way PWM Splitter
Alphacool NexXxoS ST30 Full Copper 240mm Radiator
Alphacool NexXxoS ST30 Full Copper 360mm Radiator
Swiftech MCP-655 Pump
Bitspower D5 Mod Pump Top V2
Bitspower D5/MCP655 Mod Kit
Bitspower Water Tank Z-Multi 400  Reservoir
PrimoChill Rigid Revolver Compression Fittings
PrimoChill Rigid Acrylic Tubing
Mayhems Pastel Coolant
 
- Miscellaneous -
 
MNPCTech Billet Machined Aluminum Case Feet
Lutro0 Customs Teleios Sleeving
Tek by Design Proline Brushed Stainless Steel Fasteners
 

• Prologue
• Chapter I
• Chapter II
• Chapter III
• Chapter IV
• Chapter V
• Chapter VI
• Chapter VII

[TekLord]

CHAPTER I: The Agony

 

"Perhaps you had better start from the beginning." - The Curse of Frankenstein (1957)

 

 

 

Everything that bolts to the case was unbolted and removed.

 

 

 

Front drive bays removed. These won't be needed, I have a better idea.

 

 

 

Some measuring and 4 drilled holes later, a 360 radiator is installed in place of the original front fan mounts.

 

 

 

The 360 radiator from the inside. It just fits. Now for some cutting.

 

 

 

Success, fans installed. Always a good feeling. The radiator does interfere with the upper right side mounting for the front panel.

 

 

 

The metal surrounding the front drive bays was removed to make room for the  reservoir.

 

 

 

The method to my madness. An Alphacool reservoir temporarily stands in for the custom length Bitspower unit that will be installed later.

 

 

 

The set up to cut the acrylic for the reservoir/pump mount.

 

 

 

First cut, of two, in the 3/16 (4.9 mm) acrylic. So far, so good.

 

 

 

The two pieces welded together, yielding a final thickness of 3/8 (10.8mm). Once the solvent has dried, I will cut the mount down to it's final dimensions and drill/tap the holes for the reservoir and pump.

 

 

 

New reservoir/pump mount installed.

 

 

 

A little layout to see how it's all going to fit.

 

 

 

It's definitely not a large case.

 

 

 

Not much room for tubing or cables.

 

 

 

The pump, hard drive cage, lower radiator, and power supply take up all of the rest of the room in the lower section.

 

 

 

Time start working on the cut out for the 240 radiator. I've positioned the cut out, so the fittings on both radiators are vertically aligned.

 

 

 

The outline on the bottom of the case. The odd shape was necessary, because the bottom of the case isn't totally flat.

 

 

 

Cut completed. Now I just need the radiator. Unfortunately, the Alphacool NexXxoS ST30 Full Copper 240mm I'm planning on using, is out of stock everywhere.

 

 

 

The cut from inside the case. There is very little room between the power supply and the radiator.

[Maskot]

 

PART 1: The Agony

 

"Perhaps you had better start from the beginning." - The Curse of Frankenstein (1957)

 

 

 

 

Everything that bolts to the case was unbolted and removed.

Front drive bays removed. These won't be needed, I have a better idea.

Some measuring and 4 drilled holes later, a 360 radiator is installed in place of the original front fan mounts.

The 360 radiator from the inside. It just fits. Now for some cutting.

Success, fans installed. Always a good feeling. The radiator does interfere with the upper right side mounting for the front panel.

The metal surrounding the front drive bays was removed to make room for the  reservoir.

The method to my madness. An Alphacool reservoir temporarily stands in for the custom length Bitspower unit that will be installed later.

The set up to cut the acrylic for the reservoir/pump mount.

First cut, of two, in the 3/16 (4.9 mm) acrylic. So far, so good.

The two pieces welded together, yielding a final thickness of 3/8 (10.8mm). Once the solvent has dried, I will cut the mount down to it's final dimensions and drill/tap the holes for the reservoir and pump.

New reservoir/pump mount installed.

A little layout to see how it's all going to fit.

It's definitely not a large case.

Not much room for tubing or cables.

The pump, hard drive cage, lower radiator, and power supply take up all of the rest of the room in the lower section.

Time start working on the cut out for the 240 radiator. I've positioned the cut out, so the fittings on both radiators are vertically aligned.

The outline on the bottom of the case. The odd shape was necessary, because the bottom of the case isn't totally flat.

Cut completed. Now I just need the radiator. Unfortunately, the Alphacool NexXxoS ST30 Full Copper 240mm I'm planning on using, is out of stock everywhere.

The cut from inside the case. There is very little room between the power supply and the radiator.

 

More, NAOW.

[atomicmonkey101]

wow. great idea for the rez in the basement front of the case. looking great, post some more!

[StormtrooperStu]

Looking forward to the next installment. 

[TekLord]

wow. great idea for the rez in the basement front of the case. looking great, post some more

 

Thanks. This case just seemed to beg for a mod like this. Not sure if I was the first one to think of it, but I haven't seem another one done yet.

More installments coming soon.

[atomicmonkey101]

Thanks. This case just seemed to beg for a mod like this. Not sure if I was the first one to think of it, but I haven't seem another one done yet.

More installments coming soon.

 

nice I cant wait to see it!

[CyBaNeTiiKz]

This is very unique! Definitely following! Looking forward to it all!

[Serbian_Souljah]

This build is awesome! I have a HAF XB As well i would love to see more!

[TekLord]

CHAPTER II: A Real Solution
 
“We all go a little mad sometimes.” - Psycho (1960)


 
The new fans are here. Cooler Master JetFlo 120mm white.
 

 
A test fitting with the Cooler Master JetFlo 120 fans installed without the front bezel installed.
 
 

 
A test fitting with the Cooler Master JetFlo 120 fans installed with the front bezel installed.
 
 

 
The Cooler Master Silent Pro Hybrid 1050W Power Supply has arrived. A big thanks to Cooler Master, Lee Harrington, and Ron Christianson for getting this to me.
 
 

 
Power supply and controller.
 
 

 
Power Supply/Fan Controller. Not sure if I'll be using this.
 
 

 
Cable-o-rama
 
 

 
The new power supply isn't fitting. The EPS connector fouls the left radiator fan.

 

 
The new power supply didn't want to fit, but I wasn't about to let that stop me. I decided to mount the power supply sideways in the case. This did pose a few issues, namely how to vent it. I took apart the power supply and reversed the fan. Now it intakes cool air from the rear and exhausts the air out of the fan area.
 
 

 
In order to mount the power supply sideways, I needed a way to secure it. The 4 screws that hold the fan to the power supply casing could also be used to secure the power supply to the case. The original trim plate for the power supply was used for a template, then I drilled the holes.
 
 

 
All four holes drilled from the top.
 
 

 
The floor of the case is raised below the factory power supply mounting location. I had to drill the lower panel holes large enough that the screw heads could fit through into the raised panel.
 
 

 
Success, the power supply is firmly mounted and quite secure. Now to make an extension to bring the plug to the outside of the case.

[TekLord]

CHAPTER III: Creature of the Wheel

 

“Supernatural, perhaps; baloney, perhaps not.” - Black Cat (1934)

 

 

My original plan was to reuse the factory hard drive rack, but place it in a new location. Since I turned the power supply sideways, the factory hard dive rack wouldn't fit in the case anymore. I channeled the spirit of Ron Lee Christianson made a mount for the SSD  out of polystyrene.

 

 

 

The SSD will mount to the front of the new piece. Several layers of polystyrene had to be built up to create the necessary height and thickness.

 

 

 

While I was at it, I extended the side of the new mount all the way over to the power supply. This will allow me to hide the wiring and create a much smoother look.

 

 

 

The new SSD mount is taking shape. There's still a lot of work before it's finished.

 

 

 

MNPCTech case feet, PrimoChill Revolver Rigid Fittings, and PrimoChilll 1/2in. Rigid Acrylic Tube.

 

 

 

Yummy

 

 

 

I think they're a good match.

 

 

 

With the pump rotated 90 degrees, the inlet and outlet ports are in a much better position.

 

 

 

The Bitspower Water Tank Z-Multi 400mm reservoir cut down to 320mm.

 

 

 

The reservoir is a perfect fit in it's new home.

 

 

 

Alphacool NexXxoS ST30 Full Copper 240mm radiator has arrived and looks oh so pretty with those Cooler Master JetFlo fans sitting on it.

 

 

 

Everything seems to be falling into place. The more I see those PrimoChill fittings, the more I like them.

 

 

 

There's good clearance between the left fan and the pump. This should allow for good airflow to the fan. Overall there isn't a whole lot of room to spare in the basement.

[onevoicewild]

Ohh moving parts! fancy meeting you here! those fans look good, your making steady progress this week! 

[TekLord]

Ohh moving parts! fancy meeting you here! those fans look good, your making steady progress this week! 

 

Moving parts are fun. Yeah, I'm a little bit of everywhere lately. Seems like I've been working on this one forever, but it's only been 2 months so far.

[Lauen]

I FEEL SO GOOD, I FEEL SO NUMB YEEEAH

 

I like that song. Also your build  

[Monty007]

Looks great! Keep up the good work. Those fans look awesome behind the front grill

[nickpc]

nice job man

[TekLord]

I FEEL SO GOOD, I FEEL SO NUMB YEEEAH

 

I like that song. Also your build

 

You're the first person to mention the Zombie references. 

 

Looks great! Keep up the good work. Those fans look awesome behind the front grill

 

Thanks. I really like them too. They're great looking fans.

 

nice job man

 

 

Thanks.

[Unhelpful]

My body is ready, looks really good.

[TekLord]

CHAPTER IV: The Ecstasy

 

"I have such sights to show you!” - Hellraiser (1987)

 

 

I started on a motherboard shroud and checked the cable locations for all the components.

 

 

 

The new floor made from more polystyrene.

 

 

 

More of the floor from the other side.

 

 

 

I chopped up a P67 Sabertooth shroud and added it to the pieces I already made from polystyrene.

 

 

 

The holes are all approximate until I can properly fit it to the motherboard.

 

 

 

Finished the cut out in the front of the case that I created earlier.

 

 

Not to shabby for being done by hand with a Dremel. It only took a little bit of sanding.

 

 

 

I got a little ahead of myself and decided to paint the new floor, starting with a good sanding and primer.

 

 

 

After laying a coat of stainless steel paint, I used a piece of left over mesh and black paint to create a hex pattern.

 

 

 

I rather likes the look, so I kept it.

 

 

 

I kept moving the mesh and spraying until the entire part was covered.

 

 

 

I then misted a little of the granite paint to wash out the pattern somewhat and sprayed it in a satin clear coat.

 

 

 

While I was at it, I also painted the SSD mount in the same granite that I used on the floor and painted the motherboard tray rails in a dark hammertone. Then mounted it back into the case to see how it looked.

 

 

 

Being on a roll, I painted the pump and motherboard tray. The motherboard tray was painted in black and granite. The pump top was masked with only the very front being painted black.

[Monty007]

Looking great

[TekLord]

Looking great

Thanks.

[TekLord]

CHAPTER V: Grease Paint

 

"Man, there's a lot of people who are running now. You think it's right to run?" - Dawn of the Dead (1978)

 

 

 

 

Time to paint the fans. I started with a darker hammertone for the frame.

 

 

 

 

I then painted the blades and hubs in a nickel color.

 

 

 

I only painted the parts of the fans that are visible once mounted. This allowed some of the fan's led light to continue to shine through.

 

 

 

I had previously drilled out all the chassis rivets and broke the chassis down. I cleaned up all the cuts and then gave the inside a nice coat of the darker hammertone paint.

 

 

 

Next up was creating the floor for the "reservoir room". Again I used polystyrene and made allowances for the window that will be installed later.

 

 

 

The "reservoir room" floor is slightly elevated above the rest of the basement floor, allowing some overlap. It also helps in making this section of the case feel unique from the rest on the interior.

 

 

 

 

The reservoir finally gets mounted for the last time.

 

 

 

I decided after I started the assembly of the case, that I didn't like the paint scheme, so I changed it. I reversed the colors for the floor, to give it a darker feel.

 

 

 

I tapped several of the original rivets holes for M4 screws. This will allow the case to be disassembled much easier, should a competent need servicing.

 

 

 

I also repainted a few other pieces. The SSD mount and the reservoir mount received a new coat of stainless steel colored paint.

 

 

 

I also installed cable looms during the repaint. The SSD mount features two 20 pin motherboard contectors that have been cut down and drilled out to except sleeved cables. The reservoir mount features Lutro0 Customs / E22 four 24 pin cable combs.

 

 

 

The pump has also now been mounted for the last time. Here you can also see the elevation difference between the main floor and the "reservoir room" floor.

 

 

 

The Alphacool radiator was re-tapped for M4 screws.

 

 

 

All snug as a bug in a rug.

[enRodjavel]

Nice to see a different case mod and build from all the 540s and Prodigys (have them both ) out there =D, looking good and wants more pics

[Lauen]

Loving it! 

[TekLord]

Nice to see a different case mod and build from all the 540s and Prodigys (have them both ) out there =D, looking good and wants more pics

 

Glad you're enjoying it. There's been quite a few HAF XB's done, but since the 540 was released, everyone seemed to switch to it. I'm working on it everyday now, so plenty more pictures will be coming.

 

Loving it! 

 

Thanks, Stay tuned, there's more coming.