Overview / Usage

The plan here is to achieve the best cooling possible in a system that can hopefully match a work bench.

The lower section of the case will remain 100% intact in order to house the PSU, cables and fan controllers. Any additional storage may also be held here.

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The rest of the system allows for fresh cool air to be blown over an open air bench like space to give the board and GPU as much cooling as is possible. The rear fan will remain in order to keep VRM and ram cool.

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The top of the case will house the watercooling rad from the AIO with an unconventional airflow directing inward rather than exhaust. This is to ensure that the GPU does not get starved of air and given the size of the AIO and the open space surrounding the board and GPU, should be the best option for a system overall temp.

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The top of the case will be supported in part by the standard frame of the chassis which will need some internal brackets to add strength and support. These will be cut to size, drilled and riveted in to try and follow the original build aesthetic of the chassis.

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Cutting the side panels in a way to provide additional support and strength to the top of the chassis is also key. This should also mean that due to how the build is left open, no panels should ever really have to be removed, even to perform maintenance, ideal for when/if the system goes under a customer hard tube loop at a later date.

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A small 5" touch screen HDMI 800x480 panel will also be placed in the base of the chassis, either face out or up (space will decide this) to display aida64 info on a custom touch panel. When in idle and lock screen, this will revert to the latest intel logo in accordance with the techmesh build theme and main sponsor.

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Each of the sketches shows what will hopefully remain of the chassis, given it enough of its own original design to know its an be-quiet 802 whilst hopefully adding an Antec striker like appeal to the build as a true one off.

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To clarify from the images attached.

The top is vented and will have 3x 120mm fans and the rad for the AIO.

The front is also vented and will have 3x 140mm fans.

The rear will house 1x 120mm fan.

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All fans in the chassis will be 140 or 120mm Be-quiet fans as per the OEM of the case and the keep the branding relevant.

Methodology / Approach

Bish. bash. bosh.

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I need to invest in some tooling.

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Hammer? Check!

Screw drivers? Check!

Mini saw? Check!

Rivet gun? Check!

Mini Dremel? Check!

Drill? Check!

Cursing? (sorry) Definitely check!!

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Other than some files, sand paper, etching primer and paint I should be golden... famous last words!?

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Anyway.......

The plan is to remove the mesh, prime and paint (likely black).

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Panels will be cut, tidied, primed and painted. The put back on the unmodified chassis to ensure fit and finish as well as clearances.

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The chassis will then be cut, stripped of rivets where required and additional structural support added in.

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Parts will then be temporarily bolted together with small nuts and bolts and the whole solution built to check fit and structural integrity.

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Everything will then be removed once again, scuffed up where required, etching primer painted over parts, colour painted over parts (be that black, white or lightning blue) and the chassis reconstructed ready for hardware.

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Cable management will be covered with Velcro cable tidies.

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The optional 5" touch 800x480 panel for aida64.

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As I cannot see what the clearances are internally on the case at the bottom where I plan to put the panel, it will either be on the side, behind the side panel and on show from the side of the case. If the case and PSU allows for it, the panel will appear under the water block showing additional temps and a graph to accompany the small LCD on the MSI pump unit.

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A thread on bit-tech will be created for the build log should I be successful with my possibly done many times before (but not be me) mod!

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Technologies Used

From the entry, the below or variations of I presume will be used.

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Item Description Approximate ARV USD Description ARV USD
Power supply Seasonic FOCUS PX-850 Power Supply $168.99 Seasonic FOCUS GX-850 P0wer Supply $149.99
SSD / Hard drive (1 TB) WD_BLACK SN850 SSD $164.99 SAMSUNG 980 PRO SSD $189.95
Video Card / GPU MSI Ventus GeForce RTX 3070 Video Card $1,351.30 ASUS ROG Strix GeForce RTX 3070 Video Card $1,309.55
Case Silent Base 802 White $199.80 N/A N/A
Keyboard CORSAIR K68 RGB Gaming Keyboard $119.99 CORSAIR K63 Gaming Keyboard $109.99
Mouse Logitech G502 HERO Gaming Mouse $47.04 Logitech G305 Gaming Mouse $47.99

Heatsink MSI MEG CORELIQUID S360 $279.99 N/A
Motherboard MPG Z690 Carbon WIFI $379.99 N/A

Memory 2 x 16 GB $309.99 N/A
Intel CPU Intel Core i9 12900K $599.99 N/A