[Project] Fr0stbyte Rebuild - Overclock.net

max302 · 05-10-08

Yup. Rebuild. It's a long story let me explain.

So I got this Rocketfish for Project Bloody Bridget right, and it's waiting to get modded. However, since I'm a total noob, I decided to get some practice while I have a spare chassis, so I decided to partially rebuild (read: NOT upgrade) my sig rig. That way, I don't go thrashing my new Rocketfish with powertools not knowing what the hell I'm doing. I'm also catching up on what I should have done earlier. Although I'm proud of my current sig rig, let's just say that it's not exactly modded to my tastes, unless you consider a cable management job and lots of LED fans a mod.

As in all my logs, I will be using the new format I devised for simplified reading, with one update per post and the first post containing an index of all the updates. Also according to what I usually do, all my images are linked to the original Flickr page, where you can comment, add notes to my photos, view the full sized image, ect.

May 10th

The entire case is disassembled, rivets and all. Some of the pieces even went through their first coat of paint, a semi-matte granular textured black.

Read the entry.

May 13th

Paint is finished! Although it's not perfect, it's a cool practice.

Read the entry.

max302 · 05-10-08

This is the starting point!

It looks ok for a first build according to me... it's themed, clean, simple, the way I like it. However, it's not enough anymore. Let the carnage begin.

Fr0stbyte is right next to the new temporary chassis, a barenaked Rocketfish. I didn't want to scratch the side panels, so they're tucked up in the box, wrapped in t-shirts

. I ain't putting em back until the new case's core is painted... but that's another log.

JESUS this case is fugly when it's empty. Look at all that gray. Ugh.

I know, the guts on this thing aren't exactly impressive, but hey, I've got a camera to pay, so I'm not upgrading, well maybe just an SLI. I'd rather live with what I have and build something brand new 2 years from now than stay in the midrange (and be poor as crap) all the time.

From here on, everything that could possibly be removed with a screw has. On to the rivets.

Almost all the rivets, namely the ones that held the structure together, had 6 mm heads. Now I need to find how much that is in metric, and what the diameter of the other part... forgot the name, but you know what I mean.

The exceptions: the non-critical rivets, holding the drive cages and all, had 5 mm heads. Again, I'll be needing to test the fit with imperial dimension rivets, see what does the trick.

Get a set like this one. You need relatively small bits to drill out rivets and not damage your case. 1/8 was the biggest I used for this project.

From then, the process is simple. Drill with a small drill bit through the rivet until your drill bit goes right through. If the rivet doesnt pop, then you need to use a larger bit. Slowly increment until you find the one bit to pop them all. Once you know what bit tu use, removing a rivet takes about 5-8 seconds.

See how clean the whole are? That's because I used the right bit. Once it reassembled, unless I magically forget what part goes where everbody will think it never got taken apart.

You end up with a pile of pieces like this. Ready to paint.

Apart from the primer, I used Duplicolor Metallic Textured. It isn't super glossy because of it's texture, so it won't attract the eye away from the hardware, but it still puts a visible touch. I don't know if I lack the technique or what is going on, but the Duplicolor can empties quick as hell. At 12$ a can, it's getting expensive.

My painting stand. What sucks about it is that on windy days (IE today), it's pretty hard to get your spray where you want it without overspraying. Which might explain all the paint I'm wasting.

To protect the tapped motherboard standoff mounts, I screwed in halfs of Q-tips. It worked wonders.

Finished product. The paint dries friggin fast, and it's pretty thick because of it's texture, I sprayed one and a half coat, and it's enough. Right there, maybe 40% of the case internals are sprayed.

I tried getting a shot of the texture, but my camera craps out every time. You'll see the depth of the color better once the chassis is riveted back together.

EuroFix · 05-10-08

good progress so far and u seem to be well organised and prepared which is crucial if you want to end up with decent results.

Painting in the open is indeed a PITA. I had to move into semi enclosed area to stop wasting paint and actually get some paint to the work itself.

wastedtime · 05-11-08

Painting in the open is difficult. I tried painting in the open for my project too. I emptied an entire can of primer on 4 angled brackets for holding hard-drives. It was windy as hell. I then have moved the entire thing to my bathtub

Thats a lot of progress u made in a short period of time.

xHassassin · 05-11-08

I can never seem to learn how to spray paint lol...
Always waste too much paint...

max302 · 05-13-08

Paint is finished!

So here is how to reassemble this sucker.

Start with the base, we're going to try and work ground up. Don't be a moron like me and install just one feet, either don't put any or put em all.

Put the front panel on. Secure the three bottom three rivets. At this point, it's gonna be shaky, because the metal isn't really thick, be sure to not let it bend.

Secure the special purpose drive bay to the floor of the case and the front panel. At this point, the front panel will have no problem holding by itself if you have secured the rivets correctly.

Now just like you did with the front panel, install the back panel, in addition to the drive bays. DONT FORGET TO LEAVE THE SUPPORT BEAM RIVET UNDONE!

Blurry action shot.

You may now install the support beam, and rivet the rest of the front panel to the drive bays. This case has a single rivet that holds 3 peices, and that's it. I don't have a pic for the motherboard, sorry about that.

Finished product with top panel. Easy breezy. However...

My rivet gun managed to chip some paint here and there. I should have primed more, and keyed my surface first though, I'm the one to be blamed.

Next mod... top exhaust fan. Hopefully.

More coming soon!

CorporalAris · 05-14-08

Nice! I'll be watching this. I like how it explains things, so that I can learn...

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[Project] Fr0stbyte Rebuild

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