Case Mod: Cooler Master UHAF 932 Prototype Concept Rig - Overclock.net

Paraleyes · 09-10-09

Cooler Master UHAF 932 (Ultra High Air Flow) Prototype Concept Rig

Okay my felllow OCNers... My plan with this mod is to create something that looks different from anything else out there while makeing some substantial improvements yet still conservative enough to appear as though it came direct from the factory when it's finished. So far, I think I'm pulling it off and hopefully you can all see something new here.

I have to apologize for the crap cell phone pics. My daughter was borrowing my camera for a few days, but I'll try to get plenty of better shots with my camera too.

Parts List:

Cooler Master HAF 932
My Signature Rig
I'll come back to this

I've got a long ways to go yet on this project, but here are some decent pictures showing my progress. So far, I have been able to finish the top mod completely how I envisioned. You can see the chunk of plastic that I cut out and then reattached the outer pieces back together allowing for more functional airflow through the top of the case.

Paraleyes · 09-10-09

I thought I'd show here how you can counter sink a normal rivet to sit flush by using a large drill bit. I think the one I was using is 7/16 or 15/32.

By now, you've noticed I swapped the top and bottom panels. I thought it would be easier to get the look I wanted by doing that. I will also be able to add a second XSPC RX240 Radiator inside on the bottom still this way when I'm ready for it. So here's what I did to the bottom panel which used to be the top.

Wire management

It took some brainstorming to find this sweet spot for the power plug to the side panel fans.

Everything tucked behind! I even ground down the MB a bit to run the eSATA!

How's that for wire management?

My hidden cold cathode!

More on this later...

Here's the back of it. I like to keep a light guage tin around for small heat shields and duct mods. I used a chunk of tin to wrap around the cold cathode and then prepped and painted the inside of it that nasty fake chrome in a shakey can so that it would reflect as much as possible. Here it just has primer on it.

Paraleyes · 09-10-09

I wanted to create a divider to separate the bottom of the case and provide a much cleaner appearance especially for wire management and then I had the idea of dropping the XSPC restop into the boxed in lower part of the case I fabricated. Here are some pictures.

I modified an old junk mid-tower with a fairly stout steel top here by cutting it to fit and bending the front and right(MB side) sides. Here I sanded it down to metal.

Here it is primed and wet sanded.

I used a chunk of the rubber flap out of the top of the case for a mounting mat and to help with vibrations.

Here's the pump dropped down in the bottom with the side still open.

And the side closed. You can also see close up how I did a quick mod to the HD rack by folding the left side up and securing it to the right side allowing for much more space to conceal wires.

Towards the back is the hole for water lines.

You can see here how I lined up the bottom to mount the pump through the best spot possible. I still need to pick up a couple little nuts and bolts to mount it properly.

Here is a minor mod I did for my fan controller. I just used some floppy drive standoffs and it mounted in perfectly after I removed some material from the PCB. Then I drilled out some holes for the knobs and riveted it to the screen.

Oh, I see that I still need to touch up those rivets with my silver sharpie.

Paraleyes · 09-10-09

I figured I should start posting some of the paint scheme pictures by now so here they are. I will put some pictures of all the paints I used for the project in this post as well. I've found all the best paints that will match stock appearances, textures and finishes. Hopefully this post will be a great help to anyone wanting to do just that.

I also wanted to share a quick tip that will save all lot of hassle while trying to paint your screens. These side pieces have been "welded" into the plastic to be held in place, but they are easily removable and reattached with the use of a soldering iron. 1st you have to find a bit that will work for you. I used a glass bit that I had laying around, but a regular flat head drill bit would work just as well. Perhaps an old 1/4" drill bit would be best or anything with a round shank as it would heat up much easier by contacting the walls inside the soldering iron. Bla blah bla... enough of that. The trick here is to slide a small knife or flat head screw driver underneath the metal screen so that there is some pressure pulling it away from the plastic all the while applying heat with your soldering iron directly onto the top of the plug weld until the pressure of the screw driver lifts it up. Then slide the screw driver closer to the next plug weld and repeat until it is completely free. Only melt the plastic just enough to remove the mesh. However, if this mesh screen was plastic as well, it would be quite a bit more difficult to do this.

You can see here how I used the little screw driver as described above.

E-Z P-Z!

Welding them back on is a snap as well. Just be sure to hold the metal screen tight for the few seconds it takes for the plastic to melt over it on each plug weld.

I also thought I'd add this picture showing how I welded the top plastic piece back together using the soldering iron.

All those drive bay screens are very easily removed by bending the tabs. The trick here is to only bend it as little as possible and only in one direction at a time. More specifically, each time the metal is bent, all the molecules inside it heat up and weaken the area of the bend, so it is important to only bend it to the position required and then leave it alone so the molecules can settle back down.

You can also see the filters I swiped from a different CM case I had. I just trimmed them down a bit and they fit in perfectly.

Here some pictures of the paint process:

Be sure to tape off those HD vents to prevent overspray.

I went ahead and taped off the entire outside of the panel.

Here's a couple showing that all is needed to paint these panels is a quick scuff with an abrasive prep pad. No primer is needed. They are primed from the factory.

Here's a couple pictures of the front and top, not including any completed lighting mods.

And of course, I wanted to show on camera the difference between the silver paint I'm using and the factory primed surfaces. I didn't bother to paint that PSU tray. I think it's more in the way than anything, not to mention the fact that it blocks airflow into the PSU.

Here's a picture of the RX360 just in case anyone wonders if I painted the whole thing.

Here's the MB all color matched.

HAFenvy · 09-10-09

That is awesome - I look forward to seeing what you do with that and yes... it looks like it belongs there the way these things should

Silverlight · 09-10-09

Looks awesome so far, giving me some ideas for when i mod my HAF 932 (which should happen next week when i get it)

Bookmarked

caraboose · 09-10-09

Looks really good sofar, looks almost like something I was goin to try with my HAF.
Subed

Paraleyes · 09-10-09

Quote:

Originally Posted by HAFenvy

That is awesome - I look forward to seeing what you do with that and yes... it looks like it belongs there the way these things should

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silverlight

Looks awesome so far, giving me some ideas for when i mod my HAF 932 (which should happen next week when i get it)

Bookmarked

Quote:

Originally Posted by caraboose

Looks really good sofar, looks almost like something I was goin to try with my HAF.
Subed

Thanks guys! I'm hard at it. At least until 3:30 when the kids get home. Then I'll get busy after dinner again and post plenty more pictures tonight.

K10 · 09-10-09

good stuff. sub'd

caraboose · 09-10-09

Yay pictures, can I make a suggestion? What I was going to do is continue the front top panel thing on the HAF back with carbon fiber, so it looks like was actualy meant to be there, and then recreate the whole front panel, and side panels with CF too. But unfortunatly I ran out of money long long before that, so if you have the money I think that a Carbon Fiber HAF would be really cool.

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Case Mod: Cooler Master UHAF 932 Prototype Concept Rig

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