[Project] Lian Li A05N: Zero Tolerance - Page 4

Yes you are right with that but given the gpu coolers I am using the natural flow is being disrupted. And I'm not sure how well the cards will cool with there fans flipped around.

Nope no side panel. I though about it but I going to keep the clean look as much as possible.


The basis of all discovery. Experience is knowledge after all.

Do it, Join us. No really Come join us over at The Coolest Lian Li PC-A05 CLUB We love getting new members.

Got some work done today. Cut some new parts with the jet and doing some layouts.

First I cut out this guy.


Now its time to sketch the fan placement and centers. Makes marking centers as easy as drawing a line spinning and drawing another.



Whats this? It is centered first try?


I may try to cut out the top panel next week but the main guy that runs our water jet will be out for the week on vacation and I don't know how to fine tune to the .01 of an inch.

List of stuff left to do:
1: Cut top panel
2: Draw up bottom panel and mark for cutting.
3: Design and draw up disk mounts.
4: Disassemble and paint/powder coat.
5: Buy a second Setsugen 2 and long flexi Xfire bridge.


Bonus side project:
Fan adapters to put 120 fans into 140 holes. A squirt of some Satin Black Krylon and we are in sexy ville.

Ya I know it does. I forgot to resize the hole before I cut it out. But it should do the job.

Well I got some time to work on my system tonight. I decided it was time to start the most labor intensive step now of I may never start it. Time to break down the main rig and break out the back up. Looks like I had some help tonight. Too bad she can't hold a dremal.

Fully loaded, it weights a ton.

Empty and it's feather light.


My "work station"


So I today I committed to getting the bottom of my case drawn out for cutting and practicing my hole cutting method. As anyone that has modded the A05's bottom knows that the front, bottom, and rear are unibody and bent to form a "U" Seeing how I can't get a flat work piece without some serious reverse engineering, so this means no water jet action for the bottom. I decided to just do it by hand. So I broke out my dremal, ruler, masking tape, and some other various tools. If my math is right *crosses fingers* There will be ~3/16 in of space between the rear of the case.



Wait three holes? I thought you said only a 2x140 setup on the bottom... That I did. I may cut it out so my PSU can intake fresh air.


The trusty new dremal 300 kit with hole cutter/edge guard and a 1/8in carbide end mill bit from work.

This bit may be a bit over kill for a dremal but I wasn't about to try the spiral one that came with the kit. It was too long and would have flexed too much. Not to mention would have probably been burnt out in a matter of inches. Though I think the end mill I grabbed was on it's last legs.


Time for a test cut. Lets see if my plan of attack is worthy of being used.

Test piece all mocked up with the same technique as the top and bottom. Slightly thicker then the A05's case.


Set the radius to just under the finished radius. It will be a lot easier to remove extra material then it will be to add more back.


Sorry for terrible shots to to follow, almost no light int the garage and a with a cell phone it's not pretty.

Toolage. Clamped my work piece to the table on my table saw(it's unplugged). Using a peice of 3/4 scrap wood to keep it raised so I don't destroy the tabletop. Drilled my center hole and then did a plunge cut to start cutting the outer circle.





Needless to say it works just fine but leaves a very crude edge. Maybe I'm just spoiled with the water jet.



Very rough edge. Will have to be cleaned up for finally product. Tons of material left to make sure I can leave a clean edge after.

Compared to the water jet cuts. Wait no comparison, water jet wins.


Still to be done:
1: Cut top holes
2: Find a new mounting place for the front panel I/O
3: Design HDD/SSD mounting system
4: Pick up a second Setsugen 2 and a long Flexi Xfire bridge.
5: And of course powder coat.

So that's it for the case tonight. Not sure when the next update will be. Until next time

I got another side project!
Eyefinity dirt cheap. Bought a "broken" monitor off craigslist with the same specs as my current two. $10 round trip including gas. So I rode up the 70 miles round trip to pick it up. I did say dirt cheap after all, gas is expensive man. Symptoms sounded like bad caps so I when I got home I ripped it open and found 10 of 11 blown caps