[case mod] The "Silent but Deadly" Bitfenix Prodigy - Page 2

OK will outlay my plan for a front fan for thoughts.

I want to get the Bitfenix 230

Looking at pics on the net. The white panel appears to be about 10mm. Acutally the bigger the better. The fan is 30mm in width so will stick out of front by 20mm or less.

Pros: full 200 fan for rad, fits inside width of white section of case front .

Cons: The mod could be a ***** to do, particular the cutting of the white.

Hoping to achieve this:
will probably have white mesh in that bottom rectangular gap.

Will cut the fan body profile into the front panel so it can go right through directly on to chassis and rad.

Method:

1. Remove the white panel, keep in the 5.25 drive panel as when removed later can be used as a template for some mesh. Take off and keep logo. Tape up front then reinstall.
2. At fan to rad, push up against front panel and get top height.
3. Remove white panel, tape up back of panel aswell. Draw a centreline vertical. Place fan on CL at the height marked and trace.
4. drill out all of the corner sections of the pattern with matching diameter drills. Cut straights with dremel saw and or craft saw.

A tip on drilling. I find these types of drills best for plastics.

5. give the edges a file with a fine file. Round the front showing edges a little.

6. Remove the 5.25 panel section and use this as template for mesh.

7. line up and fix mesh to back of white panel.

8. Trace the fan outline onto some modders mesh. cut out, drill 4 matching available holes, touch up, screw to front. (Im not sure, but possibly the Demiflex mesh for an Antec "Big Boy" may match the fan.)

9. Will possibly cut out every 2nd fan support on back of fan to reduce obstruction.

Possible probs:

1. I figure about 7mm either side of fan, so will have to be careful doing the straights. Could crack towards the edge. Some close clamping to the cut should prevent this.

2. One of the hold down screws at the back of the white panel fall on a trace mark. If it does, I will have to cut flush be fore cutting the trace out.

OK guys. PUSH or PULL?

My fans at top will be pulling up and out, My rear fan will be pushing in.

I'd like to push in, but experience tells me it will be a dust magnet out front, so leaning to pull out. Actually I could possibly push pull both rads. Don't think ICBF though. Just something to keep in mind if someone wold like to do it.

Shroud sitting on top.
Flush with rear, over hangs front 2mm. Doesn't matter, front panel stick out 7mm. Sweet :thumbup:

Here's the 280 rad sitting on top. With the shroud on with fans then rad, I am anticipating it will sit down around 12mm in side the case. You can see the ports of the 280 and 200 are going to be a close match. Around 25mm offset I think. :thumbup:

Here is the back of the black full panel aka "The mud flap". Will lose the middle row of hold down srews. Don't mater. 4 remain, 4 side clips and 2 firm locator plugs still in place. BUT! When you glue a new front panel on you will lose the four remaining hold down screws. I wil check to see how firm it goes back on. If ot satifactory I can drill though the front panel and use 4 black dress screws. No biggy.

Fliping the mudflap, over you will see this raised section surrounding the 5.25 bay hole. It's got to be cut/file of to allow a new front panel to be attached/ glue to it.

How to keep your bay

Ok, here we go. I personally am not keeping the bay, but there have been quite a few questions.

I make this disclaimer:I cannot guarantee the alternative fits, it's by eye and I am not going to chop chop several cases for verification. So mod at your own peril. :lol:

Here is the Phobia in it's correct position.

You can see in these pics just how much it is missing by. It is hitting the tank by 2mm and then you have the head of those caps 3mm. thats 5mm in total.

If we look at the bottom of the rad you will see it is 13mm clear, thought to get the full 13mm you will have to drill a small hole to accommodate the drain screw on the bottom of the rad. It s around 3 mm. Even if you didn't that still drops the rad down by 5mm. If you are turning the front of the chassis you cannot drill the hole to accommodate this drain screw because you would then have that little hole at the top of the case. No look good.

Now if you what to take this bay out later without having to disassemble the whole rad set up, you may want to consider cutting the bottom mounting tab of the tray. Also, don't forget you will have to cut new rad and fan mounting holes as well as some of the front of the case if the lack of airflow concerns you.

I cant see how this would not also work if you de-rivet and turn the chassis front to put the bay at the bottom. You may have to add a fixing point at the rear side of the tray as the bottom panel slide is not quite the same profile as the top. Undoubtedly if you were using it just for a fan controller, you would trim the bay depth any way.

Now there is also concern that a top mounted 240 rad will foul the 200 rad at the front, particularly if you flip the front and cannot verify as I am not flipping or using a 240 up top. I do know however, you are able to move the top rad backwards. Using the existing mount rail you can only go back 5mm. If you attach some of this perforated stuff from Bunnings (it comes in different lengths) you can drill more holes and move back 30mm. The rear latch will no longer work but some dress screw and all good.

Now my 280 with the shroud may be OK with out fouling at front. As I said I am going into the case with the rard by around 12mm and no bottom mounted fans, so it just might be OK.

This build is starting to do what other builds have done. Make me think and try to be individual. I do not think I can stay with the black/white color scheme. I still want to keep it simple, 3 colours at most. I need a theme. My previous builds were based on Nvidia Green, ATi Red and then the Imperial black white. What to do now?

Then I saw it........ the one thing I was going to rip apart to be in the build and miss greatly.

Here it is: Silver case, black trims with a splash of Nvidia neon green.

I may now go to a round fan to replicate the round fan of the 690. Also might do some colour scheme mock ups in photos hop.

How to fit a 280 rad. :thumbup:


Here is a pic of the cutout. By this stage I had already placed shroud centred and flush with the rear end and drilled the mounting holes.

The dimensions are 6mm in from the front, 18mm from the back and 148mm in width on center. Turns out about 321mm in length.
Once again I recommend using a 4" grinder with cutting disc. The metal is thick as. Paint smells like 2pack when cut so it was quality paint.
If ya got a 4" grinder get a fine one of these "flap discs". Saves heaps of time on clean up.


There is also some cutting required on the underside of the shroud. Because the radiator will sit in to the shroud by 3mm the ends of the radiator foul.

The measurements are 12mm in from the front edge and 17mm in from the rear. Try not to cut out to close to the original width as the construction in the shroud has little screws on tabs. Also it is aluminium so be prepared for a quick cut.

Hole cut, shroud trimmed and fitted.


Flush at the rear ans 2mm overhand as anticipated.


Handles and panels fitted. Plenty of clearance.



Enjoy! :thumbup:

Gday guys

Mounted the rads for a look see. This is what I am dealing with.

Found my miniPcie to Pciex1 card HERE.

Has anyone had experience of digital TV on laptop? Does it work decent?

I have seen heaps of these on Ebay. Go for about $20.

They are a Digital tuner card for laptops and they use MiniPcie slot. What do yas recon? I do have an ariel outlet right below my PC from when I had DVBT card. put in an aerial header at the back of the case.

Tube cutter $8 from Supercheap :thumbup:

Went into Bunnings to look for PlastiKote Vinyl as I had used their Plastic primer before for hard plastics.

They don't carry it anymore but had a new line from DyMark. Primer says PVC, plastic and Vinyl so that was good enough for me. Also Got Metallic silver, Metallic Bronze (black with flek) and Clear.


Got some 30x30mm wood quad too, mmm what for?

Good Plastic Primer

BAD BAD Plastic Primer

Anyone know where I can get some more Plastikote?. I might just have enough left.

I took the 2 pieces into Bunnings to show the chick who wanted some feed back. Got a refund on all my paint. She understood and they want to get something that actually works. I said it could just be the plastic, but if Plastikote could do it, it shouldn't have been dropped as a line and replaced with something that couldn't.

I've flexed the Plastikote panel heaps and holds well. No crack or peel. It will peel slightly but you have to really dig a finger nail right in. So will search fore more of it.
Edited by bobbavet - 10/31/12 at 10:33pm