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Unnamed: be quiet! Dark Base Pro 900 case mods with the help of 3D printing

3K views 3 replies 1 participant last post by  WheresWally 
#1 ·
Not to take over any of the very few Dark Base 900 threads here, I decided to start a new thread in the Case Mods sub-forum. While this is not exactly a complete build log I am going to use this case as the basis for testing out a few 3D printed parts. Most of the things I am trying are self-designed and are printed on my personal 3D printer although I do have a shop on Shapeways and may have them print a few items. In the mean time here is the plan so far.

Already acquired a be quiet! Dark Base Pro 900 in the orange and black colorway. I already have a lot of the parts for a custom water-cooling loop but no electronics yet. Still don't know if I am going to do an Intel or AMD build. I am waiting to see what independent reviews think of the new Ryzen processors and currently available boards. The 3D printed parts are a combination of form & function or just functional transition pieces. I have already designed covers for the unused drive bay slots and a method to hold the pump reservoir combination up off the bottom of the case. Also some purely aesthetic touches like cup washers for any bolt or screw that can use them.

This is not a sponsored build and as a retiree I have to spend money in small amounts and very judiciously so any help is appreciated and patience will be required to get this finished. I will give back to the community by publishing my 3D print designs for others to print on their own if they like them. I am also open to suggestions for mounting fixtures and aesthetic touches. Since my design philosophy is minimalist I plan on doing things without the use of cutting the case or otherwise modifying it beyond recognition. I will try to keep this first post limited to just a parts list (w/pictures).

3D Printed Parts List
  • New catches for the door. Most of the reviews indicate that the magnets used to hold the door from swinging are just too weak, this modified part redesigns the catch to accomodate an 8 mm x 2 mm neodymium magnet. It is a much stronger hold but not so much that it is hard to open the front case door. This replaces the original parts.
  • Muliple styles of snap in drive slot covers; blank cover, embossed cover and stenciled cover with the be quiet! logo. These just snap in place and are held in by a friction fit.
  • Holder for the top of the reservior. This actually screws into the case in the back plane where the drive cages attach. I had a Barrow 65 mm reservoir so this snaps around the top cover.
  • Pump top holder for Barrow D5 pump top. Currently debating two styles, one places all fitting holes facing the tempered glass panel, the other toward the back side of the case. The pump reservoir combo sits approximately 25 mm from the case back plane.
  • Cup washers, should be self-explanatory.
  • There is also a radiator spacer (not pictured). I am using two Alphacool X-Flow radiators and since one of my criteria was to not cut the case in any way, I modeled a spacer that moves the radiator out ~5 mm from the mounting surface. This allows room for the plugs on the non-used G¼" ports.
  • Cover for the Fan/LED controller
More soon ....
 
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#2 ·
I have placed a few of these items on my Shapeways page as well as uploading some of the items to Thingiverse for self-printing. If you are going to self print the door catches it will look infinitely better if you have a UV cured resin based printer (such as a Form 1). The surface finish will be much more inline with the OEM part on the case. The drive slot covers can be printed in nearly any material as they are thin enough to flex the necessary amount to snap them in place.

One advantage to the blank drive cover on Shapeways is that a custom image may be uploaded and engraved into the plate. If you have a logo or name you want to call your printer build youy can upload the image and it will be printed that way. You only have rudimentary controls for placement and scale and the maximum image ratio is 5:1.

Roll your own files are located at Thingiverse, just download and print.
HDD slot covers
Magnetic catch replacements

Preconfigured and customizable ones are on Shapeways
Revolutionaries
 
#3 ·
So now I have started to collect parts for the build itself, still no decision on CPU or Motherboard but I have already purchased the following parts.
  • Corsair ML140 Fans (not the Pro LED versions)
  • Alphacool NexXxos ST30 280mm X-Flow Radiator
  • Alphacool NexXxos XT45 280mm X-Flow Radiator
  • Corsair HX1000i Power Supply
  • Orico USB3.0 Card Reader
  • A bunch of Barrow hard tube fittings for a custom water loop
  • Most of the 3D printed parts listed above
While in my first ever hard tube build I did everything freehand, on this build I am going to make custom tube bending jigs with my 3D printer. That way everything comes out even and sweeping bends go exactly where I need them to go. I learned quite a few lessons on what not to do, and more reading here gave me a few ideas to try out. So hopefully this becomes a much cleaner build.

 
#4 ·
Got my updated magnetic door holders and the 8 mm x 1 mm neodymium magnet dropped in perfectly. Now the door is held shut at any angle and even with rough handling. Also got my first of three drive covers from Shapeways, I ordered myself the be quiet stenciled version. after I got it I decided to modify the model and change the logos, so now on order I have two more one with AMD and it's logo and the other with Gigabyte and its respective logo.





Coloring on the catches is off in the picture as a result of different surface reflection values and a surface that is not polished or smoothed in any way on the 3D printed part.

In the meantime I do have a new motherboard on the way:
Gigabyte AX370 Gaming K7

Also got a cable set for the Corsair HX1000i from CableMods in Black/Orange
 
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