Project: "Mod Men" Show Home Theater / Gaming PC

MnpctechMnpctech Mpls, Mn.
edited May 2011 in Hardware
This is the scratch build PC project from the"Mod Men" series on YouTube. It will be water cooled ITX H55 Home Theater / Gaming PC. The “Mod Men” Show is the first original web series made exclusively about PC Modding. It follows the industry’s first Professional PC Mod Shop, Mnpctech.

Mod_Men_Show_PC3.jpg

SYSTEM SPECS:
Motherboard = ZOTAC H55 ITX 1156
CPU = Intel Core i7-870 Lynnfield 2.93GHz 8MB L3 Cache LGA 1156 95W Quad-Core
GPU = ZOTAC 470 GTX
SSD: Mushkin Callisto 64GB
PSU: Silverstone 600W

COOLING SPECS:
CPU = Custom Copper water block (designed by cheaps, randy's swirl design)
(Acrylic water block tops fabricated and designed by cheaps)
GPU Cooling = EK-FC470 GTX water block (would have made our own, if time allowed)
Radiator: Hardware Labs 360 GT Stealth
Reservoir = Custom made with manual pressure regulator! (designed & fabricated by cheaps)
Pump = MCP350
Tygon 3603 3/8" ID (1/2" OD) Clear Tubing
EK PSC fittings, except for water block top (EK hi-flo)

CONSTRUCTION:
Tower: 2" thick cast clear acrylic (cnc milled)
Tower Sides: 1/8" thick Blue & UV Green transparent cast acrylic (cnc milled)
Base for PSU: 2" thick cast clear acrylic (cnc milled)
Optical drive shell: 2" thick cast clear acrylic (cnc milled)
Optical drive cover" 3/16" thick billet aluminum with fins
Front Plates: 1/4" thick Blue transparent cast acrylic and 3/16" thick billet (cnc milled)
Rear PSU Mounting: 1" billet aluminum
MB stand-offs: billet aluminum
Power switch: 22mm Bulgin Blue Ring Momentary

Episode #1
[media]

modmen_bio_page3.jpg

mod_men_show_bittech_drawings.jpg

Here is cheap's first concept drawings for the "Mod Men" PC after a few chats. Tim Burton / BIJOU Theater / The Jetsons was appropriate description of the PC design. If you want a more specific description, perform search under "Googie"


mod_men_show_bittech1.jpg
Base for PSU: 2" thick cast clear acrylic (cnc milled)

mod_men_show_bittech2.jpg
Front Plates: 1/4" thick Blue transparent cast acrylic

Assembly of the 2" thick clear acrylic base and main tower. The aluminum piece is the mounting plate for the Power Supply
http://www.mnpctech.3dpixelnet.com/picture_library/mod_men_pc_mod_project_log2.jpg

http://www.mnpctech.3dpixelnet.com/picture_library/mod_men_pc_mod_project_log3.jpg

http://www.mnpctech.3dpixelnet.com/picture_library/mod_men_pc_mod_project_log4.jpg

http://www.mnpctech.3dpixelnet.com/picture_library/mod_men_pc_mod_project_log5.jpg

http://www.mnpctech.3dpixelnet.com/picture_library/mod_men_pc_mod_project_log6.jpg

Comments

  • MnpctechMnpctech Mpls, Mn.
    edited March 2011
    Here is the 1/4" thick Blue transparent acrylic while test fitting everything.

    http://www.mnpctech.3dpixelnet.com/picture_library/mod_men_pc_mod_project_log7.jpg

    http://www.mnpctech.3dpixelnet.com/picture_library/mod_men_pc_mod_project_log7a.jpg

    http://www.mnpctech.3dpixelnet.com/picture_library/mod_men_pc_mod_project_log7b.jpg

    http://www.mnpctech.3dpixelnet.com/picture_library/mod_men_pc_mod_project_log8.jpg

    http://www.mnpctech.3dpixelnet.com/picture_library/mod_men_pc_mod_project_log9a.jpg

    http://www.mnpctech.3dpixelnet.com/picture_library/mod_men_pc_mod_project_log9b.jpg
  • KometeKomete Member
    edited March 2011
    I watched at least 4 episodes/ clips of your show last night. Pretty interesting. Nice job. Looks like you guys have gathered a great collection of talent.

    Now on this PC case, I just don't know how I feel about it. You're a professional so I'm going to be critical. The quality of the machining shows through on the bits and pieces that we can see in the pictures and show but in this day and age of material conservatism, what's the purpose of it? Help me see what I'm missing. It's not a tower, it's not a desktop, and at every turn that it could wrap into something slick and efficient, it spikes out into wasted space. It's like the opposite of form and function. You know what I mean? There's a button at the bottom of the water tower, but if you ever were to bend down to hit it, you better watch out for the sharp top edge jutting out the top.


    Usually projects have a theme. A vision. When I look at this, all I can think of is a super sized Xbox 360 with a multi-level parking garage attached to it with its foundation exposed. Don't get me wrong, you guys are putting some good work into it with water channeled through the case walls and custom water-blocks and what have you. It's just the design man. To appreciate it would be like trying to swallow a pine cone.

    If I don't get I don't get it, but please explain what you guys were going after with this case.
  • MnpctechMnpctech Mpls, Mn.
    edited March 2011
    Why does it need to look Traditional? We're using all of the left over material for another project :)

    here is photos of the custom acrylic reservoir made by cheapskate, this will be mounted on the back of the tower.

    1mod_men_project_log_custom_res_waterblock1.jpg

    1mod_men_project_log_custom_res_waterblock2.jpg

    1mod_men_project_log_custom_res_waterblock3.jpg
  • KometeKomete Member
    edited March 2011
    There's nothing wrong with something unconventional. That's what PC mods are all about. Usually it's about drawing attention to components, features, or show off a theme. All I see in this case is 2.5d parts stacked together without any consideration to function.

    In the absence of function, I'm looking for theme. There isn't one that I can identify.
    The water cooling aspect is hidden. So I don't think that's it. The components are hidden so that knocks that out. The only thing that is left is waste for waste sake and that went out a long time ago. So i ask the question, what were you guys going after with this case?
  • MnpctechMnpctech Mpls, Mn.
    edited March 2011
    Frank Lloyd Wright meets The Jetsons.


    mod_men_show_pc_online_media_1.jpg


    mod_men_show_pc_online_media_4.jpg


    mod_men_show_pc_online_media_6.jpg


    mod_men_show_pc_online_media_7.jpg


    mod_men_show_pc_online_media_8.jpg
  • MAGICMAGIC Doot Doot Furniture City, Michigan Icrontian
    edited March 2011
    This is a sweet design. If it was black and I dont know if the light can be shut off but, I would want one. I think the hum of a pump might get to me if I was watching a quiet move tho.
  • MnpctechMnpctech Mpls, Mn.
    edited March 2011
    Yeah, swiftech 350 waterpump is quieter than the 355 I chose
  • Cliff_ForsterCliff_Forster Icrontian
    edited March 2011
    That thing just straight up wins.
  • ZuntarZuntar North Carolina Icrontian
    edited March 2011
    Cliff_Forster wrote:
    That thing just straight up wins.

    THIS!!
  • KometeKomete Member
    edited March 2011
    That came out a lot better than I was expecting. The blue and the green really looks great. It may not be practical but it sure does light up pretty.
  • QuadWhoreQuadWhore Toledo, Ohio, U.S. Icrontian
    edited March 2011
    Komete wrote:
    That came out a lot better than I was expecting. The blue and the green really looks great. It may not be practical but it sure does light up pretty.

    Since when does practicality have to limit us nerds? :cool2:
  • MnpctechMnpctech Mpls, Mn.
    edited May 2011
    Thank you for the kind words everybody! Our next project will be very different from this one.

    The PC made the cover of CPU Magazine! This is the 5th time Mnpctech has made the cover, so happy!!!

    mod_men_show_cpu_cover.jpg
  • BuddyJBuddyJ Dept. of Propaganda OKC Icrontian
    edited May 2011
    Congrats on getting a cover! That's big time cool.
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