I fell in love with this mod and would like to make a similar mod, or even a replicate.
http://forum.coolermaster.com/viewtopic.php?f=49&t=14781
http://gathering.tweakers.net/forum/list_messages/1439066
I've emailed the original modder to see if i could ask him questions/advice, and to see if he was against me replicating his desk(he is currently building a new one seen here: http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=358558).
He hasn't got back to me yet, if he does and i can have a conversation with him(2 different time zones may be complicated) i can probably just ask him all my questions.

I figure instead of making a bunch of threads asking you guys hardware questions, such as my fan thread earlier, i would just compile all my thoughts here.

I am not a welder or anything near what that guy is. I do work in a steel processing factory which is where i intend to get the material to make the desk(scrap bins = proffit?).
I have a neighbor who welds for a living as well as 2 of my dads friends, one of which who has his own shop. I'm also pretty sure the maintenance guys at work wouldn't mind doing some welding for me.
I also have a friend in auto body repair, who can likely powder coat it for me when the time comes so i don't have to worry about priming and painting a whole whack of times.

Anyways, I'm just guestimating sizes off his pictures, since only one of them has dimensions on it.
http://forums.d2jsp.org/topic.php?t=64170842&f=188 < fan thread, so far 2 suggestions with typhoons
I've decided i need 140mm fans, so if anyone wants to suggest a specific fan(preferably in red, however if needed i'll disassemble and spray paint, more modding experience right?).
So if anyone has brand & model # of fans to suggest that'd be awesome, if not i just made a fan thread and got some good examples in there.
I've decided its going to cost me anywhere from 15-25$/fan for 12 fans. Already an expensive start :P.


As for background in modding:
I have none. I haven't even had a lot of experience in building computers either. I built my first rig last year September ish with my brother-in-law.

this is its specs, i may reuse hardware, or i might sell the pc and buy new components for upgrading purposes as well as color coordinating the build if i do in fact proceed with it.






Measurements so far(in):

Over-all desk space
42 3/8 x 22 3/8

Desk Compartment
40x20x8

Front/rear
13 - 7

Mobo tray
~12x13x1


Current questions:

How did he make that temp display?
What LED strips do you guys suggest?
- He has them in blue and white, mentions rgb. I've never looked into case lighting, does rgb imply any color combo of red green blue on a control? Or is it limited to specific colors.

How does he hook up all those fans?
- He doesn't have a fan controller, are they on external power or all wired into the power supply?
- Fan covers:
I doubt I'll be able to build them myself, are they really necessary or did he add them for cosmetics?

Harddrive location:
- I'm unable to see his harddrive in those pictures, so I'm assuming its mounted in the back. This doesn't seem like the safest thing.
Since i don't have a laser desk i don't think i'll be able to cut anything out like his h20 or DESK ART logos, Should i mount the res in the middle of the desk, then put hard driv***s where he currently has his reservoir?
The set-up suggested here can be seen in this mod
http://www.l3p.nl/files/Hardware/Deskmod/Progress/1280px/P10401741280px.JPG
Its a large picture so i don't think i'll put img code. It was done buy another hollander in the same coolermaster competition. He used the original modders plans and won the competition without giving any credit. Seems kind of unfair to me, and i don't like it as much as the original anyways =\

Water cooling loop:
This is my guess as to how his loop goes, but i have 0 experience with watercooling. Res -> Pump -> Large rad -> GPU -> Small rad -> CPU -> RAM -> Res. Please offer suggestions, however my brother in law has a loop in his and i'll likely recieve help from him when setting everything up/purchasing stuff.


Feel free to post comments/suggestions/hate feed if you desire. I'd really like to build this, however the amount of money it may end up costing me might start.
I'm currently just gathering prices. If i use my current hardware I'll need a full watercooling loop, the fans, lighting, an ssd, time, a few cases of beer to buy help, and possibly some more storage space.
I'm guessing that alone will cost me almost 1500$. If i add a second radeon hd6970 it will deff cost me 1500$ with the card and extra block.




should be if i manage to get it off the ground. I think i need to finish shopping list before I start just so i don't get half way through then end up investing to much money due to wanting to finish.


This post was edited by psrocks on Aug 8 2012 10:08pm

looks like a fun project :3

Sounds like a big project to take on with little experience.
Just my 2 cents.

For your HDD problems, just use SSD and mount behind then, I don't see as money would be a problem because this would be a very expensive project.

Also you better be damn good as metal fabrication. I do metal shop at my high school, I am quite talented at it, but this would takes lots of experience, definitely something that
I could do if I had the time and with a bit of help. Make sure you know what your doing

Measure twice, cut once

Goodluck

i scratch build every few months=/ i hate spending money

Not as big a fan of that one as the original one. However if you mean use that design(res in center, hdds on right) then thanks for opinion, I'm thinking the same thing.
Mind you i'm not going to have 6 ssds and 6 hdds. Nor am i going to wc hdds.






i have no woodworking experience either but my halfpipe turned out awesome.
I like to take things on that are to big for me, and like i said any welding or such would be done by my neighbors or one of my dads friends, and paid off with a case of beer.
Might make some attempts myself but probably just make shit look awful



Intend to measure like 8 times, cut once =\. Don't wanna have to grab more steel than necessary.
Anyone got any ideas for cutting the io panel out without a laser cutter like him? Would a plasma cutter work? i have access to one of them but this seems kind of delicate for that.
Also saw someone using a band saw for their io pannel in a different build. Could buy one of those then return it afterwards. Only method of cutting steel at my house is grinder, and i don't want overcuts in the corners =\

This post was edited by psrocks on Aug 9 2012 06:11am

I'm actually doing the same project but I can't get the metal to bend to make the box for the mono tray so I'm stuck at that point. I rented a metal break but it didn't work since the albumin was too thick.

Idk what to do. Im gonna contact some metal shops around Denver and see if they have a pneumatic brake.

Edit: a plasma cutter would work perfect. I planned on using one but couldn't find one available to rent in my area. I just used some wood saws, turned down the rpm and got a special blade.

This post was edited by Grief_exe on Aug 9 2012 07:45am

I'm putting together prices and finding its more than i can spare atm, however i'm going to build whatever parts i can and put them in storage. Its mostly the components/watercooling etc. etc. that i can't afford. The steel and other parts i'm sure i can obtain either free or for very cheap.

You mentioned in a pm you couldn't bend your mobo tray and you needed a break. Heres my idea for a break, it may not work however i've not had a chance to test it.

http://www.diyskate.com/press_01.html

Build a similar frame to this skateboard press, however when you get to the point where you put in the skateboard mold, replace that with some offset straight bars.
I'm not sure how offset they'll have to be, there will be a point where you're just going to mash your steel. However the idea is that you get that effect like you do with dull scissors and construction paper. The paper folds and the scissors just close past eachother.
Don't know if you can get a hold of the materials any cheaper than you can a cheap break, however its worth looking into.

Also theres this guy:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pn7ev2NnXr0


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9ewJb6I_4E

if you happen to have a large table kicking around as well, theres this ^^

This post was edited by psrocks on Aug 9 2012 07:50pm

Does anyone know if you can buy fitting bundles, or if you have to buy each individual fittings?
If so mind sending me a link. I've been looking on frozen cpu ncix ekwb and ***.