Project Featherweight

[diduknowthat]

Starring: $37 shipped Chenming 301KE case

I will be starting the mod next week, once the case arrives. I will transplant my existing computer into a MUCH lighter and smaller case. However, before I do so, I will do some modding, including...

1) keyswitch power button, modded onto the top, front of the case.
http://www.amazon.com/Momentary-Key...1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1218768087&sr=8-1

2) Front top triple rocker switch (controlling 2 fans and a set of green cathodes)
http://www.radioshack.com/product/i...ker+switch&kw=rocker+switch&parentPage=search X3

3) Top speaker cabinet handle
http://www.amazon.com/Penn-Elcom-H7...4?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1218768345&sr=8-4

4) Front and back 120mm fan holes with grill



Stay tuned, will start posting pictures once I buy the switches, soldering gun this weekend .

 

[Kornowski]

Nice. Sounds good man!

 

[Ramodkk]

^ Danny whaaa? no smiley in your post?

Very nice! keep us updated!

 

[diduknowthat]

Update! The case came today, so I went out and bought a soldering pen, some wire, a round file and borrowed my friend's dremel. Here are some pics. (oh yeah, the 3 switches are grouped to 1 size because the key switch is going in the 4th spot)

Now this has got to be the most ill-prepared for case mod ever. Letme explain...

When I came home from my shopping sprea, I found out that my power drill was MIA . So after looking around and giving up, I decided to cut the .75" holes for the switches with a dremel. Now mind you, I've never EVER used a dremel in my life before. So I looked around for masking tape, oh wait..I don't have any masking tape. In the end I used lent roller tape . It actually worked very well...and it was a lot faster to put on and take off than masking tape.

So I cut the tiny holes, and then filed the crap out of it. It took a good hour to file down 3 holes to the proper size. After fitting the hole, I got some wires and started to solder it on. Once again, I've never soldered anything in my life before. After soldering for about 30 min, I realized I forgot to buy heatshrinks . Had to use electric tape.

Oh well, considering this is my first case mod, I'm pretty dam satisfied with its results . Stay tuned for power switch mod and top handle mod...once the the DHL guy finds my house...

 

[Tuffie]

Looks pretty good dude!

 

[Kornowski]

That looks really good, well done!

 

[diduknowthat]

DHL is doing something funky, they're forwarding my package to USPS to deliver?? Anyways, I decided to go ahead and punch out the front and add a 120mm fan.

Close up

only has 2 screw holes

from the inside


So I began by drilling out 3 rivets to release the 3.5" drive bay. Yup, I do not have any 3.5 (internal or external) drive bays anymore. My only hard drive is going to be mounted with a silencer in the 5.25" bay. The absence of the drive bay frees up enough space to punch out a big hole for a front 120mm fan. I traced the hole with a CD and used a dremel to cut it out, then a found file to file some of the shards off. I was only able to use 2 screws to mount the fan as the other 2 screw holes would have overlapped with the vent holes..doesn't really work.

Hopefully my keyswitch will come tomorrow! Stay tuned!

 

[Mecal]

looks good, I look forward to your key start!

I dont know if you've looked into this before:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811994010

its pretty cool - I actually use one for a table I have.

just a thought (maybe for some lights or something)

(your key start is a little more original IMO though)

 

[diduknowthat]

looks good, I look forward to your key start!

I dont know if you've looked into this before:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811994010

its pretty cool - I actually use one for a table I have.

just a thought (maybe for some lights or something)

(your key start is a little more original IMO though)

Hey, that looks interesting, but all my lights/fans will be connected to my top 3 rocker switches. I'm gonna go with a green cathode and use it's free blue fans. I guess I can go green or blue or both .

 

[Mecal]

yeah, that's a better idea for that.

It would be pretty strange turning on your lights/fans with a remote when you're sitting right at the computer. lol

 

[diduknowthat]

So the key switch finally came in the mail today:

And I drilled the 4th and final hole on the top of my case and mounted it

the key actually stays in the switch, as opposed to the spring ones that pushes it out! What a nice surprise.

and from below


I basically cut the wires leading to the power button off and resoldered it onto the key switch with an extension. I'm planning to also solder that line back to the power button later on, so I can turn the computer on both ways.

The handle is scheduled to arrive next week, so stay tune!

 

[Ramodkk]

Very nice so far

That's 1 less drive bay you can't use Maybe two (the two upper ones) if you didn't leave the cables long enough

 

[diduknowthat]

Very nice so far

That's 1 less drive bay you can't use Maybe two (the two upper ones) if you didn't leave the cables long enough

I'm only planning to use 2 anyways . This build (or rebuild..i guess) is aimed at keeping the computer light and portable. I'm only going to have a DVD burner + hard drive silencer in the 5.25" bays, and nothing in the 3.5" bay (wait..what 3.5" bay).

 

[Mecal]

if you dont mind me asking, why do you want it to be so portable?

 

[diduknowthat]

if you dont mind me asking, why do you want it to be so portable?

College, I don't want to break my back moving it around .

 

[Ramodkk]

It's going good man, keep us updated

Cut a side window, that'd make it even lighter and look cooler!

 

[Mecal]

College, I don't want to break my back moving it around .

haha, amen to that!

Im going aback for my Jr year... tomorrow actually (moving in)

And boy, its a pain in the butt.
I take it up when I move in, take it back home for Winter break, take it back to college at the end of winter break, then take it back again when I end in May...
then it starts all over again in August...

but the heaviest thing I have for my computer is actually the surge protector (its a battery one)

 

[diduknowthat]

It's going good man, keep us updated

Cut a side window, that'd make it even lighter and look cooler!

It already has a side window, a pretty darn big one at that.

 

[Ramodkk]

Haha, didn't even pay attention to that, you got me there

 

[diduknowthat]

Ok so I finally finished the handle mod!

I went over to my friends house yesterday to finish up this mod, as I couldn't find my power drill. I basically cut out a hole about the size of the indented part of the handle, then filed it down till it fit. The handle looks unnaturally forward in position because it would have interfered with the powersupply if I moved it back anymore. Either way, it's really handy and I am benefiting from it already moving it it back from his house to mine. The handle only has 6 bolts in them as I couldn't find any more, I will have to finish that up later.