Nitemayr

Nothing like spending a quality shop day in the great NorthWest!!
 

 
Fired up the CNC and began cutting the aluminum sheets for parts.
Probably could have done it by hand with the saw and drill... but this is WAY MORE FUN!

 

 
Started blocking out the wood pieces that will make up a lot of the structure in the case.  Nice natural cedar harvested from the acres around the shop. 
 

 

 
Finished the structural assembly of the waterblocks.  Now is a lot of sanding and polish and cleanup, some LED work, etc. 
 

 

 

 
The first iteration of the CPU block insert.  I went a little too thin on the aluminum in the middle and got some buckles, so I'll be doing another revision, but I do like how it is starting to look.
 

 
And the finished cutting pieces of the fan grills.  These need some grinding and sanding work yet.  The tabs will be bent 90 degress and become brackets that hold the radiator assembly to the case. 
 

 

 
A nice shot of the major pieces worked on this last weekend.  There were a couple others, but I'm saving those for later...
 

====Quick introduction====
 
My name is Kurt Schuff and I’m (presently) 34 years old.  I live in the gorgeous Pacific Northwest in the US, also home to one of the most amazing LAN parties ever (PDXLAN).  I’m a Software Quality Assurance Engineer by day, and a computer and gaming enthusiast all day long.
 
I’ve been modding my PCs since 1999, constantly trying out new things and loving every learning opportunity.  Recently I was blessed with a chance to do a build for charity at PDXLAN 27. I was immediately overwhelmed by the other names on the list of builders and was determined to hold my own. It was a great time to focus on what we do best and integrate wood and lighting into the case.  I took a core design element of circuit traces and managed to apply it to nearly every component in the build without making it overwhelming.   With help and patience from my teammate, we completed the build in what felt like an insanely short time period and got it to PDXLAN. The charity ended up raising $15,000 for a great cause, and I was honored to be a part of that. After many incredibly supportive comments and tons of support from the community, I once again find myself presented with an opportunity to create something amazing in the medium that I now love.
 
 
 
====This Build====
 
This build will be based on one of my favorite games: Diablo 3.  Specifically my favorite class, the Demon Hunter.  It will use a mixture of wood, metal, and some other fun elements to tie everything together and present some opportunities to try new things. 
One of the aspects I’m most looking forward to is getting some time in with the forge and anvil. I plan to hand forge a number of the elements going into the case.
We’ll also get high-tech in there with lighting schemes, laser work, and some airbrushing (another skill that I’m planning to learn during this build).
I look forward to how this build takes shape and am deeply honored to be a part of such an elite crew.  I can’t thank ThermalTake, Newegg, Asus, Avexir and any other sponsors enough for providing this opportunity.
 
 
 
====Parts List====
 
GPUs:  2x Asus 980 Strix GPUs in SLI [link]
CPU:  Intel Core i7-6700K [link]
Motherboard:  Asus ROG MAXIMUS VIII FORMULA (LGA 1151 Intel Z170) [link]
RAM: 4x4G Avexir RED Tesla DDR4 [link]
Drive 1: Samsung 850 EVO 2.5†500GB SSD [link]
Drive 2: Samsung 950 PRO M.2 256GB [link]
Case: ThermalTake Core P5 [link]
PSU: ThermalTake Toughpower DPS G RGB 1250W Titanium [link]
Cooling: ThermalTake LCS components [link]

Got the small set of LEDs mounted in there.  Just need to do the aluminum top trim and then cleanup/assembly.  And... then do it all again
 

 
 
Also took some time to play w/ wood.  Doing an iron acetate wash on some wood to see about getting a dark black/gray type look.   First pass yielded some interesting results, more testing needed though.
 

Progress continues!  The next layer of the GPU block has gone from render to reality with a quick lighting test!
 

 
Detail shot.  I REALLY like how this turned out.
 

 
And, of course, we have to see it in blue as well!
 

Thank you!   Every time I see it in my living room now I really like it.  TIME TO GAME ON IT!

To steal a phrase from Mike Petereyns...  #modmarathon
 
Last day to work, and boy do I have some pictures coming after today.
 
For now... enjoy the wood.
 

 

 

 

 
It's the little things.... the white on the stock SATA cables clashed horribly....
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yes, the cablecombs are pretty much purely for aesthetics.  They were actually my original cable management plan, and a first attempt at milling aluminum.  The Cable brackets came a little later, but I still like the alum+black look so I'll keep the combs too.
 
The screws on the top of the brackets nest into holes in the cutout on the center wood support.  It keeps the top of the bracket lined up and stable when I slide the center support pocket over the cables and brackets.  I didn't originally think the screws holding the brackets to the case would be strong enough to keep them sturdy with all the cables and stuff going in... but it turned out they were.  A little extra support won't hurt them though. 
 
I'll take some pictures of how that assembly fits together this evening.

Progress continues!  The next layer of the GPU block has gone from render to reality with a quick lighting test!
 

 
Detail shot.  I REALLY like how this turned out.
 

 
And, of course, we have to see it in blue as well!
 

This worklog was all about the woodworking.   Using some cedar from a tree that was downed within the 40acre area around the shop, I did some initial cuts on the shape, and then it was over to the CNC to pocket out some holes for the fan grills.
 

 
The center piece is actually double width and has a pocket on the inside.  This will be where a lot of the PSU cables run to keep things clean and organized.
 

 

 
I used tape to mark the areas that were going to be covered by the center support, and then punched some holes for mounting it.
 

 
The left and right supports needed some material removed to allow for airflow and PSU cord access.
 

 
A quick rough-fit of all the wood pieces to make sure things fit.
 

 

 
The window was cut out of .25" acrylic.  A new one had to be cut due to the height requirements being slightly larger than the provided P5.  I also really like the way the cast acrylic etches and lights up (spoiler).
 

 
Some add'l shots of the wood pieces nesting around.
 

 

 
The center support nests over a couple cable routing panels that will help guide the PSU cords in and out of the pocket.
 

 
The unfinished assembly.  All the wood still needs sanding, cleanup, resin, stained, and a myriad of other odd jobs.
 

 

 
The top lid lifts up on a hinge and allows easy access to the upper components. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Finally, a sneak peek of one of the next steps... wiring.  This was just a quick run with some scrap wire to determine how to wire all those leds without making a spiderweb mess.
 

Quick lighting test for the corner LEDs!  Lookin' good I think!
 

 

here is a small update, bottle cuts first test if the reservoir fits, it does.
 






 

Spent some time on the CNC this weekend.  Got the rough cuts done, and everything measures up!  Just gotta do some sanding and cleanup to make them look immaculate, and then on to the next part of the GPU Waterblock Mod.
 

 

====Quick introduction====
 
My name is Kurt Schuff and I’m (presently) 34 years old.  I live in the gorgeous Pacific Northwest in the US, also home to one of the most amazing LAN parties ever (PDXLAN).  I’m a Software Quality Assurance Engineer by day, and a computer and gaming enthusiast all day long.
 
I’ve been modding my PCs since 1999, constantly trying out new things and loving every learning opportunity.  Recently I was blessed with a chance to do a build for charity at PDXLAN 27. I was immediately overwhelmed by the other names on the list of builders and was determined to hold my own. It was a great time to focus on what we do best and integrate wood and lighting into the case.  I took a core design element of circuit traces and managed to apply it to nearly every component in the build without making it overwhelming.   With help and patience from my teammate, we completed the build in what felt like an insanely short time period and got it to PDXLAN. The charity ended up raising $15,000 for a great cause, and I was honored to be a part of that. After many incredibly supportive comments and tons of support from the community, I once again find myself presented with an opportunity to create something amazing in the medium that I now love.
 
 
 
====This Build====
 
This build will be based on one of my favorite games: Diablo 3.  Specifically my favorite class, the Demon Hunter.  It will use a mixture of wood, metal, and some other fun elements to tie everything together and present some opportunities to try new things. 
One of the aspects I’m most looking forward to is getting some time in with the forge and anvil. I plan to hand forge a number of the elements going into the case.
We’ll also get high-tech in there with lighting schemes, laser work, and some airbrushing (another skill that I’m planning to learn during this build).
I look forward to how this build takes shape and am deeply honored to be a part of such an elite crew.  I can’t thank ThermalTake, Newegg, Asus, Avexir and any other sponsors enough for providing this opportunity.
 
 
 
====Parts List====
 
GPUs:  2x Asus 980 Strix GPUs in SLI [link]
CPU:  Intel Core i7-6700K [link]
Motherboard:  Asus ROG MAXIMUS VIII FORMULA (LGA 1151 Intel Z170) [link]
RAM: 4x4G Avexir RED Tesla DDR4 [link]
Drive 1: Samsung 850 EVO 2.5†500GB SSD [link]
Drive 2: Samsung 950 PRO M.2 256GB [link]
Case: ThermalTake Core P5 [link]
PSU: ThermalTake Toughpower DPS G RGB 1250W Titanium [link]
Cooling: ThermalTake LCS components [link]

====Quick introduction====
 
My name is Kurt Schuff and I’m (presently) 34 years old.  I live in the gorgeous Pacific Northwest in the US, also home to one of the most amazing LAN parties ever (PDXLAN).  I’m a Software Quality Assurance Engineer by day, and a computer and gaming enthusiast all day long.
 
I’ve been modding my PCs since 1999, constantly trying out new things and loving every learning opportunity.  Recently I was blessed with a chance to do a build for charity at PDXLAN 27. I was immediately overwhelmed by the other names on the list of builders and was determined to hold my own. It was a great time to focus on what we do best and integrate wood and lighting into the case.  I took a core design element of circuit traces and managed to apply it to nearly every component in the build without making it overwhelming.   With help and patience from my teammate, we completed the build in what felt like an insanely short time period and got it to PDXLAN. The charity ended up raising $15,000 for a great cause, and I was honored to be a part of that. After many incredibly supportive comments and tons of support from the community, I once again find myself presented with an opportunity to create something amazing in the medium that I now love.
 
 
 
====This Build====
 
This build will be based on one of my favorite games: Diablo 3.  Specifically my favorite class, the Demon Hunter.  It will use a mixture of wood, metal, and some other fun elements to tie everything together and present some opportunities to try new things. 
One of the aspects I’m most looking forward to is getting some time in with the forge and anvil. I plan to hand forge a number of the elements going into the case.
We’ll also get high-tech in there with lighting schemes, laser work, and some airbrushing (another skill that I’m planning to learn during this build).
I look forward to how this build takes shape and am deeply honored to be a part of such an elite crew.  I can’t thank ThermalTake, Newegg, Asus, Avexir and any other sponsors enough for providing this opportunity.
 
 
 
====Parts List====
 
GPUs:  2x Asus 980 Strix GPUs in SLI [link]
CPU:  Intel Core i7-6700K [link]
Motherboard:  Asus ROG MAXIMUS VIII FORMULA (LGA 1151 Intel Z170) [link]
RAM: 4x4G Avexir RED Tesla DDR4 [link]
Drive 1: Samsung 850 EVO 2.5†500GB SSD [link]
Drive 2: Samsung 950 PRO M.2 256GB [link]
Case: ThermalTake Core P5 [link]
PSU: ThermalTake Toughpower DPS G RGB 1250W Titanium [link]
Cooling: ThermalTake LCS components [link]