The Borg Cube Case Mod, Part 2

Abrasive Cut-off Wheels
Immediately after installing the system board and power supplies, I found that the main motherboard power cable would not reach the connector on the system board. One of the first modifications was to cut two holes, one through the motherboard tray and a second through the center partition in the case. This allows the power connection to loop directly from the power supply through the center partition and connect to the system board with lots of slack.

To cut the cable holes, a Dremel tool with 1" cut-off wheels made quick (but smelly) work of this. The sharp sheet metal edges were covered with some split-loom tubing, and the case vacuumed out to remove the abrasive grit and metal grindings.

[caption id="attachment_109" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Cut off wheels were used to cut a hole for power cables to the system board."][/caption]

Apparently, cut-off wheels are the tool of choice for many computer modifications. Somehow I cannot see using the tiny Dremel or flexible-shaft versions for cutting case windows, but the larger 4" power grinders would make for quick work and nice straight lines without too much effort or case damage.

The water cooling radiator is supposed to be positioned just behind the front cooling fans, so that the cool air entering the case is used to first reduce the water temperature before passing over the system board and other components. In a high-performance system, that would help with CPU cooling. Since it's not an issue here, I moved the radiator to the rear of the case to vent the warm air out the back rather than across the components. With the split case design, most of the air movement will be to the drive side and out the rear of the case anyway.

Aviation Sheet-Metal Snips
Hole drills are best for cutting precise fan holes in a case, but I didn't know that during my first mod. Instead, I used aviation-style sheet metal snips to enlarge the existing rear fan opening. These snips are available in right-hand (red), left-hand (green) and straight (yellow) versions.

[caption id="attachment_110" align="alignnone" width="285" caption="Snips for cutting left-hand curves, straight, and right-hand curves."][/caption]

 

The grill opening on the rear has mounting holes for either a 90mm fan (that would be inside the drive cage), or with the drive bays removed, a 120mm fan can be positioned at the rear. The radiator takes a single 80mm fan which I replaced with a black and chrome Centaurus fan. I used nippers to remove the double grill opening formed in the rear sheet metal of the case, but leaving the 120mm mounting holes. The sharp edges were covered with split tubing and the plastic rear cover had to be slightly modified to allow for the now-raised edge around the fan hole.

 

[caption id="attachment_111" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Aviation shears were used to open the rear fan hole. Split loom tubing covers the rough edges of the resulting hole."][/caption]

 

Changes to the radiator assembly include reversing the pipe feed orientation in the frame, adding the fancy 80mm fan, adding a flat plate to attach a 90-to-120mm fan adapter, and last, a 120mm green UV reactive fan that attaches directly to the case opening. I placed a piece of hardware cloth mesh over the fan to keep fingers and other things out, then mounted a circular 80mm ultraviolet tube to keep the mesh from shifting and make the fan and adapter glow.

Power cables and other wires were bundled inside lots of split-loom tubing, then run to the drives, panels and components.

Water tubing was cut to length, arranged and connected to the heat sink, radiator, flow indicator, primary and secondary reservoir, and then tested for leaks.

Glow in the dark floppy and optical drive cables were checked for reach and then installed, and electro-luminescent SATA drive cables attached.

Next: Pneumatic Shears vs. Nibblers

Choosing a Case

Computer cases come in many shapes, sizes, colors and levels of functionality. Before purchasing a case you'll want to consider several things.

Functionality vs. Aesthetics
End users tend to choose a case based on outside appearance and price. Computer experts tend to choose based on functionality and brands. The quality of most cases that would be considered aesthetically pleasing tends to vary, since much of the styling is done by plastic shells over a simple metal box. Check the display models whenever possible to avoid unpleasant surprises.

Power supply
The power supply is one of a few PC components that has moving parts (a cooling fan or fans), and is a possible point of future failures. Therefore, choosing a case with a reliable power supply is very important. The wattage of a power supply is likely less important than its reliability. 450W-500W is more than enough for the majority of systems running today.

500-750W may be necessary when multiple hard drives and optical drives are used in conjunction with high end video or other components. Industry standards for measuring the reliability of a power supply (or most other PC components) do not exist. When in doubt, we recommend staying with major brands such as Antec.

High end gaming systems or system running two or three video cards and water cooling may need power supplies up in the 800-1000W range! One work-around you may see is systems using dual power supplies to distribute the load between components, and providing better stability for overclocking.

Cooling
A case fan (or fans) is highly recommended! With the modern processors used today it is important to deliver cool air to hot components such as processors, video cards, and hard drives. Failure to do so can result in decreased stability and longevity of a system, especially since the failure of a power supply fan can go unnoticed for weeks in a system until the power supply fails or shuts down from overheating.

High temperature is one of the worst enemies of all computer components! A front case fan should pull ambient air into the case, while the power supply fan and rear case fans will move hot air from inside the case out. This creates a flow of air across the CPU and helps maintain the temperature inside the case at a relatively low and constant level. Top or rear case fans should push hot air out of the case.

Side panel fans (usually positioned near the CPU assembly) should be mounted to pull cool air into the case where it is needed most. A dual fan power supply is recommended when using modern AMD Athlon/XP/64 processors or Intel Pentium 4 processors. The second fan on the power supply helps quickly move hot air away from the processor's heat sink fan combination.

Ease of Use
A roomy case that is easy to access and does not have sharp edges should be on your list. To be fair, the manufacturers are doing much better in removing sharp edges and making strong, attractive cases. But, keep in mind that manufacturing a case out of thinner sheet metal, having straight, unrolled edges, no reinforced folds or framing. Using standard screws (or pop-rivets) are some simple ways manufacturers use to keep their cost down.

[caption id="attachment_76" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Snap-on drive rails make installation quick and easy."][/caption]

If you are the type of person that is always changing something in your system, then investing in a case that uses time-saving features such as thumb screws, spring-locked covers, removable motherboard tray and snap-in drive rails will be a big plus!

[caption id="attachment_81" align="alignnone" width="186" caption="Thumb screws"][/caption]

Thumbscrews make accessing the inside of the case quick and easy. Cases may also have spring-lock catches, or other quick-release handles or tabs. These case styles still may use thumbscrews to secure the panels from vibration or torque during transport.

Form Factor and Compatibility
Matching the motherboard size specification to the case means that the mounting posts either line up or can be placed to match the holes in the motherboard, and that there is adequate room to install it in the case.

• ATX
  Almost all motherboards today are ATX or some variant thereof. ATX motherboards are typically 12" x 9.6" or slightly smaller. The most common size of case used to house an ATX motherboard is a Mid-Tower case. If a case supports ATX, it should also work with MicroATX and FlexATX motherboards.


• E-ATX and Full ATX
  Typically found in server cases such as full towers, cubes, and rack mounts, the size of these boards range from 12" x 11" to 12" x 13". If a case supports this size, it should also support ATX, MicroATX, and FlexATX. 
  
  [caption id="attachment_79" align="alignnone" width="225" caption="Interior of ATX case"][/caption]

Most cases have holes to set the standoffs where they match the holes in your motherboard. Removable trays make installation easier, but add weight and cost. Watch out for cases that have fixed mounting posts, if they do not match your motherboard form factor, you will not be able to use the two together.

[caption id="attachment_82" align="alignnone" width="98" caption="Metal standoffs"][/caption]

 

[caption id="attachment_84" align="alignnone" width="182" caption="Nylon standoffs"][/caption]

Case standoffs should be installed to exactly match the holes in the motherboard. Standoffs support the motherboard, and position it to line up with the rear slots and case openings. Nylon standoffs can be used if there is a possibility of shorting out the circuit board; they also make for fast snap-in installation, although removing the board later can be a challenge.

Design
Some people like a case that has a slide out side panel, while others like a connected top and cover. Some people like having a slide out motherboard tray, while others prefer a very roomy case to install the motherboard to. We feel that each of these design elements has their pros and cons and that it's largely a matter of personal preference.

Case Material
Steel cases are inexpensive, but heavy. Aluminum cases are much lighter than steel cases, but tend to be much more expensive. The light weight makes it a popular choice among people who move their PCs around very often, such as LAN party fans. Some people believe that aluminum cases have slightly better cooling than the steel ones. While aluminum cases may have a more modern and exotic look than steel cases, they have a drawback of being structurally weaker than steel and more prone to surface scratching and damage.

Noise
Computers have very few moving parts except for fans and drives. The optical drives typically only run at full speed when accessing data, installing, or sometimes burning media. The same is true of floppy disks, in that you only access them to load or save data. The hard drive generally rotates whenever the computer is on, although power management may turn it off during periods of inactivity. Fans on the other hand, run all the time. Fans on the CPU, fans on the case, fans in the power supply. How the fan is mounted, the size and speed of the fan, and where the fan is located all contribute to system noise levels. Fan speed control kits, thermal sensors and pc-health monitored fan control can reduce the overall system noise during normal operation. Reinforced or sound-dampening construction can make the difference between quite operation and a noisy system.

Vibration Transfer Control
In thin steel cases, aluminum cases, and some of the ultra low-cost models, vibration can become a problem. Vibration Transfer can happen if a piece with moving parts (such as a fan, hard drive, power supply or optical drive) is screwed directly into the case. In severe cases this vibration can be transmitted into the side panels which case then act as noise amplifiers (think steel drums).

As a rule of thumb, the thicker the case is, the less likely this is to be a problem. Thicker materials tend to absorb vibration rather than transmit it. High quality cases will usually have a thick drive mounting frame. This increases stability and reduces the possibility of transfer. Another approach to this is to use plastic or another substance as an intermediary between the two mounting surfaces. To that end, a large number of cases now use plastic fan mounts instead of traditional fan mounting screws. Fans tend to be a bigger source of vibration then drives.

Drive Bays
The number, position and size of the drive bays may be an important factor when selecting a case. How many optical drives do you want? Do you need a floppy drive or bay-mounted memory card reader? (Many cases only have a single 3 1/2" drive bay opening.) Another factor that you may run into when starting assembly is positioning your drives so that the data cables can reach, or getting power-splitter cables to connect the drives to the power supply or reach other additions like lighting kits.

DIY Mods (Do It Yourself Modifications)
Some cases are more modification friendly then others. If you are thinking about purchasing a case and "modding" it then we recommend that you look for a case that has solid metal panels (either metal or aluminum) instead of plastic or a plastic/steel mix. Solid metal panels are much easier to alter. Also, it is better to have separated sides and top instead of joined sides and top. For top window or "blow-hole" mods, it is best to find a case that uses screws instead of rivets to hold the top of the case on, and use a case that has a flat metal top vs. a curved plastic top.

Special Features
Once you go beyond basics, the case manufacturers are trying to get your attention with a diverse set of enhancements, many of which sever no real purpose other than to look cool. Some of the case enhancements include thermometer display panels with sensors that you can place under the CPU or next to a hard drive. There are LED illuminated case fans, ultraviolet reactive case fittings, and light-up doors or front panel light shows. There are concealing drive bay doors that hide the ugly beige or black.

Anti-Static Wrist straps

As the humidity in the air drops during the winter months, you can collect huge levels of static electricity from moving across carpeted floors, shifting around on a plastic or fabric chair or even from friction between the layers of fabric in your clothes. When the static builds to a level higher than your surroundings, it may arc from you to a conductive surface like a door knob, a file cabinet, the person you were about to shake hands with, your computer case or other electrical appliance.

Electro-Static Discharge (ESD)
The problem is that static electricity is being generated throughout the year, not just during the cooler seasons. Increased humidity can reduce the levels of static build-up that can occur, but it does not totally eliminate the problem.

Static electricity can be an unseen threat to electronics and especially to computer components during an upgrade or build. What you can't see (or feel) is that even a tiny amount of static build up can easily be in the range of hundreds of volts. Considering that computers are designed to run on 3.3 volts, +-5 volts, or +-12 volts; running several hundred volts through them is not a good idea. Anti-Static wrist straps are one way to prevent damage to your components from handling or during installation.

 

[caption id="attachment_75" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="A typical Anti-Static Wrist Strap has a flexible band to slip over your wrist, a snap-attached wire that has a clip or plug-type connector that must be attached to a good electrical ground to work."][/caption]

 

Anti-Static or ESD (Electro-Static Discharge) straps are designed to conduct any static electricity from the wearer to the electrical ground. This assumes a couple of things - one, that you are wearing one of the conductive bands, and two, that it is actually connected to something grounded.

A secondary feature of Anti-Static straps is that they also protect you from severe electrical shocks. The way the straps can do this is by placing a resistor between you and the ground. There is a 1 meg-ohm resister between the wire and ground clip to prevent electrical shocks if you touch something you shouldn't. The resistor allows electricity to flow, but limits how much, or how fast it can get there; in technical terms, a resistor limits the current, but not the voltage.

 

[caption id="attachment_76" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="A closer look at the wrist strap shows the metal back plate that conducts to the snap and ground wire. The black weave you see in the elastic band is electrically conductive to increase the amount of contact between you and the ground."][/caption]

 

Electrical ground is required
The important activity is to conduct static charge harmlessly away from you to an electrical ground before it can reach levels harmful to electronics. This means you must have a physical connection through the strap to an electrical ground.

The solution recommended by many people is to connect the clip to exposed metal on the computer case. But is that an electrical ground? The answer to that is "maybe"; if your computer is plugged into the wall outlet, then it is probably yes. The trick is to have the power turned off on the computer but leave the plug connected for the ground.

 

[caption id="attachment_77" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="To keep the case grounded, plug it in and turn off the power switch on the back."][/caption]

 

Use the rocker switch on the back of the power supply to turn off power to the supply. The ground is still there even when no power is flowing. If there is not a rocker switch on the power supply, you can always connect the system to a surge strip and turn the power off on the strip instead. The same thing happens - no line power to the system to damage components during installation or removal, but a good electrical ground should be maintained.

 

[caption id="attachment_78" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="A Wireless Anti Static Strap - No ground required - it says so right on the package!"][/caption]

 

Wireless Straps - Do they really work?
I found that the elastic band on the Wireless strap is conductive just like the wired strap, and there is a 1 meg-ohm resister between the metal back plate and the screw that is located on the top surface. But that screw is the only thing that is exposed to discharge static. Without a connection to an electrical ground, you risk damaging any electronic components you might handle.

So, how does a wireless Anti-Static strap work? The short answer is that they don't. If there is no connection between you and the electrical ground, you cannot be eliminating a potentially damaging static charge. Wearing a metal watch does not prevent you from getting shocked when you touch a door knob, so wearing a conductive strap that is not electrically connected to anything is not going to discharge any better.

 

[caption id="attachment_79" align="alignnone" width="180" caption="A Gothic wireless ESD collar?"][/caption]

 

What might work? How about some of that "Goth" spiked jewelry - Sharp pointy bits will discharge more static charge then smooth metal. Static charge will dissipate evenly across a conductive surface (like skin or metal), however, at a sharp edge or point, electrical energy can discharge into the air more readily. You won't bleed off all of the accumulated charge, but maybe just enough to avoid the big spark to your next doorknob.