So I ended up turning it into a gaming machine.
I put the pics in links mostly due to the size.
I wanted to base it off a game unit so I first chose to do it after the starcraft Goliath. But then I started looking at it and really got some ideas going. I ended up deciding to base this theme off of the wonderous GDI heavy walker. The Titan. Tiberian Sun was my Favorite C&C title so I remembered how the tech was protrayed in the game and figured this case would get me set to go just right.
The full build is here: https://www.facebook.com/SirSlaughter/m ... 693&type=1
First let's start with what it began as:
https://scontent-b-atl.xx.fbcdn.net/hph ... 1812_n.jpg
https://scontent-a-atl.xx.fbcdn.net/hph ... 1364_n.jpg
It was gutted when I got to it first but I put a random light or two and used an old intel core duo processor with a motehrboard that only had 2 slots for DDR2 RAM...ew.
The first specs at the start were from spare parts lying about in different places. But slowly I made progress with it and it started to take shape:
https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/ ... 9258_o.jpg
I got a Zotac 560Ti from ebay for $97 and slapped it in for a while. I took pictures to compare to my current card: Nvidia 560Ti. (mine was actually put together by Nvidia).
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/ ... 1739_o.jpg
The shortly after that I managed to find an ASUS z77 Sabertooth motherboard on Ebay for $150. I snatched that up quick.
https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/ ... 5459_o.jpg
I also got a CPU cooler that would help fit the theme a bit more as well. So I chose this little guy from CoolerMaster:
https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/ ... 0029_o.jpg
once I got a few of the parts I went ahead and got it painted up and ready for to go.
https://scontent-a-atl.xx.fbcdn.net/hph ... 4632_n.jpg
Shortly after that I decided if I was gonna go into the build this much to get a CPU cooler and motherboard to match a theme I needed to show it off. But the only way to do that would be to take off the sidepanel. NOPE! I neded to make it proper. So I found some plexiglass that was in the back area of my shop and brought some tools from home to work.
I decided it was time to get a side window custom made for this thing.
https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/ ... 3284_o.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/ ... 9015_o.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/ ... 0703_o.jpg
After I took off the plastic cover to the plexiglass:
https://scontent-b-atl.xx.fbcdn.net/hph ... 8428_n.jpg
now all that was needed was to get the last of the parts to get this thing up and running so I special ordered an i5 3550p quadcore. LGA1155 for my Z77 board.
A couple of days ago I began installation of the OS. After about 15-30 bluescreens (mostly driver issues) I finally got the OS installed and the computer was ready to go!
This is the (almost) finished product:
Now I am not 100% done with it as I still need a few little things here and there like an LED 92MM fan, a special fan controller that has a display that I think fits the theme, and some better cable management that will come along with getting a modular power supply. However, for all intents and purposes of operation this computer is done. It's currently my most powerful test computer in the store and I plan on looking to get another graphics card to run it in SLI to really show it off. I also want to get a few LED strips or something in there so I can really give it that WOW factor when a customer walks in the store.
Here are its current specs:
Windows 7 64-Bit OS
i5 3550P Quadcore @ 3.10 GHz.
Asus Sabertooth Z77 Motherboard
Nvidia GTX 560Ti from Zotac
8GB DDR3 RAM. 4GB is from Crucial and the othr 4...I forget. it was spare RAM lying about. I didn't feel like spending the money on RAM for some odd reason.
it has 9 fans in it.
1Rear Exhaust, 4 front Intake, 2 on the motherboard (assist fans made for the Sabertooth Board). and 2 on the CPU cooler.
Antec 500W Power supply
and 3 HDDs.
X 2.5 drives inside the front security lockbox. (2 250GB HDDs)
X1 1TB 3.5 HDD
I will post more when I get the rest of the parts and get this build 100% complete. Until now I go on to keep playing with parts. I think my next project (after my next 2-3) will be a server.