# MOTM Winner - MacBane - Apple PowerMac G4 Mod



## Photograph

*Regarding Images - Looks like something blew up and things didn't migrate nicely to the new OCN server. I will have to take some time soon to move everything over to OCN. Please be patient, I'll get there, until then here are a few shots:







*





Hi everyone, I'm new to the forums and thought I would share my latest project.

I have had an old "Sawtooth" PowerMac G4 lying around my office/man-cave for a couple of years just being used for website and Flash testing. It is now ten years old as of January and itâ€™s about time to retire it forever as the ancient and completely obsolete guts it has now make it next to useless when compared to the quad core tower that replaced it (that machine will be my entry into the 2010 Case Mod Contest). I do like this case as it's a classic but its time as a Mac is over, I plan to use it possibly as a LAN box or folding unit or something along those lines. And I am sure that there are a lot of people here who would love to see a Mac get gutted and turned into a PC, well here's a new way to do it. Looking in my parts bin I found more than enough (somewhat) modern components to put this thing together. Please note that this is my first mod, all input is welcomed.









*EDIT Feb 19: Major hardware update, see post here.*

Motherboard & CPU: Asus P5QL-EM and an Intel Pentium Dual Core E6300.

Video Card: BFG GeForce 9800GT 512Mb with AC Accelero 1 Rad.

Memory: 4Gb of OCZ DDR2-1066.

CPU Cooler: OCZ Vendetta 2 that I grabbed for $12

HD: A WD 320Gb SATA with a stock Intel heatsink thermally glued to it (it was part of my old folding box).

PSU: An OCZ 400W "Fatality".

And finally, a wireless card with a pretty good antenna as this machine will be used all over the place.

Here's what I am starting with:

The Victim









Arrrgh ancient PowerPC, AGP and IDE!









Slow-poke's specs









Rear end









Not a lot of connectivity here









The G4â€™s old motherboard is approximately the same size a Mini-ATX board with four standard spaced expansion slots, the motherboard posts do not line up with ATX standards so they will have to be removed and replaced. The rear panel will have to be altered to accommodate an ATX IO plate, and the optical drive bay will have to go as in its current location will hit the RAM and likely the tower style CPU cooler too when the side of the case is closed using its new M-ATX internals.

So letâ€™s tear this thing apart.










All of the plastic panels covering the steel interior are secured by the acrylic handles and feet using flat hex head socket caps, the whole thing came apart fairly easily and I was surprised by a few things I found. Considering that this thing is a decade old it was interesting to find a wireless antenna running from the motherboard section to both sides of the case, Iâ€™ll keep this to see if it can be put to use later in the project.

Apple hid a bunch of the system controller chips under the motherboard including a made in Canada system controller using the case itself as a heatsink, and an Intel AGP controller. Though kind of nostalgic all of this old junk has to go.


















So with the machine stripped of its plastic shell and old PowerPC and IDE components I am left with this:




























Here's where the big differences between my project and all of the other G3/G4 case mods start.

Now I have seen this type of project one before (here and here), but most G4 case to ATX conversions look like real hack jobs. One of the sources of problems with retrofitting this case for modern ATX components is that every single mod I have come across uses the old PSU mounting bracket that runs the whole length of the case, this greatly restricts the height of the CPU cooler (as seen in the image here from someone else's project) and provides a potential cable routing nightmare as ATX power supplies are not made for this type of case layout as the distance between the PSU and the MB changes between the open and closed positions of the case.

So I started with a seemingly easy solution; remove the old optical drive/PSU bracket and relocate the PSU.

The most logical position considering what else has to fit in there is to put it somewhere in front of the case and having it exhaust out of the bottom as the old PSU exhaust location will be fully occupied by the CPU tower cooler.

Another difference between MacBane and other G4 mods is where the hard drives are located, Apple originally left room for four drives to be mounted onto the bottom of the case using some steel plates. I plan to build a custom aluminum bracket that will hold both the hard drives and the PSU and be located in the front of the case.

Now all I have to worry about is clearance for the video card when the case PSU/HD bracket is mounted as the 9800GT with the Accelero S1 cooler needs about 10" to fit from the expansion card slot opening.

My next step is to remove the old PSU/Optical drive bracket seen running along the middle of the case. Since this machine will be used for folding or playing my games from Steam a built in Optical drive is not needed (I have a USB DVD-R if I ever need to used optical media down the road):









All that is required to remove it is to drill out a few rivets, super easy:









Looking better already:









Now to size up a M-ATX board using a junk board filled with PCI Cards for alignment to get an idea of how much of the back plate has to be edited.


















So after a little measuring it looks like the easiest solution is to remove the entire backplate from the red line (drawn in the picture below) over to the right. Of course all of the expansion slots use the same piece of metal as the backplate and had to have a new rivet added to prevent any warping or wandering that might cause the motherboard to be mounted incorrectly later on in the project.









This tab has to go too if I want to use my audio jacks:









Rivet location:


















Now for some sparks:


















And the end result of two cuts and a few rivets being drilled out; a nice open IO location ready for a new MB.









The standard ATX IO plate won't be used, instead I plan to build a custom one out of either Acrylic of Aluminum sometime soon.


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## Photograph

Next up it's time to figure out where the new motherboard standoffs are going:









Used a Popsicle stick with a dab of paint to mark the holes.









Nice and easy to see where to drill now.









I also figured out where I will be making a few edits to door latch mechanism that fits under the motherboard as I have new standoff locations to contend with.









Planning out the bracket dimensions using a POS power supply (the magic smoke left it long ago).









Time to give this case some real ventilation by ditching the grill on the side 120mm fan and adding another 120 to the bottom of the case.









The old PSU location is getting a face lift too as it will now be home to twin 80mm exhaust fans that will help keep this machine nice and frosty by comparison to the toaster oven it used to be.









After a marathon cutting session this thing is ready to breathe easy.









Time to tap the motherboard standoff holes.









And finally the construction of the HD-PSU bracket starts:



























I test fitted it with the dead PSU and I am happy to report it fits perfectly, if it didn't I would be seriously ticked off.









Rails for two hard drives added









Used a pair of ancient 1 and 2Gb drives from the 90's for test fitting, so far looking good and there won't be many cables visible when I am done...awesome

















More to come soon.


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## sexybastard

awesome stuff so far! can't wait to see it completed.

+rep


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## Photograph

I just realized I posted this to the wrong section, Mods feel free to move this over to the worklogs section at your discretion. Yes it's early and this is what happens when I don't get a coffee.


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## LiquidForce

Wow that case had a ton of plastic.

I really like your psu/hd rack









Quote:


Originally Posted by *Photograph* 







I just realized I posted this to the wrong section, Mods feel free to move this over to the worklogs section at your discretion. Yes it's early and this is what happens when I don't get a coffee.

Just report it and say you want it moved to the right section, or pm a mod.


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## CattleRustler

im in


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## soundx98

Subbed, looks awesome so far


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## Madman340

Very nice! So far everything looks to be going according to plan. Sub'd.


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## Daney

The spark pics look great







well done









Looks like an amazing mod so far, I want to see completed pics now!


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## Photograph

Thanks everyone









Glad to see the mod is well received, hopefully I'll have a chance to get a few hours of work in on it this week. Updates to follow shortly.


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## Photograph

I am off to a plastics and acrylic warehouse store today, hopefully I'll find something clear and useful for this project.


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## Photograph

My trip to the world of plastic was a success I managed to find all of the materials I need for about $12

Cheap but decent Acrylic Panels:










Clear Polycarbonate 6mm thick and bullet resistant










Time to put this stuff to work.

As for other plastic components of the case (referring to the outer shell of the machine) I picked up some Krylon Fusion in Gloss Black, Flat Black and Flat White. And for the metal parts some good old Tremclad and some translucent red.










As for the case progress I removed the last section of the old IO panel as it will make adding a custom one much easier later in the project.










I will be building the motherboard standoffs and modding the latch panel this afternoon.


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## Zombies8myBrain

Looking good so far can't wait to see the finished product.


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## SmasherBasher

Love it!


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## Threefeet

Very clean work!

Looking forward to seeing it progress









EDIT :: love the project name, btw!


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## E_man

Very cool!


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## oliverw92

Nice work! Subbed for more


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## Photograph

Time to get the motherboard standoffs installed, I am using some 6-32 x 3/4 machine screws inserted from the backside of the case into the holes I tapped several steps ago.










I am keeping this as simple as possible and used some PVC tubing to make some 8mm non-conductive spacers to keep the motherboard suspended above the door latch.










Nice and easy.










Next up was to mod the sliding door latch that goues under the motherboard using a 3 amp rotary cutter.










Two minutes of work later the latch pane now fits with the new motherboard standoffs.










I then started to fit the test motherboard onto the new standoffs to make sure everything was aligned properly.



















Looks secure to me.










Now its time to attach the HD-PSU rack to the case, you probably get a pretty good sense of where all of the cables will be going from the shot below.










Now comes the fun part to see if I measured everything correctly, the rack is designed to be mounted 25mm above the base of the door, you can see the riser supports below.










One tool I think will be very handy is my laser level, by lining it up with the HD-PSU brackets outermost edge I see that I have a few millimeters of material to remove from the door catches on the front of the case.


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## SupaSupra

Looks great! I can wait to see this finished!


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## headcase9

For some reason I really love the photos you have here, looks like a sweet project man


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## CattleRustler

nice work mate


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## Photograph

Thanks everyone, more progress has been made pics to come soon


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## Photograph

The building of the HD-PSU Rack is done and it is mounted to the case by machine screws. All that's left for the bracket is some sanding and finishing work before I finally get to start the painting and cosmetic side of the mod.










I did have time to do a little bit of paint testing, I want to make sure it's going to look good before doing the real deal after all. Below is a bit of the translucent red that is supposed to look like anodizing. It's not fully hardened yet but it looks great on the aluminum.










If people are wondering about the paint colors and cosmetic next steps;

The interior of the case will be a flat black with red accents such as the PSU rack
The outer sides of the shell will be flat white with the logos painted gloss black
The covering for the center of the machine will be a combination of gloss and flat black
The handles will be white of the outside and black inside
The case will have lighting, I am thinking white.
And I plan to reuse the original power switch and LEDs after a bit of soldering of course to work with an ATX board.
Now all I need is a bit of sunny dry weather to start painting


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## JDMfanatic

It looks great! Definitely following this. CTRL+D!


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## SupaSupra

Looks amazing! Can't wait for more!


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## theCanadian

Bad ass! The PC makers strike back!


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## jacobroufa

+Rep to the OP. Photograph, you have a knack for figuring things out it seems. You've just given me some great ideas for how to build a custom hard drive mounting system on my current mod. Kickass, dude... Really awesome. I love these old PowerMac cases, I used to own several and wondered how a PC could fit in there and what it would look like. Keep up the good work, I'm definitely following this thread!


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## videoman5

I've been always been impressed with Mac cases. Good to see someone modding one with some proper hardware!


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## mrfajita

I have one of these with a broken G3 inside, may have to do something like this! sub'd


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## MrAMD_Fan

Sweet! Good work there! Sub'd!


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## Photograph

Hurrah for a Friday off from work and it just happens to be sunny out, painting begins today! Pics to follow shortly.


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## Threefeet

*starts heating the popcorn*


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## Photograph

Alright now for an update. All metal parts are complete, metal component fabricating and painting is all wrapped up.









Before painting started there was one last addition to the project; front mounted USB and e-SATA ports that will be accessed through what used to be the Zip drive opening.

Aluminum bracket material, plastic drive cover, and the USB/SATA cables.










Front bracket almost finished, this was made with a drill, a Dremel cutoff wheel, and a small file.










Now here's the bracket mounted in its new home.










All of the PCI Slot covers, CPU Cooler, Ram Cooler and bolt through CPU mounting kit ready for painting.










And the same box of parts now with a shiny coat of transparent red.










Here's the case after its first coat of primer, I used Tremclad primer for galvanized and zinc coated steel as this case has a lot of zinc over the steel and wanted to make sure the paint would stay on forever.










And here's the case after three coats of flat black.



















CPU Cooler had it's top plate painted.










And the HD-PSU bracket and some fasteners get a candy red coating (yes I see that drip on there, some sanding is in my near future).










Next step will be modding the motherboard. Below I am starting to enhance the cooling ability of the NB cooler by replacing the bubble gum TIM with some MX-2 and ditching the silly Asus sticker plate. All I have planned for this coming week is to make and add some custom made MOSFET coolers, I'll post pics for sure.










And on a different note my I will be taking next week off of modding (for the most part) as I will be taking my wife and kids down to see a couple of events the Olympics. And no, I didn't get any hockey tickets


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## GOTFrog

I thought that they weren't sod out?

Nice work, can't wait to see it done


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## nafljhy

looks fantastic!


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## Daney

Great work so far


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## SupaSupra

Looks amazing! I'd like to paint a few things that red.


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## Threefeet

Really like the red paint job and giving the cpu heatsink a coat looks great!

Nice to see that virtually no component is going in stock


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## Rebel4055

Looking good! Sub'd


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## allikat

Loving this work, +repped, and watching this fine mod with a lot of interest.


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## H-man

This guy is thinking different on a whole new level with this mod.


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## Lord Xeb

O-o cool!


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## jacobroufa

Looks great Photograph! Can't wait to see how it all looks put together! Plus you haven't even shown us the exterior painting!


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## oliverw92

The red looks awesome!


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## GOTFrog

Man I hope that you were there When Alex Bilodeau won on men's moguls that was EPIC


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## Photograph

Quote:


Originally Posted by *GOTFrog* 
Man I hope that you were there When Alex Bilodeau won on men's moguls that was EPIC

I wish I could have been there, we were at the Richmond oval watching mens speed-skating yesterday, bummer to see Jeremy Wotherspoon have to go out on a low note like that. We cheered him on regardless of his standings.


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## t-ramp

This project looks amazing so far. There were a few of these still around a couple of years ago when I was in high school, and of course I opened them up a couple of times. It was the first fold-down motherboard computer I'd ever seen. I'm looking forward to seeing how this one turns out.

I hope you had (are having?) fun at the Olympics. I can't picture myself attending such a big sporting event, but it sounds like a lot of fun.


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## smoochee

im lovin this mod! cant wait to see it finished!


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## Lord Xeb

Update pl0x?


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## Photograph

Update coming tomorrow, looks like all of the original hardware except for the video and wireless cards will be replaced as I sold them to a neighbor who's PC had died. I'm thinking something i5 based, I'll post specs once I have the parts ordered.


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## rasa123

Looks awesome, keep it up!!


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## imadude10

This is awesome. Definitely sub'd.


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## tincanman

gotta love these mac conversions
nice work
i like how the g3 and g4 have the foldout mobo tray


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## Photograph

A big thanks to everyone commenting on my progress, your input is very motivating.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *LiquidForce* 
I really like your psu/hd rack










Quote:


Originally Posted by *soundx98* 
Subbed, looks awesome so far










Quote:


Originally Posted by *Madman340* 
Very nice! So far everything looks to be going according to plan. Sub'd.


Quote:


Originally Posted by *Daney* 
The spark pics look great







well done









Looks like an amazing mod so far, I want to see completed pics now!










Quote:


Originally Posted by *Zombies8myBrain* 
Looking good so far can't wait to see the finished product.


Quote:


Originally Posted by *SmasherBasher* 
Love it!


Quote:


Originally Posted by *Threefeet* 
Very clean work!

Looking forward to seeing it progress









EDIT :: love the project name, btw!


Quote:


Originally Posted by *E_man* 
Very cool!


Quote:


Originally Posted by *oliverw92* 
Nice work! Subbed for more


Quote:


Originally Posted by *SupaSupra* 
Looks great! I can wait to see this finished!


Quote:


Originally Posted by *headcase9* 
For some reason I really love the photos you have here, looks like a sweet project man










Quote:


Originally Posted by *CattleRustler* 
nice work mate


Quote:


Originally Posted by *JDMfanatic* 
It looks great! Definitely following this. CTRL+D!


Quote:


Originally Posted by *SupaSupra* 
Looks amazing! Can't wait for more!


Quote:


Originally Posted by *theCanadian* 
Bad ass! The PC makers strike back!


Quote:


Originally Posted by *jacobroufa* 
+Rep to the OP. Photograph, you have a knack for figuring things out it seems. You've just given me some great ideas for how to build a custom hard drive mounting system on my current mod. Kickass, dude... Really awesome. I love these old PowerMac cases, I used to own several and wondered how a PC could fit in there and what it would look like. Keep up the good work, I'm definitely following this thread!

Happy to inspire









Quote:


Originally Posted by *videoman5* 
I've been always been impressed with Mac cases. Good to see someone modding one with some proper hardware!

Oh, it is going to get better. New component specs to follow in a few minutes.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mrfajita* 
I have one of these with a broken G3 inside, may have to do something like this! sub'd

Go for it, the G3's IO plate can be removed with a few screws, much easier than the G4s.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *MrAMD_Fan* 
Sweet! Good work there! Sub'd!










Quote:


Originally Posted by *GOTFrog* 
Nice work, can't wait to see it done


Quote:


Originally Posted by *nafljhy* 
looks fantastic!










Quote:


Originally Posted by *Daney* 
Great work so far










Quote:


Originally Posted by *SupaSupra* 
Looks amazing! I'd like to paint a few things that red.


Quote:


Originally Posted by *Threefeet* 
Really like the red paint job and giving the cpu heatsink a coat looks great!

Nice to see that virtually no component is going in stock










Quote:


Originally Posted by *Rebel4055* 
Looking good! Sub'd


Quote:


Originally Posted by *allikat* 
Loving this work, +repped, and watching this fine mod with a lot of interest.


Quote:


Originally Posted by *Idiot* 
This guy is thinking different on a whole new level with this mod.

That's a comment and a half, thanks man!

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Lord Xeb* 
O-o cool!


Quote:


Originally Posted by *jacobroufa* 
Looks great Photograph! Can't wait to see how it all looks put together! Plus you haven't even shown us the exterior painting!

I hope to start that part of the mod next week









Quote:


Originally Posted by *oliverw92* 
The red looks awesome!


Quote:


Originally Posted by *trampton* 
This project looks amazing so far. There were a few of these still around a couple of years ago when I was in high school, and of course I opened them up a couple of times. It was the first fold-down motherboard computer I'd ever seen. I'm looking forward to seeing how this one turns out.

I hope you had (are having?) fun at the Olympics. I can't picture myself attending such a big sporting event, but it sounds like a lot of fun.


Quote:


Originally Posted by *smoochee* 
im lovin this mod! cant wait to see it finished!


Quote:


Originally Posted by *rasa123* 
Looks awesome, keep it up!!


Quote:


Originally Posted by *imadude10* 
This is awesome. Definitely sub'd.


Quote:


Originally Posted by *tincanman* 
gotta love these mac conversions
nice work
i like how the g3 and g4 have the foldout mobo tray

Thanks for the kind words everybody.

And now that my trip to the Olympics is done I can get back to work on this.


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## Photograph

As I mentioned earlier the initial CPU, Cooler, ram, motherboard and power supply have been sold. My wife has a rule; no new computers in unless an old one leaves the house first.

This qualifies as one leaving and it has partially funded the following upgrades:

CPU: Intel Core i7 860










Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 with a Noctua 140mm NF-P14FLX for a fan



















Motherboard: Gigabyte P55M-UD4



















Ram: Corsair XMS3 4GB DDR3-1600










Power Supply: Corsair TX 750w










Now all I have to do is wait for UPS to arrive


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## GOTFrog

Nice, Thats a good rule to live by, I have lots of old computers @ home that are doing nothing


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## oliverw92

Sweet


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## Threefeet

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Photograph* 
My wife has a rule; no new computers in unless an old one leaves the house first.

lol that's actually a great rule


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## Lord Xeb

O_O Cool!


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## Thedark1337

Very nice


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## Legacy8500

sub'd, a very unique and very awesome mod. I was getting sick of these 932/800d mods. +rep


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## Willage

I'm sorry but you have voided your apple care warranty

seriously though, fantastic mod!


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## Photograph

There might be a delay in completing this project....

AWESOME!!!!!!!


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## Vostro

Awesome modding! Also grats on the beta invite!


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## jacobroufa

Jacobroufa pouts in fits of jealous rage. I wanna invite toooooooooo!!!!!!!!









If you get tired of it lemme know and I'll play for you.


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## Photograph

Slight change of Ram choice, the Corsair has been switched to G-Skill ECO DDR3 1600 8GB (2GBx4) CL7-8-7-24 *1.35V* kit. These will run quite a bit cooler than standard 1.65V DDR3 which is a good thing as I can see that the ram cooler I had originally planned to use will not fit; it will collide with the videocard. In addition to not needing a cooler the same way I'll save around 16w of power consumption at stock speeds and still have lots of overclocking headroom when I need it. Plus being relatively low profile they should fit under the 140mm Noctua fan. Hardware Canucks has a pretty good review here if you are interested.

*These X 2:*









Now for some Plastic painting prep work


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## fordy314

Nice choice on the ram, can't wait to see how this turns out.


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## spRICE

This is amazing


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## jacobroufa

AHH sick ram. G.Skill has gotten worlds better in the last year or two. Never had a problem with their memory. Good stuff.

Plus, I'm viewing this thread at the same time as Photograph... I can haz updatez plz?


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## Photograph

Quote:


Originally Posted by *jacobroufa* 
I can haz updatez plz?

Of course 









Plastic work has begun!









Here are the body panels prior to any work starting.









Front and rear panels:









Warming up the soldering iron to take the front panel apart.









The Power, Reset and Programming (that's what the third one was) buttons are attached to the face plate by some little posts that I just have to melt the ends off of.


















The small Apple logo at the top of the front panel just pops out, I want to keep this in good shape as it will be acting as the light for both power and drive activity (White and Blue LED).









And the last thing to go is a thin sheet of reflective plastic, won't be needing that anymore.









Now it's time to remove the big Apple logos as painting will be much cleaner, you can also get an idea of how scratched up the panels are. Everything is getting wet sanded with 400grit sandpaper and washed in TSP before painting tomorrow.










The logos on the side of the panel are held on with a lot of super strong adhesive and the logos are recessed so it is impossible to get them off without damaging them or the panel from the outer side. However inside there is a small hole that I used a thumb screw to slowly and carefully pop the edge of the logo up.








Door latch, Buttons, logo, and door hinge bar.









Then I used some rubbing alcohol and a plastic tire lever from a bike tool kit to ease the logo off.









Tools used and results.









Next up is making a few edits to the rear panel in order to provide airflow and room for the new IO panel. You can see the light through the area that will be removed to allow the two 80mm exhaust fans to go.









This plastic is damn tough stuff, its polycarbonate for sure as it grabbed my cutting bit snapping it off and sending it into my hand.









Being a lefty it just has to hit me in the finger I use when driving. :swearing:









Taking a look at the panel from the non-doored side of the case I can see where the old 120mm fan was drawing it air supply from (see dirt below).









So I made a bunch of hidden vents along the bottom edge of the panel using my Dremel. The blobs of poly have been sanded off like the one vent below.









So next up I thought I would see how everything looked together as the new PSU was availible.









It was here where I realized something...


















:swearing::swearing::swearing::swearing::swearing: :swearing::swearing:

The TX750 is about an inch longer that what I had designed for and overlaps the hard drives. So looks like I will be solving this little problem while paint is drying tomorrow, I am thinking that short of buying a few 2.5" SSDs I may have to settle for a single drive mount.

More to come soon.


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## nepas

I love this pic:









the effect is amazing

you sir are a genius!!


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## Photograph

Quote:


Originally Posted by *nepas* 
I love this pic:

the effect is amazing

you sir are a genius!!









Thanks, it turns out a lot of those pieces went with the original components when there were sold. I do plan to use the same technique with the more up to date parts that are on their way.


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## Lord Xeb

Looking good man.


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## Daney

Looks great! Shame about the PSU









But hey, who's gonna say no to an extra inch?


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## dmitt25

I really like this. It's coming along nicely too! subbed.


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## Forsaken_id

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Photograph* 
Being a lefty it just has to hit me in the finger I use when driving. :swearing:









Your comment = haahahahahaha!


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## oliverw92

Oh so THATs what you used to paint the aluminium!


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## Danny Boy

wow, wow wow wow. I am completely amazed. The colors are amazing. Great job. Makes me want to mod something.....if i only had something to mod. Time to watch CL!!


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## CattleRustler

coming along nicely
what was done to the alu to make it red (yeah, not blood)?
was it anodized?


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## [Adz]

Awesome work. The case was kinda cute before you began work, so it should be freaking hawt when you're finished with it. Can't wait to see it








+Sub, +rep


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## jacobroufa

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Photograph* 

















YAY for blood!







A mod isn't a mod without blood! (see my current mod in progress for my show-offs!







)

Can't you just drill out the rivets on the PSU/HDD mount, move the hard drive brackets down about an inch, re-rivet and repaint? Why give up when you're so close!


----------



## theCanadian

Quote:



Originally Posted by *jacobroufa*


YAY for blood!







A mod isn't a mod without blood! (see my current mod in progress for my show-offs!







)

Can't you just drill out the rivets on the PSU/HDD mount, move the hard drive brackets down about an inch, re-rivet and repaint? Why give up when you're so close!


What would he attach the HD mount to? He's currently using the rail. The bracket isnt long enough to move down. Unless he made a whole new bracket. But even then it would be less stable.


----------



## Photograph

Quote:



Originally Posted by *theCanadian*


What would he attach the HD mount to? He's currently using the rail. The bracket isnt long enough to move down. Unless he made a whole new bracket. But even then it would be less stable.


Bingo. After a little thinking and a little input from someone else I have come up with a solution that is even better that the original setup, I might be able to fit three drives if needed if this goes according to my early plan. That work will have to wait till next week to get put together.

I got the first bit of case painting done today, I have a couple of touch-ups to take care of tomorrow after the paint had hardened enough to sand. Pics to come once I get that done.


----------



## Photograph

Took a little time out tonight and sketched up the idea I had to fix the little issue caused by the bigger PSU. What I came up with is actually a lot more secure and stable than the original idea, the only question was would it fit?

So I made a little scale drawing:









Even if I am off a few millimeters on the drawing it appears I will have some wiggle room to play with if needed









It's back to work as usual tomorrow so updates may come a little less frequent


----------



## nafljhy

hey. that looks pretty nifty.

i'm assuming you've actually moved the HDDs a bit more to the end?

EDIT: question for you photo. why wouldn't you just use the side screws on the HDD instead if you're shifting the HDDs to that position?


----------



## Photograph

Quote:



Originally Posted by *nafljhy*


hey. that looks pretty nifty.

i'm assuming you've actually moved the HDDs a bit more to the end?

EDIT: question for you photo. why wouldn't you just use the side screws on the HDD instead if you're shifting the HDDs to that position?


I meant to move the drives down the rails a little to the right as the power and SATA connections need to clear the case when the door is closed, nothing can stick out over the left side of the rack.
I am mounting the drives from the bottom as with the material I have on hand that set up makes the most sense.

And now for a paint preview, it's not done yet but it should give everyone an idea as to where this is headed.


----------



## Threefeet

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Photograph*


I meant to move the drives down the rails a little to the right as the power and SATA connections need to clear the case when the door is closed, nothing can stick out over the left side of the rack.
I am mounting the drives from the bottom as with the material I have on hand that set up makes the most sense.

And now for a paint preview, it's not done yet but it should give everyone an idea as to where this is headed.











I'm so impressed, your work is such high quality!

Kudos to you sir.

And something more tangible: +rep


----------



## Photograph

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Threefeet* 
I'm so impressed, your work is such high quality!

Kudos to you sir.

And something more tangible: +rep









Thanks man! I try hard to do as good a job as possible, I must have spent at least two days now doing painting with wet sanding between coats and I am just getting to the clear coat started this morning before having to take care of some work stuff.


----------



## 98uk

I worked on this type of mac for the first ever time this Christmas, they are truly weird cases. Can't wait to see this finished! Subbed.


----------



## jacobroufa

This just keeps getting better, Photograph! I wish I still had my pile of old blue and white G3s... Yes I said pile. I had a bunch of them, it was like an old mac graveyard.


----------



## [Adz]

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Photograph* 
I meant to move the drives down the rails a little to the right as the power and SATA connections need to clear the case when the door is closed, nothing can stick out over the left side of the rack.
I am mounting the drives from the bottom as with the material I have on hand that set up makes the most sense.

And now for a paint preview, it's not done yet but it should give everyone an idea as to where this is headed.










Are you keeping it black and white? I would have assumed you would have the apple logo in red








Still looks good though.


----------



## Photograph

Quote:


Originally Posted by *[Adz]* 
Are you keeping it black and white? I would have assumed you would have the apple logo in red








Still looks good though.

Red would be my second choice, as for the red used elsewhere on the machine it only really works on metal. On plastic is peels very easily and looks blotchy. I did a few paint tests and decided to keep the external panels of the case monochromatic.

Below is the front panel pieced together as it currently looks before the final sanding and clear coat.










The outside of the machine will be white while the core is black


----------



## Photograph

And one final update for the day, here are the feet and handles of the case painted to match the side panels in matte white.


----------



## SupaSupra

Nice pics man, I can't wait for more!


----------



## Photograph

Quote:


Originally Posted by *SupaSupra* 
Nice pics man, I can't wait for more!

Thanks man. You may have to wait a little longer as work has me busy for the rest of the week in order to meet a few deadlines I had to put the case work on hold till the weekend. I hope to wrap up the final coats of paint on the case panels and finish building the bracket before Monday.

Updates to come soon


----------



## Lord Xeb

Hm... COOL!


----------



## mrfajita

That side panel paint looks totally awesome!


----------



## GOTFrog

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Photograph* 
Thanks man. You may have to wait a little longer as work has me busy for the rest of the week in order to meet a few deadlines I had to put the case work on hold till the weekend. I hope to wrap up the final coats of paint on the case panels and finish building the bracket before Monday.

Updates to come soon









Have your work sponsor you with paid build time


----------



## Photograph

Quote:


Originally Posted by *GOTFrog* 
Have your work sponsor you with paid build time

I wish that could be done but I think they might take issue with this particular project as I am currently working for a company who is one of Apple's competitors.


----------



## Threefeet

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Photograph* 
I wish that could be done but I think they might take issue with this particular project as I am currently working for a company who is one of Apple's competitors.









LOL

Best keep it to yourself then


----------



## GOTFrog

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Photograph* 
I wish that could be done but I think they might take issue with this particular project as I am currently working for a company who is one of Apple's competitors.









It's just an apple case, the innards are all PC


----------



## [Adz]

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Photograph* 
Red would be my second choice, as for the red used elsewhere on the machine it only really works on metal. On plastic is peels very easily and looks blotchy. I did a few paint tests and decided to keep the external panels of the case monochromatic.

Ah cool. Sorry if you've already mentioned this, I can't remember, are you going to have the case windowed?

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Photograph* 
I wish that could be done but I think they might take issue with this particular project as I am currently working for a company who is one of Apple's competitors.









LOL, smooth.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *GOTFrog* 
It's just an apple case, the innards are all PC

^This.
I suppose what you could do is claim it's a project proving that even a Mac can be turned into something worthwhile.









/flameshield on


----------



## Epic Century

*While I love this build, it's a shame I didn't catch it earlier because I would have suggested you do this: Click. Once you do that, you can paint the insides of the panels any colour you'd like, and it will have that classic Apple glossy effect. I've done with a few of my G4's, and I also did it with my studio display of the same era.

This is a very clean build with high amounts of professional quality work. Very rarely have I seen something come through OCN that is this clean. The thing that you've done here that sets you apart is that you've taken the time to do everything right.

Things I would have done:
-liquid cooling, this would have allowed you to keep the original PSU position if you had done this:
-bought a modular PSU and built custom motherboard cables that were sleeved, this would have also allowed you to place an optical drive inside
-Bottom mount 240 radiator sitting on two holes cut with dust filters and fan guards, remove the old vent on the back of the case, replace with custom shroud to channel heat from radiator out, two 120 mm fans on top of the radiator and two 60 mm fans on the back of the case or one high rpm blower type fan to push air out.

It would be tight, but it would run cool, and would really throw some people off when they saw windows 7 running on it.

What did you do with the old power supply? Is it a 22pin? I've got about twelve of these computers (ripsaw, quicksilver, mdd) sitting around, all with dead power supplies.
*


----------



## nafljhy

i actually like the current color scheme much better. just my 2c.


----------



## Photograph

Quote:


Originally Posted by *[Adz]* 
Ah cool. Sorry if you've already mentioned this, I can't remember, are you going to have the case windowed?

No case windows on this one, however the IO shield will be made of clear polycarbonate allowing a little light to pour out the back.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *[Adz]* 
I suppose what you could do is claim it's a project proving that even a Mac can be turned into something worthwhile.









/flameshield on

[Deactivating Potential Flame War as they are silly] Making any tool/computer/instrument/component worthwhile is all in how you use it.
Mac and PCs are all just tools comprised of a box of parts running code, nothing more.









Quote:


Originally Posted by *Epic Century* 
While I love this build, it's a shame I didn't catch it earlier because I would have suggested you do this: Click. Once you do that, you can paint the insides of the panels any colour you'd like, and it will have that classic Apple glossy effect. I've done with a few of my G4's, and I also did it with my studio display of the same era.

I would have loved to have that and I did research that option, however this particular case had a lot of scratches and scrapes in the plastic that would look like hell so I made the tough decision to sand and cover up. The decision was tough, but the work to properly paint over the plastic is tougher, painting the backside would likely have been easier.

If you are a fan of the translucent Mac cases, I am working on trying to grab a pair of Quicksilver G4s next week. Hopefully their cases are in better shape for my next Mac Mod and I can use them with the shininess intact.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Epic Century* 
This is a very clean build with high amounts of professional quality work. Very rarely have I seen something come through OCN that is this clean. The thing that you've done here that sets you apart is that you've taken the time to do everything right.

Thank you very much







I have had this machine for a decade and grew somewhat attached to it and wanted to do something special with it and get it right the first time with his mod.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Epic Century* 
Things I would have done:
-liquid cooling, this would have allowed you to keep the original PSU position if you had done this:
-bought a modular PSU and built custom motherboard cables that were sleeved, this would have also allowed you to place an optical drive inside
-Bottom mount 240 radiator sitting on two holes cut with dust filters and fan guards, remove the old vent on the back of the case, replace with custom shroud to channel heat from radiator out, two 120 mm fans on top of the radiator and two 60 mm fans on the back of the case or one high rpm blower type fan to push air out.

Initially my principle goal was to make this the first G4 case that could accept a full tower CPU cooler (meaning: use parts that I already owned). I may take some of these ideas for my next Mac mod and it would allow me to use any length of video card, this case limits video card choices to those 10.5" or shorter.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Epic Century* 
It would be tight, but it would run cool, and would really throw some people off when they saw windows 7 running on it.

It will be running Windows 7 64 bit for sure as this machine will be used primarily for Steam gaming and Folding, my next Mac mod will be for my machine that runs my other favorite OS legitimately and in accordance with the EULA. Keeping with the OCN forum rules software details of that project cannot be discussed here









Quote:


Originally Posted by *Epic Century* 
What did you do with the old power supply? Is it a 22pin? I've got about twelve of these computers (ripsaw, quicksilver, mdd) sitting around, all with dead power supplies.

All of the Apple components were put into an ATX case set up with OS X and donated to a local charity that provides computers to kids who would otherwise not be able to own one. I have actually had several PMs from people asking me for parts from the original setup.

As for your machines with dead PSUs I may have a cheap but not necessarily easy solution for you: Mod an ATX PSU to work with your G4s.
There are several guides online (I found two for you below) for doing this and each model of G4 uses a different PSU setup (of course







), the Sawtooth is the easiest one to do as it doesn't need a 28v line.

Mirrored Door G4 ATX PSU Conversion Guide

Sawtooth G4 ATX PSU Conversion

Hope that helps









Quote:


Originally Posted by *nafljhy* 
i actually like the current color scheme much better. just my 2c.









Thank you, finally someone understands me









Pics from today's work should be up sometime tonight.


----------



## nafljhy

hmm... how about we get them now?









can't wait to see those pics photo!


----------



## Photograph

No work updates today instead I am taking a family night; I am spending tonight with my little ones watching the Olympic hockey game together.
Though no work to post I am happy to say that parts have started to arrive, pics to follow once my kids are in bed


----------



## GOTFrog

Goal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## Epic Century

*Hoping your kids are asleep now and we can see some photos.








*


----------



## Photograph

As I stated parts have started to arrive! One thing that surprised me was how small the Hyper 212 was, I am used to the TRUE 120 being my go to cooler for builds.










And damn this is a nice little board


















Now all I need is some memory to show up to start testing this thing


----------



## oliverw92

What camera/lens are you using? Those are some crispy photos!


----------



## Photograph

Quote:


Originally Posted by *oliverw92* 
What camera/lens are you using? Those are some crispy photos!

Thanks, the camera is just a plain old Canon Rebel with a couple of Canon L Series lenses. It's the tripod that helps everything be nice and sharp


----------



## nafljhy

that looks like one pretty board! and damn thats a nice camera..


----------



## Epic Century

*Very nice! Parts look nice!

That will be nice to be able to do SLI on a mATX form factor. What did that board run you? You made me tear apart some of my G4 QS systems last night for a project.









Seems I don't have any case panels that aren't scratched/scuffed either so I'm going to try to polish them and see what I can get. If it works out, I'll let you know in case you decide to do another conversion in the future (think you had mentioned wanting to do another one at some point earlier in the thread).

Looking forward to more photos!

-grace
*


----------



## Photograph

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Epic Century*


Very nice! Parts look nice!

That will be nice to be able to do SLI on a mATX form factor. What did that board run you? You made me tear apart some of my G4 QS systems last night for a project.









Seems I don't have any case panels that aren't scratched/scuffed either so I'm going to try to polish them and see what I can get. If it works out, I'll let you know in case you decide to do another conversion in the future (think you had mentioned wanting to do another one at some point earlier in the thread).

Looking forward to more photos!

-grace



Thanks and good luck with the polishing as that could be a lot of work, getting the scratches out is easy but making the plastic perfectly clear again is the big pain. As for the board it cost me $145 Canadian, that is about $137-138 US.

I have run into a few interesting snags on the project in the last couple of days that I will share.

The first little issue I found was that the Cooler Master 212s backplate is too tall to fit under the motherboard with the door latch panel installed, that and the 212 has been shown not to be able to keep highly overclocked i7s cool at 4.0 Ghz. So after a bit of research as to what would work with my choice of motherboard, cool very well and have a lower profile backplate I ordered a Thermalright Venomous X. Then I started to test the door/cooler clearance with another board using a OCZ Vendetta 2 and was a little worried when the Vendetta got in the way not allowing the door to close. I thought I might be in trouble but it turns out the socket on the 775 board I was testing with is much closer to the top of the door latch (edge of the board) than my socket 1156 board. I remeasured and everything looks OK now...heart attack adverted.

And because the socket is closer to the center of the board my revised hard drive rack will have to be revised again as I would likely be forcing the drives to colide with the CPU cooler fan if I went ahead and built.

So that little issue led me to the conclusion that I am going to have to build a new rack because I am out of material to properly connect to on the existing rack's HD mounting area. The good news is that the PSU section can be reused on it's own but the HDs need a fresh start and that's what I am building today. I will also be cutting a little more material out of the inside of the case as the PSU rack is just touching the interior of the case enough to prevent closure of the door when the PSU rack is in place.

This project is like playing 3D Tetris with pieces of metal and expensive components, it's tough but the end results still look to be worth it.
So I have a little more planning and fabricating to take care of before I can really call the metal work complete.

As for painting; It is almost complete, the panels just need a few more coats of clear gloss acrylic lacquer over the black components that should happen tomorrow after I get home (on the road for work right now so no pictures today, sorry).


----------



## spRICE

Well good luck and i hope you get those issues sorted out


----------



## Photograph

Quote:



Originally Posted by *spRICE*


Well good luck and i hope you get those issues sorted out










Actually I have figured out the hard drive mounting issue








I should have thought of it earlier but I was overly focused on keeping everything together on the rack. Instead I'll be mounting the drives in a new rack that will be inside of the main case, less weight on the door and I now have room to add a fan for some active cooling to the new rack. Hopefully I'll have a chance to get some shots up tomorrow.

And it looks like I may have this thing wrapped up within the next week or so!









Sometimes taking a break when stuck on a project can yield some fresh ideas


----------



## Photograph

Progress has been made! I have come up with a new fastening method for the PSU that will be a lot more flexible and will actually let the case close easily. I did murder the old HD-PSU rack though, don't worry it's better this way









Chop Chop










Getting smaller










Now for a fitting test










And with a PSU in place










And voila, it closes


















The rack will be getting sanded down and given a fresh red paint job, so it will still look good once finished. I know someone is going to ask "how does the PSU attach to the rack now?", so I'll get to it. The PSU will attach to the rack via two straps and the miracle of industrial strength Velcro, it's adjustable, sound damping, and tool free all while being more than strong enough for holding a PSU in place.

After a little research I realized that the Cooler Master 212 actually needs just as much room as any LGA1156 cooler with a backplate, that includes the Venomous X that is expected to arrive by the end of the week. So I decided to mod the doors latch panel to accommodate:

Chop Chop, with the CM 212 backplate for reference










Testing on the actual case to make sure everything is happy










And now for a little something red



















And now all I need is a Venomous X to show up to get this thing mounted and benchmarked


----------



## Thedark1337

Nice one dude


----------



## theCanadian

Waiting for "the big picture" to come together.


----------



## Threefeet

Can't wait to see the finished article


----------



## legoman786

I can't believe I missed this.

And, as a fellow lefty (with a 5-speed, no less), I know exactly the pain when you cut your driving hand.


----------



## _Marvin_

This is looking real well made, are you going to run OSX86 on it?


----------



## Photograph

Thanks everyone









Quote:


Originally Posted by *_Marvin_* 
are you going to run OSX86 on it?

I have had a few pepole ask me that question so I'll answer it definitively:

This will be a Windows 7 powered gaming PC, only the case is Apple in origin. For when want to use OS X, I run it on my Mac saving myself having to break the EULA, maintain a hacked OS, potential hardware incompatibilities, and the fact that the machine could be rendered useless by something as small as a software update. Legit is the only way to go, especially when you are using a machine as a tool in your profession.

And before a Moderator mentions it here: Discussions of any sort pertaining to Hackintoshes and/or OS X 86 is not permitted on overclock.net.









I built something today, pics to come shortly


----------



## Photograph

I managed to get the new HD rack completed, now to get it painted and put into the case and really start getting this project closer to completion.

The 120mm fan and HD rack will mount to the top of the inside of the case, and no that is not the fan or drives that will be used (just shop parts for comparisons sake):










And on its own:


----------



## mrfajita

Sweet, I love the custom fabricated HDD racks


----------



## theCanadian

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Photograph* 
Thanks everyone









I have had a few pepole ask me that question so I'll answer it definitively:

This will be a Windows 7 powered gaming PC, only the case is Apple in origin. For when want to use OS X, I run it on my Mac saving myself having to break the EULA, maintain a hacked OS, potential hardware incompatibilities, and the fact that the machine could be rendered useless by something as small as a software update. Legit is the only way to go, especially when you are using a machine as a tool in your profession.

And before a Moderator mentions it here: Discussions of any sort pertaining to Hackintoshes and/or OS X 86 is not permitted on overclock.net.









I built something today, pics to come shortly









Hackintoshes *are* legit. You can buy OSX at the apple store.


----------



## Threefeet

Quote:


Originally Posted by *theCanadian* 
Hackintoshes *are* legit. You can buy OSX at the apple store.









You can buy it but I'm pretty sure it has to be installed on a Mac.

Quote:

Snow Leopard is an upgrade for Leopard users and requires a Mac with an Intel processor.
Source


----------



## Photograph

I hate to put a damper on you guys but please read the following post from the OC.net Mac section regarding Hackintosh discussion: Hackintosh Discussions Forbidden - you are warned!


----------



## Lord Xeb

Hm.. looking good man.


----------



## Arakasi

I have a hackintosh that is running strong.

I use it in my profession, i built it for my office.

It has been running strong for a year now, and i constantly use my hackintosh.

Hackintoshes are legit and work well.

It is true that a software update could render it useless, however i am not interested in all the new techy crap apple comes out with on the mac os.

I have leapard installed version 10.5 i think, and i will just leave it at 10.5.








Used a gigabyte board, intel proc, muskin ram, corsair PSU, Asus gcard.

On topic, i love this build and i hope it works out great for you. <--- (reason i wanted to post)
i actually work with apple mobile devices all day everyday.


----------



## spRICE

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Arakasi* 
I have a hackintosh that is running strong.

I use it in my profession, i built it for my office.

It has been running strong for a year now, and i constantly use my hackintosh.

Hackintoshes are legit and work well.

It is true that a software update could render it useless, however i am not interested in all the new techy crap apple comes out with on the mac os.

I have leapard installed version 10.5 i think, and i will just leave it at 10.5.








Used a gigabyte board, intel proc, muskin ram, corsair PSU, Asus gcard.

On topic, i love this build and i hope it works out great for you. <--- (reason i wanted to post)
i actually work with apple mobile devices all day everyday.


Quote:


Originally Posted by *Photograph* 
I hate to put a damper on you guys but please read the following post from the Overclock.net Mac section regarding Hackintosh discussion: Hackintosh Discussions Forbidden - you are warned!


Quote:


Originally Posted by *Photograph* 
Thanks everyone








And before a Moderator mentions it here: Discussions of any sort pertaining to Hackintoshes and/or OS X 86 is not permitted on overclock.net.

He Warned You. Stop Talking About Hackintoshs And OBEY The Forum Rules.


----------



## Photograph

Thanks spRICE


----------



## Deano12345

Looks great so far Photograph,are you still going to use the P14 on the VenX or have you changed the fan (Sorry if this has been posted already)


----------



## Photograph

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Deano12345* 
Looks great so far Photograph,are you still going to use the P14 on the VenX or have you changed the fan (Sorry if this has been posted already)

I went with the Ven-X with a pair of Cooler Master R4s because the D14 won't fit on my Motherboard according to Noctua's D14 compatibility page.

I should be able to pick it up later this morning, pics to come soon as I have been busy finishing a lot of the last few pieces for the project


----------



## _Marvin_

So you will be using Win7, but you could skin it to make it more special, or to follow the case theme.


----------



## Photograph

Quote:


Originally Posted by *_Marvin_* 
So you will be using Win7, but you could skin it to make it more special, or to follow the case theme.

True but I see no need as Windows 7 looks enough like Mac OS X as is


----------



## _Marvin_

W7 looks are good, but are too common for such a special case.

Look at my desktop:


----------



## Deano12345

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Photograph* 
I went with the Ven-X with a pair of Cooler Master R4s because the D14 won't fit on my Motherboard according to Noctua's D14 compatibility page.

I should be able to pick it up later this morning, pics to come soon as I have been busy finishing a lot of the last few pieces for the project









Ah,I though you meant you were using the P14 fan,not the D-14 cooler,my mistake.

Cant wait to see it all together,should look great !


----------



## Photograph

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Deano12345* 
Ah,I though you meant you were using the P14 fan,not the D-14 cooler,my mistake.

Cant wait to see it all together,should look great !









Actually you were right, i was looking at using a P14, then a P12, and now a pair of Red R4s as they go with the machine's theme better.


----------



## Deano12345

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Photograph* 
Actually you were right, i was looking at using a P14, then a P12, and now a pair of Red R4s as they go with the machine's theme better.

Ah,sounds good to me !


----------



## Brutuz

Looks nice.


----------



## Photograph

Thanks









I am seriously thinking about pulling the trigger on a pair of Sapphire 5770 Vapor-X 1Gb cards to run in a crossfire setup, as they would fit better than the 9800GT does (as I will have to edit the power connector to fit easily) and haul some serious ass without drawing tons of power.

I know GF100/Fermi will be at least the same size as my GTX260 (longer than will fit) so there's no point in waiting for it with this machine, and I think it will be a while before I need more power than what the 5770s will provide.

I want to put as much power as I can fit into this machine, but I need to stick with models that are less than 8" (20cm) long (no "that's what she said" jokes).

Any thoughts on a better video card model/setup that could work?


----------



## oliverw92

The only reason i would go for the vapor-x is if you really need the extra cooling power (which isn't much). I would just go for normal 5770's personally and save a little money.


----------



## Photograph

Quote:


Originally Posted by *oliverw92* 
The only reason i would go for the vapor-x is if you really need the extra cooling power (which isn't much). I would just go for normal 5770's personally and save a little money.

Actually I just price matched a pair of them and they come in $5 cheaper each than most reference models, $175 each instead of $205 each Canadian. So tempting to pull the trigger but I'll wait a little longer. I did find a reference cooler model for 174.67, $0.33 is worth it for the extra cooling I think.


----------



## oliverw92

Interesting, over hear they are Â£20 more!


----------



## Photograph

Quote:


Originally Posted by *oliverw92* 
Interesting, over hear they are Â£20 more!

Ouch, that's a bit of a hit


----------



## Photograph

I am glad I looked around a little longer, I found a pair of Gigabyte Ultra Durable 5770's for $159 each and pulled the trigger








I have always had great luck with Gigabyte's components plus the warranty is 3 years and I know that the service if needed is pretty fast.










Yes, it's the model with the Batmobile cooler cover


----------



## Photograph

And now for some work updates:

The rear IO panel shield is now complete:










I made a diffusion box to soften the light for the power and HD status LEDs (please disregard the cat hair on there):










And all of the new rack components have been painted, the dark items are fan mounts and IO plate holders, they have 2 coats on them:


----------



## iamtheonlystevo

Lookin' gooood!


----------



## mmx+

Dude, this is totally incredible!
Subbed!


----------



## Lord Xeb

Your I/O plate looks fugly.... but looking good


----------



## Photograph

It still has the ugly plastic covering the surface, I'll peel it off once assembly begins...

*TOMORROW!!!*









I had started the IO plate with a different approach but with my limited tool selection and after a rather bad mistake I opted to take the simple route for once on this project. The initial IO plate work can be seen on the Flickr album i have set up for this project here:

MacBane Worklog Photo Album

I may try building another in the future when I have access to a scroll saw or milling machine.


----------



## zxo0oxz

I just spent forever reading this. I should have picked up that G4 I saw for $35 in the newspaper...


----------



## Threefeet

Oooh burnt orange









Nice diffusing effect on the LED too


----------



## Photograph

Assembly has begun









All fans and drives are insulated from the case with rubber washers to help keep this machine nice and quiet.










Front Panel USB 2.0 and E-SATA connections installed, with red hardware. And yes that fan is missing a side on purpose in order for the PSU to clear it when the door is opened or closed:










And I got to work installing the Venomous X onto the motherboard:

Venomous X box contents:










Cleaning the CPU before getting started:










On goes the back plate:










Base nuts done up and ready for the rest of the cooler. These were a pain as there is not a lot of room for big hands to tighten these little things.










The Venomous X is very nicely polished, much nicer base than the TRUE:










Adding 70lbs of pressure with this little knob, making it ready for some overclocking


















And I even had time to paint a few more little parts:










More to come soon


----------



## oliverw92

Yay


----------



## Threefeet

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Photograph* 
More to come soon









Bring the 'more'


----------



## Photograph

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Threefeet* 
Bring the 'more'









OK No problem









I got a little more work done than I thought I could:

I will start with something boring first:

The diffusion panel got put in next:










Tadaaaa!










And the IO shield is done, much better looking now:










Next up....body panels start along with drives and exhaust fans, I will let the pictures do the talking for the rest of the post:












































X 100!


----------



## mrfajita

Awesome, I can't wait to see this thing finished!


----------



## xxbassplayerxx

Wow. This just looks great!!


----------



## allikat

Looking good, looking very good, props to you









Actually, in theory, this could be a legit hackintosh, since it's Apple labled hardware as per their EULA (assuming the extract our dear Mod linked to remains valid)... But props to you for avoiding that issue.

*note for the mod, I'm not actually advocating he make it a hackintosh, nor am I proposing that anyone else take this route, merely pointing out a possibly valid interpretation of the EULA as posted in the thread. Course it would still mean buying some apple hardware in any case, even if you then mod the heck out of it...


----------



## legoman786

I propose sending Steve Jobs the link to this thread.


----------



## theCanadian

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Photograph* 










I'm liking this look right here. Don't even put those little acrylic panels back in. This right here makes it look like an animated space helmet. Very cool.


----------



## Photograph

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mmx+* 
Dude, this is totally incredible!
Subbed!


Quote:


Originally Posted by *mrfajita* 
Awesome, I can't wait to see this thing finished!


Quote:


Originally Posted by *xxbassplayerxx* 
Wow. This just looks great!!

Thanks guys









Quote:


Originally Posted by *allikat* 
Looking good, looking very good, props to you









Actually, in theory, this could be a legit hackintosh, since it's Apple labled hardware as per their EULA (assuming the extract our dear Mod linked to remains valid)... But props to you for avoiding that issue.

*note for the mod, I'm not actually advocating he make it a "Macintosh", nor am I proposing that anyone else take this route, merely pointing out a possibly valid interpretation of the EULA as posted in the thread. Course it would still mean buying some apple hardware in any case, even if you then mod the heck out of it...

Actually you will need more than just an Apple case in order to make it legit in the eyes of a copyright lawyer, a physical Apple EP-ROM chip must be present in the device to fulfill the full requirements of the EULA. I have a few of these on hand from older Macs, but they are not for use here.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *legoman786* 
I propose sending Steve Jobs the link to this thread.









I think Johnathan Ive is the guy to talk to, as he designed the case back in the late 90's.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *theCanadian* 
I'm liking this look right here. Don't even put those little acrylic panels back in. This right here makes it look like an animated space helmet. Very cool.

The covers will be going back on, but the optical drive door will be able to be open and closed as I feel like it for more airflow.


----------



## MrAMD_Fan

Looking good!


----------



## Threefeet

Lookin' fine!

Loving the red apple logo, it's so... anti-mac


----------



## Photograph

Thanks guys, I hope to get the front panel wiring along with the rest of the fans and maybe even the PSU done later today. Updates to come after work today, now that I'm awake it's coffee time.


----------



## oliverw92

Awesome work mate!


----------



## Photograph

More work has been done









Latch plate and u-channel for all holes completed:










Bottom intake fan mounted:










A 120x12mm Scythe fan that will be mounted between the metal and plastic parts of the case providing the 5770's some fresh air:










And Mounted:










Next the PSU Was mounted:










And now it is the motherboards turn:










Fiber and rubber washers cushion all motherboard mounts:










When closed everything fits...just barely. I have less than a millimeter between the ram lever and the edge of the bottom SATA drive.










And next... I turned it on


















And with the lights out:










More to come tomorrow.


----------



## Threefeet

It's looking fantastic, nice to see it all coming together.

Close call on the RAM levers
















EDIT :: you should do some nice glamour shots at the end, I'm having fantasies about that glowing red Apple logo...


----------



## GOTFrog

Wow this is a drool worthy build, I want it


----------



## Lord Xeb

That is hawt!


----------



## oliverw92

Sick! What fans are those on the heatsink?


----------



## Photograph

Quote:


Originally Posted by *oliverw92* 
Sick! What fans are those on the heatsink?

Thanks, the fans are just plain ol' red led Coolermaster R4s.


----------



## Ownaaja

wow this looks good







subbed


----------



## GOTFrog

Oliver what are you doing posting in other ppl's threads, you have a build to omplete and one to start. You officially have no time for anything else. no go back to modding and make us drool


----------



## jacobroufa

Quote:


Originally Posted by *GOTFrog* 
Oliver what are you doing posting in other ppl's threads, you have a build to omplete and one to start. You officially have no time for anything else. no go back to modding and make us drool












































:l achen:


----------



## oliverw92

Sowwy


----------



## Thedark1337

Don't overwork the master







Good updates though to both of you


----------



## nafljhy

now that is one beautiful mac case!


----------



## ehume

How is that Slipstream Slim working out?


----------



## Photograph

Quote:


Originally Posted by *nafljhy* 
now that is one beautiful mac case!









Thanks









Quote:


Originally Posted by *ehume* 
How is that Slipstream Slim working out?

So far so good, it seems to fit under the panel as that's all I can really ask of it. I know it doesn't move too much air but enough to help keep the video cards a little cooler.

Speaking of video cards...

The 5770's have finally arrived so I can get back to work on this, all I am missing now are two 24" SATA cables to reach the RAID array up in the top of the case. And yes, the cooler on these cards looks a lot like the 1989 Batmobile.





































And they actually fit!









And with enough parts to keep moving ahead I have started wiring the case:










Had to cut the top LED strip down by a centimeter to fit properly:










And Back panel wiring has started too:


----------



## Threefeet

Must take a lot of patience to get the cable management under control in that case lol

It's starting to take shape!


----------



## theCanadian

What fans do you have strapped to the Vendetta?

Edit... wait... that's not a Vendetta.....


----------



## Photograph

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Threefeet* 
Must take a lot of patience to get the cable management under control in that case lol

I have never seen one of these cases have a clean wiring set up, not even stock models. So far it has been a pain getting all the cables hidden but it is looking to be worth it as it will be the only one like it.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Threefeet* 
It's starting to take shape!









That it is, albeit very slowly









Quote:


Originally Posted by *theCanadian* 
What fans do you have strapped to the Vendetta?

Edit... wait... that's not a Vendetta.....

Nope, that's not a Vendetta at all. It's a huge ass Thermalright Venomous X with a pair of Cooler Master R4s on it.


----------



## Somenamehere

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Photograph* 
Thanks









Speaking of video cards...


----------



## xd_1771

I live in the Vancouver area too so you have GOT to let me see this!


----------



## Photograph

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Somenamehere* 






























The nice thing about this setup is I don't have to see "The Batmobiles" when this is in use, they were $60 cheaper than the Saphire Vapor-X's and have a full set of Low rds mosfets, ferite chokes and solid caps so I can live with the gaudy shrouds. They do beg to be modded though









Quote:


Originally Posted by *xd_1771* 
I live in the Vancouver area too so you have GOT to let me see this!









I will have to talk to my wife about opening an exhibit in our garage when this is done


----------



## theCanadian

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Photograph* 
That it is, albeit very slowly









You dont know slow. My case mod is 1 year, 7 months, 18 days in the making.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Photograph* 
Nope, that's not a Vendetta at all. It's a huge ass Thermalright Venomous X with a pair of Cooler Master R4s on it.









Ah, cool.


----------



## oliverw92

Yeah trust me, this is a fast mod









Just take the shrouds off?


----------



## mrfajita

Oh man this is awesome. I am loving this build!


----------



## jacobroufa

Quote:


Originally Posted by *oliverw92* 
Yeah trust me, this is a fast mod









Just take the shrouds off?

Why would you take the shrouds off? Hideous as they are (or freaking cool if you're Bruce Wayne), they direct air flow from the fans over the heatsinks to cool the gpu, memory, vrms, et al. Maybe mod the shrouds on the outside with bondo or fiberglass to give them some other shape but leave the inside shape alone. They were designed that way for a reason...

And yeah. This is a VERY fast mod.


----------



## oliverw92

Quote:


Originally Posted by *jacobroufa* 
Why would you take the shrouds off? Hideous as they are (or freaking cool if you're Bruce Wayne), they direct air flow from the fans over the heatsinks to cool the gpu, memory, vrms, et al. Maybe mod the shrouds on the outside with bondo or fiberglass to give them some other shape but leave the inside shape alone. They were designed that way for a reason...

And yeah. This is a VERY fast mod.

People take them off all the time, they make barely any difference. They are there really just for aesthetic reasons. In this case, a fail in aesthetics...


----------



## theCanadian

Quote:


Originally Posted by *oliverw92* 
People take them off all the time, they make barely any difference. They are there really just for aesthetic reasons. In this case, a fail in aesthetics...

Wouldn't hurt to try both ways and see what gives the best temps. After all, it is a pretty small case. And the hardware it used to house probably ran on what... a 250w PSU if not smaller? I think that the GPU's alone approach that number.

Edit: Yeah, a *single* 5770 1GB pulls in excess of 250w in furmark. http://www.techspot.com/review/209-a...70/page11.html


----------



## Photograph

Quote:


Originally Posted by *theCanadian* 
Wouldn't hurt to try both ways and see what gives the best temps. After all, it is a pretty small case. And the hardware it used to house probably ran on what... a 250w PSU if not smaller? I think that the GPU's alone approach that number.

Edit: Yeah, a *single* 5770 1GB pulls in excess of 250w in furmark. http://www.techspot.com/review/209-a...70/page11.html


The old PSU was 192w, it had trouble handling much beyond the stock configuration. It was unusable if I tried putting both a PCI and an AGP video card in it at the same time.

I am going to leave the shrouds on for now as the cards are still brand new and under warranty, that and you don't see them really at all once they are in the case.


----------



## kev012in

Subbed and +rep, This is truly an amazing case mod Photo, Just took the time to read it from top to bottom.


----------



## WarlordOne

Looking good. I'm going to have to send a link to my self-admitted "apple whore" buddy...


----------



## Zzyzx

Ooh, I wish I came across this earlier, but I can't wait to see it finished.


----------



## A-Dub

Quote:


Originally Posted by *theCanadian* 

Edit: Yeah, a *single* 5770 1GB pulls in excess of 250w in furmark. http://www.techspot.com/review/209-a...70/page11.html

I'm pretty sure that's *system* power consumption. A single 5770 is ~110 watts. But yes, x-fire 5770's with a decent OC probably would approach 250 watts at full load.


----------



## theCanadian

Quote:


Originally Posted by *A-Dub* 
I'm pretty sure that's *system* power consumption. A single 5770 is ~110 watts. But yes, x-fire 5770's with a decent OC probably would approach 250 watts at full load.

I never said it wasn't. A system with a *single* 5770, pulls that many watts. No doubt the system ran with a low wattage CPU and minimal components so as not to bloat the rating...

Regardless of what the actual rating is, the point is that this system puts out a great deal more heat than the box was designed to manage, and thus it is worth considering and testing which shroud configuration would provide the lowest temperatures in order to improve component life and perhaps even obtain a slightly better OC.


----------



## oliverw92

That Techpowerup graph is so stupid. How is that supposed to help anyone? It doesn't actually saying the power draw of the card.


----------



## theCanadian

Quote:


Originally Posted by *oliverw92* 
That Techpowerup graph is so stupid. How is that supposed to help anyone? It doesn't actually saying the power draw of the card.

I wasn't talking about the card. I was talking about the system. This box does not consist solely of a couple graphics cards. There are other components generating heat as well.

The graphs are useful for Watt to Performance to Cost comparisons.


----------



## t-ramp

This is looking cooler all the time... I felt I should get this back to the front page. I can't wait to see this fully assembled.


----------



## Photograph

Thanks everyone, the last components finally arrived this morning (24" SATA Cables) and I actually have the next two days off work so I am going to try and get this machine wrapped up by tomorrow night.

I have a little wiring and soldering planned this afternoon to get the Apple front panel board rewired for ATX pinouts, then it's cable control time for the rest of the night. Tomorrow will be final touches and then a bunch of benchmark and overclocking tests.









Pics to follow shortly.

Erik.


----------



## anon-nick

I cannot wait!!!


----------



## oliverw92

Yaya.


----------



## D3FiN3 SiN

Damn, I need to clean the drool off my keyboard.


----------



## Photograph

Words everyone has been waiting to hear: MacBane is complete. Piles of pics and final build log details to come as soon as my kids are in bed.


----------



## Spritanium

Yay.


----------



## Threefeet

Put the clocks forward and get those kids to bed early


----------



## Manyak

Gotta get some pics already...cmon!


----------



## Photograph

One of the last little problems I had to solve was the front panel wiring, the panel seen below features a common ground for everything: LEDs, and switches.

I tried to reuse the switch as is but there was no way to as the old PowerMac was wired very differently than ATX machines. So I soldered the wires directly onto the board and used my Dremel to cut the contacts as the common ground was causing a short when plugged into an ATX board (I tested on a POS system first).

OEM Apple front panel board:










10 mystery wires with a common ground in there somewhere:










Problems solved and new LED installed:










My camera ran out of battery power shortly after this point so there is a lot of custom cable construction missing from the log, including a custom extra long front panel USB cable. I kept working while the camera was charging and got this beast wrapped up just in time before the kids got home.


----------



## Photograph

And here is the final result of my *first* case mod and three months worth of hard work:


















































































I will take some real photos sometime by the weekend and post them, thanks for looking


----------



## ehume

Brilliant! It came out oh-so-elegant.


----------



## Manyak

That's what their cases should have been in the first place!

Excellent work


----------



## ROM3000

That has to be one of the most gorgeous builds I've seen. Great work!


----------



## sillymansam

WOW! my jaw dropped after seeing the final product. Nice work!


----------



## nafljhy

this is just absolutely awesome! the black and white is just stunning!

its just


----------



## shnur

I'm happy to see it finished... now I feel a bit ashamed of what my first mods are turning out in... I mean... WOW THIS IS SO AMAZING!!!!!!!


----------



## sorrowfool

Heh, my first double post.


----------



## H.R.Pufnstuf

WOW, I want one now.... feel like I have to do something with my G5 case now when it is no longer in use.


----------



## sorrowfool

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Photograph*


And here is the final result of my *first* case mod and three months worth of hard work:



















I will take some real photos sometime by the weekend and post them, thanks for looking










That really is awesome.

It looks like something from Mass Effect... or Portal.


----------



## GOTFrog

Wow can you make me one please


----------



## theCanadian

Sexy!


----------



## pfran42

Dude! That case looks sick! I have to agree with the other posters, it definitely looks like something from Portal.


----------



## jacobroufa

Absolutely amazing. Great build Photograph, and thanks for sharing it with us!


----------



## mrfajita

This looks so awesome. I may have to do this with my old mac now that it is this awesome.


----------



## JMT668

Just Wow!

You made me late for work!


----------



## imadude10

Looks amazing! Inside, it's a plethora of colors. Looks like the motherboard is bending though.


----------



## ydna666

Quote:


Originally Posted by *JMT668* 
Just Wow!

You made me late for work!


Haha, me too >>> great work on the case


----------



## Killhouse

This is incredible, like.. really incredible!

Amazing job!

+rep!


----------



## MrAMD_Fan

All i can say is WOW.... simply amazing! It looks so good.... You sir, are a genius! Great job!








Oh and +1....


----------



## t-ramp

Looks amazing, great job!


----------



## Interpolation

This case mod went well beyond anything I was expecting. It oozes with tech noir appeal.


----------



## Loosenut

I loved the look of this case so much I showed the guys at work. great job


----------



## olli3

What a great mod! Looks amazing. I really want to mod a case in white and black now







Maybe for my next PC in a year or so time...


----------



## downlinx

if you need extra exterior parts, i have some in the basement already primed and i think sanded.


----------



## Toan

idk if its just me or not, but i think one of your memory slot clips are not clicked all the way

but regardless of that, amazing build.


----------



## Kvjavs

Quote:



Originally Posted by *Photograph*


And here is the final result of my *first* case mod and three months worth of hard work:








































Dude I'm gonna need a new pair of underwear.


----------



## Photograph

Wow, thanks for the kind words everyone.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *imadude10* 
Looks amazing! Inside, it's a plethora of colors. Looks like the motherboard is bending though.

That's mostly the wide angle lens making things look wonkier than they actually are. There is a very slight arc to the board as the mass of cables from the TX750W take up a ton of space under the motherboard tray, good eye for seeing that.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Toan* 
idk if its just me or not, but i think one of your memory slot clips are not clicked all the way

but regardless of that, amazing build.









Yes I caught that partially closed memory clip last night, it must have been bumped somehow.

Thanks everyone, now for my next project


----------



## JMT668

I love you!


----------



## Zerkk

Great work! This has to bee one of the slickest looking mods I've ever seen. You've inspired me to start some kind of case moding!


----------



## oliverw92

Nice job man, mod on!


----------



## Pheatton

This has to be one of the best case mods I have seen. It looks like it was supposed to be like that. I does not look [email protected]$$ed or anything.

Very well done.


----------



## CallmeRoth

This is fantastic. Always love Black and White. My only concern is you chose to leave the Apple logo...


----------



## notdeadyet

That case looks great! you couldn't have chosen a better color scheme. 
+ rep


----------



## razr m3

ohh... my... god... there aren't words to describe how amazing this build is, and yeah it definitely looks like something from portal.

I'll be right back... I need to go get a new pair of pants...


----------



## xd_1771

You still live in Vancouver right?
Your address!?





























Must... see.... nao


----------



## k4m1k4z3

Very nice work. It looks amazing.


----------



## ehume

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Photograph* 










Just look at those reds.


----------



## Lord Xeb

WOW! That is very nice. <.< This actually reminds me of the robots in Portal.


----------



## FiX

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Photograph* 









Wow, this is great. Really well done. Wish I had an old G4 around.


----------



## makecoldplayhistory

Very nice job.

Some of your RAM sticks aren't seated properly!


----------



## GOTFrog

Im tempted to make my own, an old G4 like your goes for 30-40$ right now, but I'm useless with tools


----------



## imh073p

Quote:


Originally Posted by *makecoldplayhistory* 
Very nice job.

Some of your RAM sticks aren't seated properly!

Very nice build, im going to be doing the same thing but with an aluminum G5 case, total PITA. I noticed the same thing with the ram hehe. Rep +


----------



## Threefeet

Congrats, she turned out quite beautiful


----------



## theCanadian

Quote:


Originally Posted by *interpolation* 
this case mod went well beyond anything i was expecting. It oozes with tech noir appeal.

you broke rules 1 and 2!


----------



## reedo

Soo Hawt


----------



## Slayem

This is one of the coolest mods i have ever seen, it looks so perfect...... great job!


----------



## Lord Xeb

Awesome rig man!


----------



## NFL

Win!!!!


----------



## Enfluenza

from this price of crap








to this awesome beast!








reminds me of portal for some reason...
anyway mice case mod!! 
now thats what i call a hackintoch








+rep


----------



## Nomadenforcer

That case can be described as "an awesome beast".

The only qualm I have with it is consistency of design. I know you used some of the fans etc you had lying around, but to me matte white fans (or black depending) would be more consistent with the theme of black and white with red accents.

That said the multicolored lighting still looks cool!


----------



## Thedark1337

WOW







That is a very nice case mod







Very well done dude. I love the idea of having the mobo tray be able to fold down


----------



## Photograph

Quote:


Originally Posted by *JMT668* 
I love you!









Thanks man!

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Zerkk* 
Great work! This has to bee one of the slickest looking mods I've ever seen. You've inspired me to start some kind of case moding!

Happy to inspire, thanks









Quote:


Originally Posted by *oliverw92* 
Nice job man, mod on!

Thanks and my next modding project is already started: Gizmo

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Pheatton* 
This has to be one of the best case mods I have seen. It looks like it was supposed to be like that. I does not look [email protected]$$ed or anything.

Very well done.

Thanks man, I never cut any corners in anything I do. Glad to see it appreciated









Quote:


Originally Posted by *CallmeRoth* 
This is fantastic. Always love Black and White. My only concern is you chose to leave the Apple logo...









Nothing wrong with leaving the Apple logo on there, should make for some interesting responses if I take it to a LAN event.









Quote:


Originally Posted by *notdeadyet* 
That case looks great! you couldn't have chosen a better color scheme.
+ rep

Thanks man!









Quote:


Originally Posted by *razr m3* 
ohh... my... god... there aren't words to describe how amazing this build is, and yeah it definitely looks like something from portal.

I'll be right back... I need to go get a new pair of pants...

I guess I will finally have to play Portal to know what everyone is talking about, thanks









Quote:


Originally Posted by *xd_1771* 
You still live in Vancouver right?
Your address!?





























Must... see.... nao























I live in BC, but I am a long swim from Vancouver









Quote:


Originally Posted by *k4m1k4z3* 
Very nice work. It looks amazing.

Thank you









Quote:


Originally Posted by *ehume* 
Just look at those reds.

I like the red and blues myself, makes for a nice soft purple glow on the wall behind this machine when gaming. Thanks









Quote:


Originally Posted by *Lord Xeb* 
WOW! That is very nice. <.< This actually reminds me of the robots in Portal.

Thanks and again I may have to try Portal this week sometime









Quote:


Originally Posted by *FiX* 
Wow, this is great. Really well done. Wish I had an old G4 around.

Thanks, old G4s are really cheap and old G3s are even cheaper and easier to work on if you can find one.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *makecoldplayhistory* 
Very nice job.

Some of your RAM sticks aren't seated properly!

Thanks and yeah I caught the ram seating after taking the shots, looks like the 0.5mm of clearance disappeared when I lifted the case bumping the ram locks into the back of the HDs. I have since locked the latches with a simple zip tie so no more potential issues there.









Quote:


Originally Posted by *GOTFrog* 
Im tempted to make my own, an old G4 like your goes for 30-40$ right now, but I'm useless with tools

Practice a little on a junk case first, practice makes perfect









Quote:


Originally Posted by *imh073p* 
Very nice build, im going to be doing the same thing but with an aluminum G5 case, total PITA. I noticed the same thing with the ram hehe. Rep +









Thanks, one thing I would love to try is to anodize a G5/Mac Pro case as it would be one of a kind and there is no chance of the color ever fading or flaking.







I may have to look around for a G5 as my Antec 900 is looking more and more ghetto when compared to MacBane.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Threefeet* 
Congrats, she turned out quite beautiful










Quote:


Originally Posted by *reedo* 
Soo Hawt


Quote:


Originally Posted by *Slayem* 
This is one of the coolest mods i have ever seen, it looks so perfect...... great job!


Quote:


Originally Posted by *Lord Xeb* 
Awesome rig man!


Quote:


Originally Posted by *NFL* 
Win!!!!

Thanks Guys









Quote:


Originally Posted by *Enfluenza* 
from this price of crap to this awesome beast!
reminds me of portal for some reason...
anyway mice case mod!!
now thats what i call a hackintoch








+rep

Thanks man, it was actually a pretty damn fast machine back in its day as it smoked my Pentium II but its time had run out and I'm glad I gutted it to do this build. Its a Hackintosh in hardware only as it runs Windows 7 for gaming purposes









Quote:


Originally Posted by *Nomadenforcer* 
That case can be described as "an awesome beast".

The only qualm I have with it is consistency of design. I know you used some of the fans etc you had lying around, but to me matte white fans (or black depending) would be more consistent with the theme of black and white with red accents.

That said the multicolored lighting still looks cool!

Thanks, I do have a few upgrades planned for MacBane including some more consistent fans, but that will have to wait till fall when my wife OKs some new computer related expenses.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Thedark1337* 
WOW







That is a very nice case mod







Very well done dude. I love the idea of having the mobo tray be able to fold down









Thanks man







I love the fold out motherboard, makes for super easy cleaning and tinkering.


----------



## Photograph

I will post updates as they come as I am in the process of upgrading the CrossFire cooling as the inside card gets a little toasty for my liking (80Â° C), I hope to fit an AC Accelero 1 rev 2 in there with a 120mm fan attached. I also want to build a RAM cooler. That's what the unused little bracket at the top of the motherboard is for, if anyone was wondering.

So I guess the mod is actually just 97% complete, 3% more progress to come soon


----------



## imh073p

Wow look how quick those reps went up hehe.


----------



## Sneblot

Sweet case wush I could have one of those. +1 rep


----------



## CattleRustler

WINNAR!


----------



## _02

The white/black is excellent and elegant. It looks GREAT.

Very nice!


----------



## Moonshadow

Oh my, that is amazing. Kind of reminds me of the Aperture Science Handheld Portal Device. But, that is absolutely amazing.


----------



## Mr.Pie

lol sell it to apple and be rich

teach them a lesson on what a TRUE computer should be like rofl


----------



## GOTFrog

I like the tags, still one of my favorite mods


----------



## Jolly-Swagman

Very nice build indeed! well done!


----------



## Photograph

Thanks everybody, I have really been enjoying gaming on my new machine and I am glad everyone else likes it too









Updates to come sometime mid April I estimate, waiting on some parts to ship.

Cheers everyone


----------



## mrfajita

I looked at this mod again and I need new pants


----------



## Photograph

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mrfajita* 
I looked at this mod again and I need new pants

Glad I could bring you some good times









As for my next Mac Mod I have an idea. With all the talk of MacBane looking like something from Portal I remembered another character from a video game that looked potentially quite a bit like one of the "El Capitan" Mac cases:

343 Guilty Spark from Halo:









Food for thought


----------



## Threefeet

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Photograph* 
Glad I could bring you some good times









As for my next Mac Mod I have an idea. With all the talk of MacBane looking like something from Portal I remembered another character from a video game that looked potentially quite a bit like one of the "El Capitan" Mac cases:

343 Guilty Spark from Halo:









Food for thought









It would be very cool if it were possible to replicate some of its looks. Very apt for a Mac mod with the glowing Marathon logo on the front!


----------



## tincanman

me want it
me want it
SO BEAUTIFUL


----------



## Threefeet

Quote:


Originally Posted by *tincanman* 
me want it
me want it
SO BEAUTIFUL

Get in line!


----------



## yuyuik

wow! what a great pc! Keep modding like that.


----------



## Photograph

I ran a quick test after my build and saw that the inside 5770 hit 100Â°C and kept climbing when maxing out the Unigine Heaven benchmark. After a minute or two of those types of temperatures I took out one of the cards and ran a single until my cooling solution showed up in the mail on Friday:

A pair of Arctic Cooling Accelero 1 Rev. 2 coolers.



















The single card with the stock cooling idles around 40Â°C and hits 70Â°C under load, with two cards in Crossfire using stock cooling they idled at 65Â°C and under load as stated it shot up to the 100Â°C range as noted above.

I got rid of the plastic junk attached to the cooler to start:










And then lapped the surface of the inside cooler, this is not an easy cooler to lap. I then cut the coolers down by around 1cm in order to fit nicely into MacBane, I took my time with a pair of shears and got some pretty good results. I sanded the cut end of the fins (not shown) to get rid of any sharp edges or potential metal splinters or fragments.



















I cut the VRM sinks to size and started putting both cards together.



















Something important to point out: If you use the stock spacers that come with the cooler there will be a 1-2mm gap between the cooler's base and the GPU die as seen in the image below.










This will likely give you a bricked card if you try to run it like this, so I made some smaller spacers out of PVC tubing and was good to go (Stock on the left, homemade on the right).










And here they are ready to go, pics benchmarks and temperature updates to come shortly now that they are back into MacBane.


----------



## Rebel4055

They should redesign that cooler so there isn't that gap.

But all in all great stuff!


----------



## spRICE

So you aren't going to put fans on those coolers?


----------



## Photograph

Quote:


Originally Posted by *spRICE* 
So you aren't going to put fans on those coolers?

Nope. There is no need to attach fans to either cooler as there are two 120mm fans built into the case blowing on the video cards at all times.

As for temps I have great results







. With an ambient temperature of 21Â°C my Crossfire load temps have gone from 100Â°C down to 51Â°C, and the idle temps have gone from 65Â°C to a very friendly 31Â°C. And I eliminated two 80mm fans worth of noise and energy usage in this mod, I am damn happy with this setup now


----------



## Thedark1337

Holy... nice temperature difference dude







good job


----------



## theCanadian

I might have to get this cooler for my GTS250. On hot days, the GPU hits 90C+ and starts to spit out EUE's.

But do you really even need the spacers?


----------



## Threefeet

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Photograph* 
Nope. There is no need to attach fans to either cooler as there are two 120mm fans built into the case blowing on the video cards at all times.

As for temps I have great results







. With an ambient temperature of 21Â°C my Crossfire load temps have gone from 100Â°C down to 51Â°C, and the idle temps have gone from 65Â°C to a very friendly 31Â°C. And I eliminated two 80mm fans worth of noise and energy usage in this mod, I am damn happy with this setup now









Wow, fantastic results!

Congrats


----------



## custommadename

Awesome! This is inexplicably fantastic. We can congratulate you for 29 more pages, but you still won't get the praise you deserve. This is sincerely too well done.

Also, I have the same video card cooler, and it is amazing. It dropped my load temp from 90C to 50C or so. The highest it's been in FurMark is 61C, volt modded and overclocked. Your 5770s should be much more overclockable now. But how do you fit on the CF bridge? Does the ribbon cable simply go over the heatsinks?


----------



## Photograph

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Thedark1337* 
Holy... nice temperature difference dude







good job

I was not expecting to see a difference this big, I have used this cooler before on a single card and was very satisfied but this is just awesome.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *theCanadian* 









I might have to get this cooler for my GTS250. On hot days, the GPU hits 90C+ and starts to spit out EUE's.

But do you really even need the spacers?

I have one of these on a 9800GT as well and it kept it around 45-50 while folding with the core clocked at 715Mhz, should perform similarly on a GTS250. The spacers are to keep the metal of the cooler mount from touching any board components, I am sure you could replace them with some electrical tape or vinyl if you wanted.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Threefeet* 
Wow, fantastic results!

Congrats









Thanks again man









Quote:


Originally Posted by *custommadename* 
Awesome! This is inexplicably fantastic. We can congratulate you for 29 more pages, but you still won't get the praise you deserve. This is sincerely too well done.

Also, I have the same video card cooler, and it is amazing. It dropped my load temp from 90C to 50C or so. The highest it's been in FurMark is 61C, volt modded and overclocked. Your 5770s should be much more overclockable now. But how do you fit on the CF bridge? Does the ribbon cable simply go over the heatsinks?

Thanks man, the Crossfire bridge simply slips between the fins at the port end of the cards as it doesn't have to go between any heatpipes.

I will work on getting this project to a real studio, nice pics to come then.


----------



## zxo0oxz

Looks like pure sex win.


----------



## theCanadian

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Photograph* 
I have one of these on a 9800GT as well and it kept it around 45-50 while folding with the core clocked at 715Mhz, should perform similarly on a GTS250. The spacers are to keep the metal of the cooler mount from touching any board components, I am sure you could replace them with some electrical tape or vinyl if you wanted.









Yeah, my TT Duorb keeps my 9800GT right at 65C, but with poor airflow to the sink. I think I have AS5 under that, and it's been like that for a year now, so it's probably due for new paste. Some VGA cooling is definitely in the wish list for my main GPU. I don't know what I'm going to wind up doing this year once the hot months roll around without it.


----------



## nihuel

You can tell me if there is minimum possibility of coming into this cabinet atx motherboard .. (12inch x 9.6 inch). I would like to make this mod but using a motherboard atx .. sorry for my English is very bad







bye


----------



## Photograph

Quote:


Originally Posted by *nihuel* 
You can tell me if there is minimum possibility of coming into this cabinet atx motherboard .. (12inch x 9.6 inch). I would like to make this mod but using a motherboard atx .. sorry for my English is very bad







bye









Actually my next Mac-Mod will be using a full sized ATX board in a G4 case, from the preliminary planning I have done an ATX board would have to be mounted within the case in a reverse ATX setup instead of on the door like this mod used. There just isn't enough space to fit everything in there otherwise, additionally you would need to build a new back for the case as most of it would need to be removed (that's what I have planned at this point).

And for those wondering, yes I will eventually be taking some "real" photos once my MOTY entry is all wrapped up.


----------



## nihuel

Ah ok ... then it would go big effort but the board installed on the opposite side of the door







I understand







I hope the pictures of your work on the case. so I can use for reference. because I'm not very Expert in the mod and I would not break anything .. thanks for replying .. see ya


----------



## [Adz]

Wow. I've been away for quite some time and this was one I'd subbed do. The end result... My jaw dropped when I saw it. That is one fantastic mod. Great work!


----------



## Novelty_Glasses

DOOD. This thing is so tits, it's not even funny.

GREAT work!


----------



## thx1138

Wow that is sick. You need a window on the other side cause the hardware is sexy.


----------



## Photograph

Thanks guys, I hope you'll like what I have in store for the Mod of the Year contest


----------



## CAH

Sorry to bump an older thread but that is one very awesome build!! i did something similar a few months ago but nothing as nice as this one!
link to mine







YouTube- ‪WinG3PC‬‎ still have it but its striped at the moment


----------



## Photograph

August 12th, 2010: MacBane gets a few upgrades:

The Radeon 5770's have been claimed for my new scratch case build system so I opted to pick up a pair of nvidia GTX 460's and see how the boards SLI support could be put to use.

I grabbed two 768mb models, both on sale







One reference design MSI and a Gigabyte model with a dual fan cooler.

Gigabyte Box









Box contents, yes it actually came with a mini HDMI to HDMI adapter









And a few closeups of the card's custom cooler




































And the MSI box....ooooh ahhh!









And both cards side by side:



























So I started to get the second pair of PCI-E power cables out of their hiding spot:









I also opted to go all red with my internal lighting, the blue led's are gone








And here it is with 100% more SLI goodness and I swapped the bottom intake fan to a Noctua NFP-12









So I fired it up, set up SLI and got to work benchmarking and running Furmark to see how hot the new cards got... they got really hot. The inside card hit 95Â° under full load even though it has twin fans, there just isn't much room in there for a SLI or Crossfire system. A single GTX 460 only hits 56Â° under load in the case, so it has to be an airflow issue. So I will be building a fan bracket to blow between the cards and a "heat sucker" to exhaust the cards through the back of the case in the next few days or so. Expect updates and new pics over the weekend, then I will get some more details on the Black Hydralisk project posted.


----------



## Threefeet

Nice to see this mod again









Careful you don't melt the Apple logo right off the side with those 460s though


----------



## joedr

Very nice Photograph!

I am glad to see some upgrades towards the MacBane!


----------



## [Adz]

Yep, still love this mod.


----------



## CAH

so epic!


----------



## Photograph

Thanks guys, some progress today.

I got to doing some serious thermal tests with the SLI setup to find a solution to my toasty video card situation.

First thing to try was swapping the cards out to see if it was just an issue with one card... no dice. Using the MSI as the inside card yielded similar temperatures but more noise as the single fan had to do what two were doing on the Gigabyte.










So I swapped them back to the original setup with the dual fan Gigabyte on the inside and ran Furmark and saw what I was dealing with.

No additional fans at Idle; 39Â° and 32Â°:










No additional fans at Load; 88Â°(and rising) and 69Â°:










That just sucks.









So I started my quest to build some sort forced air cooling enhancement, so I started with my 40mm San Ace server fan, it moves a crapload of air but is noisy as hell. It worked giving me 78Â° and 68Â°, I was on the right path:



















So next up I went with three 80mm Antec Tricool fans in both a push and pull config to see what was working better. I also added two more 80mm fans at the card exhaust vents to draw a little more heat away. The 80mm fans on top of the 460's were not moving enough air, I hit 96 and 69 before ending the test both the push and pull trials went into the same temperature range.



















So I moved onto 120mm fans, and here's where I think I found a winning combination. The cards are within 5Â° of each other now running at a much more comfortable 75Â° and 70Â°.



















So my next step will be to build acrylic housings and shrouds for the fans both inside and outside of the case, I expect the temperatures to get better as I will be able to better direct the air once the acrylic components are made.

I'll be working on that this weekend expect updates soon


----------



## [Adz]

If you've got the space for 120mm fans, then http://www.coolermaster.com/product.php?product_id=6037 should be perfect.


----------



## Photograph

Quote:


Originally Posted by *[Adz]* 
If you've got the space for 120mm fans, then http://www.coolermaster.com/product.php?product_id=6037 should be perfect.

That's what is on the Venomous-X, I have a bunch of blue ones that may come into service for this little project


----------



## [Adz]

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Photograph* 
That's what is on the Venomous-X, I have a bunch of blue ones that may come into service for this little project









Haha, sweet.


----------



## Johnsen

[/QUOTE]

ALmost a shame to put it under a table, that thing should be ON he desk showin off.


----------



## theCanadian

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Johnsen* 

ALmost a shame to put it under a table, that thing should be ON he desk showin off.









The real problem is that it isn't even plugged in properly. I can get over everything else, but not that.


----------



## Photograph

Quote:


Originally Posted by *theCanadian* 
The real problem is that it isn't even plugged in properly. I can get over everything else, but not that.









Actually it is plugged in just fine, the set of cables hanging out in the shot are for my folding box that lives on top of my system rack. There are two machines below MacBane on the rack, it's not under a desk at all as the top of the case is actually six feet off the ground. I'll post a pic sometime this weekend for everyone to know what i am trying to describe


----------



## Photograph

I decided to save a few dollars and made some cardboard fan shrouds and vents for testing before making the acrylic versions witch will be much nicer looking. After about a half hour of testing a few different setups and speeds I found something that works well and doesn't add much noise, so now it is onto the acrylic build phase of the retrofit. And yes I had to switch to all 80mm fans as the case wouldn't close with 120mm fans over the GPUs


----------



## Threefeet

Haha I like it









Looking forward the seeing the finished pieces!


----------



## Photograph

Acrylic fan duct fabrication is well under way:

I started with a nice sheet of 1/8" gloss black acrylic:









Lots of measuring and making sure everything will fit, as it's a tiny case:









Slowly starting to take shape after a few holes have been cut:









Looks like someone got bored with me spending too much time working on my computer:









Some bending taking place:









And one piece of the exhaust blower ready for sanding and buffing:









Looks like the rest will have till wait until Monday


----------



## Thedark1337

This is awesome. I bet you that you only had to do that because Fermi runs hot right?


----------



## Photograph

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Thedark1337* 







This is awesome. I bet you that you only had to do that because Fermi runs hot right?









You got that right, good thing I didn't try fitting a pair of GTX 480's in there somehow. I thought the 460 was supposed to be somewhat similar to the 5770 in terms of power consumption, a little higher sure but dang these cards are toasty when running Furmark


----------



## Rothen

Even though I don't like Apple, I have to sincerely appreciate the workmanship on this case. You took an ugly, plastic case and pumped out an absolutely stunning masterpiece.


----------



## jammy4041

Just read all 32 pages and all I can say is Wow. Just...Wow.

One question though, Did you manage to incorporate the wireless antenna in your mod?

Anyway, Awesome Mod - 'nuff said!


----------



## Maple360

what was the overall process you used to paint the plastic case? because i am attemping the same build, based on your design. And also, does the PSU plug in from the bottom of the case? Thanks


----------



## Photograph

Sorry for the late replies everyone, life had had me away from OCN for a few months but I'm back.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Rothen* 
Even though I don't like Apple, I have to sincerely appreciate the workmanship on this case. You took an ugly, plastic case and pumped out an absolutely stunning masterpiece.

Thanks man









Quote:


Originally Posted by *jammy4041* 
Just read all 32 pages and all I can say is Wow. Just...Wow.

One question though, Did you manage to incorporate the wireless antenna in your mod?

Anyway, Awesome Mod - 'nuff said!

Thanks. I didn't get to use the antenna in the mod, but I did use it to boost the reception of an older router I had lying around in the shop.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Maple360* 
what was the overall process you used to paint the plastic case? because i am attemping the same build, based on your design. And also, does the PSU plug in from the bottom of the case? Thanks

The PSU does plug in from the bottom of the case, as for the plastic painting I used many many coats of Krylon Fusion with sanding between each coat. It's great paint but do not put too much on at one time as it can form patterns when fresh paint loosens older coats.

As for my adventures in trying to fit an SLI'd pair of Fermi cards into the G4 case, I have conceded defeat and put the passive pair of CrossFired Radeon 5770's back in there. The two GTX 460's have found a new home in my latest project: The Hawk, witch is a tribute to a fallen friend of mine.

Keep modding everyone and it's good to be back


----------



## ErBall

I feel your pain, i have two gtx460s on a mAtx build as well, and the heat does add up quickly.

I did the same thing, only with a brushed aluminum panel.


----------



## BlackOmega

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Photograph* 

Some bending taking place:









And one piece of the exhaust blower ready for sanding and buffing:









How did you bend those? That's what I want to know.

At any rate, very nice job.


----------



## Photograph

Quote:


Originally Posted by *BlackOmega* 
How did you bend those? That's what I want to know.

At any rate, very nice job.









Thanks man, I simply used a heat gun and a few wooden forms that I placed either inside or along the edges to bend the acrylic once it got soft enough.

I actually decided to put the Radeon 5770's back into MacBane as they worked perfectly without having to worry about heat issues. The GTX 460's have found a new home in my latest build The Hawk, that case is a scratch build with great airflow in mind on a full sized ATX board.

The Acrylic pieces that I made may find a new home in my folding rig, as I am in the process of giving that machine a complete overhaul along with a pile of GTS 450's and a Quad-core CPU.


----------



## Photograph

Damn it; I'm a glutton for punishment. I'm giving the GTX 460's another go inside of MacBane and this time I think it's going to be a lot cooler.

First off I stripped all the plastic junk off of the MSI 460 and applied heatsinks to all the mosfets and replaces the chalk-tastic factory TIM with some MX2. Ran Furmark on it after all this and it's 10° cooler than factory stock...AWESOME! One card down, one to go.










Then came the Gigabyte cards turn, this was the card with the most heat issues even with two fans. Taking apart the cooler quickly showed me why it is a bad design: the rad is less than 1cm thick in some places and the base of the cooler is as smooth as an emery board.









So I looked into aftermarket options for the Gigabyte 460... there's nothing out there aside from a gargantuan Arctic "Super-Mega-Extreme cooler thingy" that no one seems to carry. And water cooling just isn't an option my budget will handle.

So I did what any OCN'er with a box full of old heatsinks would do: Build a monster Frankenstein cooler from coolers pulled from dead systems.









I started with a stock AMD Clawhammer cooler as the main block as little else was big enough or thick enough to mount to the GTX 460 with it's odd-ball mounting layout.



















Several other heatsinks will be attached to the main one with Arctic ceramic thermal adhesive and look something like this when completed:



















Here's a semi-lapped Clawhammer cooler getting marked out for drilling:










I didn't trust tapping 4-40 threads into the aluminum heatsink so instead I opted to install steel nuts into the sink for a more secure hold. That meant using a bigger bit:










And here's where I am at so far, the mounting system works very well if a bit ugly and I have put a little epoxy on the nuts to make for easy re-installation after I attach the rest of the heatsinks to the core.










More updates to come soon!


----------



## LuckySe7ens

Excited about this one!


----------



## EpicPie

subbed. ^_^


----------



## Photograph

Hey everybody, I finished the cooler mod and it just fits when the case is closed but is running cool enough for everyday use. The cooler weighs more than my Ven-X and is super ugly but under load I top out at 48° C in Furmark on the modded card. The inside card is still toasty hitting 82° under full load in Furmark. I can live with that, as it's still nearly 20° cooler than the last time I tried SLI-ing the 460's.

So here's the finished product in all it's functional fuglyness:



















I even heatsinked the vrm's on the back of the board:



















And here it is installed, as you can see it's a very tight fit:




























Woo hoo, it still closes!










Thanks for looking everyone, now onto my next modding project:

*The Kestrel*


----------



## kemenyi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Photograph;8843132*
> One of the last little problems I had to solve was the front panel wiring, the panel seen below features a common ground for everything: LEDs, and switches.
> 
> I tried to reuse the switch as is but there was no way to as the old PowerMac was wired very differently than ATX machines. So I soldered the wires directly onto the board and used my Dremel to cut the contacts as the common ground was causing a short when plugged into an ATX board (I tested on a POS system first).
> 
> OEM Apple front panel board:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 10 mystery wires with a common ground in there somewhere:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Problems solved and new LED installed:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My camera ran out of battery power shortly after this point so there is a lot of custom cable construction missing from the log, including a custom extra long front panel USB cable. I kept working while the camera was charging and got this beast wrapped up just in time before the kids got home.


Awsome project, congratulations!
But can you help me with the front panel, please?
I'm wondering about the "lot of custom cable construction", that is missing..
I wan to do (almost) the same project as you, and this is the step i cant do without help.
Thanx in advance,


----------



## Photograph

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kemenyi;12956852*
> Awsome project, congratulations!
> But can you help me with the front panel, please?
> I'm wondering about the "lot of custom cable construction", that is missing..
> I wan to do (almost) the same project as you, and this is the step i cant do without help.
> Thanx in advance,


Thanks and what cables did you need help with ?


----------



## Blueduck3285

Looks amazing. Wish I had the talent to do something like this, Im lucky I can even get out of bed without hurting myself


----------



## sepumou

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Blueduck3285;13445318*
> Looks amazing. Wish I had the talent to do something like this, Im lucky I can even get out of bed without hurting myself


Haha , just like you


----------



## Hukkel

I love how original this build is. I better close this thread though, the Apple fanboys behind me are grabbing their pitchforks!! *runs for cover*


----------



## metallo97

This mod is awesome!! I wanna make something like this but more like the original.
But here in Italy, it's hard to find a powermac working or not, they are all over 100€


----------



## ragtag7

Very nice!


----------



## Photograph

Thanks guys, I may be redoing some of this mod in the new year as I would like to setup an external rad with a loop, I'll keep everyone posted when that starts.


----------



## Onions

i like how in one of your last posts i guess you posted a picture that photobucket didnt think was appropriate







to bad we cant see it now lol great work btw looks amazing


----------



## Photograph

Must have been an image that timed out as I can see everything, I doubt computer hardware could be misconstrued as something innapropriate


----------



## Onions

hey pron is pron.. just saying whether it be a half naked lady or a hot chick with no clothes on...


----------



## produKt-nz

Hi from NZ









I have a spare g4 case, empty with original motherboard lugs cut off. I was going to do a similar project to this - but ended up studying a diploma or two after the Feb Earthquakes.

If you are willing to pay for shipping, the case is free


----------



## DzillaXx

I think getting cards that use a blower instead of a fan would have helped the cooling a lot, I went though the same trouble with fan based gtx470's got wicked hot in sli, never had a problem with my 4870's with blowers on them. That way your not dumping heat back into the case.
I love your case mod though, I thought about doing this long ago but ended up giving the g4 case i had to a friend who needed a pc. It would be nice to get a MDD G4 and mod that. The G4 Cases are still my favorite Mac cases by far.


----------



## nathanak21

is it possible to do this with a powermac g3? I would love to do this and i have access to several.


----------



## downlinx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nathanak21*
> 
> is it possible to do this with a powermac g3? I would love to do this and i have access to several.


yes you can. Nothing really changed from the g3 to the g4 cases
Pm me if you need some extra parts bud. I got some left over from. Mod I did when I combined two g3 cases. They are already primed and sanded.


----------



## feteru

Are all of the photos offline for anyone else? Can't see them.
Sorry to necrobump.


----------



## Manticorp

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *feteru*
> 
> Are all of the photos offline for anyone else? Can't see them.
> Sorry to necrobump.


I too stumbled across this, would love to see the pics


----------



## yeoxxx

Please fix the picture


----------



## sesetingting

你好。我是中国的超级DIY爱好者。

麻烦你修复下你的图片好吗？你的图片挂了。

如果你看不懂中文。麻烦你用google翻译下好吗？

如果有时间可以来我们中国做客。

你可以加入我们中国的apple diy群。是QQ哦。我们中国只会用麻花藤聊天。不会MSN

我们的QQ群 14292250

LZ你的MSN多少。


----------



## sesetingting

你好。我是中国的超级DIY爱好者。

麻烦你修复下你的图片好吗？你的图片挂了。

如果你看不懂中文。麻烦你用google翻译下好吗？

如果有时间可以来我们中国做客。

你可以加入我们中国的apple diy群。是QQ哦。我们中国只会用麻花藤聊天。不会MSN

我们的QQ群 14292250

LZ你的MSN多少。


----------



## Indulgence

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sesetingting*
> 
> 你好。我是中国的超级DIY爱好者。
> 麻烦你修复下你的图片好吗？你的图片挂了。
> 如果你看不懂中文。麻烦你用google翻译下好吗？
> 如果有时间可以来我们中国做客。
> 你可以加入我们中国的apple diy群。是QQ哦。我们中国只会用麻花藤聊天。不会MSN
> 我们的QQ群 14292250
> LZ你的MSN多少。


i see. now we really understand that.


----------



## seeker fi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Indulgence*
> 
> i see. now we really understand that.


google翻译下好吗？ = google translation, please?









Atleast that what google translate says!


----------



## Photograph

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sesetingting*
> 
> 你好。我是中国的超级DIY爱好者。
> 麻烦你修复下你的图片好吗？你的图片挂了。
> 如果你看不懂中文。麻烦你用google翻译下好吗？
> 如果有时间可以来我们中国做客。
> 你可以加入我们中国的apple diy群。是QQ哦。我们中国只会用麻花藤聊天。不会MSN
> 我们的QQ群 14292250
> LZ你的MSN多少。


*Translates as:*
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sesetingting*
> Hello.I was super DIY enthusiasts.
> 
> Could you repair under your picture please? Your picture is hung up.
> 
> If you can not read Chinese. Could you use google translation, please?
> 
> If there is time to our guest.
> 
> You can join our apple diy group. QQ oh. We Chinese will only use cannabis? vine chat. Not MSN
> 
> Our QQ group 14292250


I'll get the images fixed eventually as work and family life is eating up all of my time at the moment, if anyone needs to see them immediatly I think the whole set can be found on my Flickr account linked in my signature.


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## sesetingting

你好。麻烦给个图片的地址吗？

我想看你G4改机的图片。谢谢。


----------



## JimmyOdcu

Thanks for some great info! You've inspired me to pull an old G4 tower out of my basement and use it for my next machine.

The first of what I'm sure will be lots of questions... Did you find that a Micro-ATX motherboard was the only way to go? (eg - full ATX is too big for these cases)


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## DEEBS808

this is an awesome build.I have been thinking about modding my old g4. this inspires me to do it. Thanks


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## nathanak21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JimmyOdcu*
> 
> Thanks for some great info! You've inspired me to pull an old G4 tower out of my basement and use it for my next machine.
> The first of what I'm sure will be lots of questions... Did you find that a Micro-ATX motherboard was the only way to go? (eg - full ATX is too big for these cases)


I found a way to fit an atx board and I am currently making a work log but I have been very busy and it is slow goings


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## PtrkLnk

I am working on a case that looks a lot like yours does. I got it painted before I even saw this post.

http://www.tonymacx86.com/case-mods/69614-powermac-g4-case-mod.html#post431308

I am having some problems with gaps between the plastic door panel and the "handles". I was wondering if you had any experience with this.

Also how did you get the disk drive to work?


----------



## Photograph

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sesetingting*
> 
> 你好。麻烦给个图片的地址吗？
> 我想看你G4改机的图片。谢谢。


我将得到的图像更新很快。在那之前，你可以看到他们在Flickr上使用超链接在我的签名。









Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JimmyOdcu*
> 
> Thanks for some great info! You've inspired me to pull an old G4 tower out of my basement and use it for my next machine.
> The first of what I'm sure will be lots of questions... Did you find that a Micro-ATX motherboard was the only way to go? (eg - full ATX is too big for these cases)


You can get an ATX board to fit but the approach would be different as you would have to remove the back of the case and mount the board on the inside instead of on the door. I may do just that for my next G4 conversion









Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DEEBS808*
> 
> this is an awesome build.I have been thinking about modding my old g4. this inspires me to do it. Thanks


Thanks man








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nathanak21*
> 
> I found a way to fit an atx board and I am currently making a work log but I have been very busy and it is slow goings


Post away once you get it up, I have an ATX board that I want to jam into my other G4 case.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PtrkLnk*
> 
> I am working on a case that looks a lot like yours does. I got it painted before I even saw this post.
> http://www.tonymacx86.com/case-mods/69614-powermac-g4-case-mod.html#post431308
> I am having some problems with gaps between the plastic door panel and the "handles". I was wondering if you had any experience with this.
> Also how did you get the disk drive to work?


The gaps between the polymer panes is a result of the case slowly succumbing to the effects of gravity and changing shape a little. I have found that switching the feet from front to rear aleviates this a little as the weight distribution is opposite that way. As for the DVD drive I went with the easiest option for Macbane; and external USB model.


----------



## PtrkLnk

What size of motherboard offsets did you use?

I am too the point of mounting the motherboard.

Also I did manage to fit a desktop DVD drive in it. It is very short because it came from and HP small form factor computer.


----------



## Photograph

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PtrkLnk*
> 
> What size of motherboard offsets did you use?
> I am too the point of mounting the motherboard.
> Also I did manage to fit a desktop DVD drive in it. It is very short because it came from and HP small form factor computer.


I believe you are referring to the length of the motherboard standoffs. Instead of regular standoffs I mounted the motherboard on threaded posts with 7-8mm PVC spacers under the board.

Here are the posts, threaded in from the backside of the door:



And here are the spacers and the nuts that secure the board:



I hope that answers your question


----------



## tmaven

Im using for my G4 mod 10mm standoffs







fits perfect to tray


----------



## nathanak21

Here is the link to my G4 build with an atx motherboard, final got everything to fit and am now working on airflow and aesthetics.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1279146/work-log-a-mac-g4-mod-with-a-twist-powermac-g4-atx-pc-crossover-mod/0_50#post_18110857


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## PtrkLnk

Well I went about mounting my motherboard in a strange way. It is based off of the threaded post idea.

I took a standard mATX board with 12 screw holes and used it to mark the inside of the case. I then took 12 long fine threaded screws (not sure what kind) and matching nuts, and drilled holes on the markings that are bigger then the screw but smaller then the head of the screw.

I then put the screws in from the back of the door with the plastic panel off. I put 2 nuts on each screw to secure them, and to give just the right amount of standoff for the motherboard.

After that I just slid the motherboard down over the screws, and put a nut on each screw over the motherboard to secure it it place.

It fits perfectly and I am shocked at how well it works quiet honestly. Im going to get out the dremel and trim the ends of the screws, and then post some pics.


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## Zonengorg

OP you are amazing!!! and the MOD says it all!!!










Man where can I see all the pics, I am planning to make my MOD with a G4 too and I would like to have the pics as reference!!!


----------



## Dorianime

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Zonengorg*
> 
> OP you are amazing!!! and the MOD says it all!!!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Man where can I see all the pics, I am planning to make my MOD with a G4 too and I would like to have the pics as reference!!!


THIS

Great Job! If you could fix the Pictures, that would be awesome!


----------



## Photograph

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Dorianime*
> 
> THIS
> Great Job! If you could fix the Pictures, that would be awesome!


Will do once life gives me a chance


----------



## dasefx1224

I really need help with the front panel switch. please let us know how you did that!!!! Thanks


----------



## thegr8john

Hello there... you have inspired me to do a mod on a G3 B&W case I got for free, and I just wanted to know what us the 2 thing attached to the power supply?

I read this thread 4 times and I cannot find a reference to those items. If it is a fan controller, could you please let me know what brand, and type?

I'll be modding this for my wife, and she wants pink and white... with the same lights. LOL

Thanks in advance for the information I'm asking, and thank you for the great mod!


----------



## jiyang1018

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Photograph*
> 
> *Translates as:*
> I'll get the images fixed eventually as work and family life is eating up all of my time at the moment, if anyone needs to see them immediatly I think the whole set can be found on my Flickr account linked in my signature.


Quote:


> 你好。我是中国的超级DIY爱好者。
> 麻烦你修复下你的图片好吗？你的图片挂了。
> 如果你看不懂中文。麻烦你用google翻译下好吗？
> 如果有时间可以来我们中国做客。
> 你可以加入我们中国的apple diy群。是QQ哦。我们中国只会用麻花藤聊天。不会MSN
> 我们的QQ群 14292250
> LZ你的MSN多少。


Let me provide some human translation:
Quote:


> Hi, I am DIY super enthusiast from China.
> Could you fix your pictures links? Your pictures are down.
> If you cannot understand Chinese, could you use google translate?
> Please visit China when you get the chance.
> You may also join our Chinese Apple DIY group. QQ group. We only use QQ in China. Don't know how to use MSN.
> Our QQ group: 14292250
> What is your MSN?


We often call a thread a "building". LZ is abbreviation of "building owner", equal to "thread starter" here.


----------



## jiyang1018

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sesetingting*
> 
> 你好。我是中国的超级DIY爱好者。
> 
> 麻烦你修复下你的图片好吗？你的图片挂了。
> 
> 如果你看不懂中文。麻烦你用google翻译下好吗？
> 
> 如果有时间可以来我们中国做客。
> 
> 你可以加入我们中国的apple diy群。是QQ哦。我们中国只会用麻花藤聊天。不会MSN
> 
> 我们的QQ群 14292250
> 
> LZ你的MSN多少。


你说不会用MSN，后面还问人家MSN啥用呢？麻烦看的人google翻译还不如google翻译好了再发上来嘛。
如果需要人工翻译可以先发给我，我翻译好了再发给你。还有啥要帮忙的尽管提。


----------



## jiyang1018

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Photograph*
> 
> I believe you are referring to the length of the motherboard standoffs. Instead of regular standoffs I mounted the motherboard on threaded posts with 7-8mm PVC spacers under the board.
> 
> Here are the posts, threaded in from the backside of the door:
> 
> 
> 
> And here are the spacers and the nuts that secure the board:
> 
> 
> 
> I hope that answers your question


The standoffs came with the G4 case, at least in quicksilver case, is almost 10mm. It is above 9.5mm. I just received my quicksilver g4 case, and I ordered this:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/290762125761?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649
If I am right, they should work just fine, and I need only 7 of them.
I believe someone mentioned there is one standoff from the case match micro atx board, and my mATX board has 8 holes.


----------



## supernova777

what i did for my version of this build was to simply break off the existin stand offs, using a wrench, they come off with a good snap.. and then i used epoxy steel, using a board with a pci card in it to line it up properly, screwed the standoffs on the board, loaded them up with epoxy glue and placed the board in place.. screwed the pci card in to secure it while it dried.. and its on there for good, they could come off easily if i was to use the wrench on them again, yet the combination of all 7. i dont think it will be coming off anytime soon... plus with the pci cards screwed in it further weights the board down...... anyway u dont have to order anything except buy some glue and use an old atx board u dont care about while u do the gluing.....

i have to say id love to see the mystery photographs missing from this thread thers about 20-25 of them, i still havent completed my power switch modification, and i have questions about how the LED lights receive their power for the original poster!!!! but yes ive studied this post lots and big credit to the OP Photograph, i love these old apple cases, it bothers me that people say that the original case was "ugly" and then made "beautiful" by the OP's mod.. I think the original case was a work of art.. and still is.. hence the interest in doing this mod at all.. !

+respect!


----------



## jiyang1018

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *supernova777*
> 
> what i did for my version of this build was to simply break off the existin stand offs, using a wrench, they come off with a good snap.. and then i used epoxy steel, using a board with a pci card in it to line it up properly, screwed the standoffs on the board, loaded them up with epoxy glue and placed the board in place.. screwed the pci card in to secure it while it dried.. and its on there for good, they could come off easily if i was to use the wrench on them again, yet the combination of all 7. i dont think it will be coming off anytime soon... plus with the pci cards screwed in it further weights the board down...... anyway u dont have to order anything except buy some glue and use an old atx board u dont care about while u do the gluing.....
> 
> i have to say id love to see the mystery photographs missing from this thread thers about 20-25 of them, i still havent completed my power switch modification, and i have questions about how the LED lights receive their power for the original poster!!!! but yes ive studied this post lots and big credit to the OP Photograph, i love these old apple cases, it bothers me that people say that the original case was "ugly" and then made "beautiful" by the OP's mod.. I think the original case was a work of art.. and still is.. hence the interest in doing this mod at all.. !
> 
> +respect!


I would keep original finish because that why I bought the case.
All my parts for the mod have arrived, and I should be able to start soon.


----------



## kitor

Hi!

This thread inspired me to _copy_ your modification. It took me almost six months to complete (i'm student, was working only at home), but here are a few shots from work, and final effect (still waiting to install some components inside).


----------



## Gardnerphotos

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kitor*
> 
> Hi!
> 
> This thread inspired me to _copy_ your modification. It took me almost six months to complete (i'm student, was working only at home), but here are a few shots from work, and final effect (still waiting to install some components inside).


looks awesome, I like how you kept the outside pretty much stock without cutting too much, I ended up hacking mine to pieces


----------



## kitor

Well, there was not much cutting (only this plastic part on rear - between motherboard ports and PCI slots), by using sandipaper I made this cut almost unnoticable. I even broken plastic here by accident, but was able to recorver it using soldering gun and half hour of polishing with sandpaper again, after painting there's no sign of that.
Also, I have almost completed future hardware side, it will include some mATX lga775 board with ddr3 modded to support xeon 54xx cpu (lga771) and radeon card (i think 7770). And Corsair HX520w power supply - this one I already have. So a bit cheap (this will cost me about $150-$200 here in Poland), but as a student I can't afford more...
It's going to be my gaming & movie authoring/rendering rig









The funny thing is that on university I know one person who is a true Apple fanboy. I thought that he will kill me for such _profanation_, but instead I was asked about the price at which I'll sell it


----------



## mihco

Is there a working link to all pictures from OPs mod?


----------

