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[kirky1991]

I remember back when you was doing this! it was the smallest going i think!

The reason for excess cutting and epoxy for as if you have two straight edges, when you epoxy them together they will bend and crack along the line, Whereas if you have notches or indents like Nic cc has done it will flex but the notches will help to keep it from cracking/breaking!


EDIT: people use rulers to keep things flat with the contours of the case, it follows the shape, then the thing being epoxied or glued will also follow the shape!

This post has been edited by kirky1991: Mar 18 2008, 01:25 AM

[NiC_CC]

Thanx for having my back kirky... Don, I will make this post then I will attend to your suggestions.

Tonight I finished cutting down the back. I need to shrink it 5/8" altogether, but I want to do it so it looks uniform.

Here is the difference:
(IMG:http://exilemods.net/xspics/back_framed_part1a.jpg)

A sneak peek under the top:
(IMG:http://exilemods.net/xspics/back_framed_part1b.jpg)

I will let this dry and if I have time again, I will post a pic of it w/o the framing tonight.

[NiC_CC]

I am not going to bother quoting, but this message is directed to Don's two postings.

I use the ruler for a few reasons. one, its strong. Its metal and easy to remove the hot glue from. Its used just for framing(well, sometime it's used for measuring). This technique, although it can look messy, has proven solid.

And on the note of "design follows function," I say BS. There is no fun in making something cool if you can't have creative control. However, design can be restricted by function. For instance, I can go over 1/4" shorter if I wanted to, but I need that for airflow.

I already said my thermal design sucks. After much thought over the past days and a chance to sleep on it, I think I will upgrade my GPU HS/F. Does anyone have any suggestions other than another Iceberg? I thought I could get away with using a stock 1.0 HS/F, but I was mistaken.

I am using artic silver, I have like 3 tubes left from the PCs I have done in the past.

Despite your best observations, I do not use a dremel, or any power tools for that matter. Its all hand cut with a small jagged razor, hand sand, etc. The gap is intentional, I need flexibility. I have tried the "clean cuts" method, but when it comes to closing gaps it tends to crack under pressure. The top has been assembled and has been moved around a lot over a year and not a single sign of any cracking. I would also like to add once I have sanded this down, added a thin layer of bondo-hair/fiber You will never be able to tell the visual defects you see now.

And I think you missed the part where I have been using the xbox for over a year as a media center(w/o the top on of course).

To my surprise, the noise of fans are not all that bad. The only one that you can even hear is the CPU fan, mostly because I have it on a constant 7v.  When I have it sitting in my entertainment stand, i cannot hear it. I want to add that I have a SS receiver, big tv that has a noisy fan, cable box with two fans, and a 360(which usually is not on when I have my xbox on) in the same stand.

I plan on making 4-5 small stud mounts on the inside of the top of the case. This will use the same holes on the bottom where it can. I will add that all later, for now, that is a MINOR detail and can be easily handled.

I have already done a xbox inside a dvd player, out of an old Norcent case. I will post pics of past projects if you seem to them I dont have the credentials to do this mod.


Finally, I want to sum up a couple things. I agree, looking at this project now can be discouraging. The two-part epoxy is a thousand times more durable than any fiberglass/bondo mix I can use in a small design like this. It weighs less than the original plastic. Um, this is a tried and true method. I have done lots of projects, I used to have a few up on the forum back when I did them. I will go ahead and post some pics. Although, some of the older members probably already remember them.

Do not take this wrong way: I will admit I am a little offended by your post, but you appear to be fairly new... so you didn't know I am not the average idiot. Just have some patience and hopefully I will be show how well my methods of madness actually work.


EDIT: I forgot to add that I have taken your suggestion about the pressure for the CPU. I will come up with a few ideas and go from there.

EDIT #2:
This is the first xbox I ever modded. This is the one that cracked and the paint job was far from 'good.'
(IMG:http://exilemods.net/xspics/first_slim.jpg)

This is the DVD player mod I did. Note that I did a lot work to the case.
(IMG:http://exilemods.net/xspics/norcent.jpg)

Thats probably the two most dominant ones.

This post has been edited by NiC_CC: Mar 18 2008, 02:40 AM

[vslan]

I love how DonFerdinando comes in here giving advice with 8 posts.

Your doubting NiC's work, like he was the noob, do a search and look at his past projects before you go around saying his is going to fail.

 I would love to see any of your projects you have made.

This post has been edited by vslan: Mar 18 2008, 02:55 AM

[NiC_CC]

I hate to spam my own post but I forgot to add that the whole thing is held together by a two-part epoxy(plastic welder).. that has no relation to a hot glue gun to heat gun of any kind. The hot glue is a temp hold, to ensure a snug fit with the epoxy. I believe I have already mentioned that in a previous post.

[NiC_CC]

Ok, here is the back part, the framing has been removed. It needs a small amount of touch-up..

Btw, this is the 'cleanest' lines u will probably see from me.. so enjoy it

[kirky1991]

Looking good!, Lol, cleanest cuts! I dont use a dremel either, stanley blades, snips, hacksaw blade my favorite tools



On a note, Your first xbox, could you post or Pm me with how you stuck the front to the top and how you made it so it come of with the lid etc, If you have any pics of the inside to that would be cool I thought about doing that to my current slim, but i didnt want to cut it all in order to find out i fucked it  

Dan

[BigBlack1]

QUOTE(DonFerdinando @ Mar 17 2008, 08:26 PM)

p.s. not only the temperatur should be an issue but the noise level. how many fans u got in there ?

the original had one !!!! ok that was loud also. best results u get if one sucks cool air in or blows hot air out.
there is no circulation just turbulences in your design.

use a good thermal compound e.g. artic silver. expensive but worth it.

make sure the cpu cooler is correctly seated on the cpu with enough pressure.

replace the the gpu sink with a copper one.

its really hard to keep temps down in a small case.. and needs alot of planning.

maybe should consider building a new case that fits your components and not the other way around.

maybe a wooden one. nicely sanded and with multiple layers of piant. wet sanded and clear coated.

or use an old hifi case eg dvd /cd player to give it that high end look.

by the way: how are u going to keep the bottom of the case and the top together ?

right now your xbox runs hot in 20 min and i bet its noisy im not talking about the looks.

so,give it a fresh start id say.

dude this is beyond anything iv'e saw so far get it ready and you'll be the king of mods in my book

[DonFerdinando]

QUOTE(vslan @ Mar 18 2008, 03:27 AM)

I love how DonFerdinando comes in here giving advice with 8 posts.

Your doubting NiC's work, like he was the noob, do a search and look at his past projects before you go around saying his is going to fail.

 I would love to see any of your projects you have made.

i see, i have a have to post a hundred unseful comments in order to be able to have an opinion
  number of posts dont mean nothing but usually waste of time. quality and quantity is a big difference.  

well do a search, too   .  (and of course the ideal would be to know everything about a subject before u  start to have an opinion. im pretty shure u do that all the time   )

by looking at the other boxes i have to admid they are better by far.

cheeers don

[kirky1991]

Meh, post count doesnt really mean anything. As i remember Ubernewb said 'With great post count, Comes great responsibility'. Which is true, it is barely the more you post the smarter/wiser/whatever you are! Although this may be true in some cases, other it isnt!


I am really looking forward to seeing the end of this project! the other two pictures of his work are *Real* nice. so it would be nice to see how this turns out!

[potato10]

holy shit man i remember this! i was wondering about this the other day. as soon as spring comes im starting mine up again and finishing it for good. its also nice to see some old stuff come back to the scene.

[lostboyz]

thanks for the message, looking real good

almost makes me want to finish my box, its currently just the bottom case, one set of controller ports, no trays, and no dvd drive.

cant wait to see more

[Bloodfin]

Once its cleaned up I think Don will shut up.

Did you ever see anything custom in progress?

Some things look like ass till they take actually form buddy. Then they become something unique.

His approach is very unorthodox to me but I know it will look good when finished and is effective at that.

Whats this?

QUOTE

p.s. not only the temperature should be an issue but the noise level. how many fans u got in there ?

the original had one !!!!

You don't know much about this stuff do you?

To get technical the original had 2. My 1.0 is very quiet, more quiet than my new Halo and my 1.6, after the 1.0 they took the second fan out and then those main fans seem to become more louder.

The advice you gave is basic, common if you will. Don't gloath about it.


I think he has many options around keeping it cool and this will turn out to be a nice job.

[lordvader129]

if it were mine id make a mock-up of the top cover (to replicate the airflow it produces) and just cut a hole directly over the cpu fan and see if that helps temps, if the fan pulls air down it should help a lot

then you can figure out how to do it on the real top, either by dilling small holes, cutting slots (although i have no idea how either of those could be made to look good) or just a large hole covered by a fan grill from a PC case, like this

of course i dont know if thats the direction you want to go with this mod (or if it will even help, but it seems like it should since your temps are ok with the cover off)

[NiC_CC]

Thanks for the replies everyone.

As for cooling: My goal is to keep the xbox looking stock, although a lot smaller. I like the idea of a mock-up top tho, I may be able to figure out a way conceal some very small vent holes in the side of the 'X;' like near the groove between the fins(or grill, whatever you want to call them). I will also be upgrading my GPU HS/F and I expect a decent improvement from that.

Just an FYI, as you all know RSV2 has been released. And, if weather permits (not likely), I am going sky-diving on Saturday. So the progress may slow down a bit till probably Sunday.

I hate to ask again, but is there anything else that that works well with the CPU/GPU other than the Iceberg 4 Pro that you know of? I would like to order this by Friday the latest. I will be looking myself, but any comments are greatly appreciated!

This post has been edited by NiC_CC: Mar 19 2008, 07:21 PM