Pipedream

[Brian Chong]

Project name : Pipedream

"pipe dream" - noun : a hope, wish, or dream that is impossible to achieve or not practical
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pipe%20dream

The idea behind this concept is to have a casing that is cost-effective, sufficiently strong to hold components in place,reasonably easy to assemble, able to showcase as many components as possible, expandable, replaceable and easy to transport.

With that in mind this is Pipedream.



- Idea 1 : a cost effective case - CHECKED, I used PVC pipes and screws. They're cheap.
- Idea 2 : sufficient structural strength - CHECKED (refer to pics)
- Idea 3 : reasonably easy to assemble - CHECKED, the components are designed to fit.
- Idea 4 : able to showcase components - CHECKED (refer to pics)
- Idea 5 : expandable - CHECKED, modular components mean they can be replaced with other components to accommodate.
- Idea 6 : replaceable - CHECKED (as above)
- Idea 7 : easy to transport - CHECKED, the system can be dismantled for easy transportation. A single box for a casing could fit MANY Pipedream units.

To start off, here are the key components used. No sponsors involved in this project (Nepton 240M is a review sample). Items without box are the Intel Core i3-4130, the Cooler Master JetFlo 120mm White, the AVEXIR 2x 4GB DDR3 1600 Kit and Unequaltech colored power cables.



I used Dremel 3000 and Dremel Moto-saw for this project.



Components like the motherboard and cooler are held in place with screws, of course the cooler (Nepton 240M) uses the screws for the fan mount.



I started off the project by getting the PSU in place. Initial idea was to have it placed like a normal PSU but plans do change and so I went for this angled look that highlights the fan grill, a great way to showcase any PSU Most casings do not emphasize this, every other casing in the market has the PSU fan placed at the bottom, there's no way to appreciate them at all. This is not the case with Pipedream, no pun intended.



With the PSU placement done, the next thing I need to worry about is to have the Nepton 240M's 240mm radiator secured. As you know, Cooler Master's Nepton product range is of great build quality, especially with the tough tubes that lead to the motherboard. With that in mind, I also have to consider the placement of the motherboard but that's for the next stage.



I had the radiator secured on the pipes and I replaced the fan with my own set of Cooler Master JetFlo 120mm white LED version. With the radiator secured, the toughest part would be to get the motherboard in place.



And so here it is, took a lot of work to get everything in place. My initial choice was an ASRock Z87 Extreme4 that's a Full sized ATX motherboard but I went for the ECS Z97i-Drone for the smaller size, it suits the build better.



Finally the motherboard is in place BUT I had some problem with the reach of the Nepton 240M's tubes. It took quite some re-arrangement but finally I got it there.



The next stage comes the painting process that requires me to dismantle the entire frame and assembled again once completed.



Ahh the fruit of my labor, it's finally getting done. I went for an orange frame and I got my colored cable from a friend of mine at Unequaltech.



And so here it is, fully lit - A cost effective modular setup that is expandable and easily transported (can be dismantled). The setup is able to showcase almost everything, no graphic card in place because that pretty much blocks the motherboard, RAM and CPU cooler that I intend to show.

Recommended to use M.2 drives but SATA drives can be mounted on the system with additional modules.



Here's a view from the other side.



The PSU is in place, the angle is such that with appropriate lighting it will showcase the beauty of the PSU's fan grill, in this case the awesomeness of the CM V700's honeycomb grill. Sure I could put it the other way but power delivery table isn't something the general public would find interesting.



At the top, the Nepton 240M's cooler and the AVEXIR RAM units shine gloriously, oh and as you can see on the left there's the JetFlo 120M as well.



The Nepton 240M's stock fans are great but they're plain and the setup would've been boring if I used them.



Another view, just pretend that you're someone admiring all the Cooler Master products.



Orange themed cables from Unequaltech to match the AVEXIR RAM - which is why I choose orange to be the color of the frame. The ECS's l337 logo on the motherboard is of gold color as well.



And so I've come to the end of my presentation. Thank you.



This case mod was brought to you by goldfries.com

[IrenModz]

Simple and nicely done Mr Brian.