- last edited on by
ROGBot
Had this case since '06, and have really liked its size, space and features. I am not a heavy modder if you will, but the case is lacking in appeal and functionality now worse than ever. I will show the iterations of its internals over the years and then go on with its latest rendition.
So, here it is, what it used to be:
Take 1:
EVGA 680 SLI MB, E6600, EVGA 8800 GTS 512MB
Yup, I was cool!
Take 2:
EVGA 680 SLI MB, E8400, 2x EVGA 8800 GTS 512 SLI
Take 3: same as above, added water blocks for the VC's, cant find the pics 😞
Take 4: Asus P6T, I7-920, 2x EVGA 8800 GTS 512 SLI WC.
Take 5: Asus P6X58Premium, I7-930, 2x GTX 460 1GB EE in SLI.
Take 6: Asus Maximus V Formula/Thunderbolt, I7-3770K, 2x GTX 460 1GB EE in SLI.
Take 7: Asus Maximus V Formula/Thunderbolt, I7-3770K, EVGA GTX 680 Classified
So having gone through all these, the least common denominator was the cable management and or lack there of.
I tried contacting TT to see if they could sell me some grommets from their newer revisions/similar cases, but they would not/could not sell me any.
Based on another persons modding of his case, I just decided to start cutting. LOL. If you are not familiar the TT Kandalf and Armor series, they are real Steel cases. They are about 1/16" thick at least and not easy to cut through as they are steel and not aluminum.
So I added holes for cable management/routing, underneath the motherboard on the bottom of the case. Holes on the outside of the MB on the right and top sides. And lastly, added a cutout for access to the backside of the CUP socket. A godsend as each iteration of mine from above, had to have the MB removed to even change the cooler.
I painted the entire inside of the case in a flat black. In hind sight I would have taken a sand blaster to it to scuff the entire thing, but didn't realize how easy it is for the paint to scrape of. You will see eveidence of this all over the pictures to come, and more so towards the end. A black sharpie is going to come in handy.
This case had USB 2.0/FW/Audio up top, but it was lacking SB 3.0. Because one of the radiators is on the front door, I wanted to eliminate having to open and close it every time I wanted to use USB3.0. Therefore I bought an add-on expansion slot USB3.0 adapter. I removed it form its expansion slot mount, cut holes for it at the top, and mounted it there, just in front of the stock USB area.
I wanted to add some more external exhasting fan, and there is a large area on the Top that is pre-drilled/stamped to exhaust air. However you cannot get anything bigger than a 90MM fan on the underside of the top because the Power supply, disk cage and brace are in the way.
Becasue fo theis the first bit of "ugly" is now a 140MM PWM fan on the outside top of the case. I have this running with respect to the MB temperature using Fan Xpert.
UPDATED:10/29/12
The First run of this after most of the mods, was with the Asus MVF , 3770K under a Swiftech Apogee XT and 1x EVGA GTX 680 Classified with a EVGA/Swiftech WB.. Both of these had their own seperate loop. The CPU LOOP on a Swiftech 655 pump on setting #4, a Bitspower 250 POM res and a Used XSPC 360 Rad in the stock DiskCage -5 1/4" bays. The GPU on the original ThermalTake 500 pump, an Aluminum Fin res. I have had for like 5 years from Microcenter, (no idea the brand) and a new slim Swiftech 360 rad to fit the front door. (All fittings are used Bitspower minus the EVGA ones on the card.)
Sry only 15 pics per post......continued below...
So, here it is, what it used to be:
Take 1:
EVGA 680 SLI MB, E6600, EVGA 8800 GTS 512MB
Yup, I was cool!
Take 2:
EVGA 680 SLI MB, E8400, 2x EVGA 8800 GTS 512 SLI
Take 3: same as above, added water blocks for the VC's, cant find the pics 😞
Take 4: Asus P6T, I7-920, 2x EVGA 8800 GTS 512 SLI WC.
Take 5: Asus P6X58Premium, I7-930, 2x GTX 460 1GB EE in SLI.
Take 6: Asus Maximus V Formula/Thunderbolt, I7-3770K, 2x GTX 460 1GB EE in SLI.
Take 7: Asus Maximus V Formula/Thunderbolt, I7-3770K, EVGA GTX 680 Classified
So having gone through all these, the least common denominator was the cable management and or lack there of.
I tried contacting TT to see if they could sell me some grommets from their newer revisions/similar cases, but they would not/could not sell me any.
Based on another persons modding of his case, I just decided to start cutting. LOL. If you are not familiar the TT Kandalf and Armor series, they are real Steel cases. They are about 1/16" thick at least and not easy to cut through as they are steel and not aluminum.
So I added holes for cable management/routing, underneath the motherboard on the bottom of the case. Holes on the outside of the MB on the right and top sides. And lastly, added a cutout for access to the backside of the CUP socket. A godsend as each iteration of mine from above, had to have the MB removed to even change the cooler.
I painted the entire inside of the case in a flat black. In hind sight I would have taken a sand blaster to it to scuff the entire thing, but didn't realize how easy it is for the paint to scrape of. You will see eveidence of this all over the pictures to come, and more so towards the end. A black sharpie is going to come in handy.
This case had USB 2.0/FW/Audio up top, but it was lacking SB 3.0. Because one of the radiators is on the front door, I wanted to eliminate having to open and close it every time I wanted to use USB3.0. Therefore I bought an add-on expansion slot USB3.0 adapter. I removed it form its expansion slot mount, cut holes for it at the top, and mounted it there, just in front of the stock USB area.
I wanted to add some more external exhasting fan, and there is a large area on the Top that is pre-drilled/stamped to exhaust air. However you cannot get anything bigger than a 90MM fan on the underside of the top because the Power supply, disk cage and brace are in the way.
Becasue fo theis the first bit of "ugly" is now a 140MM PWM fan on the outside top of the case. I have this running with respect to the MB temperature using Fan Xpert.
UPDATED:10/29/12
The First run of this after most of the mods, was with the Asus MVF , 3770K under a Swiftech Apogee XT and 1x EVGA GTX 680 Classified with a EVGA/Swiftech WB.. Both of these had their own seperate loop. The CPU LOOP on a Swiftech 655 pump on setting #4, a Bitspower 250 POM res and a Used XSPC 360 Rad in the stock DiskCage -5 1/4" bays. The GPU on the original ThermalTake 500 pump, an Aluminum Fin res. I have had for like 5 years from Microcenter, (no idea the brand) and a new slim Swiftech 360 rad to fit the front door. (All fittings are used Bitspower minus the EVGA ones on the card.)
Sry only 15 pics per post......continued below...
Now I realized that this setup was not optimal when/if I get a second GPU the bottoms res will be in the way. So I started more shopping and got some good deals on some more used/not needed items. I got some sleeved cables (though I swear before this I was all about function before fit/finish), A new CPU Block (Swiftech Apogee HD) and new pumps (Swiftech MCP-35x). Unfortunately the guy I got the block from forgot the stop fittings, so while looking to get new ones, I saw the 'New' Apogee Drive II, and Since I had the pumps already, I just ordered a empty block setup.
So here we go with some of that new stuff, and getting to the current version. I didnt have any pics of the back of the Case before, and to be historically correct, I didnt want to show it with the Sleeved cables on the back, but not the front :)> .
11/3/12--
more changes. new sli connectors, new/diff res., new cables
Here is a Shot of the bottom tab from the Maingear T1000 Epic coming out from under the Apogee Drive II Block.
Replaced the old rad with another Bitspower POM, just 150 this time.:
white PCIE cables ext., reroute the old ones, replaced the black SATA power with a 4-way white.
Sigh, 15 pics again.
Continued BELOW!!!!!
http://rog.asus.com/forum/showthread.php?24030-Thermaltake-Kandalf-LCS-Redux&p=177061&viewfull=1#pos...
More to come, sorry I am a slow poster apparently, gathering the pics and such..lol.
So here we go with some of that new stuff, and getting to the current version. I didnt have any pics of the back of the Case before, and to be historically correct, I didnt want to show it with the Sleeved cables on the back, but not the front :)> .
11/3/12--
more changes. new sli connectors, new/diff res., new cables
Here is a Shot of the bottom tab from the Maingear T1000 Epic coming out from under the Apogee Drive II Block.
Replaced the old rad with another Bitspower POM, just 150 this time.:
white PCIE cables ext., reroute the old ones, replaced the black SATA power with a 4-way white.
Sigh, 15 pics again.
Continued BELOW!!!!!
http://rog.asus.com/forum/showthread.php?24030-Thermaltake-Kandalf-LCS-Redux&p=177061&viewfull=1#pos...
More to come, sorry I am a slow poster apparently, gathering the pics and such..lol.
Could you make some pictures also of the radiator position and reservoir/balancer? I'm curious how did you manage them... 🙂
Updated with some progress. How does this make it to the Monthly? Section? or is it a random or voted on thing? Curious.
Can vote for me at EK's competition if you like! I'm way late to the dance (started in Oct?) but gonna make a run at it! And you can see more pics that I may not have here.
http://www.cooledpc.com/posts/view/325
http://www.cooledpc.com/posts/view/325
Could you make some pictures also of the radiator position and reservoir/balancer? I'm curious how did you manage them...
