[Alien]

Originally Posted by Web-Junkie

@AndrewJ: The idea is to keep the components firmly in the case not blow them to pieces with a deafening tornado

Originally Posted by Web-Junkie

@Alien: I could ask my mate for his old case: Coolermaster Wave Master Probably a lot better than my current one as it's longer and won't cost an arm and a leg off him!

Cool.

Originally Posted by Web-Junkie

His has a clear side panel and two side fans if needed! Dimensions: L 21.2" x W 7.8" x H 18"

The downside of having a window in your case is you'll definitely have to brush up on your Cablegami skills now. As for the length, that's about the same as mine if I don't include the front bezel, which is kinda chunky [measurements on that site are a bit off].

Originally Posted by Web-Junkie

Only problem, it doesn't use 120mm fans

More modding!

I will say though, that Aluminium can be a bit... awkward to work on. For 1 thing, be careful of the exterior, as it'll scratch &/or scuff very easily [I haven't worked on a Cooler Master case before, but I have worked on a couple of aluminium ones].
<reads review that has more pics>
Hmm... doesn't look like you'll be able to fit anything bigger in the rear of the case [it didn't really show how/where the front fans are mounted too well].

Originally Posted by Web-Junkie

*EDIT* Sod it! Just rung my mate, bought the coolermaster case off him for £25. Probably get it Friday/Saturday!

Cool.

Originally Posted by Web-Junkie

And if you really want to know what I'm currently reading it's this:

Sounds interesting.

Originally Posted by Web-Junkie

Read quite a few of his books, Greg Mandel series and the Commonwealth Universe, but that's if you like SCI-FI of course! Peter F Hamilton! Although I do read fantasy novels too!

If I like Sci-Fi? I was a bit advanced for my age. My mum taught me to read, so whilst the other kids were struggling with books about a couple of kids called Janet & John, & a dog called Spot, I was reading stuff like the Star Trek books [James Blish]. My favourite science fiction author would probably be Anne McCaffrey [Talent series, & Tower and Hive series]. As for fantasy, a fairly recent find for me, Jim Butcher. I went through the 1st 8 books of that series 1 after another, & the 9th as soon as I could get it, but now I've got to wait until April 2008 for the next 1.

Originally Posted by Web-Junkie

Cabling is always a mess in small cases, that and the fact some of my round cables are just too long and end up as spaghetti in the case

Excuses, excuses.


In your defence I will admit that I have the advantage of having a PSU with modular cables. It's a shame that PC-Power & Cooling PSUs don't have them.
<edit>
I've used up my pic allowance [20 per post], so I'll post a link instead. These things really come in handy when trying to keep cables tidy. Instead of trying to find convenient parts/holes in your case to zip-tie cables to, you can stick those wherever you need them. I think I got them from Maplin, but can't remember what they're actually called.
</edit>

Originally Posted by Web-Junkie

The Wave Master case has plenty of space to make neater cabling. When my mate bought it we did that originally by using braided sleeving to keep the power cabling tidy and cable tieing the round cables. My mate also had loads of case lights stuck all over so more cables to tidy up.

I have 2 lights in mine. 1 is on the far side of the support strut that goes across just under the PSU [that's what those cable ties are for], & the other 1 is wedged in nicely down at the bottom by that plastic accessories box thingy.

I haven't used either of them in a while though, as unfortunately the converter that came with the CCFLs kept burning out. After having it replaced twice, I bought a small aluminium "project box" from Maplin to mount the PCB in [was originally in a small plastic 1 with virtually no ventilation], made the necessary holes & also mounted a fan on it. Unfortunately I used a cheapo fan, which gave out after a while. Luckily I had the fan running off of my DigiDoc 5, so I got an alarm when it started to fail, so I didn't toast the PCB again, but I haven't got round to replacing the fan [there's now only 1 brand of 40mm fan I trust, & they're kinda scarce, & not cheap - £10 or £11, but they're worth it].

Originally Posted by Web-Junkie

When he bought the Kandalf case we used some of that plastic round spiral sleeving to keep things tidy, might pinch some off him if he's got some left!

If he hasn't, you can make your own pretty easily, rather than paying for some. What you need is some plastic tube, like what's used for air pumps for fish tanks [but possibly a little bigger], & a sharp craft knife. All you have to do is just make a continuous spiral cut around the tube from 1 end to the other, & hey-presto! instant spiral sleeving.

Originally Posted by Web-Junkie

Another advantage of this case i'm getting is he removed the mounted panel in the top of the case and replaced it with an exhaust fan,

I don't know if you noticed on the page for my case, but it has a top-mounted fan as well. It's not currently in use, as I don't really need it at the moment, but I do have an idea for a rather ambitious mod [probably too ambitious, knowing me ] to make use of it. Eventually, I plan to switch to water cooling. Whilst there is [just about] room for a 120mm radiator in my rear fan position, I was thinking that if I keep upgrading my system, it's possible I might end up with something that produces more heat than a 120mm rad can adequately deal with. My top fan is hidden under a spring-loaded flap.
Attachment 14490
What I thought would be cool [if even possible] is to have an 80mm rad mounted under that flap, & have some sort of mechanism to make the flap raise or lower when the coolant temp goes above a set threshold. The hard part would be trying to figure out if I could have some sort of valve switching mechanism that would add-in/remove the 80mm rad from the rest of the cooling loop without causing any problems [eg bubbles or whatever].

Originally Posted by Web-Junkie

seeing as the PSU does not have a fan in the bottom this will help to remove any heat coming out of the PSU vents into the case, although the PSU doesn't seem to get all that hot, which is the way it was designed.

That's PC-Power & Cooling for you, quality rather than flashiness.

Originally Posted by Web-Junkie

In the end as long as the case has adequate space and fan mounts, shouldn't matter which one you use should it?

Well, you'll always get less airflow with smaller fans, but I think you should be ok with that 1. Another advantage it has over the Songcheer is that it's aluminium, rather than steel, so should dissipate heat better.

Originally Posted by Web-Junkie

BTW, room is 8 feet x 8 feet with a 2 feet x 3.5 feet recess where the door is, very small!

Well, at least it's not as small as I thought it was.

Sorry my replies seem a bit delayed/out-of-step with other posts today, I keep dozing off - dunno what's the matter with me.