Alessandro

Member since

Hardware tech & Modder

Italy

Most Recent Build

This is only for the lover of retro wave! LOL

My little gaming station!

The AC cable maked in collaboration with @hardwireccm

Project ALIENBASE

This mod is based on Alienware Aurora R4 case, which I personally love for its design, so i always wanted to make a mod on this case that give it the right visibility, but keeping the original shapes and styles. So i started my project in October 2019 and putting down my ideas to make it really special!
One of the main challenges was the full ATX conversion, because it only support mATX, so i adopted slanted design and installed the PSU on the bottom back.
For this project i used plexiglas and PVC forex, hand cutted and joined, to create full interior cover to hide all the case structure (rivets, screws, etc...) and all the cables in every point. Also in the exterior i used laser cutted plexiglas parts to create a new front face and a bottom cover for the PSU area.
I really like recycling parts, so in this project i've used and old 220V engine frame to create an Alien portal with infinity mirror, and for the water pump i used and old Dyson vaccum engine part to create a cover for the pump. Other special parts are the PSU with aviator style connector with sleeved cables and the reservoir where i made some plexi parts to look like an "energy cell". The mod was completed in October 2020, so it took me a year of hard work!

Sleeved extensions are made in collaboration with HardWire Custom Cables Maker Italy! (shipping in EU) hardwireccm
https://www.hardwire.it/

Color(s): Aluminum Black Gray Green Light Blue

RGB Lighting? Yes

Theme: Sci-Fi

Cooling: Custom Liquid Cooling

Size: ATX

Type: General Build

Contests

This build participated in 6 contests.

Rank	Contest	Date
#29	Build of the Month - October 2021	ended
#3	Build of the Month - April 2021	ended
#29	EK 10K Challenge	ended
#10	Build of the Month - January 2021	ended
#9	Build of the Month - December 2020	ended
#20	Build of the Month - November 2020	ended

Build Updates

PART 1 - Disassembling

PART 2 - ATX Conversion

PART 3 - Making radiator supports

PART 4 - Cutting side window

For this part, i choose to make the most difficult cut lines, that never ones have done before!
So i had to cut the original Plexiglas and also the LED bar, and install it in a new position.
Also the cutting shape was calculated accurately the keep the flow look of the side and have the maximum view of the inside.

The shape with cardboard

Cutting LED bar and plexiglass

Making a cover

Making the window

Window and cover installed

Wrapping time

Finished!

PART 5 - PSU restyling

PART 6 - Making the new front face

This was one of the main challenge, designing the new front and keeping the Alienware style!
I wanted to create a precise polygonal structure with more faces, it was really difficult, it take me a lot of time, but at the end the result was really satisfying!

Carboard prototype

Forex prototype

Final laser cutted plexiglas parts

Pre-assembled the parts

Bending the plexiglass

Filling holes with epoxy putty

Making grill for cover the side

Preparing the LED strips

Light diffuser with plexiglas

Testing the result

PART 7 - Interior covers

PART 8 - Rear side new shield

PART 9 - New power ON button

PART 10 - PSU side panels + aviator sleeving + case feets

In this part there are a lot of works done! You can seethe making of the side PSU panels and the new case feets.
The other important work its the main wires distribution area with SSD 2.5" support and the sleeving of the aviator connectors.

Side panels rendering

Laser cutted from glossy plexiglas

Making backlight panels

Testing how it fit; these panels are fixed with magnets, so i can easily remove them for maintenance

New feets maked with CNC milling

After i decided to add holes...

The wires distribution cover

Making holes for the wires from PSU

Test

2.5" HDD/SSD support

Sleeving time

Ready!

With this connector i can take power for all i need, like LEDs, SATA, MOLEX, etc

PART 11 - Making of the ALIENBASE side panel

In this part i'm showing the making of the side ALIENBASE panel

Taking measurement for placing the Alienware LED control board

Maked an hole with plexiglas panel

Filled the gaps

Ready to wrap and install the backlight plexi panel

All the control boards are installed

Here i've placed behind this plexiglas a sheet of reflective material from broken LCD that give a cool aluminium effect

PART 12 - Painting

PART 13 - Watercooling parts + "Alien Pump" + "Energy Cell"

We are almost at the end, so now i will show some parts of the watercooling system and the making of the "Alien Pump" with old broken Dyson vaccum engine! And also the "Energy Cell" reservoir!