TBS - Tight Budget "Silence"

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nannygoat
Posts: 53
Joined: Tue Apr 27, 2004 11:52 am
Location: Edinburgh, UK

TBS - Tight Budget "Silence"

Post by nannygoat » Thu Jul 15, 2004 7:04 am

A couple of weeks ago I found myself utterly destitute, so as a birthday present to one of my relatives I decided to attempt to silence their PC - which up until then had emitted a sound not unlike that of a vacuum cleaner with its hose stuck on the carpet.
Utilising various fans I had scrapped over the past few months for 'not sounding quite right' and a cheapo Mercury/Kobian 'Oscar' steel case (http://www.kobian.com/images/pr_ca/pr_ca_au_oscar_b.jpg) I had scornfully consigned to the cupboard last christmas, I came up with this:

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I sprayed the whole chassis, bezel, side panels etc. with matt-black car body paint, then covered every available surface with 1/2" sound-insulating neoprene foam, bent the PSU intake slats... I also jigsawed an 80mm blowhole in the rear face, which I filled with the fan from my antec TP380-sonata:

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The two knobs at the top of the picture are potentiometers for control of the rear and PSU(YS-tech 80mm) fans. I jigsawed a 120mm 'suckhole' in the side of the case to blow onto the components - due to my poor workshop skills it also sucked in terms of its likeness to a perfect circle (notice the 3rd variable resistor) ...

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The other side of the hole I occupied with a vantec 'stealth', which at its very lowest speed is OK-ish, the black stuff is a dust filter. More neoprene here:

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At the front of the case I removed the bezel and covered it with more neoprene. I also partitioned it so incoming air flows directly through these two horrific, jagged, tin-snipped holes. More dust filter material here:

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Finally, I had some fun with this elasticated cord from Blacks camping & outdoor, and managed to successfully decouple the HD with a single strand and a cunning thread-pattern:

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Don't forget the case feet:

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Verdict: It's quiet. Not as quiet as my own machine, but that's not surprising considering how much more money I spent on it. Overall the bill came to ~£20, but I also put my life at risk using that crazy jigsaw without a clamp first time around... main point is that it was appreciated, though the birthday girl subsequently complained about the buzzing noise that was coming from her monitor....

:?

MikeC
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Post by MikeC » Thu Jul 15, 2004 8:22 am

Nice job on the cheap. 8)
the birthday girl subsequently complained about the buzzing noise that was coming from her monitor
But people have no appreciation, ey?! :roll: :lol:

nannygoat
Posts: 53
Joined: Tue Apr 27, 2004 11:52 am
Location: Edinburgh, UK

Post by nannygoat » Thu Jul 15, 2004 9:10 am

some people just can't be pleased Mike.... :wink:
Oh and thanks to Douglas Bailey for the internal spray paint idea....

frosty
Posts: 636
Joined: Fri Jun 06, 2003 9:40 am
Location: USA

Post by frosty » Tue Jul 27, 2004 6:57 am

Nice ghetto style, good job m8. I really like the crude cutouts, makes you look real serious too. My cutouts almost look like yours. and nice job on the matting/padding of the case

shathal
Posts: 1083
Joined: Wed Apr 14, 2004 11:36 am
Location: Reading, UK

Post by shathal » Tue Jul 27, 2004 1:26 pm

One minor request?

Get rid of the ThermalTake fanshroud ;).

Why bother advertising the bad? :)

nannygoat
Posts: 53
Joined: Tue Apr 27, 2004 11:52 am
Location: Edinburgh, UK

Post by nannygoat » Mon Aug 02, 2004 6:49 pm

I know, thermaltake make lame silencing products, as illustrated by my use of their fan grille without the fan.
Thanks frosty, I'll try and make my future case mods as evil and dangerous as possible...

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