Modified Antec NSK3480 with new front panel
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Modified Antec NSK3480 with new front panel
The Antec NSK3480 is a solidly-built and well-designed case except perhaps for a couple of features. First the front panel looks and feels a little cheap, and second there isn't room for a standard-sized power supply when using a full-sized optical drive.
My solution was to use a slimline slot-load laptop DVD-RW drive which gives enough space for a Corsair HX650W PSU, and to design a new front panel to be cut from black anodised aluminium. The laptop optical drive was mounted in a butchered 5 1/4" drive case along with a Sandisk Imagemate card reader.
The computer is running OS X for photo and video editing, using the following components:
Case: Antec NSK3480
M/B: ASUS Rampage II Gene
CPU: Intel Core i7 920
Cooler: Noctua NH-U12P
PSU: Corsair HX650W
GFX: Asus 9600GT 512MB
RAM: Corsair 6GB (3x2GB) DDR3 1333MHz XMS3
Hard disk: Western Digital 640GB Blue
DVD+RW: Optiarc AD-7670S with Startech Slimline SATA adapter
Fans: 1 x Scythe Gentle Typhoon 120mm, 2 x Scythe Gentle Typhoon 92mm
Card reader: Sandisk Imagemate
Power switch: Bulgin MP0034
The front panel was made by Schaeffer AG in Germany (http://www.schaeffer-ag.de) and designed using their Front Panel Designer software.
I will add more photos once I have tidied up the cabling (so far I have routed cables from the top compartment to the bottom behind the motherboard following the threads by C. Zoui and Krick)
My solution was to use a slimline slot-load laptop DVD-RW drive which gives enough space for a Corsair HX650W PSU, and to design a new front panel to be cut from black anodised aluminium. The laptop optical drive was mounted in a butchered 5 1/4" drive case along with a Sandisk Imagemate card reader.
The computer is running OS X for photo and video editing, using the following components:
Case: Antec NSK3480
M/B: ASUS Rampage II Gene
CPU: Intel Core i7 920
Cooler: Noctua NH-U12P
PSU: Corsair HX650W
GFX: Asus 9600GT 512MB
RAM: Corsair 6GB (3x2GB) DDR3 1333MHz XMS3
Hard disk: Western Digital 640GB Blue
DVD+RW: Optiarc AD-7670S with Startech Slimline SATA adapter
Fans: 1 x Scythe Gentle Typhoon 120mm, 2 x Scythe Gentle Typhoon 92mm
Card reader: Sandisk Imagemate
Power switch: Bulgin MP0034
The front panel was made by Schaeffer AG in Germany (http://www.schaeffer-ag.de) and designed using their Front Panel Designer software.
I will add more photos once I have tidied up the cabling (so far I have routed cables from the top compartment to the bottom behind the motherboard following the threads by C. Zoui and Krick)
Last edited by sennen on Tue Dec 08, 2009 8:07 am, edited 4 times in total.
The panel cost €29 to make (or €43 with shipping and VAT). You download Front Panel Designer from their website, use the software to create your panel, it calculates the cost and allows you to upload the design for manufacture.
The plastic panel of the NSK3480 is made up of 3 parts. I glued the new 2mm aluminium panel onto the outer one of those.
The plastic panel of the NSK3480 is made up of 3 parts. I glued the new 2mm aluminium panel onto the outer one of those.
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Very nice! The front panel has always been one of the few things I've disliked about these cases. Mine's holding up better than I'd expected, but would have been nice if they had used some more robust plastic. The aluminum front panel is a good idea, and the case looks great with the optical drive stealthed like that.
bump for thissamuelt wrote:Would it be possible for you to share the file containing your nice front-panel design?
It would be much appreciated if you could, would very much like to have one myself.
Also do you have any photos of the insides of your computer so that one could see the results of your cablegami?
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- Posts: 1608
- Joined: Tue Jan 04, 2005 4:02 pm
- Location: United States
Didn't even consider that, but yeah, it looks like you're right. Thanks, will look into this and see what prices are like.
edit: Took some very rough measurements and did a design just to get an idea of price. Came out to about $50 for black anodized aluminum, 2.00mm thickness. At the upper end of what I was willing to pay, so not really sure if I will go through with it. Will have to think about this some more.
Anyway, if anybody wants to do something similar in the US or Canada, the site is below.
http://www.frontpanelexpress.com/
edit: Took some very rough measurements and did a design just to get an idea of price. Came out to about $50 for black anodized aluminum, 2.00mm thickness. At the upper end of what I was willing to pay, so not really sure if I will go through with it. Will have to think about this some more.
Anyway, if anybody wants to do something similar in the US or Canada, the site is below.
http://www.frontpanelexpress.com/