2009 - Apple Mac Pro Chassis to PC conversion Build

[DoOb's]

Advice to anyone using Can paint...make sure to let the paint dry....at least for a couple days. Depending on the humidity obviously.
This radiator just needs some touch ups on the paint, but nothing serious. As you really only seeing the one side mostly.





Ended up getting to spraying the original re-grill. Very hard to prep with all those holes. And the weird green corrosion thats inside each hole. As its a foil thats applied over these grills.
Looks good none the less.



But I had to do further cutting, cutting I really didnt / want to avoid. The grill just wasnt fitting in its original place cause of the motherboard tray. (So more paint cleaning up and touch up, along with a printed cover strip on the back)



Lastly the 360 grill. Had a new one re-cut as the design was flawed for mounting. As I ended up having to cut the tabs off the actual case as different radiator made my matching up holes off.

The grill will get some decent screws to cover the holes. As again, wiggle room for alignment



Still need a white motherboard. Because essentially then I can start planning the loop.

I either just bite the bullet and buy another board, without selling my Asus TUF or try Sell the ASUS TUF and then provision the extra for a White motherboard.

 

[-Shaun-]

Advice to anyone using Can paint...make sure to let the paint dry....at least for a couple days. Depending on the humidity obviously.
This radiator just needs some touch ups on the paint, but nothing serious. As you really only seeing the one side mostly.





Ended up getting to spraying the original re-grill. Very hard to prep with all those holes. And the weird green corrosion thats inside each hole. As its a foil thats applied over these grills.
Looks good none the less.



But I had to do further cutting, cutting I really didnt / want to avoid. The grill just wasnt fitting in its original place cause of the motherboard tray. (So more paint cleaning up and touch up, along with a printed cover strip on the back)



Lastly the 360 grill. Had a new one re-cut as the design was flawed for mounting. As I ended up having to cut the tabs off the actual case as different radiator made my matching up holes off.

The grill will get some decent screws to cover the holes. As again, wiggle room for alignment



Still need a white motherboard. Because essentially then I can start planning the loop.

I either just bite the bullet and buy another board, without selling my Asus TUF or try Sell the ASUS TUF and then provision the extra for a White motherboard.

that's awesome tbh.

 

[DoOb's]

Waiting for the Hardline tubing

But got hopefully all the fittings I need, No sure on the coolant. Will have see.

Fans were sadly a miss. But Im going to spray the blades white / Rosegold. Will also decide.
Bit the bullet and just got a full AM5 white board at a decent price from the same supplier who's sponsored me all the fittings. Cause Fittings are fk expensive. Geez.

Radiator, cleaned and touched up. New radiator Grill cleaned/wet sanded and sprayed too.

 

[DoOb's]

Orla Peeps

I have update...

I have Wrapped the whole exterior of the case with a white Vinyl. Obviously not the front and back. Thats painted. The can spray was -fkn me around- honestly.

Best solution was to just wrap it.

Anyway...mounted PSU ( Bought from Progenix as it was the cheapest country wide - 850watt White )

Motherboard fitted to see how it looks, And Radiator completely fitted to see how much space I have in the front now as Im going to have to re-wire the Front USB3 ports as I aint got no space for the original idea.

The original power button will go in once I sand away all the paint I've used on this case XD XD....for it to fit back in there properly.

And then I have bought a large piece of Perspex - white to enable some sort of idea of covers down the middle for the cables.

And then some covers I will mock up for the top where the power supply it. Quite happy with it being quite snug up there. But enough space to slip in a 3mm piece of perspex as a cover plate.

Any way...its getting there.

I will start next week with planning to see how Im going to mount the RES/PUMP combo as I know it needs to be sort of level with the radiator but that aint gonna happen in this build. There are ways and means to bleeding bubbles out of hardline. I will do that rather.

 

[-Shaun-]

Wew lad now that is some fine lookin' Collectors Item class.

If you're selling it please let me know!

 

[Geriatrix]

Orla Peeps

I have update...

I have Wrapped the whole exterior of the case with a white Vinyl. Obviously not the front and back. Thats painted. The can spray was -fkn me around- honestly.

Best solution was to just wrap it.

Anyway...mounted PSU ( Bought from Progenix as it was the cheapest country wide - 850watt White )

Motherboard fitted to see how it looks, And Radiator completely fitted to see how much space I have in the front now as Im going to have to re-wire the Front USB3 ports as I aint got no space for the original idea.

The original power button will go in once I sand away all the paint I've used on this case XD XD....for it to fit back in there properly.

And then I have bought a large piece of Perspex - white to enable some sort of idea of covers down the middle for the cables.

And then some covers I will mock up for the top where the power supply it. Quite happy with it being quite snug up there. But enough space to slip in a 3mm piece of perspex as a cover plate.

Any way...its getting there.

I will start next week with planning to see how Im going to mount the RES/PUMP combo as I know it needs to be sort of level with the radiator but that aint gonna happen in this build. There are ways and means to bleeding bubbles out of hardline. I will do that rather.

Quick question if I may, as you have it in the images, is that how it is going to stand permanently? In other words, upside down as it were? If not, then you will need to re-orient your radiator as the pipe intakes MUST be higher than the pump in order to avoid air getting into the pump and causing cavitation and other issues.

EDIT: Apologies, I did not see the last part where you address this. My bad

 

[DoOb's]

Quick question if I may, as you have it in the images, is that how it is going to stand permanently? In other words, upside down as it were? If not, then you will need to re-orient your radiator as the pipe intakes MUST be higher than the pump in order to avoid air getting into the pump and causing cavitation and other issues.

EDIT: Apologies, I did not see the last part where you address this. My bad

Yup...it has to go that way as I do not have enough space at the bottom. It will be ok. As there are many ways to skin a cat XD

Remember this is more of a Show case piece than it being a functional one. Even though it will be fully functional of course. I'm merely doing this as a project. Its cost being a pretty penny though. So parts will be re-sold.

( The orientation of this Mac Pro is correct) And how it would be used of course.

 

[Geriatrix]

Yup...it has to go that way as I do not have enough space at the bottom. It will be ok. As there are many ways to skin a cat XD

Remember this is more of a Show case piece than it being a functional one. Even though it will be fully functional of course. I'm merely doing this as a project. Its cost being a pretty penny though. So parts will be re-sold.

( The orientation of this Mac Pro is correct) And how it would be used of course.

If the orientation as it CURRENTLY stands in the images is correct, then you have nothing to worry about re air in the cooling system.

 

[PandaAttack1]

Fantastic work @DoOb's . My chassis is waiting for similar treatment... By similar I plan on butchering it to fit my media PC and then close the side panel. Viola, done. So same same, but very different.

On the topic of 'selling'. Please put me in line as a serious buyer of the chassis once you are satisfied and start parting. Or the secondary one if you don't have other plans. Anyway, excited to see your progress!

 

[DoOb's]

Fantastic work @DoOb's . My chassis is waiting for similar treatment... By similar I plan on butchering it to fit my media PC and then close the side panel. Viola, done. So same same, but very different.

On the topic of 'selling'. Please put me in line as a serious buyer of the chassis once you are satisfied and start parting. Or the secondary one if you don't have other plans. Anyway, excited to see your progress!

I will do.... I will have to OCD pack it so it doesn't chip or what not.
But ye I've got the other one I've pretty much cut the panel out where it's solid. I have a good idea of a full Matt black build for it.

 

[Off-The-Chart]

Quick question if I may, as you have it in the images, is that how it is going to stand permanently? In other words, upside down as it were? If not, then you will need to re-orient your radiator as the pipe intakes MUST be higher than the pump in order to avoid air getting into the pump and causing cavitation and other issues.

EDIT: Apologies, I did not see the last part where you address this. My bad

from what I can recall, this is not an issue with custom loops as opposed to AIOs

he will have a separate reservoir where there will be an air gap while the whole loop will always be filled

 

[DoOb's]

I may have an issue with the Graphics card in the space I've left for it....280mm XD XD



I was busy just checking Cable layout....THEN!!!!




The height is going to be my issue. The Radiator is 50mm THICC, plus 25mm for Fans, and maybe 3mm's worth of perspex...so card wont seat.

I may have to move the Radiator to the front and do custom mount brackets so I dont rek the front panel with silly holes. Especially since those ROM covers will be in the way.

So it would 15mm off the front and sit same vertical position just front panel side to allow me to put a GPU in....either my 5080 / Loan unit - 9070XT white edition.

And using my RISER won't work as it involves cutting and changing plans which aren't at all going to work in this.

 

[DoOb's]

I've order the Antec PCI Express Gen4 Riser bracket cable combo from Progenix.co.za as again it's cheaper. And I'm hoping with a tweak of removing the slot dividers. It should just bolt in like per any guide you see online, as per a 7 slot case.

My only concern is the cable will be pretty much right up against the gpu back plate. Eh it's a project build it will be ok. 🤌🏻😂

 

[DoOb's]

Update on a couple small things

Bought the Riser from Oj0....test fitted it...and then shifted it up one slot so it sits even. This will allow me to put a cover from the base of the card to the PSU.



From the Rear of the case...I need to now fix the gap (unfortunate) and still make the cover strip up the right and by the Rear Fan.



Fitted the Power Switch and got some Good ol USB2 headers which fit snug enough so the Radiator still will sit where it was as planned.
Unsoldered them from the PCB's and then Today I got a shit load of heatshrink xD 10m's.



Ran the heatshrink through the USB2 cable. (The cable will need to jump over the one radiator fan. (I could have gotten a USB3 header from a friend locally, that has right angle USB3 headers, But I think USB fits the bill of a bit of antique/original piece from the original front I/O



That "messy" ness of the cables...you are not going to see once I have design and made a cover that will sit covering cables etc.


Wrapped the inside of the Side panel. (I may actually cut a window in the other side panel (As I have 3 for a viewing window) Perhaps

Sprayed all the 120mm Fans x 4 of them (just the blades on the one side.
The CPU block, I sprayed the mount plate with some RoseGold paint. I'm going to rather replace that siff black piece cover with a Clear perspex one. So you can actually see whats happening.

Small touch of RoseGold paint to the base of the pump. The cap of the res I will wrap with White. Vinyl cutter.


Sprayed the outer part that sits into the case when you put the side panel on, with some RoseGold too...



The mounting of the RES/PUMP

Measure twice drill once? Used 5mm bit to give me play to make sure the pump sits squared to the cover plate its sitting on.
The pump will be 2 washes in height off that PLA printed cover beneath it. For now its sitting directly on it.



If you look on this image...I have 2 washers on all 4 bolts which gives the PUMP heatsink some room to breathe.




Sleeving the RES/PUMP



Cable Run up the front side of the case and then along the bottom...for the PUMP, PWR Switch and USB2 header
Other cables like 3x 120mm Radiator cables i will also most probably run next to the motherboard PSU power cable. which will be covered.



Thats pretty much it for now.

My OCD for the top of the case...Im going to re-vinyl wrap it (Under the handles aswell probably) . As having a mate with a vinyl cutter means I can measure and cut and slide the piece into place with spray bottle etc.

 

[DoOb's]

Moral support was with me on this one. But taking a nap.




Cut all the pieces of Perspex, and stuck them on (Look carefully)



Vinyl Wrapped.