New Phantek Shift panels?

[deathadder666]

Hello All. I've been building SSF computers for a while, nothing crazy. Nothing heavily modded. I like clean, simple lines and no RGB lights or anything. I want the computer to work, be silent and blend in. That said, I'm waiting for the new Dan case (please build it!) or one of the other vertical projects. But I cannot wait for this build, need to get going.

Question to those out here, I wanted to go with a Phantek Shift (not the X) but there are only tempered glass panels. I don't really want to water cool the CPU and/or GPU on this build, but it appears that especially for the CPU any air cooler would be too close to the glass to be effective, so water cooling is a must.

Anyone out there that can recommend how to either 1) spec out aluminum side panels with air holes (like NCASE, Dan or Lian Li), or 2) suggest something better, or 3) how to find a shop that can do this for me? Sorry, pretty new at the custom fabrication world.

Thanks all.

 

[1461748123]

If you are completely new to fabrication, protocase might be a good place to start!

 

[deathadder666]

If you are completely new to fabrication, protocase might be a good place to start!

Cool. Thanks. I contacted them. I'm guessing it will probably cost as much as the case itself or more. This should be fun.

 

[Craiga35]

That should be easy, The TG side panels are flat and just held on by 4 thumbscrews. So just grab some flat sheet metal, drill 4 holes for the thumbscrews, and any venting you'd want to add, then paint and you're done, just screw it onto the case.

If you're not comfortable doing it yourself just have them cut a rectangle to size at a local fabrication shop. (there should be a welder or metal workshop near you somewhere)

EDIT: If you want something really easy: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00F3FJW9W/?tag=theminutiae-20

Just cut to size with a pair of tin snips and paint it, then you're most likely done. Only thing would be to make sure you can get all the screws to line up. (some holes might need to be made for them as well)

 

[W1NN1NG]

Or you could buy a cheap but great aio like the fractal design kelvin t12 and If you ever decide to watercool your GPU the kelvin is expandable and it's only 100 bucks on aquatuning us

 

[1461748123]

Cool. Thanks. I contacted them. I'm guessing it will probably cost as much as the case itself or more. This should be fun.

It shouldn't be too expensive. Since it is only a flat panel all they need to do is laser cut it. If you can provide your own design in a CAD software it shouldn't cost you more than 50$. Of course, if you let them do the design and stuff it will cost you more.

 

[Craiga35]

Or you could buy a cheap but great aio like the fractal design kelvin t12 and If you ever decide to watercool your GPU the kelvin is expandable and it's only 100 bucks on aquatuning us

While I agree with you, the Kelvin isn't available from AquatuningUS at this time, and honestly probably won't be, but you'd have to contact Aquatuning themselves to find out for sure.

The Kelvin line isn't sold in North America due to patents by Asetek. So, if Aquatuning was selling them from their US site they must have imported it themselves and I'm sure Asetek was not happy about it.

There's a bequiet! AIO with the same advantages only with the fittings on top of block instead of 90* fittings out of the side, but with same limitation on selling in North America.

Also if you can get Protocase to do a panel for you for $50 I would absolutely go that route. they definitely know how to make some damn fine cases.

 

[deathadder666]

Thanks, the quotes are too much from the fab shop. I might just see if I can find a cheap source for some thin bamboo and fabricate my own side panels that way. I'm better with wood than metal. Although sheet metal might work also. I'm trying to not do water cooling in this build. Maybe in the next one if I go for a full size ATX or micro. But for this, smaller footprint and quiet is needed more than anything.

But you've given me some ideas and sparked a bit of the DIY'er in me to give it a shot and see what I can come up with. Thanks!

 

[W1NN1NG]

While I agree with you, the Kelvin isn't available from AquatuningUS at this time, and honestly probably won't be, but you'd have to contact Aquatuning themselves to find out for sure.

The Kelvin line isn't sold in North America due to patents by Asetek. So, if Aquatuning was selling them from their US site they must have imported it themselves and I'm sure Asetek was not happy about it.

There's a bequiet! AIO with the same advantages only with the fittings on top of block instead of 90* fittings out of the side, but with same limitation on selling in North America.

Also if you can get Protocase to do a panel for you for $50 I would absolutely go that route. they definitely know how to make some damn fine cases.

I bought the kelvin here in the states. And it wasn't sold in the states they shipped it here from overseas. It's not sold in the us no. But it's not like it's illegal to import it.

 

[Craiga35]

I bought the kelvin here in the states. And it wasn't sold in the states they shipped it here from overseas. It's not sold in the us no. But it's not like it's illegal to import it.

Right, but AquatuningUS's site is listing it as unavailable with no time-frame for a delivery. There are definitely other places around you can import it from, but they're all around the $200 mark. So you can almost buy 2 regular AIO's for the price of importing the Kelvin.

Which gets to the point where is it even worth it at that point for a 120mm AIO when the Shift can already accommodate 2 regular 120mm AIO's stock anyway?

 

[deathadder666]

So the lowest I got protocase to do two panels, plain was $143, which is more than the Shift case. Since I can't drill holes into the tempered glass, I thought I might go the route of wood side panels. I can source walnut or bamboo panels, get creative with a dremel for air hole vents where I want them. Worse case, I might be out some time and <$50 in materials.

I'm still thinking about it a bit though now. I don't really want to spend $150-$200 on a case just to ditch it once one of the many eye-catching prototype cases goes into production (if ever). I might just go for a cheaper case and see if I can't build something for the time being and just suffer with an ugly case for now.

My new motherboard is coming next week, so I have the weekend to think about it and research some more. I might even, at this point, get an AIO cooler for the Shift case and call it a day. Seems to be cheaper than customizing.

 

[W1NN1NG]

you could always make a cutout file and upload it to one of these sites that does laser cutting have them do the vent holes, and then just drill the mounting holes yourself

 

[Craiga35]

^^ What he said.

I'm sure there are even places local to you that do laser cutting. Like I said earlier the panel is just a flat panel with 4 holes in the corners, stupid easy to replicate with some sheet metal

If you need paint, not 100% sure about Phanteks but, this primer matches my Fractal Define r4 pretty much perfectly.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000PKZ3IY/?tag=theminutiae-20

 

[deathadder666]

I took a closer look at the side panels and the hardware for the latch at the top would need to be moved or replicated. I've decided because of cost and the unavailability of some of the prototype cases here, that I'll just go with the shift case, but use an AIO water cooler on the CPU. It's cheaper in just about every scenario and saves me some time.

I can then wait till one of the many prototype cases goes to production to start all over again. That, or start designing my own tower. My whole point of using vertical towers is to save the footprint space. Like many big cities, easier to build upwards than it is to spread across the surface. Thanks for the suggestions though. Love this forum!

 

[Craiga35]

I took a closer look at the side panels and the hardware for the latch at the top would need to be moved or replicated. I've decided because of cost and the unavailability of some of the prototype cases here, that I'll just go with the shift case, but use an AIO water cooler on the CPU. It's cheaper in just about every scenario and saves me some time.

I can then wait till one of the many prototype cases goes to production to start all over again. That, or start designing my own tower. My whole point of using vertical towers is to save the footprint space. Like many big cities, easier to build upwards than it is to spread across the surface. Thanks for the suggestions though. Love this forum!

Ah, you're right. Watching a video of the case it appears the pictures are misleading. It is not 4 thumbscrews as it appears to be. There is some sort of latching mechanism attached to the glass, with thumbscrews connecting it to the top of the case.