Raijintek Metis Plus Fan Mod (A different one ;-))

jmarin

Airflow Optimizer
Original poster
Mar 8, 2018
258
187
After having my PC together for a few weeks, I decided this week to tear it all apart again. I was revisiting my desire to cram two fans into the top of my case, and with a half-baked idea, I went down to the point of no return.

Yes, a giant hole! The first hole was actually horrible and I had to make it bigger so it was somewhat straight. Aluminum cuts like butter with a metal jigsaw blade! Gotta be careful.

After that traumatic experience, I tried several attempts to get an aluminum sheet to bend and cut to my will so I could fit these bad boys in the top:

Oh yeah, I sleeved these guys this week as well to make it look a little cleaner than the green/yellow/black mess they were before

Feeling a bit of remorse and slight panic at the resulting gigantic hole in my case, I had an idea to 3D print a tray and grill solution! I designed a tray, and then uploaded it to shapeways, and then was immediately disappointed with the sticker shock ($60+ bleh). Luckily, there are several 3D printers at the school I work at, and I got permission to use one over the spring break (YESSS). I will be printing these this week. Still have to fine tune the tray to get it right, but the grill is done.

This is tray design one with circle cut outs


This is tray design two with a long rectangular cut out


The bottom of both trays is similar

Things to work out with the tray:
  • place to route fan cables
  • cable tie/clip spot for power cable
  • better coverage of the IO cables
  • mounting holes/cutouts along the side rails
The idea of the tray is to screw into the holes already in the top of the case and the fans may just sit in there without needing to be screwed in. That is also something I need to decide on.


Top view of grill


Bottom view of grill

This is designed to pop into the cutout of the lid. The sides have clips and the front and back just have tabs to prevent sliding. I am hoping that the tabs are strong enough to hold the grill in place so no adhesives or anything will be needed

Anyway, that is all I have for now. Will be updating this week, and will have a build log update after. Any comments, questions, input welcome. Thanks for looking!
 

ebc92

Average Stuffer
Mar 4, 2018
73
71
I'm liking the cable sleeving and the 3D-print drawings :) That grill is looking really good. Also, what's your approach when you sleeve the cables?

Since you're asking for input: what you could try if you're into it is removing the pass through power-cable that the metis has, to remove cable clutter inside the case. Instead of routing the cable through the case, you pick up an angled connector and run it under the case instead. Since you have 3D-printer access, printing out a cover for the hole that's left after removing the power input / IEC socket should be easy. Been wanting to do the same on my metis, but have been hesitating because I don't have anything to cover the hole with! Looking forward to seeing the progress, especially on the printing!
 
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jmarin

Airflow Optimizer
Original poster
Mar 8, 2018
258
187
I'm liking the cable sleeving and the 3D-print drawings :) That grill is looking really good. Also, what's your approach when you sleeve the cables?

Since you're asking for input: what you could try if you're into it is removing the pass through power-cable that the metis has, to remove cable clutter inside the case. Instead of routing the cable through the case, you pick up an angled connector and run it under the case instead. Since you have 3D-printer access, printing out a cover for the hole that's left after removing the power input / IEC socket should be easy. Been wanting to do the same on my metis, but have been hesitating because I don't have anything to cover the hole with! Looking forward to seeing the progress, especially on the printing!
Interesting thought on the power cable. I will probably keep that in the case, but that is a good idea. This video basically explains the process I did to sleeve the fan cables:
Only differences were that I sleeved them without that special tool, and I didn't have the right heatshrink to go over the connector so I just did regular heatshrink as close to the end of the cable as possible
 
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ebc92

Average Stuffer
Mar 4, 2018
73
71
Thanks for the video link! Never had to sleeve cables before, but i just picked up a HDPlex AC-DC adapter that looks like it could use some sleeving.
 

jmarin

Airflow Optimizer
Original poster
Mar 8, 2018
258
187
Update: Was able to get the tray printed after struggling mightily the last few days. I think where the printers are housed is not ideal for 3D printing as the parts kept warping/lifting off the bed. As such, the grill for the top has been unsuccessful. Here is the tray installed, as I forgot to take one of it before installing.

Top view

Inside view


I will have to think of something for the grill. Might try one more redesign and print before looking at other options.
 

jmarin

Airflow Optimizer
Original poster
Mar 8, 2018
258
187
Ok, so I am definitely not printing the grill anymore, but I did 3D print tabs to glue to a lasercut piece of acrylic. Just sorting through designs now.
 

spawn01

Efficiency Noob
May 12, 2018
6
11
I am curious to see how this all turned out. The 3d printed fan tray is genius! I did something similar with my build. I worked with aluminum. As for a grill, I made a press mold out of wood and hammered out a recessed grill from some thin perforated sheet metal. I did not want any screws to be visible from the top, so it is just pressed fitted. Although, the printed grill has me interested




 

jmarin

Airflow Optimizer
Original poster
Mar 8, 2018
258
187
Truth be told, yours was the inspiration for be trying to do this, and I tried doing the grill like yours, but could not get it to look good at all, plus my initial cut out was real bad. The 3D printed grill didn't work well with the printer I was using, so I 3D printed tabs to glue to a laser cut piece of acrylic.


I am curious to see how this all turned out. The 3d printed fan tray is genius! I did something similar with my build. I worked with aluminum. As for a grill, I made a press mold out of wood and hammered out a recessed grill from some thin perforated sheet metal. I did not want any screws to be visible from the top, so it is just pressed fitted. Although, the printed grill has me interested