- Joined
- Apr 7, 2011
- Messages
- 175
- Motherboard
- Asrock Z370 Extreme4
- CPU
- i7-8770k
- Graphics
- GTX 960
- Mac
- Classic Mac
- Mobile Phone
I decided to finally bite the bullet and try my own G5 case mod. It's not built yet, but the serious work is about to begin. In this thread, I will log my work, ask questions, offer advice, and generally reflect on the process. I also want to give an accurate accounting of what a G5 mod can cost for the newb who doesn't have all the right tools already lying around--the costs add up fast!
I'm handy with computers, and can follow directions, and do odd jobs around the house, but I'm not the handiest person in the world--I've never had a reason to be. So this project is as much about making a G5 case mod as learning how to work with a soldering iron, a Dremel, and think creatively when using my hands to build something instead of just coding and screwing things in the pre-fab holes.
Tools and parts with costs.
Final tally (updated 7/17)
Total: About $550 (that includes free shipping from Amazon Prime!)
Lesson: doing a G5 mod isn't just the $40-80 it costs you to get the case off ebay/craigslist! To that end, most the tools you'll buy have general use. (With Dremel and soldering iron in hand, you soon realize the world is full of things to solder and cut lol). Your second g5 mod will be a lot cheaper
Other helpful things I have laying around: cordless powered screwdriver, various pliers, various tiny screw drivers, various normal screw drivers, "pistol" bar clamps (very helpful), shop vac, lots of tupperware to keep misc screws and case pieces, scissors, wire strippers, various computer screws, spare IEC power cables, lighter for heat shrink, and safety gloves
The build:
The video card there is actually an old nvidia 9400GT. Works fine but it only has a DVI/VGA output. The DVI looks good, but the VGA output looks like garbage. Before that I had a Radeon 5770 (the Gigabyte Batmobile!)... it blacked out every so often in OS X so I sold it. First I tried replacing it with a cheapo HD6450 which, I hoped, would do dual monitors no problem. However, when I plugged it in I got a black screen on boot and had no luck with other minor tweaks. I wanted a compatible card so I returned that and settled for a Radeon 6850, which costs a little more, but it powers dual monitors no problem and it's reliable (apparently!).
This is what my computing workstation looks like now:
This is what my workbench looked like:
Time to clear out the DJ stuff to return the workbench to its intended use. This is what it looks like now:
The process....
"Day" 0
Actually a couple weeks. I read a lot of threads on mods, stalked around eBay, Amazon, and decided on an approach -- use the hard disk caddy I bought plus a Mountain Mods mobo tray. Then I started collecting the parts and the tools.
Day 1
1. I started by clearing out the case. This involved first removing the top tray, which makes it easier to remove the top hard drive tray, fans, as well as all the miscellaneous cables. This 6-year old thread at Insanely Mac makes the process easier: http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/index. ... ntry156892
2. I ripped out all the stand-offs using vice grips. I even, following eelhead, took out all the screw mounts using a dremel. I polished things up a bit. This was the first time I ever used a dremel. It works, but it could be cleaner. Oh well, it will all be covered by the mobo tray!
Picture after clearing everything out:
And the resulting bucket-o-G5-parts:
3. Wanted to see what I was getting into with soldering the power receptacle, so I stripped a power cable. Looks like a pretty straightforward job! I will cut a power cable to desired length (from the PSU to the receptacle), solder to the solder-bays on the receptacle, and heat shrink that baby up. Then plug into the power supply, and voila!
Power cable stripped. Big fat black power cable looks a lot less daunting inside:
Status update/to do 7/10: the mobo tray, power receptacle, and various electricity doodads are still in the mail. My plan in the mean time is to wrap my mind around how I will handle the power supply. The case I got did not come with a dead PSU or tray for it, so uncasing mine right now isn't really an option. That leaves me with the choice: top mount or bottom mount? I am 95% sure I plan to mount it on top, behind the DVD-RW player. This involves:
1. Cutting a hole in the top tray for the PSU fan.
2. Finding a way to secure the PSU
3. Dremeling out a hole for the IEC receptacle
Alright...
----
Final before and after
BEFORE: UGLY!
AFTER: PRETTY!
I'm handy with computers, and can follow directions, and do odd jobs around the house, but I'm not the handiest person in the world--I've never had a reason to be. So this project is as much about making a G5 case mod as learning how to work with a soldering iron, a Dremel, and think creatively when using my hands to build something instead of just coding and screwing things in the pre-fab holes.
Tools and parts with costs.
Final tally (updated 7/17)
- Used G5 Case $84, eBay: 65+20 shipping… luckily, came with the front panel harness[/*:m:1im7oy94]
- Mountain Mods mobo tray, 2x80mm fans $70, $55 + 15 shipping[/*:m:1im7oy94]
- Sans Digital HDD rack $30, Amazon[/*:m:1im7oy94]
- 40w Soldering iron $20, Home Depot[/*:m:1im7oy94]
- Soldering accessories (60/40 solder, heat shrink (2 big packs), helping hand to hold wires, higher-quality soldering iron holder) $40, Home Depot/Amazon[/*:m:1im7oy94]
- Dremel 4000 + Flex Shaft $100, Amazon. Get the flex shaft -- it's much easier to work with and it's safer.[/*:m:1im7oy94]
- Dremel accessories (Reinforced cutting disks (2x5 with mandrel), keyless chuck, 160 piece accessory kit, 7-piece drill bits) $65, Home Depot/Amazon. Disks are essential, keyless chuck is nice, misc accessories are helpful and will come in handy[/*:m:1im7oy94]
- Electrical accessories (snap-in IEC receptacle, replacement if I mess up) $9, allelectronics.com: $2 + $7 shipping[/*:m:1im7oy94]
- Misc tools (clamps, locking needle nose pliers, hand-held files, bit kit with Hex/Torq pieces) $30, Home depot/Amazon[/*:m:1im7oy94]
- Safety equpiment (breathing mask, wrap-around safety googles) $10, Home Depot. Do not even think about touching a dremel without safety goggles and a mask. You will go blind. Trust me. You're going to want to get your face up close to see what you're doing, and you WILL feel bits of metal hitting you in the face/goggles. Don't be an idiot.[/*:m:1im7oy94]
- Fans, case, cable management (zip ties, braided cable sleeve for cable management, 2x 80mm Thermaltake hydrobearing fans, 2x grill fans, 5x black SATA cable, USB/Firewire/Audio cable) $70, Amazon and NewEgg[/*:m:1im7oy94]
- Mounting and cutting gaccessories (JB Weld, metal screws, nuts, bolts, painting tape) $18, Local hardware shop[/*:m:1im7oy94]
Total: About $550 (that includes free shipping from Amazon Prime!)
Lesson: doing a G5 mod isn't just the $40-80 it costs you to get the case off ebay/craigslist! To that end, most the tools you'll buy have general use. (With Dremel and soldering iron in hand, you soon realize the world is full of things to solder and cut lol). Your second g5 mod will be a lot cheaper
Other helpful things I have laying around: cordless powered screwdriver, various pliers, various tiny screw drivers, various normal screw drivers, "pistol" bar clamps (very helpful), shop vac, lots of tupperware to keep misc screws and case pieces, scissors, wire strippers, various computer screws, spare IEC power cables, lighter for heat shrink, and safety gloves
The build:
- GB-X58A-UD3R 2.0 FH BIOS[/*:m:1im7oy94]
- i7 960 with big Noctua cooler (NH-D14) @ 4.3GHz[/*:m:1im7oy94]
- 12GB RAM (6x2GB)[/*:m:1im7oy94]
- 1GB Radeon HD 6850[/*:m:1im7oy94]
- Optiarc DVD-RW[/*:m:1im7oy94]
- A bunch of hard drives: 120GB Vertex2 (OS X), 500GB Hybrid-SSD Momentus XT 2.5" drive (in my laptop, replaced with real SSD. Runs Windows), 320GB 7200 2.5" Drive from old laptop (Ubuntu 12.04), 1TB 7200 3.5" drive (holds all Files), 2TB 5900 RPM 3.5" drive (holds back-ups, clones, etc. from all my computers)[/*:m:1im7oy94]
- Hand-crafted Wireless Card (Apple BMC94321MC) in a Mini PCI to PCIe converter[/*:m:1im7oy94]
- Corsair CMPSU-650TX 650W power supply[/*:m:1im7oy94]
The video card there is actually an old nvidia 9400GT. Works fine but it only has a DVI/VGA output. The DVI looks good, but the VGA output looks like garbage. Before that I had a Radeon 5770 (the Gigabyte Batmobile!)... it blacked out every so often in OS X so I sold it. First I tried replacing it with a cheapo HD6450 which, I hoped, would do dual monitors no problem. However, when I plugged it in I got a black screen on boot and had no luck with other minor tweaks. I wanted a compatible card so I returned that and settled for a Radeon 6850, which costs a little more, but it powers dual monitors no problem and it's reliable (apparently!).
This is what my computing workstation looks like now:
This is what my workbench looked like:
Time to clear out the DJ stuff to return the workbench to its intended use. This is what it looks like now:
The process....
"Day" 0
Actually a couple weeks. I read a lot of threads on mods, stalked around eBay, Amazon, and decided on an approach -- use the hard disk caddy I bought plus a Mountain Mods mobo tray. Then I started collecting the parts and the tools.
Day 1
1. I started by clearing out the case. This involved first removing the top tray, which makes it easier to remove the top hard drive tray, fans, as well as all the miscellaneous cables. This 6-year old thread at Insanely Mac makes the process easier: http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/index. ... ntry156892
2. I ripped out all the stand-offs using vice grips. I even, following eelhead, took out all the screw mounts using a dremel. I polished things up a bit. This was the first time I ever used a dremel. It works, but it could be cleaner. Oh well, it will all be covered by the mobo tray!
Picture after clearing everything out:
And the resulting bucket-o-G5-parts:
3. Wanted to see what I was getting into with soldering the power receptacle, so I stripped a power cable. Looks like a pretty straightforward job! I will cut a power cable to desired length (from the PSU to the receptacle), solder to the solder-bays on the receptacle, and heat shrink that baby up. Then plug into the power supply, and voila!
Power cable stripped. Big fat black power cable looks a lot less daunting inside:
Status update/to do 7/10: the mobo tray, power receptacle, and various electricity doodads are still in the mail. My plan in the mean time is to wrap my mind around how I will handle the power supply. The case I got did not come with a dead PSU or tray for it, so uncasing mine right now isn't really an option. That leaves me with the choice: top mount or bottom mount? I am 95% sure I plan to mount it on top, behind the DVD-RW player. This involves:
1. Cutting a hole in the top tray for the PSU fan.
2. Finding a way to secure the PSU
3. Dremeling out a hole for the IEC receptacle
Alright...
----
Final before and after
BEFORE: UGLY!
AFTER: PRETTY!