Cube Mod, a new twist.

[dkeeb]

Hi, I'm new around this forum but I've been involved with Mac's a long time and have quite a few of them. I've been involved with a couple different Forums and enjoyed viewing this website and the terrific projects here.
Mostly I've had some fun with Apple Cubes and have built a few Mods and showed them on Cubeowner.com. My latest Cube project was the collaboration of myself and a very talented guy, his handle on C/O.com is 'parism'. A few months ago he showed me his first concept for a new design Cube case and I was totally impressed. His idea was to make a case that would improve airflow, put the cables at the back where they would be easy to service and keep the same small footprint. This PM Cube Case you see below does all that and maintains the small 8"x8"x7-1/2" size, it's a jewel of simplicity, style and practicality.

I convinced him to build a Cube Case to my color scheme and I built a Cube Core to match. The Core has a 1.7Ghz 7448 CPU, XFX 6200WALG O/C'ed to 425/350, 1.5GB RAM, Airport, DVR-K06, re-located VRM, Giga Base fan, 250GB Samsung HDD. I blacked out the Core/Chassis.
The PM Case rotates the Core 90 degrees so that the bottom is now the back, the cabling is now a cinch to access.
The final result was a Cube that sits 1" off the desk and allows for plenty of air to get to the video card bay, now on the bottom. My rare, flashed XFX 6200 WALG (fanned) is very comfy in there with it's PM VRM Re-location Kit, idling at 37C. Further testing showed the components run very cool, almost as though there is no Case around the Core at all, running naked.
The CD/DVD slot is now directly in front for easy access, the CD/DVD slot surround is a classy touch.
The power button is bottom front, the Core Surround poses no problem with the fussy Cube Proximity Power Switch.
With the PM VRM Re-location Kit, a base fan, and this PM Case I can run this upgraded Cube nice and cool and not worry about those bulky DVI connectors.
To view a movie of it in action, see this:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=GeG3ofauuHw
And here's some pictures showing it off, notice it's size (it's tiny) next to a Powerlogix Case Mod I did previously:

[aquamac]

That is one very nice mod. It looks extremely well put together and also extremely practical from an airflow point of view. I always loved the cube and could never believe that it was not more successful. It was gorgeous, but for some reason, the macmini has never done it for me, even though it's a very capable little machine - the cube always exuded individuality that the macmini doesn't!

[nikonnut]

Very sharp Truly a top notch cube mod but.... I just checked out the video you linked to and I have to say I really like the mod you made to your computer desk! Is there any forced air coming up from below? Very cool (sorry) regardless. Keep sharing!

[dkeeb]

Thanks for the kind words.
The desk? It started long ago and far away... --- no, that's Star Wars, well..
It takes a certain kind of nerve, or lack of common sense, to cut a hole in your $1k oak desk. Back about 2005 I had this wild idea for my stock Cube, and to make my desktop appear cleaner. It worked like a champ, the Cube ran as cool as can be. For a while I even entertained an idea to use a 'lift' to be able to raise and lower it at the press of a button. But, sanity prevailed - sort of.

Then, of course, in 2006 I put that Cube into a Powerlogix Case, along with a ATI 9800, dual 1.7GHz 7447 and a bunch of other stuff. The Cube was now bigger and the hole in the desk had to be bigger, you get the idea.
But, alas, if the pretty new, hotrod, shiny SuperCube was in that silly hole I couldn't see my handiwork.

So, in late 2006 the aluminum cage w/fan was removed and (whichever) Cube happens to be sitting there rests on a small plywood rail/steel mesh grill, about 1" down in the hole. No fan now, but plenty of fresh air can enter from the bottom and it allows access to all those pesky wires.

Now, my G5 Quad sits below that.

2005 - Stock Cube - Pressure box for Cube, for mounting under desktop.





2006/7 - SuperCube, standing tall, it's a pretty thing too.


BTW, I just put a new inverter in that beautiful 23" ACD, it's back on my desk. I love that thing. I've got a 22" ACD (wife's computer) that I've had since new, still chugging along - no repairs.

[aquamac]

Hey dkeeb,

Your desk looks great and the powerlogix case rocks. I still use a pair of 20" perspex Apple ccreens I have had from new, everyday. Always wanted the 23", but it was just that bit beyond my reach at the time. These screens will become real classics along with the cube for their style. There is not much computer equipment you can say that for.