104 MA XIMUMPC JUNE 2006
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PRODUCED AND PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.If you have a contender for Rig of the Month, e-mail rig @maximumpc.com with high-res digital pics and a 300-word write-up.PAUL GUNNELS’
AMD Case
C
PU-maker AMD has long been known for
its fervent followers. Indeed, you might
say that Paul Gunnels’ rig is the power-user
equivalent of a sports-fanatic’s face paint
(though much more socially acceptable, in
our opinion). Don’t let the simplicity of the
logo fool you. Gunnels had to do some seri-
ous planning and careful construction to
maintain the original’s proportions and cram
the oddly shaped case with a full comple-
ment of computer parts. It helped that he
made a foam model before committing his
design to 1/4–inch acrylic, but it was pure
luck that the fi nished rig could accommo-
date his last-minute component changes.ririgg of the month ADVENTURES IN PC MODIFICATION Sponsored by
For his winning entry, Paul Gunnels wins a
$500 gift certifi cate for TigerDirect to fund
his modding madness! See all the hard-
ware deals at http://www.tigerdirect.com, and
turn to page 100 for contest rules.PAUL GUNNELS’
AMD Case
PU-maker AMD has long been known for
its fervent followers. Indeed, you might
say that Paul Gunnels’ rig is the power-user
equivalent of a sports-fanatic’s face paint
(though much more socially acceptable, in
our opinion). Don’t let the simplicity of the
logo fool you. Gunnels had to do some seri-
ous planning and careful construction to
maintain the original’s proportions and cram
the oddly shaped case with a full comple-
ment of computer parts. It helped that he
made a foam model before committing his
design to 1/4–inch acrylic, but it was pure
luck that the fi nished rig could accommo-
date his last-minute component changes.With the help of an AutoCAD diagram and a
laser cutter, Gunnels turned a 5x5-foot sheet
of blue acrylic into 10 large pieces for the
case, along with smaller parts for a drive
cage and stealthed drive bezels. Gluing it
all together took a good couple weeks.It’s a tight squeeze, but with
the mobo set at an angle, and
the PSU turned onto its side,
Gunnels has just enough clear-
ance between the drives, CPU fan,
and RAM.Obviously, there are limitations
to the design. Gunnels isn’t a
gamer, so he’ll survive without
a second videocard, but restric-
tions on aftermarket cooling
could curtail his overclocking
adventures.