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Scratch Build – In Progress Project Monolith

Discussion in 'Project Logs' started by rainwulf, 17 Nov 2008.

  1. rainwulf

    rainwulf What's a Dremel?

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    Hi, i will be detailing here a project that i have been working on for a while now, just odds and ends, but it's now coming together quicker now, and starting to congeal.
    It's inspiration is partly from the Space Oddysey 2001, and the technology from a series of books by Neal Asher. The technology is called Jain, and its a biotech hardware plaque that kind of looks a cross between silver vines and roots, and coral. Its tendrils take over any form of technology and subsume it.
    You will see this influence later on in the build hopefully.
    There will also be a little steampunk thrown in as well, with a lot of copperwork.
    As you can tell, its kind of going to be a mixture of past and future technology, all melded together with the Jain biotech. HOPEFULLY!!!

    Project Monolith is my first scratch build, i have pretty well built everything from scratch. It will be a tall slim case, rather narrow, but tall, topping 60cms. It will be approximately 15cm wide.

    It will consist of a square section frame, with black PVC sides, or possibly black anodised aluminium. There will be no DVD drive, any burning duties can be done by a firewire burner.

    It will be completely watercooled, and i mean completely. If produces heat, it will have a waterblock on it.

    On the motherboard, the CPU, mosfets, ddr2, northbridge and southbridge will be watercooled.
    On the 3870x2, the two cores, pci-e switch, gddr3, and power modules will be watercooled.
    The physx card, and x-fi will also be cooled.
    The PSU and Hard drives will all be watercooled as well, and due to the simplicity of the design, any additional items anywhere in the machine that get hot can easily and simply be
    cooled.


    Now, the heat load of this machine will be fairly heavy. Its a quad core 9950Black Edition Phenom overclocked to 3.0 gig (more when wc) with 4 gig of ram, and a 3870x2 overclocked by bios modification to 850 core 999 mem (925, 900 was stock)

    4 Drives in a raid0 ( with room for 6). 2 sticks of DDr2-800.

    And the PSU, which will also be modified in the process of watercooling it with higher capacity main rectification diodes.


    So, with this massive heat load, a decent radiator will be needed. This machine will still be as quiet as i can make it, so the bigger the radiator the better.

    So here it is, courtesy of Daikin down the road.
    [​IMG]
    A brand spanking new split system head thats been mothballed due to its needed the old form
    of air con gas.



    Inside it is a large surface area evaporator, copper tubed, 3 segment, aluminium finned.
    [​IMG]

    its actually one assembly sliced partly through long ways, and then bent to go around the
    giant crossflow fan inside the unit.
    I used a dremel and stanley knife to slice of the bits i didnt need.
    [​IMG]



    Now, this has been a bit of a work in progress. Its initial length was around 800mm.
    I could fit 5 120 mm fans on it with a bit of overhang on both ends.
    The problem was due to the way it was setup, it wasnt a continous circuit, it was actually two split gas circuits. So what i did was sliced them all of with the dremel and decided to start from scratch. This is the first attempt, i was going to use vinyl tubing to set it up for the flow pattern i wanted, and then route the tubes into two manifolds i was going to make.
    [​IMG]


    This however didnt suit me, vinyl tube is smelly, goes opaque after a while, and i had sealing issues.
    [​IMG]


    So i visited the local plumbing store and located myself a meter of 3/4 inch copper water tube, and a meter of 1/2 inch tube, with 4 3/4 end caps.
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]


    I polished the 3/4 tube up, because polishing it later is going to be hard as you will see.
    [​IMG]


    Back to the evaporator, now to be called the radiator.
    I measured it of to fit 4 120 mm fans perfectly, and with the stanley knife and dremel, started removing the core.
    [​IMG]



    The aluminium fins removed.
    [​IMG]


    Perfect Fit!!!
    [​IMG]


    I then staggered the tubing.
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]


    This is my plan! To create two kind of manifolds, inlet and outlet at the bottom of the res.
    [​IMG]


    Measured and ready to drill for the vertical tubes.
    [​IMG]


    I used sandpaper to clean the vertical tubes to make it easier to solder.
    [​IMG]


    Drilled manifold just sits there with the tubes holding it in place. They arent sticking too far into the tube so flow isnt reduced.
    [​IMG]



    Its coming together!! Starting to look a bit steam punkish eh..
    [​IMG]


    Manifold soldered on, and end caps soldered.
    [​IMG]


    Second manifold assembled and test fitted on while the first one cooled from being soldered.
    [​IMG]



    All finished!!
    [​IMG]

    very steampunk
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]


    Here it is assembled with the watercooling parts i biult and documented in another thread.
    http://forums.bit-tech.net/showthread.php?t=159424
    [​IMG]


    Filled with water and testing for leaks. there was ONE leak, and a bit more solder fixed that up.
    [​IMG]


    All running and will be tested over night for leaks.
    [​IMG]

    As you can see its fairly tall, and will have 4 120mm fans on it. The final height is just under 600mm tall, which brings my case height to exactly 600mm.
     
  2. rainwulf

    rainwulf What's a Dremel?

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    The actual case will be made out of this stuff. 12mm square section aluminum.
    [​IMG]

    Filed down to square, and i have pushed in some styrofoam to prevent the epoxy from going all the way down the tube.
    [​IMG]


    First lot of epoxy to go in the ends. This is to allow me to thread the aluminium and epoxy to create a very strong thread, and to allow me to square the exposed ends of on the case frame.
    [​IMG]


    I filed the 4 at once to make them all exactly the same length. These pieces are the horizontal struts going from front to back.
    [​IMG]


    The case will be assembled with right angle brackets that i am making from scratch using this right angle 3mm thick aluminium.
    [​IMG]


    Cut to width and filed down.
    [​IMG]

    Drilled with 3.5 mm drill. The screws are approximately 3.4 mm in diameter, so its a tight fit.
    [​IMG]

    How they will be assembled.
    [​IMG]

    Tapping the m4 hole.
    [​IMG]

    Angle bracket attached. (sorry shitty pic)
    [​IMG]

    And the result.
    [​IMG]
    You can see the epoxy has sunk a bit, so i will fill it up with a final layer, and then file it flat.
    This will allow a good flat mating surface.

    There is where i am at the moment, with the watercooling system done, and a few of the struts made, and the radiator done.

    Tomorrow, i will be making some more of the struts, and ordering more copper plate because i have run out. I need to make the DDR-2 watersinks, the hard drive brackets, the PSU blocks, and the video card ram watersinks.
     
  3. Von Lazuli

    Von Lazuli I get by fine with a jig-saw.

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    I enjoyed watching you make all the blocks... and I do so like steam-punk...

    Build! Build more! My eyes cry for more!
     
  4. rainwulf

    rainwulf What's a Dremel?

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    Updates. finally.

    This update is brought to you by Sink Cat(tm)
    [​IMG]

    This is the frame fully assembled.
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]


    I have attached right angle aluminum to the radiator so i can mount the radiator in the case.
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    120 mm delta fans mounted in aluminium rails.
    [​IMG]

    The radiator mounted into the frame.
    [​IMG]

    Mounting points.
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    I have used sealant to seal the aluminum frame to the fans and to the radiator.
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    Base bars for the motherboard mounting.
    I drill and tap holes into the main frame with an M4 tap. The M4 tap is the same
    size screws as CDrom mounting screws, so i can use standard PC screws for the
    entire case. The M4 tap got a lot of use heh.
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    Test motherboard mounted.
    [​IMG]


    My old machines layout.
    [​IMG]

    Actual motherboard installed.
    [​IMG]

    MOSFET cooling plate installed.
    [​IMG]

    North and South Bridge coolers installed.
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    CPU Block installed.
    [​IMG]

    Larger view.
    [​IMG]

    Naked PHYSX Card.
    [​IMG]

    Physx Card with block attached.
    [​IMG]



    Copper coolant manifold.
    [​IMG]

    Pump and bottom manifold.
    [​IMG]

    Res top.
    [​IMG]

    Res bottom.
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    Interior view.
    I have used a piece of foam to catch any crap in the lines, and also to catch any bubbles.
    [​IMG]


    Glued together.
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    There is a clear bit of pipe used on the side to indicate the fluid level.
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    Thats the res.

    Here are the copper pieces for the ramsinks for the video card.
    [​IMG]

    Soldered to copper pipes.
    [​IMG]

    Glued to the video card ram with accelerated model glue.
    [​IMG]

    View of the bottom manifold, pump, and res mounted.
    [​IMG]

    Top manifold.
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]


    Finished and polished ram coolers, and PCI bridge chip cooler.
    [​IMG]


    The top of the pump after running for a few hours got really damn hot, so i decided to cool it.
    [​IMG]

    More completed items.
    [​IMG]

    PCI mounting bracket.
    [​IMG]

    Another view of the pump
    [​IMG]


    3870X2 naked with the ramsinks.
    [​IMG]

    Activator. Good stuff.
    [​IMG]

    Back ram sinks installed.
    [​IMG]

    Front ram sinks.
    [​IMG]

    Coolant lines installed.
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    The fun begins. The 3870x2 has tiny mosfet power supply modules. They are naked silicon chips, and need dedicated proper cooling.
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    The special copper heatsink made for the naked chips.
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]


    All heatsinks, blocks and ramsinks installed and coolant lines run.
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]


    Final views.
    This is the view with all the coolant pipes run (silicone tubing) and anti corrosion compound installed.
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    This is the ICS Clock gen chip. It ran very hot, so i cooled it as well.
    [​IMG]

    View underneath the video card with mosfet blocks.
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]


    Hard drive racks.
    [​IMG]

    Front view.
    [​IMG]
    Casing sides arent finished yet.


    Top view with the DVD drive mounted vertical. It rises vertically, similar to a toaster.
    [​IMG]


    Complete side view.
    [​IMG]

    bit more work to go yet, including things like USB and power switches and LEDS to go on the top.
    And case sides, tops and ends. I will be using aluminum sheeting for the top and back, smoke perspex for the side, and the back and front will be using fine glass fibre mesh.
     
  5. Langer

    Langer Jesse Lang

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    Oh my... that's very impressive.
    A lot of work as well.

    Well done, good job!

    Can that poor pump handle all that flow?
     
  6. ModMinded

    ModMinded Are you throwing that away?

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    Man, you're insane! :clap:
    That's very cool! I love the reuse of the AC for Radiator and how you fixed it up. Love the homemade cooling! Have you got it running? What will you be using to attach the tubes to the various copper tubes, I didn't see anything like hoseclamps, zip ties, or even duct tape! :hehe:

    Also, what's that glue/activator you were using... is it thermally conductive?
     
  7. rainwulf

    rainwulf What's a Dremel?

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    Its a 1200 l/hr pump. Actually does a bloody awesome job. its why i had to put foam in the res to catch any bubbles.
     
  8. Langer

    Langer Jesse Lang

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    BRAVO!
     
  9. rainwulf

    rainwulf What's a Dremel?

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    To Modminded.

    The pipes are actually firmly attached, using small bore silicone tubing over the copper tubes, and then i force the larger bore clear silicone OVER the small bore stuff.
    [​IMG]

    The smallbore silicone fits VERY tightly over the copper, and doesnt move. The large silicone tubing is then forced over the small stuff, and makes a very tight seal.
    I actually have to stretch the large bore stuff with pliers to get it over the small bore stuff. It all then contracts to become an even stronger seal thats totally waterproof, and doesnt come apart. You have to actually use pliers to pull it off again if you need to.


    The glue im using is CA, cyanoacrylate glue. Its sets to a clear plastic. Its got the same thermal conductivity as the actual chips im cooling.
     
  10. rainwulf

    rainwulf What's a Dremel?

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    Every single hot device on the video card,sound card, physx card and motherboard is cooled by a copper heatspread device or block.

    The video card remains cool to the touch for extended periods of gaming.

    The video card is also overclocked, from a stock of 825mhz core 900mhz ram, to 891core, 999mhz ram. I am even considering pushing it some more, to 910core, 1050 ram and seeing how it goes.
    The cpu is running at 3.2gig from a stock of 2.6gig.
     
  11. The boy 4rm oz

    The boy 4rm oz Project: Elegant-Li

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    Fantastic use of an old AC. That is a ton of tubing lol. I hope you don't get a leak.
     
  12. ElThomsono

    ElThomsono Multimodder

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    +1

    This log's awesome, very nice work rainwulf :thumb:
     
  13. Xtrafresh

    Xtrafresh It never hurts to help

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    holy ****, you could probably write your name in all that tubing. Great modding, i really like the innovative approach you took
     
  14. crazybob

    crazybob Voice of Reason

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    This is, by a wide margin, the most ambitious and impressive water-cooling project I've ever seen.

    If you're calling the case Monolith, though, isn't it too deep? The sides should be sized in a ratio of 1:4:9...
     
  15. spenc259

    spenc259 in the build stage!!!

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    WOW is all i can say...homebrew kit is always nice to see...
     
  16. Guest-23315

    Guest-23315 Guest

    Woah! Toobey!
     
  17. TotalEntropy

    TotalEntropy Coming soon...

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    Been following this project, I'm curious how this will perform. Looks pretty sweet, but tin is an awful thermal conductor compared to copper, something like 3% of its conductivity. Keep up the good work!
     
  18. Thacrudd

    Thacrudd Where's the any key?!?

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    Amazing job, 5 stars
     
  19. Spyrious

    Spyrious Modding all the Time

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    Thats one hell of a job!!!Impressive!!!What temps are you getting on the cpu and gpu?
     
  20. HeXeN

    HeXeN Straight from Hell

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    Sorry to bother but is this reallllyyyy leak proofed? :D too many tubes for me to many possibilities of leaks but very innovative! Can you share with us with some screens with system temps?

    Regards
    HeXeN
     

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