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Scratch Build – In Progress *** PHINIX NANO TOWER *** --- MOTY 2011 nomination !!!

Discussion in 'Project Logs' started by phinix, 9 Nov 2009.

  1. phinix

    phinix RIP Waynio...

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    #####################################################

    NANO TOWER IS COMPLETED !!!
    Here is final photo of the finished build, please take a peek on my project log below!

    [​IMG][​IMG]

    #####################################################





    Ladies and Gentlemen

    for the second time, welcome to my project log!
    After my first scratch - build - Phinix Cube - I decided to start new little adventure, little enough to call it NANO :)

    First plan was to case-mod Lian Li A05 case, I'm sure some of you saw introduction to this project, but after some heavy thinking I decided to scratch build again:) I just didn't feel like modding case, when so many projects have been done with it already. You can find so many beautiful builds, I didn't feel like I could bring any new fresh ideas to this case. I felt I have to do something extraordinary, something better than we all have seen already, something that will open everyone's mouths and drop their jaws on the floor:)

    Right now Nano Tower is in the first stage - planning and gathering materials and hardware.
    I will update it every time I make a next step. Right now, short introduction...


    [​IMG]

    As you could already noticed from my previous build I'm always trying to use smallest dimensions I can get, to create great performance unit without any sacrifices on power and abilities. What I want to make is a case that its base will be smallest as possible, so it won't take a lot of space on my desk. To do that I would have to make it a bit taller, so that is why I decided to build tower-shaped case. Is it going to be tall? Tall just enough to take the longest graphic card on market. Engineering sample of dual chip ATI 5970 had ~34cm, so anything like that monster must go in my case.. just in case I win a lottery and buy one;)
    Also I want to cool it with water. Baaah... not one loop, but two!:) Yep, why not! One loop for CPU, one for GPU, so these two elements won't make any influence on temps of each other, adding more heat into the loop. After reading a good review of that Antec 620 water cooler I decided to get one for my new i5. What about GPU? having in mind that it's not out yet, I can predict that triple radiator will be enough for dual chip graphic card.

    I built my Cube from acrylic, now its time for aluminium!

    So, it will have small base, 20x20cm, it will be tall - main aluminium structure rods have 40cm. Tall, smooth tower - this kind of shape will look really good and a bit "mysterious"! :D Don't you think?:)

    Now, to make it more difficult for myself, apart of longest card and i5, two loops of water cooling, internal, I will squeeze in two SSD drives in RAID0, one 2.5"HDD and one slim dvd drive. What else? Full size modular ATX PSU!
    I think that will make it difficult enough to get your attention:)

    So, here it is, main idea, general plans and hardware that will be used to create Nano-Tower:

    Main ideas :

    • install motherboard in vertical position, so I/O panel will be on top
    • water cooling system installation, two loops, one for CPU (Antec 620), one for GPU
    • vertical PSU installation, power cable will go outside through the bottom panel
    • laser cut window installation on the left and right panel
    • fabricate mesh-radiator grill for top of the case a'la TJ-07 (clean mesh)
    • some nice laser-cut front panel
    • lighting system installation


    Hardware:
    • i5 750 watercooled
    • DFI MI P55-T36 mITX motherboard - first and most powerful mITX mobo on market !!!
    • new generation graphic card (also watercooled, right now I got GTX295, but waiting for dual Fermi :))
    • 4GB dual channel DDR3 CRUCIAL Ballistix Tracer memory !!!
    • SSD as OS drive
    • 1x 2.5" HDD as games drive
    • full size modular PSU


    Water cooling system:

    • Antec 620 watercooling kit for CPU
    • EK 4.0 pump + combo reservoir
    • triple EK-CoolStream RAD XT (360) radiator for GPU loop
    • GPU water block
    • Bitspower silver compression fittings
    • Feser tubing (orange)
    • 3x 120mm YateLoon SL slim fans for triple radiator


    Additional - EXTRA stuff:

    • Switches and fan controller to control all lights and fans.
    • leds to light it all up:)
    • yellow acrylic.. a lot...:)

    Project color scheme : black and yellow!


    My NanoTower Project is sponsored by:


    *** DFI ***

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    Check this out here.



    *** CRUCIAL ***

    [​IMG]

    Check this out here.



    *** MNPCTECH ***

    [​IMG]


    Check this out here.




    *** EK Water Blocks ***

    [​IMG]

    EK gave me huge discount on their products so I ordered these - check this out here



    *** PHENOPTIX ***

    [​IMG]

    Ben from Phenoptix is sponsoring all lighting equipment in this project!



    *** BITSPOWER ***

    [​IMG]

    Vincent from Bitspower will sponsor all amazing Bitspower goodies !!!



    *** AQUATUNING ***

    [​IMG]

    Aquatuning will sponsor quick release fittings sets for my water cooling loop !!!



    *** ANTEC ***

    [​IMG]

    Antec will support my project with their fantastic TruePower New TP-750W Modular PSU !!!


    So.. have fun with me once again and... STAY TUNED !!!

    PHINIX




    Shortcut list:

     
    Last edited: 27 Oct 2015
  2. Pashtet

    Pashtet MonstaMods

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    let's look how GT300 will look in such a small "tower"
     
  3. craigbru

    craigbru Cramming big things in small boxes since 2006

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    Starting already! Awesome man!

    (Oh, and you really need to post this at Losias too! :D)
     
    Last edited: 9 Nov 2009
  4. phinix

    phinix RIP Waynio...

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    Yeah, thats the one I told you before.. Decided to do this instead of Lian Li case.
    Yep, I will post on your forum as well:)

    Today I ordered loads of aluminium, should be with me in next few days.
    That means this weekend will be interesting:dremel:
     
    Last edited: 26 Apr 2010
  5. craigbru

    craigbru Cramming big things in small boxes since 2006

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    Excellent! I'll have to live vicariously through you until I get Hutch done. I'm really loving the scratch builds lately. I'm looking forward to the sketches!
     
  6. mnpctech

    mnpctech bit-tech sponsor

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    Shipped your goodies out today Mike :thumb:

    I know this project will be Epic :D
     
  7. phinix

    phinix RIP Waynio...

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    Sweeeeeet !!! Thanks Bill !!!

    Santa Bill sent his presents:D

    Now I need my aluminium to start building it.. should be here any day now.
    First I'm gonna build main structure frame. But before I do that I would like to show you guys some sketchups how the "guts will look like". This weekend is going to be really great for me!:)
    I only hope its not gonna rain, yesterday in Glasgow was beautiful cold weather, freezeing but sunny. Today.. its raining:( I hope it wont on this weekend so I could go out and start my dremel:)
     
  8. Dark~3nergy

    Dark~3nergy what was dat sandvich ?

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    Please show us some drawing :eek:
    this build will be so awesome, can't wait for the upcoming update :)
     
  9. phinix

    phinix RIP Waynio...

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    Hey Dark! Well, I can show some sketches, but they won't look as great as your renders:)
    I'm planning to use 3DStudio to transfer my sketchups there and render them to look nicer...
    First photos of rear work will be added this weekend, unless it will be raining here in Glasgow;)
    I should have get some materials till Saturday, so I could make a first cuts:)
    Sketches are ok, but not great if you know what I mean.. I would like to make them look cool, so first need to play 3dstudio before I show you some:)

    In this very moment I'm working on front panel layout. Looks like laser cutting it may be very expensive for what I designed, so need to try sth else so I could cut it in hands..:worried:
     
    Last edited: 17 Nov 2009
  10. Dark~3nergy

    Dark~3nergy what was dat sandvich ?

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    okay :)
    pm if you want help with 3ds ;p
     
  11. craigbru

    craigbru Cramming big things in small boxes since 2006

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    Yes phinix, do take Dark up on his offer if you need to. His work is outstanding...

    :looksatavatarandsmiles:
     
    Dark~3nergy likes this.
  12. woody_294

    woody_294 Wizard Ninja :P

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    Sounds bonkers :lol: Just out of interest, why will th I/O be on the top instead of putting the case on feet and having it come out of the bottom?

    Looking forward to some sweet renders!
     
  13. Validus

    Validus What's a Dremel?

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    I loved Cube... Can't wait to see this come together.
     
  14. phinix

    phinix RIP Waynio...

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    Oooh, I will use you! Use you goooood!!! :D
    Thanks man! I will install my old 3Dstudio tomorrow, but I may need help cause hevaen't used it for ages.

    I know! When saw his movie with rendered Neophyte I almost fell off the chair! :)
    Right.. DARK! What happened with Neophyte? Last time I remember is you had some problems with wrong plexi right? How that ended up?


    Bonkers? BONKERS??!! :wallbash: AGGRRRRR!!! :D
    I like the idea of having clear rear panel, like Raven - I also like the idea of cables coming out in one nice banch:) Also, to keep it sized to mITX, and huge longest graphic card ever, I had to put it like that cause the card will go down, verticaly... Don't worry you gonna like it:thumb:
    What do you mean by putting it on the feet and cables oout on bottom? I cannot see it...


    Thank you.. Thank you very much:) I hope you gonna like it..



    Guys, yesterday I worked on front panel design.. I love it.. but you gonna have to wait longer to see it :lol:
     
  15. Pashtet

    Pashtet MonstaMods

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    Phinix, you're teasing us! where are the pics???
     
  16. phinix

    phinix RIP Waynio...

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    Sooooon.. unpatient one... soooon....:D

    Front panels looks fine, in sketchup:) Tom from ChilledPC help me with it in some time.

    Yesterday I got card that FedEX missed me at home:) Well, I missed them too!:)
    So I'm gonna go tonight to their warehouse to pick up some heavy, loads of aluminium containing package:)
    I cannot promise, but I may add first sketches tonight... Plus some photos of aluminium elements for the frame. But hte REAL work will start on Saturday! I cannot wait...:dremel:
     
  17. phinix

    phinix RIP Waynio...

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    OK. I picked up my first package. It was heavy! And I thought aluminium is a light metal...:8
    Before I add photos this first update will contain first sketchups.
    So here it is...


    FIRST UPDATE

    These are the first sketchups of the main frame. As I said before (wrote) main frame of my nanoTOWER has 400mm of height (well, main rods actually). With bottom panel which is 5mm and top one, 3mm, it has 408mm of height. Base of the case has dimension of 200x200mm.
    Here it is - main aluminium structure of The nanoTOWER !!! :eeek:

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    OK, I'm gonna comment on few of them.
    Here you can see the most important part.. The mobo tray. It is made of 2mm aluminium sheets, size 20x17cm.

    [​IMG]

    Here you can see L shape aluminium support for middle-top panel.
    It will be installed just above the mobo and will keep CPU cooler on top of it. That is why there is and big 120mm round hole for fan.

    [​IMG]

    ...and this is that middle-top panel...

    [​IMG]

    Here's the support for bottom panel. Of course it will be also screwed in from the bottom. To make it look more light, I may use some low profile head screws...

    [​IMG]

    Here's a rear of the structure. Right now it shows the rear 2mm panel and 3mm acrylic "under-radiator" sheet - it will be a small decoration touch for radiator mount.

    [​IMG]

    ...that is why we have those holes here - that's the holes where the tubing will go through the rear panel to the inside. Yes, triple radiator will be installed on rear of the case. More details about it will be presented later...

    [​IMG]

    So, that's the whole thing for right now... Looks nice. Right now I can only say that this aluminium structure is tough as hell, I didn't imagine it will be so stable and strong! When took that 3mm panel in my hands I was a little shocked! Not even mentioning that 5mm bottom one... ...and those square rods! WOW!.... It will be hell of a case!!!

    I hope you like it! :worried:
     
    Last edited: 12 Nov 2009
  18. dullonien

    dullonien Master of the unfinished.

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    Out of curiosity, why have you decided to mount the radiator on the outside, instead of making the case slightly deeper to accommodate it inside?

    I really like the form-factor. Something very different.
     
  19. phinix

    phinix RIP Waynio...

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    Well, there were few thoughts about it: first, I loved the way Bill modded one of his cases with top mounted radiator and nice mesh covering it :

    [​IMG]

    I would like to do same thing with mine, only thinner one, 35mm XSPC.
    Other thing is because the main frame structure was designed only big enough to accommodate mITX mobo and double slot graphic card, so there was no room for radiator - notice that frame has 20cm of width - that is only enough to keep 17cm mobo with PCI-e graphic slot at the edge of it, then I had to add more 3cm for dual slot card. That is why I decided to keep it 20cm in width, no even mm more.
    Also, I'm going to use thin radiator - RS360, which has 35mm of depth, so it won't stick out that much from the whole tower.
    Last thing is it will be installed on the rear of the case, so it won't be seen. This kind of installation took advantage from the mount position of the mobo - with I/O panel on top, not on rear of the case. Two advantages in this kind of structure in one time..:)
     
  20. woody_294

    woody_294 Wizard Ninja :P

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    Lol I meant bonkers in the best possible way :D

    I just meant as you've done it, but with the back of the Motherboard pointing downwards, just to make the cables comeout of the bottom.
     

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