Well, this is it. As my other project(Project:Black ice) is on hold because I have neither the time or have the working environment needed to complete it, I've still got the parts and so I thought I'd post this project. This is mainly because I really think anyone new to modding needs to see someone else who's new give it a go, even if it's a small project. I've done a fair bit of DIY'ing so I'm handy with power tools, but I urge anyone thinking that they can't do it to think again. I was a noob once(and maybe still am as you never really stop learning) so just try, and the feeling of pride you get from accomplishing the work is well worth it. However, I haven't done much photography and I am snapping in artificial light with my phone so please excuse the quality. I've decided that I would like another fairly powerful PC to do all the number crunching stuff like video and music editing and converting. That then leaves the one I'm on now(the one in the sig) for gaming and media playback. Here are the bits so far and prices are roughly including delivery; The standard PC parts; Seasonic S12 500W_________________________________________=£26-ebay.co.uk Antec Big Boy 200mm fan____________________________________=£13.91 a while back-Specialtech.co.uk Sparkle nVidia GeForce 8400GS 256MB DDR2 Passively cooled_________=£16.75-ebay.co.uk ASUS R.O.G. Striker Extreme 680i Motherboard____________________=£18.50-ebay.co.uk 2 x 1GB OCZ nVidia SLI-EPP PC2-8500 1066MHz RAM_______________=£48.58-ebay.co.uk HP L1950 19” LCD Monitor___________________________________=£43.99-ebay.co.uk Gigabyte GZ-X1 ATX chassis case ______________________________=£39-AWC Bournemouth Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 G0 CPU(apparently never overclocked) 2.40GHz=£87-ebay.co.uk StarTech 5.25" Trayless SATA Hot-Swap bay_______________________=£16.69-shop4usb.com LG DVD Multi internal IDE optical drive GH22 with LightScribe____________=£27.99-PC World The water cooling parts; Swiftech mcp650 [laing pump 12v 1200lph]_______________________=£42-ebay.co.uk EK coolstream XT240 240mm radiator__________________________ =£33.49-Specialtech.co.uk Water cooling Radiator 240mm Thin black With 1/2 barbs_____________=£30.50-ebay.co.uk EK ASUS 1 MOSFET Water Block+1/2" Barbs Copper/Acetal___________=£8.20-ebay.co.uk EK ASUS 1 MOSFET Water Block+1/2" Barbs Copper/Acetal___________=£26.52-candccentral.co.uk Swiftech MCRES-Micro Reservoir V2_____________________________=£23.27-candccentral.co.uk EK LGA 775 back plate_______________________________________=£2.49-ebay.co.uk Danger Den TDX UNI CPU water block____________________________=£31.46 a while back-Specialtech.co.uk 2 x Alphacool NexXxos chipset water blocks_______________________=£22.80 a while back-Specialtech.co.uk 4 Metres Specialtech 1/2" Hi-Flex tubing__________________________=£3.13 a while back-Specialtech.co.uk Danger Den Fillport Delrin Black_________________________________=£8.02 a while back-Coolercases.co.uk 2 x EK ASUS MOSFET backplates________________________________=£9.98-Specialtech.co.uk 10 x 1.5" Nickel plated hose clamps_____________________________=£2-In-Excess 1.5 Metre 1" White PVC tubing_________________________________=£2.98-B&Q 1 x 1" Compression fitting Ball joint valve__________________________=£1.25-?Plumbing suppliers in Castle Point Industrial estate, Bournemouth? White plastic T-joint_________________________________________=£0.25-In-Excess That's a pretty comprehensive list so anything else I need I'll list as and when I get it. I haven't got a lot of time to spend on graphical design so here's a quick sketch on paint of the Fan and radiator placement. I'm sure you get the idea. I don't know if you can tell, but the fan is inside the case pushing the air outside then through the radiators which is why I am calling it Air con, because that is what it'll probably look like when finished. Just hope it doesn't sound like one. The case isn't a bad one for a budget rig. As you can see bellow it sports tool-less drive bays and expansion slots. Of coarse they could vibrate so bad that I revert to screws and bushes, but we'll have to wait and see. So far all I've managed to do is get my tools to where I'm staying and mark the cut on the side panel. From now on I'll let the pics tell the thousand words and just write a caption after each. Radiator placement. Marked and ready for cutting. No, I'm not going to spend an hour and 6 cutting discs doing it with a dremel, I shall be using my trusty Jigsaw with fine toothed metal blade. Hopefully have more for you tomorrow.
Hi there. I was thinking to myself(yes, it hurt) and thought it would be more encouraging if new potential modders see how to do these jobs without spending too much cash. I know the parts I have bought add up, but the modding itself can be done for a reasonable price and with bits that you wouldn't look twice at unless you were a DIY or modding fanatic. And trust me on this, once you get the bug for modding, you'll be a hoarder and won't throw anything away that you might find useful later on(and that's nearly everything). The trick I use to stop collecting too much junk is that if you don't use it within a year, get rid of it. Well, I got some more done today so here goes. Got the side panel off that needs to be butchered and set up my trusty Workmate with a piece of wood clamped on the top. This stops the drill from ruining the Workmate and makes the holes much neater. Always use a centre punch or a nice sharp screw/nail to make a dent so the drill bit doesn't drift and scratch the work piece, or worse, hurt yourself. The hole is large enough for the Jigsaw blade and inside the marked out circle. Hint:If you cover the bottom plate of the Jigsaw with double sided carpet tape and leave that nice slippery backing on, it'll stop it scratching the painted surface. That's the Fan hole done and the screw holes for the fan are easy as all you have to do is place the fan over the hole, line it up, and then use a thin precision screwdriver or something similar to put down the screw holes of the fan and mark the work piece. Find the correct sized screws for fixing the fan in place. Hint:I use the standard PC fan screws that are self tapping, which means you don't need to make a thread for them, just start them straight and they end almost flush with the surface. Centre punch the marks and find the appropriate sized HSS(high speed steel) drill bit by taking the screws threaded end and placing it in front of the non bladed end of the bit. You'll get the hole right first time then and if you make sure it's a tight fit, it gives you room for error. Next try screwing on the fan to check the holes line up, if not just mark the edge of the hole that needs a little taking off with a pencil and use either a Dremel with a small grinding bit or a warding file to take the excess off. Then you can smooth and round the edges of the fan hole cut with the Dremel or file too. I then placed the radiators on the panel and lined them up nice and straight. Then I made a mark for the holes that take the water tubing into the PC. I then punched the centre of where I thought the holes should be(no need to be too accurate as you'll see later), clamped the panel to the Workmate using card to protect the surface of the work piece, and using a hole saw attached to a good powerful drill, made the holes. Remember that bits like these can get very hot so take care when handling them after the job and place then on a surface that is not flammable. I can't stress enough how important it is to clamp the work piece down adequately when using powerful tools. It's OK to not bother with the small holes, but when using a bit like a hole saw, it can jam suddenly and cut you, or worse you can slice your stomach and spill your guts. I hope you get the message. That's all of them done now so just smooth them off a tad to take the sharpness off. As you can see, they're not that straight but no need to worry now, lets get on with the radiator placement. Here's a little trick for making a stencil. I use an A4 folder slip cut and opened out, then I stick it to the piece I want to take the stencil of with masking/electrical tape and use a marker pen. I then just pierce the centre of the marks with a precision screwdriver or the like. If you plan to do any more modding then you can keep them for another project. Placing the stencil on the panel, I lined up(as near as possible) the marks for the water tubing holes and while making sure that the holes on the nearest edge were straight with a ruler, proceeded to mark through the stencil, punch the marks then drill the hole for the radiator fixings. Remember that the radiator is a very delicate piece of kit and you don't want to puncture it by using screws that are too long. I found that the new one I got used the larger threaded case screws and the one I got second hand used the optical drive screws so they were just the right length. When the first radiator was screwed in place I placed the second rad next to it under the panel(see pic above), lined it up and then using the stencil marked it. Then after removing the first rad proceeded to punch, drill, line up to check the spacing and if need be, make adjustments to the holes. I then removed the fixed rad and put it together in the order required. First the fan and then the rads. Now I know you're thinking that the rads aren't going to get a lot of air going through them but it's not too much to worry about as I am using two and that Antec does push a fair bit of air even at medium speed, and rather quietly too. Now we come to the water tubing inlet holes that are a tad untidy. Yup, that's the top off of a deodorant can in case you're looking puzzled. I need the top of the lid so with a nice sharp craft knife I inserted the blade as close to the top as possible and with the back of the blade against the inner cap(see pic bellow for inner cap). I then used the inner cap for a ratcheting action. This meant I had good control of the knife even though I was cutting toward myself(which as a matter of rule you should never do). There, that's one done. I then got rid of the inner cap with a hack saw, as that is the safest way, by placing it over the edge of the wood and sawing horizontally with the Workmate and only using the saws own weight. That's three done........................AAAAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGG! I knew I shouldn't have thrown that other one away last month. I'll go shopping for another deo lid tomorrow(I might even have to buy the can as well). Next job is the PSU. It really get on my tits that the case manufacturers still put the power supply in the way they do. To me it is so illogical to have the PSU take warm air from the system(that is usually right above the CPU cooler) in order to cool itself. And to top it all the ATX spec says that the PSU should not be easily reversible. I'll find a way so here goes. First up is the power cord socket as it is stopping the PSU from sitting flush with the case. I marked where and how much I need to take off and then I used the Jigsaw with the metal blade to cut in along the marks. I then cut again right next to the previous cut on the bottom mark and so on until I had taken enough to fit the blade in and cut from mark to mark. Now trust me when I say it takes some skill, practise and strong fingers, so you can use a Dremel or flat bladed file if you not too confident doing it my way. There, That's better eh? Stencil time again! It was getting late by the time I got that done so I couldn't use any tools. At the mo I'm staying at my Aunt and Uncles place in the loft so I can't make too much noise late. I'll have to call it a day now anyway as I'm back to work tomorrow, eh?, I mean later today. See ya t-moro......or maybe later today............ah whatever.
Re: Project:Air con - Day 3 Hi there! Back again with another update and picture fest. Right, where was I? Oh yes! The PSU. With the case on it side(mobo tray facing up) and PSU in place I used the stencil to line up the holes needed to fix it in place. Again, if need be you can stick the stencil to the case to leave your hands free to mark the holes positions. Punch, drill, align, then test fit the PSU with the top two holes. As you can see th bottom holes don't have anything to fix to but I have a cunning plan. Here I have a grill off of my gaming rig that I removed from the drive bays and kept. As you can see after measuring it up I have cut off the turned edges bar one. I have then cut the remaining turned edge down to about 1mm. I then filed down the small edges to take the sharpness off, which as you can see, because of the way the honeycomb was patterned it was quite easy. I then de-burred(gently filed off the turned over metal) it to leave a nice straight edge. You can see in the pic above on the right hand side of the work piece that if you were to just file straight across the long side you would end up with an edge like a saw blade, and I didn't want that. I'm probably just being fussy but any skilled craftsman will tell you that sharp edges are unprofessional, so I used the Dremel with a cutting disc attached to do this job. now, if it's a good cutting disc like the Black & Decker ones that I have, you can use the sides like a sanding disc too. I just clamped the bracket in the Workmate, steadied my hands by using the work surface, and in a fluid controlled motion gently worked my way along the humps. You can see how much better it looks on the left side. Hint:If you are using a metal vise always put a piece of wood between the jaws of the vise and the work piece. This will stop the gripping teeth of the jaws marking it. Next I had to make a cut in order to go round a rivet that was holding the I/O plate cutout piece. The next job was to make the holes for the screws on the bottom of the PSU but that was easy really as I could see through the honeycomb. All I needed to do was put the bracket in place and mark where the holes were then make any of the holes that were already there bigger. While I'm working on the next job I quickly sprayed the bracket with some satin enamel pant that I just happened to have left over from another job. Here is the bracket in place. I know you can't see it but the turned edge that I left goes at the top to take up the gap. Makes it look much better in my opinion and still lets plenty of air through. I then turned my attention to the front carry handle as it was getting to late to use the Jigsaw. I got these at B&Q for £2.85 a pair. The only advice I can give you when choosing any extra fitting for a case mod is to find bits that have at least one feature that is similar to the general look of the case you are working on. That way it won't look out of place and will compliment the build. I've gone for handles that have a grove that is like the top of the front bezel. First job was to place the handle on the top of the case to see where I wanted it. I then laid it down and measured from each side and then from the front in order to make any adjustments needed to straighten it. I then marked the centre of the crew holes which is easy to do looking straight down from the top and marking dead centre right next to the fixing hole ends. Punch the holes as usual and then drill the holes with a drill bit that is only just big enough. DAMN! Nearly caught a glimpse of my ugly mug there. Sorry about that, I promise it won't happen again. Now these handles can be a pain as you don't want to make the hole any bigger than you have to because the designers don't leave any room for error which is why I suggested using a really tight hole size. As you can see in the pic above in order to make enough room for the machine screws I take the extra out with Dremel which has a bit smaller than the hole you are enlarging. A good habit to get into is when using a Dremel is to steady your hands by resting them on the work surface or work piece. That way you have far more control of the tool, and thus the end result will be better and will take less time because of slips and jumps taking chunks out of the work piece or your hands. You must also remember not to cover any vent on the tool otherwise it could end up overheating. Not good. Now, do you remember me saying not to chuck anything away............... Well there's proof that just about anything can come in handy. I have used the cut outs from the side panel water tubing inlet holes to spread the load of the carry handles. Should stop the top of the casing from warping from the weight when using the handles. That's one done. Now I'll have to leave the back one until I've cut out the venting for the PSU fan so I will start measuring the vent hole up ready for cutting tomorrow. Because the PSU is never dead centre to the case, I laid the PSU on the top of the casing and lined it up with the holes for the screws. As you can see in the pic above, I used some tape to mark the edges of the PSU. I then needed to find something the same diameter as the fan hole and found the perfect thing.......One of those protective plastic spacers you get with new packs of CD's or DVD's. I then measured the space from the fan hole from the back and side edge with it on the PSU. I put the piece I was using as a stencil on the top of the case where I thought it should be and using the measurements repositioned it into the correct place with the ruler not forgetting the extra 2mm offset that the case caused. Then using my thumb in the spindle hole of the stencil proceeded to mark around the edge. Another job I cant finish because of the time but I've got something else I can do for now. The motherboard heat-sinks need to come off for the water cooling blocks. I made sure I had the anti-static mat on the work surface and the anti-static wrist strap on before I even got the mother board, mobo, MB, or whatever you want to call it, out of the anti-static bag. I know a lot of you are thinking that it's a bit OTT, but I only paid £18.50 for it, and it would cost a damn sight more to replace if I sent a jolt through it. First I hold the motherboard up on one of the edges and find those horrid spring loaded self locking push pins that they use to fix the heat-sinks on with. Don't use pliers or any other tool like it to release them as the chances of slipping and taking out a resistor are pretty high After matching one of the lowest ones on the board up on the back I pinch it's retaining barbs with the nails of my thumb and first finger being very careful not to damage anything on the board. I just worked my way up the board until I got to the two most upper pins and then, while holding the heat-sink with a couple of fingers, I tilted the board back a little and proceeded to take the last pins out. That way, if the heat-sink was to fall because of crap TIM(thermal interface material), it wouldn't damage the mobo. Good job I did support the Heat-sink as the TIM was so old and dry it did fall off. Next I had to clean off the old TIM which was more like auto-motive body filler. I use surgical spirit because being a butcher I always keep some in the house, the only problem with it is you have to wipe it dry because it can leave a film after it has evaporated but other people use different stuff as well like ethanol or special TIM removing fluid. This is one of the chipset blocks that I have opened to show the contents but different blocks have different fixing methods so the ones you choose, should you decide to undertake water cooling, could be nothing like this. Hint:You should always read the instructions for whatever it is you need to put together yourself. I know it's annoying taking those extra couple of minutes to do but it is worth it. Even someone as experienced as me who has put everything together, from LEGO®(we don't want another argument over that again do we?) and flat-pack furniture to motorcycle engines and PC's, I will at least glance over them to save frustration later on. Well, you wouldn't believe this but my chipset blocks didn't come with instructions. Luckily I have read a few guides now but if you have the same trouble Custom PC or these forums will have enough knowledge to get you by and any questions, I'm sure the chaps here will help. Sorry about the focus but you should be able to make out the screws for the north bridge water block that I have threaded through. I wasn't happy with the fact the pack had no nylon or card washers to protect the board, so I cut the rubber hole grommets through the middle leaving a flat piece and a bit the shape of a mushroom, put the flat one on the screw first flat side facing away from the screw head and then being careful I fed it through the back of the mother board. I then laid the mobo back down right-way-up making sure the screw didn't move and damage anything to put the other split grommet on with the cut side of it facing up. I used one of the springs to push it down the thread of the screw just to make sure I didn't damage anything. Thats better. At least I know the screws won't scratch the mobo now as I have noticed some circuit traces very close to the heat-sink retaining holes. Next up was the new TIM. The blocks did come with some but I tried it out and the stuff was so thin that it sprayed the whole chipset PCB(printed circuit board). I wasn't happy with it so instead I used my trusty Arctic Silver 3 that I got from Maplins for £4.99p. I used a lot less than I would for a CPU, about half a grain of rice, then using a piece of card cut to the width of the chip(that's just the small shiny raised bit in the middle of the square soldered on PCB) I spread the thermal paste from the middle out making sure that it's a thin layer but even. I don't know if anyone else does it but I then do the same with the Heat-sink or water block but make it as thin as possible and only where it will make contact with the chip. Next I threaded the water block down the studs on to the chipset and while holding it firmly(but not with to much pressure), I threaded the springs and then the tension adjusting nuts on to the studs. Now, working on motorcycle and car engines has taught me that when tightening anything up that relies on pressure to seal you should tighten it starting with one corner and then the next one is the direct opposite if it. You then go to the next corner and do the same and so on. I'm not sure that its essential with something like this but I would rather play it safe so I tightened it up a little on each side at a time. Next I repeated all those steps for the south bridge chip as well. Next up was the CPU. This is the G0 stepping Core 2 Quad Q6600 so it should be very good for the multi threaded apps that I need it for. I know the new Intel chips are better but not only could I not find an i3, i5 or i7 for the same sort of money I paid for this, but I could not find a mobo for the price I paid for mine either. I can always overclock it a bit anyway. This is the back of the chip to show you the protective cover that you should always put back on when not in a mobos socket. It's just as important as the sockets protective cover as it protects what is potentially a lot of moneys worth of stuff that more often-than-not can't be repaired. Here it is inserted into the socket which is a LGA(land grid array) type. Again, I can't stress enough the importance of reading the instructions for the products you have bought as you might have chosen a different one from me but I am just showing you this in order to say that you should never force the CPU in th socket. If you match the lugs to the grooves on the edge of the chips PCB it should just slip straight in and sit flush with the first ledge of the plastic lip. Double check that it is flush before closing the metal top over the CPU and then hook the latch back down. This is the CPU water block and it's retaining bits. First up was the nuts on the end of the studs. Then making sure the neoprene pad was between the CPU back plate and the mobo I fed the studs through the holes. Making sure to hold the studs I again laid the mobo down right-way-up then fed the first nylon washer on followed by the retaining nut for the stud. I soon worked out that the CPU kit was much better than the chipset ones, so I might re-do the NB and SB blocks with the same setup as the CPU. That's all of the studs done hand tight. Next I turned the mobo on its side again and using a socket attachment for my inter-changeable screwdriver I proceeded to tighten the nuts on the back up, again corner to opposite corner, hand tight. Well, that's all I had time for today....I mean yesterday(here we go again) so I'll see you tommorrow........ oh hell, ...... soon!
Thanks mate. I'm glad someone is interested in my adventures and I hope that my experience will help in some way. Now, I know the way I'm writing this log might sound a little patronising to experienced modders but I'm trying to produce this worklog from the point of view I would have liked to see it at the time I was just getting into PC modding. It's only a small project but I have learnt over the years that it's best to start a new venture with something small and simple so I'll carry on with as much explanation as possible and don't forget to ask me, or post in the forum, anything you feel you need to know, no matter how silly a question you feel everyone might think it is. I feel that everyone on this forum who is a modder will be more than happy to help with a project if you join the family and help keep the scene alive. Right, lets get back to business. If you remember I had marked out the top fan hole ready for cutting so as usual, place the drill bit within the inside of the cut so that you can just hand turn it to make a mark. Then centre punch on the mark in order to drill the starting hole for the whichever blade you are going to use to cut out the vent. Now I should of done this earlier but I wasn't sure if I was going to have time to do it, but now I think it's important enough so here goes. Using a Jigsaw: A Jigsaw is a very handy tool to have. You can pick a reasonably good one up for about £25 now and they make long cuts far quicker and easier with better results when you get the hang of using one. Safety first. 1) Always read the instructions for safe use of a power tool 1b) Make sure the work area is well lit and dry with no chance of liquids coming into contact with the power tool unless the instructions say it's waterproof 1a) Always know your surroundings when using potentially dangerous tools. 1c) If it's a corded/mains powered tool, always know where the power cord is. 1d) Remove anything that is flammable away from the work area as you don't want any stray sparks to start a fire. 1e) Use the goggles. Even if you wear glasses a stray piece of what you're cutting can take you sight which is something that you can't replace. 1f) Make sure that you are not going to cut/hit something under the work piece. Just for an example, your fingers that are holding it or, that the blade will come into contact with the adjusting bars at each end of the Workmate you are cutting on down through the centre of. 1g) If you are unsure of anything, ask a professional for advice. It could save you money, time and maybe your life. I don't mean to put you off using any type of power tool but with using one you become responsible for the life of anyone else's within the work area as well as your own so please, just be careful, mindful and observant. Things to remember; The blade cuts on the up-stroke so there's no need to force it. Let the Jigsaw do the work while you keep control of where it's going. Not only will you make the tool and blade last longer but the end result will be better. When you come to the end of the cut go even slower and you will have better control when you lose the resistance of the material or, if you are cutting into a corner as I was in the picture below, you won't over shoot the mark and have to correct the mistake. clean the tool after you've finished with it and keep it in good working order and again, it'll last longer and do a better job. Even if you are tempted to buy the really cheap brand of tool or wear and tare parts like the blades, don't unless someone else you know/trust can recommend them. More often-than-not it's a false economy or worse, they are dangerous. I know it could be frowned upon for slating a product but don't buy Blackspur as I have found this brand to be of very poor quality and longevity. Use the right tool for the job. For instance, use a fine toothed blade for nicely finished cuts or a thin blade for complex shapes, and most of all, use the right type or blade for the right material. Again they will last longer and give better end results. You can apply these rules to just about any tool really so use this knowledge. The most important thing to remember is that there is no such thing as too much knowledge. I realise that I don't know every trick and tip that other people may have found out for themselves and it's a healthy attitude for you to have as well. That way you will learn the easy way...............from other peoples mistakes and not your own. If anyone reading this can add to this please leave a comment and I can edit it. Thanks. Here you can see after holding the PSU in the case that I wasn't too far off the mark so if need be, I could just file off any edge I feel could do with a little more off. After removing the PSU(and my hand of coarse) from the case I proceeded to find a position that I felt the rear handle would look good, fit with ease and have enough support to be off use. I then measured, marked, centre punched, drilled, aligned, made hole adjustments and then fitted it. I don't think it looks too bad but I do hate the fan vent not being dead centre. I guess that's what being ambidextrous does to you. Next up I thought I would tackle the horrid vents on the right side panel while I can get away with using the power tools. Now, the reason I have these on this side is that in order for me to have the rads on the panel where I wanted them, I had to switch the panels over to their opposite sides. I think that they would make nice mini windows to show off some PCB as I like the look of the traces and soldered parts of a mobo. In a way I think of it as a type of art that should be shown off if it's done well. Always check that the panels are reversible before cutting them up as not all case accommodate this. This is where a Dremel does come in handy as it makes the starting of each side a lot easier. As you can see I have used a cutting disc to allow for a blade. It means that the first cut I make will be running straight along the cutting marks and it'll make the job tidier. Nearly done this one. The finishing touches are to file the edges nice and straight and smooth, and then de-burr so they are as blunt as I can make them. Both done now and if I don't say so myself, not bad. The cases right side so far...... And now the left side. More comin' soon.
Everyone has to start somewhere and its nice to see the process of it and showing the time and effort put into it. Obviously your keen in modding so it wont take long for your efforts to show, probably by the end of this mod you will have gained alot of experience from it. Regards to the top vent for the PSU, it would bug the hell out of me if it's not centred but have learnt that doing something drastic to correct something minor normally means it turns out worse if you try to correct the problem than leaving it alone. PS its titled air con and you could easily make it a real air con unit by using evaporative cooling on the radiators. Next mod maybe and to experienced modders
Here we are again. Got a couple of hours modding in and finished some jobs off. The vent hole has been tidied up with a bit of sheet metal edging trim. I think Bill at MNPCTECH started this craze off when he used it for his fan vent holes that he had cut but it's a pain to get over here in the UK. I luckily got some off a scrapped washing machine or drier otherwise I would have had to buy some from a modding on-line retailer. As you can see I just used a bit of card to help fit it when it became stubborn and when I had done the complete circumference I cut the length just over the join to make it a snug fit. It was then just a case of double sided tape on the join and if that didn't hold it I would use some silicon sealant. Not bad for a first vent hole, and the top of the PSU's a nice tight fit , so a bonus there. I might just finish the joint with some black guttering sealant though. Next I thought I would tackle the mobo tray because if you remember, I wanted a window where the vents originally were on the side panel and that means a perfect opportunity to show off some PCB. First off I fitted the side panel that I had already cut the windows out of and used it as a stencil for the mobo tray behind. As you can see I had to make a little adjustment to the shape as it would have cut off some stand-off holes and especially with a water cooled board, it's important to support the mobo as much as possible. After making sure I was happy with the marking I proceeded to remove the mobo tray. Not an easy feat with these riveted cases. I drilled out the rivets with a bit I felt was just under the cases hole size using the pin hole as the centre obviously. The best way to drill them out is from the top down using the weight of the drill. This way when the rivet is free it just pushes out and if you are applying too much force you can carry straight on and damage the hole or the paint finish. Be careful when you have finished drilling all the rivets out and try to remove the tray. If you find it isn't budging then don't force it. Instead look for other ways that the manufacturers have anchored it to the case like the methods above that I found on my case. They used tabs on the I/O plate frame that located into slots on the mobo tray. The tray just slid out once I had used the Dremel with a cutting disc on the tabs. Once I had the mobo tray out I used the Dremel to cut out the windows as they were not really flat enough for it to be safe using the Jigsaw. I then did the usual filing. You'll notice that I start with a wide faced file at a 45º angle. This meant that as much of the surface of the file was in contact with the edge of the window cut out in order to make the edge as straight as I could. After doing that I gently squared off the corners with a warding file that only had teeth on the face and not the edge of the tool. Just needed de-burring after by very gently filing it a very slight angle to the work piece as in the pic above. I think I will get rid of the grey and spray the mobo tray(is that too many "Y's" or what?). That job will have to wait till I get a good day outside. In the meantime I have made the holes of the case that held the mobo tray in place slightly larger and used fan screws to fix it back in place. Not only is the thread on them nice and widely spaced but they fit nice and flush when done up. The next job then was the feet. I don't like the solid plastic ones on these cheep cases so a mod is the prescribed medicine. I already had some handles that I had got for my unfinished build so those will do. I think I got them out of the bargain bin in B&Q for 99p so not too bad a price. I measured up, marked, centre punched, drilled, made alignment adjustments and then fitted them. As the metal sheeting of the case is a great deal thinner than the draw or cupboard door that they would normally be attached to, I needed to cut the pan-head machine screws that are used to fix them in place down a tad. Hint: If you are cutting a screw or bolt down, it's always a good idea to put a correct size nut or two on it. This means that you can just unscrew it off and it will re-cut the thread after using a Dremel or saw blade on it. Here you can see it better. You will also find that with a nut or two on the screw it will be easier to clamp. The screw and the nut will get extremely hot when you are cutting through it. It's a good idea to cut all around the circumference of the screw and then using pliers, snap the end off as this not only stops the thread from getting too damaged but also means that the piece that you are cutting off won't fly off somewhere and possibly cause damage, or worse, a fire. Both feet are done but a problem occurred to me. If I want to stack it on one of my other PC's or on a nice surface then those metal bars aren't too good really. I first found a bit of tubing that was surplus to requirements and measured it up against the bars of the feet. Then I clamped it nice and tight in the Workmate but not right up tight. Then using a sharp craft knife as in the pic above, I cut through the centre from one end to the other. You will notice that I am using the first finger of my left hand for the power of the cut, and my right hand for the control of the blade. It sounds odd I know but it works. The straightness of the cut will depend on the angle of the blade, so if you find that you are going off centre, you can make a tiny adjustment and turn the knife to the left or right as needed. When I'd done that I put the split tube on the bar and marked where the fixing points were on it. I then used a pair of scissors to cut each side of the mark on both sides of the split, about the same width as the fixing bars. Then I just cut the bit out of them. I then fitted the tubing back on the feet bars and admired the finishing touch. No more scratches and if it's on a solid surface, it should stop it from vibrating the case and sliding along the floor. I might change the clear tubing for black yet but that can wait till the end of the mod. I still haven't decided if I like the covers in clear. That's it for now. I'll get on with some more tomorrow as I have the day off work.
Thank mate. The evaporative cooling sounds interesting but the air is very humid here in the U.K. so if I was to go any more extreme, it would have to be a phase exchanger. Maybe one day when I'm fitting servers for a living eh? As to experienced modders reading the thread, I'm not sure if they can learn anything but I like constructive criticism as I learn from it. Now, on with the next days work. If you remember, I had fitted the studs for the CPU water block so while I had plenty of daylight, the next job was to fit the MOSFET blocks as the CPU block would make the job of fitting them a lot harder. First the usual checking of contents to make sure nothing was missing before starting the job. I set up the ASD(anti-static discharge) mat up and plugged it into the socket. Warning:If you're not sure of this next procedure ask an approved electrician or at least someone who knows what you're asking them to do without looking at you with a puzzled expression. Hint:The best way to run the ASD mat and wrist-strap to ground is to take a normal 3 pin mains plug(not a sealed unit) and open it up. Remove the LIVE and the NEUTRAL pins, take a good gauge(plenty of copper wire surrounded by heavy insulation) bit of wire about 2 meters long, if it's multi-core, cut it down leaving just one wire of approx 2cm in length. Strip the protruding wires insulation back by 4mm and connect it to the remaining EARTH pin. If need be, strip the outer insulation of the wire on the other end down but have a length of at least 5cm on the protruding wire of the same colour as the one connected to the earth pin. Strip the protruding wires insulation down by at least 2.5cm, make a loop like a lasso and twist the cross-over to lock it in shape. You can now attach the crocodile clamps of the ASD mat and the ASD wrist-strap to the loop while still making it easy to take apart for packing away. I then checked the back plates so they fitted properly. Glad I did, as you can see in the pic, the one on the left side needed modding to fit as a retaining board for the ATX 12V socket was in the way. I'm sure that I shouldn't of had to do that. I mean, what if I was a complete noob and didn't have the tools needed to do the job. Tut, tut. As I had back plates and rubber padding to protect the mobo, it added to the length of screws that I needed to fix the blocks in place so I did the usual trick of finding longer screws with the same pitch thread, cutting them down to the required size with a correct sized nut on, and used the nut to re-cut the thread. I then pulled the thermal transference pads apart and stuck them to the MOSFET chips. With the help of a few peeps in the know here at Bit-Tech(thanks PureSilver) I have come to the conclusion that thermal pads are the way to go. I asked about using TIM but was advised against it as the chips are not precisely level so the pads take up any difference in this variation. When tightening the MOSFET water block, be careful and just do them up to biting point(the point at which the screws just start to make clamping pressure). Then do them up a little at a time on each end until the pads that are compressed the most are only just completely compressed. That way you won't damage the solder on the chips pins and end up repairing them(which I wouldn't recommend unless you're competent with a soldering iron. Here you can see one MOSFET block fitted and the pads ready for the next block. With the MOSFET water blocks fitted I then turned my attention back to the CPU water block. I first clean the CPU's surface with a suitable evaporating fluid(ethanol) and apply a small amount of Arctic Silver 3 thermal paste. As you can see in the pic above you don't need a lot, just a little smaller than a grain of Basmati rice. It's better to add a little more if need be than to waste it. I have found that the best thing to use as a spreader is a piece of a glossy greetings card cut into a strip, no wider than the chip you are applying the TIM to. Then imagine a clock face on the chip and starting from the centre lightly draw the TIM half way to the edge of the 6 o'clock, go back to the centre and again lightly draw the paste up to the half way point at 8 o'clock. Continue until completing the inner circumference and then start again but this time drawing the TIM right up to the edge of the chip. It's then just a case of smoothing it off very lightly with the other end of the card strip. Job done. Next came the CPU water block. I've had it for a while in storage and the tape has left a right mess on the base plate. Out comes the Surgical spirit again and cleaning time. With the CPU water blocks base plate now sparkling again I apply a very small amount of TIM to it and as with the CPU, spread it out but this time it needs an even more gentle approach as I only wanted the thinest of layers. You will also notice that I have only applied the TIM to the part of the base plate that will be in contact with the CPU's heat-spreader. I then placed the water block on the CPU being careful not to damage the thread on the studs, placed the washers, springs and retaining nuts on the studs as shown in the instructions and proceeded to tighten them up, corner to corner, bit at a time. Be careful not to over tighten the retaining nuts even if you have a back plate on. If you recall, I said I wasn't too happy with the retaining set-up of the NB and the SB blocks, so I took them apart and applying what I had learnt from the CPU set-up proceeded to improve the clamping system of the offending items. It was a lot of work but the blocks don't move at all now and they seat nice and square to the mobo's heat-sink as outlined on the PCB now. Much better. After all the water blocks had been fitted I started linking the blocks up with the tubing that were connected in the loop. Once again I used a socket attachment on the screwdriver as I didn't want to slip and damage the mobo. I also made sure that the clamp was tightened while applying opposing force to stop the blocks from cracking the PCB. That's those done. Next job on the list was to spray the mobo tray. I had some satin black enamel spray left over from a DIY project that was perfect. It was fast drying and the satin finish matched the case. The easiest way to do this job was to find a box big enough to fit the mobo tray flat down in, take it outside, read the instructions for use, shake really well and give it a few passes with the can about 20cm from the surface in a continuous left to right motion as stated. Then shake well again and make the same passes but with the down to up motion. While the mobo tray was drying I thought I'd tackle those fugly holes in the left side panel that the rad barbs entered the case. Remember these bits off the deo can tops, well I got another matching one so I could get them done now. Oh! And I did pay for the whole can. I drilled the centres next. I then had to find a way of cutting out the centres the same size as the barb points on the rads(see inset pic). I found the perfect thing was a grinding stone attachment for the multi-tool. The one I use for the heavy stuff is a Black & Decker Wizard, and the one I use for the awkward jobs is the B&Q Performance multi-tool as it comes with a stand and flexible extension attachment, just in case you wanted to know. Using the drilled hole as a seat for the screw of the grinding wheel bit, I ran the tool at speed setting number 3 and rotated in a sort of slowing down spinning top sort of way(for want of a better expression). Once done I ended up with it looking like the pic above. I then cut out the centres being careful not to over cut and tidied the inside edges up and rounded it out all the time checking that I hadn't taken too much off by placing it over the rad barb fitting point. I made a make-shift spindle with a nut and bolt, two nice heavy large washers and a selection of O-rings that made sure that when I placed the plugs on it, it was a solid fit done up nice and tight. Just like so. I attached the spindle to the drill, but not overly tight as I didn't want to damage the thread. I was just about to start the job of grinding the plugs even when the drill started to play up. I rather like this drill as it's a very old Black & Decker that has done me proud over a lot of years after being handed down. They just don't make em like this any more so I had a go at repairing it. The trigger contacts were caked so a quick clean up and away we go. Nearly good as new again. As you can see in the pic you have to take into account the rotation of the spindle and the pull it creates on the GLASS paper(my woodworking teacher kept on to us if we called it sand paper, he would shout GLASSSSS in a very Dorset tone. Thinking back I wish we had aluminium oxide paper back then that I could have taken to school with me and given him what for. Would have knocked him off his soap-box). The best way to grind down the plugs was to use a coarse grain sheet of glass paper and clamp it down to the work surface raised up on a sheet of wood opposing the pull of the spindle. In my case it was clamped on the right side pulling to the left. I then locked the drill trigger in the on position with the button built in. I then laid the drill, handle pointing up on the Workmate, and used the curvature of the drills casing as a way of controlling the height of the plugs in relation to the make-shift grinding block. Hint:It's a good idea not to use too much pressure when grinding plastic as it will just make it melt. When I was happy that all the plugs were nice and evenly rounded off I took them off the spindle and gently prised them apart carefully using the sharp craft knife when needed. I then removed the flash(the excess material left on a split mold line or workpiece) using the angle of the blade for control instead of force. Moment of truth. PHEW! That looks better doesn't it?
Buy the time I had finished the plugs the mobo tray was dry enough to handle so I replaced it on the case. Again, not bad. I then replaced the mobo and PSU. I like those windows. Now with the left side panel on I can see how much room I have in the case. Not too bad really considering it's only a small case. Next I placed the GFX card in the first PCI-E x16 slot. Thank goodness I got a low profile card for this build. I then measured up for the placement of the reservoir and fill-port. Luckily for me there was already a hole in the base of the top drive bay cage. I used a motorcycle screen retaining nut to fix the res in place meaning it was bushed and nice and tight. Now for the following jobs I would suggest taking the mobo out again if you are new to metalworking and/or using power tools. I had used the sealing gasket that came with the fill-port to mark the position of the hole I needed to make. I didn't want to make the hole any bigger than needed so I used a hole saw suitable for metal that was only just as big as the marked hole. That meant that I could take off the remaining with the multi-tool for a tidier and more precise finish. After fitting I just measured up the remaining gap for the tubing needed and test fitted it(no pipe clamps). I then loosened the res and placed the tubing, with the clamp loose on it, fitted it all properly. I then found a suitable place for the pump. I turned the case on its side exposing the bottom and placed the pump bracket on it where I wanted it placed and marked the holes. Then I centre punched, drilled the holes and then fitted the pump in place with the foam anti-vibration pad on into place. Hint:For something that vibrates a lot it's a good idea to use thread lock to stop the nuts from coming undone. Failing that, a dab of your better halves nail varnish on the nut and bolts/screws thread does a good job too. The internals so far. Next I wanted to put a draining system in the loop to make life easier. I took a compression fitting ball valve took it apart. I had some 12mm push fit pipe I was going to use along with the ball valve on my other project, it's not needed at the mo so I placed the cuff-nut on the pipe followed by the copper olive and inserted the pipe into one end of the valve and tightened it up. I could then cut the pipe to the required length of about 2cm exposed. I repeated this for the other end of the ball valve. I test fitted the valve but didn't want to leave it in the case until it was fixed in place. I don't want it hitting the mobo. In order to facilitate easy drainage I wanted the exit point to be outside the case so I took a plastic barb in the pliers and proceeded to remove the thread with the craft knife, cutting toward the pliers. As it was getting late I thought I had start a job that involved less noise. I wanted to tidy up the wiring of the case and the PSU, and we all know what that means................you got it! BRAIDING! The first piece I tackled was the speaker. I've had a little experience with braiding as I have built motorcycle wiring looms before, but I wanted to start on a less conspicuous wire first just in case I had lost the touch. First I twisted the wire up nice and tight but without straining it, took a pic with the mobile so as to remember the location of the wires in the pin socket and then I used the point of the craft knife to lift the retaining latches in order to remove the micro pin clamps. They don't need to be forced so if the wires don't come out easily, then take the time to look harder and see if the latches need holding up until the wires are drawn out fully. I got a braiding kit from Maplins for just £9.99 as it had a good selection of sizes of braided sleeving and heat-shrink sleeving. Once the wires were free from the connector socket I measured up the correct sized Braided sleeving and cut to length giving about half a centimetre each end. Hint:It's a good idea after cutting the braided sleeving to hold the end just close enough to a lighter flame so as to melt the ends back a little as it stops it from fraying and coming unplatted. I found the best way to feed the braided sleeving onto the wire was to first use a pen or pencil point to open up the end just enough to allow the micro pin clamps in and push the wire in as far as you can with ease. Once they're in, as in the pic above, pinch the wire and sleeving approx 2cm from the micro pin clamps with the first finger and thumb and then just push the sleeving from the empty end up to the start of the wire you're feeding in. This should bunch the braided sleeve up puffing it to about twice the gauge of it's original size. Then still holding the sleeving in the puffed position use that finger and thumb to pinch the end of the pin clamps and release your grip of the other side. You will find with a little practise you'll have no trouble doing it with maybe just the odd occasion holding the cable and sleeving with one hand, and with the other hand moving away from it in a fashion that reminds me of getting the last of the ketchup out of one of those squeezy sachets in order to make the job easier. Now just before you get the end of the wire to exit from the sleeving it's a good idea to cut two bits of heat-shrink sleeving approx 1.5cm length. They should be a nice snug fit when you place them over the end of the braided sleeving and run one bit right down to the end, half on the braiding and half past the end, the other bit should be run just past the beginning of the braiding. You can then finish feeding the wire through and stretch the braiding out down the length into the desired position and pull the heat-shrink sleeving back up to the beginning half on and half off like the other end. Finish off by using the flame of a gas cigarette lighter, about 2cm away, under the heat-shrink sleeving. Keep the flame moving as you don't want the braiding to melt or the heat-shrink to get burnt and stop when you have covered all sides and the heat-shrink sleeving has tightened enough to see the pattern of the braided sleeving through and it's clamping the bare wires quite well. Not bad seeing as though I haven't done braiding for a good 5 years. This is the finished speaker and cable. Now for the front panel. What a mess. I have a plan though. I sleeved each wire as in the above guide and then used the cable tidy that was already attached to the inside of the front panel to even the lengths of all the LED and the power switch wires. I then sleeved all the cables into one making it much tidier and with less colour of the said wires showing through. Much better. Well that's another session done but it's already morning so I'll carry on and sleeve the PSU until I fall asleep for forty winks. My son has discovered that I'm his real dad and wants to get to know me better so I've no Idea when the next modding session will be but until the next update, stay real and stay off the grass............If you know what I mean.
Back again for a 'nearly finished update'. ^_^ The last update finished with me working through the night on the braiding so I'll carry on from there. The wiring in a PC is so annoying. When you do a car or motorcycle wiring loom every wire is a different colour, even though the same power circuit feeds all the individual circuits to make re-wiring an easier job. why, if the same colours supply the same current, can't they reduce the wires. For one thing, the PSU supplies the same current to all the different plugs off of one rail(with the exception of some dual 12V railed PSU's). Anyway, another rant over. As there were so many wires of the same colour on the power supply I had to come up with a way of remembering where they went after braiding them. As I'm getting older my memory is slowly getting worse unless it's to do with something I'm really passionate about. unfortunately removing about a hundred tiny pins from their connector blocks isn't on my top 10 list of favourite things. The best thing I could come up with is using error correction fluid. I just started on the top row and put dots to numerate them and the bottom row I just used dashes instead. Hay, don't laugh, it worked. I had to make a tool to remove the pins because I usually use a very small precision/watchmakers flat screwdriver but even that was too thick to get down to the latches. I had a spare pair of tweezers out of a cheap tool kit so I used the rotary multi-tool to grind the ends to a very thin point. Worked a treat. I know it's not perfect but it's good enough as you won't see the inside of the rig when in normal use. You will also note that I removed one of the SATA power plugs on each of the leads leaving just one on each of them. This was all I needed and it made cable miss-management easier.......Did I say 'miss' management. TUT. Next up was the audio over video as I plan on hooking it up to my HDTV in the future. Again, I had to make a lead to connect the SPDIF out on the mobo to the audio pass-through on the graphics card. Just in case anyone has ended up here because of a search they did on the subject, you'll have to check your motherboard manual for the correct order of the SPDIF out pins as they can vary from one manufacturer to another but the connections are as follows; Motherboard output pins------------------|----------------Graphics card input pins SPDIF out----------------------------------------------------J8+ See above inset pic for reference Ground-------------------------------------------------------J8- SPDIF+5V----------------------------------------------------Not connected I was always a hoarder so I delved into the collection of legacy wiring I had and found an old sound cards 2 pin connector on the end of a 2 core wire. Perfect. I stripped the wire ends back about 1cm, twisted them, individually heat-shrink sleeved them just over the wires insulation with as small a diameter sleeve as I could get on. I then turned the striped wire back over to make the job of braiding them easier. I next re-twisted the stripped wires to a nice point at the ends. Sorry about the quality pic but my phone does not like taking close-up shots. You should be able to make out the double front panel pin block that I fed the twisted wires through and turned over each sides of. This pics better. As you can see I just used a nice tight bit of heat-shrink to sleeve the whole pin block in order to hold the wires in place. I then just used a pin to make the entry of the pins an easier task, even without a lot of finger room between a PCI and PCI-E slot. I found it was easier to plug the fabricated end into the mobo, insert the GFX card in the slot and then use the easy connection to attach to the card. I had some Braiding to use up so I sleeved the SATA cables as well(even though one was braided in three sections) Hay! Waste not, more often than not want for not. With all the wiring done it was time to turn my attention to the case once more, as it happened it was after 8am so up tools and rise and shine. I still don't really understand why, with all their knowledge the case manufacturers still leave that honeycomb cut face over fan vents. Logic tells me that a restriction like that will not only have an adverse affect on airflow, but also make more noise being less efficient at it's job. Out it came with just a tidy up to get rid of the sharp edges for when I find a good material for a filter. You'll also notice that I had to remove the tabs of the 3.5" drive bays. This allowed me to push the hard drive back as far as poss. More room for the water loop. Remember that plastic barb that I cut the thread off of? Well here it is. It will be the drainage barb for maintainance................ yes, alright, and in case I have to reduce the pressure in the system quick like. It's my first venture into actually building a water cooled PC that has been more than a plan so I like to have all angles covered. I marked the exit hole, punched and drilled it with as big a drill bit as I could find. I actually needed the hole to be bigger to take the push-fit piping I used as away of connecting the loop to the ball valve. I then just shaved the hole until it was a nice tight fit for the bit of pipe. As you can maybe see, the hole is right on an indent of the case so I had to use a gasket to make it neat and straight. The best thing I found was one of those foam washers that is used to protect the first DVD's or CD's in a new 100 pack. Not only are they easy to shape and trim but the centre hole was the perfect size to allow the barb to be hot glued into the bit of pipe and then slip it on the pipe after. Test fit. Hint: As I am a butcher by trade I have had to learn to saw a marrow bone through without the aid if a vice but instead just a wooden block. It taught me that when using a hand saw, it's better to saw down on the workpiece. That way you're using the force of the down-stroke as support and not fighting against yourself because of the bite of the saw. It's also safer as you can see above, the blade is away from my body and my hand will stop the saw from going too far at the end of the cut. Next I had to make some way of supporting the ball valve so it didn't beat the inside of my PC into a pulp when being moved. I had some thin foam that resembled Neoprene so I used double sided tape to stick three strips of about 4cm together to act as bushing. I then drilled four holes as in the pic, placed the bushing in the position I wanted the drainage valve to be while making sure the side panel would still close OK. I then marked and drilled the four holes on the bottom of the case and fed two cable tidies through the holes of the bushing and the case like in the pic above. One last test fit before I pulled the cable tidies really tight either side of the valve lever and cut off the excess. Here you can see the whole drainage Assembly and yes, you'll also take note that I have earthed the case while working on it without power tools. I didn't want the valve to open by accident so I had an idea to take the lever off the valve and keep it safe but ready for action in an instant. Mmmmm, problem is where? It was then that I discovered that the cable tidies locking latches were in the way of the lever and stopping it from shutting off fully. I also discovered that the cable tidies were flippin' tight. Cut and replace. I then hit on an idea. I got one of those useless plastic spring loaded heat-sink pins and drilled a hole in the top of the lever, as in the pic ^^^, just big enough to push and lock the pin in going through from the underside. I then drilled a hole just big enough for the pin again but this time in the cases rear panel. I then put the spring on the pin and pushed it into the hole in the case. All I have to do is pinch the pin from the outside and it falls right into my hand. While I was at the rear of the case I noticed the mobo's rear IO sockets weren't lined up with the IO plate properly so I was grateful for turning it into case with a removable motherboard tray. I just took the tray out, took the mobo off and used washers to adjust the height of the stand-offs and fitted it back together again. It was a five minute job with a removable mobo tray. Next came the PSU and the shed-load of wiring that came with it. The most obvious wires to connect first is the fiddly front panel pin block connectors so I fed them around the HDD drive bay to take up excess. With that done I fixed them to the bottom of the case. Blimey! Actually looks tidy so far. with more and more wiring being hidden behind the HDD drive bay I found it a good idea to use a twist tie to keep it in order until the jobs done and you're happy with the result, or just give up trying to hide every wire. I then had to do something with the speed adjusting switch of the Antec Big Boy fan. Now I could have made it into an external switch using a button I kept off a radio, but as I would be using it on the lowest setting I didn't think it was a worth-while endeavour. I just used the hot glue gun that cost about £20 from B&Q to fix it to the inside of the panel. When it was dry I trimmed it up a bit to make it neater and get rid of the annoying strands that end up all over the place like a scene from Indiana Jones. Next I put the water loop together while at the same time, double checking to make the pipes didn't get kinked, didn't hit the components of the mobo or the expansion cards, were long enough to make maintenance inside still relatively easy and all the time still allowing me to shut the side panel. Let me tell you, it WASN'T easy. Once I had finished fitting all the pipes in place, then double checking that they were clamped on the barbs properly, I added the silver strip as a biocide but as the silver needed time to weather and mix with the water, once I had filled the system, I added just one drop of PT Nuke to give the silver a little head start. The filling of the system proved to be a challenge to both my ingenuity and my patience. I didn't have a turkey baster or large syringe as I just laughed when I heard someone mention that was what they used...........Well, I wasn't laughing after 10 minutes of using a tiny measuring jug that I got with my electric iron. The best of it was half the water would just come back up because of the back pressure due to the lack of a breather pipe. I had to think of a way to do this more efficiently as it cold be a regular job when flushing and changing the water during maintenance(could be even worse if I decide I like the results of this mod and convert my gaming rig to water cooling as well). As you see in the pic above, I made a funnel that was of use from(you guessed it) a funnel, a spare piping nozzle from a tube of decorators caulk and a length of heat-shrink sleeving, which I stretched one end open with a pair of long nose pliers, then heated on the end of the nozzle. Not only did this mean the tube from the res to the fill-port had no water down it to block it, but it also meant I could control the flow by letting it act like a plug by letting it go. You can see here that the tube needed to be just long enough to go past the res entry point while holding the funnel slightly up from the fill-port. When I had this system in place it was a simple case of let the funnel go to plug th res, fill the funnel with the de-ionised water,lift to control the flow of fill rate and when the res was full enough, turn the pump on that I had attached to a pin jumped PSU(not the one in the PC). A word of warning to the less wise like myself. The res empties in an instant(and I mean Instant) so it's a good idea to keep your finger on the button as it were, turning the pump on in bursts so as to not let the pump run dry. You'll notice the rags in the bottom of the case in readiness for disaster. Luckily all was good so I left it on to test run the loop for slow leeks and to get rid of the trapped air. I must admit to keeping a nervous eye on it at all times though so it was another night without sleep. Ow well. No different to a clubbing night eh? When I was happy that most of the air had been expelled to the res I topped it up, added the correct measurement of corrosion inhibitor, sealed up the fill-port and proceeded to exchange the test PSU for the one in the PC. I made sure all the wires were connected properly and shut the left side panel. All good again. Can't believe it's going without a hitch, and as I though that I gave myself a slap for tempting fate. I started the PSU with just the pump hocked up on her own power source and gave her a dance around the room to jog any last air free and then, the moment of truth. I stopped dancing around the room like an idiot on acid, disconnected the mains and plugged in the 24 pin ATX power connector to the mobo and plugged in the Antec Big Boy. I also checked out the window just-in-case someone was on the blower to the law, or worse, the local sanitarium, about some weird nutter making love to his porn box in the publics view. I prayed, crossed my fingers, my toes, and my balls(ZOMFGGA! OUCH! Won't do that again) and then plugged back in the power cord, flicked the switch and pressed the on button. Nice one. It all worked and looked good at the same time. It's a shame really as this mobo deserves to be on show because it looks crackin' with all the blue LED's that would match my power switch and HDD activity LED and the lit push switches on the board. Checking the PSU's power outputs in the BIOS. Checking the Fan speed of the ...........one fan. Is that right.........Feels cool enough. Excellent. Should be a quiet rig with a PSU fan at only 750 RPM I thought but that's when I noticed it. The pump was making a high pitched whining noise. Now I can't stand constant high pitched background noises, you know, like when the TV makes that horrid whining noise. Oh well. Will have to invest in a quieter pump when this one dies I guess. Checking the FSB and memory as I installed PC2-6400 and PC2-8500 in pairs and wanted to see which would take priority, if they worked at all. As I thought it would, It used the lowest rated pair as the set speed because the SLI EPP setting would only come into effect with only one pair of DIMMS in the system. Bummer eh? WOW!............Just WOW! plenty of headroom for overclocking left. Well that's it for now. The only jobs left are the window covers for the right side panel and a paint touch-up session. Until the next update.
Is it a big enough project to warrant going in the worklog section? I wasn't too sure when I started the project so I posted it here in the modding section. Sorry if I've boo boo'd.
I'm no expert, just offering my opinion To me, a work log is a work log, not all of them are necessarily long endeavors. Some can be short and to the point, like yours. By putting it in the worklog section, the people who just browse that section can offer a lot of advice and how to information, some of which might be missed in the modding section
Very nice mod, looks like it would have been a real challenge to get that side case back on with all that tubing. Seems to have paid off with those temps thu +rep
Thanks bud. There is a knack to it but the planning of the tubing and the way it's jointed was very important so I just took my time to plan and test each in turn. Along with the windows to finish I think I'm going to make a surround for the rads as I don't want to damage them while in transit or anything, but it'll have to wait a few weeks as I've been banned from driving due to speeding and need to move closer to work for a while. I'm really happy with the temps, but that's at stock speeds and with the Big Boy at full so they're bound to rise when I drop the fan speed and overclock a tad. Thanks for taking an interest and I'll get more done ASAP.
LOL I know exactly how you feel. Just think lucky that your not stranded in another country with a revoked license and relying on public transport, 15mins jouney now takes 1 hour not to mention f***ing expensive . What code did you get? SP30 for me. Good log by the way, and hope your offence stopping stop you doing those small mods.
Well I sort of know what you mean as I work out in the sticks and the public transport is non-existent. As to the code, I have no idea yet as I have had my licence taken away and have to re-apply for it when the ban's over. Probably get the full 6 points as well as the £170 fine. That'll teach me eh? I'll get back on motorcycles when my ban's over as they can't see you number plate while pulling a power wheelie. JK Thanks for your interest in the log and I'll try to keep updated as and when I can.
