Scratch Build [Project] Interior Des(k)ign - SR-2 - the Biggest Update EVER! 90% complete! 20/09/12

[wejjy]

Originally Posted by kelmannen

Gimme! i want that file that makes backplates! =P

I want a surfboard! (ITX) silent surfstation

Thanks mate, if you ever need one, I will do one for you if you send me the materials!

Originally Posted by Votick

First thread I have ever subscribed to on this forum.
Looks amazing can't wait to see if finished and the hardware WOW!!!

I hope your daughter is recovering well too.

Thats really an honour, to be the first worklog you've subbed to! Wow! Thank you!

I can see the light at the end of the tunnel now so Im happy, although the wiring, Im dreading! My daughter is 99% back to normal, thanks mate, hence the mod seeing more time. Updates soon!

[wejjy]

Stuff arrived, so I'll be cracking on in the coming days. Updates have been fewer due to work commitments and family, but should have some time soon to get this back on track again.

Heres the goodies:



I was waiting for the new Asus board but its taking a while, and I will definitely upgrade to it when its out, so for now ive gone with the Asrock z68 board, as heard bad things about Zotac equivalents. Its a 2600k in the box, with 8gb of RAM and a 6870 as it will run under OSX nicely with no tweaks. The plpan is for this to be my dev machine for OSX and a home media server and the EVGA will be the beast for all other tasks!

The m-itx will be watercooled in its own loop, and I have also decided to experiment with this...



Its a PCI x16 extender for the GPU, I'll let you know how it performs.

Finally a teaser to demonstrate just how tiddly m-itx really is!



This makes my

[wejjy]

Update 9/4/2012

Im in love with itx boards now, this thing is just amazing! Its the total opposite to my SR-2 but just as cool in its own way. I forgot to take photos of it in its bare state as I was so excited but here are a few shots of it built up with the CPU and EK block on.





Marked up the inner plate from the desk roughly for cutting.



Made it up to my workshop, wish I just had a huge shed in the garden to use for a local workshop as its such a pain with it being so far away but suppose Im lucky to have it really, progress would be much faster though if it was nearer. Anyway, moan over, managed to cut the areas for wiring out and drilled the pilots for the PCI-E extender to fit through.



Also cracked the plasma cutter out again to fit the IO plate into the end of the desk



Then removed the steel part of the desk from the wooden base to cut the slots in that, used a mixture of tools to do this job, but most of the fettling was done with a file to get it just right.



Back on the wooden part again and cut out



Next task was the fitting of the slot loading DVD drives, these were going to be mounted in a different manner originally as the ITX plans werent dreamt up when I designed the desk, but now theres a mini PC in the right hand wing, its a little tight! So I fabricated a bracket that would allow access to all the mini PC parts simply by removing six M4's. It took a little work but here are the in progress shots...



The basic parts, then started out with M4 set screws but decided I didnt like them, plus when stacked in place with only 30mm between them, it would be impossible to get them out of the lower tray, and this wasnt acceptable as I would have zero access to the PC below them...



...so I ground the heads down on some cap-heads to about 2mm deep...



...perfect as now I could...





...reach both sets of fixings through the top ones with an allen key, problem solved!





All fitted and Im happy, they are snug, line up and look a lot nicer then my other standard DVD drives, the only issue was I didnt realise the power plug is smaller than a standard one, so Ive had to order two adapters, but they'll be here in plenty of time.

Didnt take any progress pictures of the res being fitted but thats because I was just drilling holes again, so here's the placement of said Reservoir...





Ignore the CPU in/out hoses on this one, its just for testing, they will be re-routed to a much nicer place, but how awesome are ITX boards!

Thats all for today, maybe more wednesday but we'll see!

[wejjy]

No-one?

[jhanlon303]

I like the small res. Who makes that one?

john

[l3p]

I love the slot-in's!

Originally Posted by jhanlon303

I like the small res. Who makes that one?

I believe Bitspower and EK have the small ones Mr. John

[wejjy]

Originally Posted by jhanlon303

I like the small res. Who makes that one?

john

Yep thats and EK res mate. Thanks..l

Originally Posted by l3p

I love the slot-in's!



I believe Bitspower and EK have the small ones Mr. John

Thanks dude! Theyre ok yeah, just a bit slower than the standard drives thats all and a lot harder to mount!

[dream1]

Looks nice so far

[wejjy]

Originally Posted by dream1

Looks nice so far

Thanks dude, more soon hopefully!

[Pranja]

Nice progres. looks good.

[Asouter]

The ITX board does look err...small, I'm seriously thinking about a small form factor build next so watching...

Is it much easier to route cabling, hoses ect...?

[Waynio]

Excellent creating wejjy subbed, stars & rep bit late in the show.

[wejjy]

Originally Posted by Pranja

Nice progres. looks good.

Thanks, from a supermodder too, wow!

Originally Posted by Asouter

The ITX board does look err...small, I'm seriously thinking about a small form factor build next so watching...

Is it much easier to route cabling, hoses ect...?

Hi mate, yep its tiny, this is the first one Ive used so compared to the SR-2 its like a little toy, but I love it! I say go for it! I think in my build its easier to route the cabling but in a SFF case I actually think it would be harder?!? You need to plan everything to the nearest mm, but I wouls still say go for it!

Originally Posted by Waynio

Excellent creating wejjy subbed, stars & rep bit late in the show.

Means a lot coming from you Waynio, thanks! Dont worry about lateness, better late than never! Ta for the stars n rep too, appreciate it!

[wejjy]

Update 16/4/2012

Minor update as lifes been hectic as usual, i'll just post the pictures and be done with it...



This is dark blue btw, the outer side will be white to match the SR-2 half of the desk,



Pass through fittings sorted.



More EK goodness in the form of their compression fittings...







I forgot my packet of 90 degree elbows for these, so unfortunately I couldnt connect it all up, but they look sweet!



And finally a shot of it all in the right place with the tubing started! This will have blue EK coolant running through it and the hoses are UV blue too so it will look pretty with the Cold Cathodes shining on it all hopefully. Im going to get this half of the desk up and running and then take it home where I can continue with the build of the rest of the SR-2 half as most of it is just wiring and sleeving now, which my workshop is just not set up for and its too far away to spend any less than 2 hours, which I dont get too often. Hope this little lot keep you all hooked for a bit, until next time, thanks guys!

[Waynio]

Nice

[wejjy]

Originally Posted by Waynio

Nice

Cheers bud, glad you like it, more soon I hope!

[wejjy]

Update 22/04/2012

Had a good day today and managed to get a lot of the annoying out of sight jobs done, the underneath of my desk is going to be quite busy so I decided to try to crack on with it today. Got everything except the pump mounted where I wanted it so im happy. Also managed to finish the laying out of the itx PC, so almost finished now with that part of the build, then I just need to do some serious wiring on the EVGA monster and we are laughing!

So heres how it all looked last time I left the workshop



First job today was to cut a hole out for the Blue Air Penetrator ive bought for the itx PC



I then focused my attention on connecting the other CPU hose to the bulkhead fitting, so I cut it to length and fitted this side...



This time round I had remembered the 90 degree fittings too, so I connected up the other side. Since this is seperated from the itx part of the desk, the tubing is white, this is because its on the SR-2 side if that makes sense?





Fitted the fan grill, and secured the Res in place in the corner. All of the hoses in the itx area are UV blue and the fluid is EK UV Blue too so it should look quite nice hopefully.

I then flipped the desk over upside down to start working on the out of sight stuff. All of this will be hidden by the board accross the bottom of the desk, so I started by fitting the 6870 with the riser ribbon to the underside and made a bracket for it from an old I/O panel.



I was a bit carried away at this point so forgot to take in progress photos, but here is the PSU strap, the inside is lined with adhesive backed neoprene so its a snug and resonance free fit!







Finally I mounted the rad. Dont laugh, I know its major overkill, but I may watercool the GPU too in the future and add it to the same loop, if not I will probably swap the rad out and use a 240 or something when funds allow, this is one of my old rads so it will do until I have a little extra free cash!



Thats it guys, hope you like?!?!

Thanks again to the following awesome sponsors!

[Waynio]

Always nice to make good solid progress & like the different coloured tubing for either side, nice touch.

[wejjy]

Originally Posted by Waynio

Always nice to make good solid progress & like the different coloured tubing for either side, nice touch.

Thanks pal! Im really excited about getting the itx rig finished now, the plan is once its ip and running to take the desk home and install it, then work on the SR-2 part as and when I get 20mins free. At the moment progress is slow as I live so far from my workshop. If I can spend lots of small amounts of time on it, it will be finished in no time! Cant wait!

Thanks again for the kind words, its quiet in here still though isnt it!?!

[Tattysnuc]

It seems to have been quiet for a few weeks now - maybe Easter holidays hangover or something.

Love the straight lines of your build - that partition with the pass through just looks so classy.

Did you always intend to have 2 rigs in there?

Also, be careful planning where that GPU goes - if you do decide to water cool it later, you may find your options curtailed somewhat, but you already knew that.

Have you fired up the SR2 yet?

Glad to hear your daughters recovering well.