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Scratch Build – In Progress Project: SFX (water-cooled Z68 ITX SFF)

Discussion in 'Project Logs' started by Combatus, 11 Apr 2012.

  1. Combatus

    Combatus Bit-tech Modding + hardware reviews Lover of bit-tech Super Moderator

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    With the death (well not quite death, maybe just a prolonged spell in the attic due to a dead motherboard) of my last project, comes a new one! I've been planning this for a while having seen some interesting gear pass through our lab in the office, namely Z68 mini-ITX boards, and SFX PSUs. Small is the way forward, but I also plan to make it as powerful as possible.

    This is the same project I'll be working on with the front page articles on how to build a PC case from scratch, so be warned - if you offer advice here, you may find it in a future article :thumb:

    Two things are certain - it will be a scratch build - mainly acrylic with a smattering of aluminium, and it will be water-cooled. Other than that things will probably change quite a bit from my renders as they are just a start to gauge the sizes I would be dealing with.

    Current status:

    [​IMG]

    The specs at the moment:

    Intel Core i5-2500K, currently benching at 4.5GHz
    Zotac Z68 ITX WiFi motherboard
    8GB Corsair XMS3 DDR3 1,600MHz
    128GB Patriot Torqx SSD
    1TB WD Cavier Green
    SilverStone SST-ST45SF 450W SFX PSU (dinky)

    GPU - undecided - either a short PCB GTX 560 Ti 2GB or an HD 7850

    A big thanks to SilverStone and Zotac for supplying the motherboard and SFX PSU, which have provided the basis of various bit-tech blog posts and will hopefully show just what's possible with their dinky hardware. Oh, the name of the project comes simply from the PSU formfactor - SFX. I've used them before in ITX builds but never found one this powerful or from a reputable PSU manufacturer.

    SFX vs ATX

    125mm (W) x 63.5mm (H) x 100mm (D) vs 150mm (W) x 86mm (H) x 140mm (D)

    = quite a bit smaller!​

    [​IMG] [​IMG]

    The first renders were just to get an idea of how big the machine would be and where all the hardware would go.

    [​IMG] [​IMG]

    [​IMG] [​IMG]

    SilverStone 180mm Air Penetrator fan and a Magicool 180mm radiator, along with a comparison shot of the SFX Silverstone PSU with a standard PSU. Dinky eh? I was a bit worried at first about whether 450W would be enough, so once the hardware was set up in a temporary case, I overclocked it and with Prime95 and Unigene Heaven running this is the result:

    [​IMG] = WIN! - 150W to spare at full load :D

    [​IMG] [​IMG]

    First things first - a cardboard mockup. Notice my secret weapon - a PCI-E riser cable. It should allow me to use the graphics card laying flat next to the motherboard to reduce the height of the case.

    [​IMG] [​IMG]

    [​IMG] [​IMG]

    It's bending time! I didn't have time or the wherewithal to make a large enough jig so a bit of wood and some clamps will have to do.

    [​IMG] [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    That's it for now! :D
     
    Last edited: 8 Jun 2012
    Waynio likes this.
  2. Waynio

    Waynio Relaxing

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    And it begins, nice start :) woo hoo. :D:rock::clap:
     
  3. jhanlon303

    jhanlon303 The Keeper of History

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    Go for it! I watch.

    john
     
  4. voigts

    voigts What's a Dremel?

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    I'll be watching also. I am curious just how much can be pulled off in such small builds now. Whenever it comes out, the Swiftech Apogee Drive II would be perfect for something this small.
     
  5. Guest-16

    Guest-16 Guest

    watching this!
     
  6. Asouter

    Asouter --------

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    How small? Makes me wonder about the future of large form factors
     
  7. jhanlon303

    jhanlon303 The Keeper of History

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    Raspberry PI?

    john
     
  8. Jamievs

    Jamievs What's a Dremel?

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    Wow! Gonna follow this.

    I've never worked with a PCI-E riser cable. Does it affect performance in any way?
     
  9. Combatus

    Combatus Bit-tech Modding + hardware reviews Lover of bit-tech Super Moderator

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    It shouldn't do. It's just a straight connector that uses all available pins. When I connect it up next week I guess I'll know!
     
  10. dunx

    dunx ITX is where it's at !

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    Well I had some trouble using one to cram a third graphics card into a BOINC cruncher, but that's doing maths, not throwing pixels at a screen ! My Fractal has the 300W version of that PSU as standard, I wish it had been that 450W version ! Looking forward to watching this one.

    dunx
     
  11. Knighthammer

    Knighthammer What's a Dremel?

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    Subbed for sure!!
     
  12. Combatus

    Combatus Bit-tech Modding + hardware reviews Lover of bit-tech Super Moderator

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    What do you guys think will be the easiest way to achieve these grilles? It's 5mm acrylic. I've been working on the USB ports which are smaller, and drilling a small hole and working the rest out with a file seemed to work quite well.

    [​IMG]

    What do you think?
     
  13. The_Crapman

    The_Crapman World's worst stuntman. Lover of bit-tech

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    you could either dril a few holes then use a small saw blade to cut through them, or use a router for one cut. may be difficult with a router if the holes are very small, as may be hard to find a bit small enough.
     
  14. Guest-23315

    Guest-23315 Guest

    If in doubt, drill, fretsaw and files :thumb:
     
  15. Waynio

    Waynio Relaxing

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    Drill & files work fine but fretsaw is good but can take some getting used to but for cutting close to where you want it they are good, scroll saws fly through acrylic cutting & let you cut right where you want to requiring hardly any finishing.

    Routing is another option if it hasn't been bent yet, gives the cleanest finish.

    Also see plenty of people do stuff like this with a dremel on very slow speed, go fast & it just melts the acrylic & can weld the cuts you make back together especially the thicker it gets.
     
  16. Cheapskate

    Cheapskate Insane? or just stupid?

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    How much space do you have? I'd cut the whole area out, and do some layer/spacer louvers that fit the hole.
    -Give you a chance to explain plexi gluing too.:D

    Edit: and while you're at it, slap Nexxo around and get him to commit to a new project too.
     
  17. Combatus

    Combatus Bit-tech Modding + hardware reviews Lover of bit-tech Super Moderator

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    Ah yes, I should have mentioned - it has already been bent!

    Thankfully the acrylic has proved to be fairly soft so hopefully files may do it. Just don't want it to take weeks as I'm planning upwards of 20 vents... Can't rush these things I suppose. I used a router attachment on the Dremel for the USB ports - with a steady hand this seemed to work okay, and the vents are bigger too so it should be easier.
     
  18. Combatus

    Combatus Bit-tech Modding + hardware reviews Lover of bit-tech Super Moderator

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    Sounds intriguing! I kinda wanted to go for the smooth look with no additional features, lumps or bumps, but I may well consider having a more prominent louvre type object instead of the plain grilles.

    I've just finished this render in Kerkythea too, now with the main feature which is the side mounted tube routing! This has been a PITA to plumb in, mainly due to the tight angles at the ends and lack of space, but I think I'm nearly there. I'm thinking Mayhem's Aurora Extinction for coolant!

    [​IMG]
     
  19. ASPHIAX

    ASPHIAX Minimodder

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    Sorry to hear about the other build dude!
    Looking forward to this one though!
    Mod-on!
     
  20. S1W1

    S1W1 Minimodder

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    That tube routing looks great, it really adds a lot to the overall look. Mayhems Aurora is a nice touch, but can I suggest you consider Tharsis Red instead of the green colour? Imo the red coolant will look nicer in tandem with your red front panel.
     

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