Scratch Build Omega Desk - [26 January] Project Complete!!

[l3p]

I tried exactly the same with that dual pumptop.
I went back to 2 single tops with the modkits faced towards me cause of the looks and a little better performance.
http://www.l3p.nl/files/Hardware/Des...B1280px%5D.JPG
http://www.l3p.nl/files/Hardware/Des...B1280px%5D.JPG

[whyte]

facing forward looks cool... the roundness of the pumps match the res

[Squigly]

Originally Posted by l3p

I tried exactly the same with that dual pumptop.
I went back to 2 single tops with the modkits faced towards me cause of the looks and a little better performance.
http://www.l3p.nl/files/Hardware/Des...B1280px%5D.JPG
http://www.l3p.nl/files/Hardware/Des...B1280px%5D.JPG

was the performance of the single tops better than the dual??

Originally Posted by whyte

facing forward looks cool... the roundness of the pumps match the res

thanks bud, i also like the look but will see how the pipes work out.

Got a small update, nothing major, was thinking about how I was going to run the fan extension cables from the mobo to the radiator in the leg, its a fair distance, close on 2m.. was also concerned about the number of cables i was running around the desk, So connected up the fans to check, they had claimed they were nice and quiet so wanted to check.. Silence... running all 8 of the 180's on full power was quieter than one of the 120's I currently have in my 600t.. So decided to just connect them up to 12v and run them at full power, makes cable management just that little bit simpler as now i just need a single power line with a molex to run down to the radiator.

got some 3 & 4 pin molex headers from RS today, still had some left over veroboard from the breather circuits I had made.


now the rest of this was completely unnecessary.. but hey.. you know how it goes. took the unneeded tracks off the board


then filled in the unneeded holes with some epoxy


made the board black on both sides



then soldered in all connectors



tested it and it works puuurfect, single power line to run all 8 fans, happiness :cool: I really should get a circuit etching kit...

[jeckulz]

I say leave the plexi pumptops facing forwards as long as youre using a coloured coolant

[l3p]

Originally Posted by Squigly

was the performance of the single tops better than the dual??

It was here, however I was using Bitspower V1 tops, and could use less 90 degrees this way.

[bluc]

I like your fan splitter board. Where do you buy that board from?Also how do you remove unwanted tracks? I t would be a good way to terminate all the wire for my fan led strips but with 4 pin headers. Cheers.

[Squigly]

Originally Posted by jeckulz

I say leave the plexi pumptops facing forwards as long as youre using a coloured coolant

Yup will be using UV Blue coolant

Originally Posted by l3p

It was here, however I was using Bitspower V1 tops, and could use less 90 degrees this way.

Ahhh i get you, ok will keep that in mind

Originally Posted by bluc

I like your fan splitter board. Where do you buy that board from?Also how do you remove unwanted tracks? I t would be a good way to terminate all the wire for my fan led strips but with 4 pin headers. Cheers.

Thanks bud, I got the board from RS Components, they also had the headers etc.. to remove the tracks i just used a utility knife to scratch them off, although you don't really need to remove them just scratching or cutting across the track will interrupt the line. Honestly some heat transfer paper and a etching kit will probably be a bit easier for making your own boards.

[Fuganater]

I've always wanted to make a fan bus like that but have no idea how to get the PBC made.

[Squigly]

Originally Posted by Fuganater

I've always wanted to make a fan bus like that but have no idea how to get the PBC made.

Its pretty simple, specially with some veroboard as the tracks are already there, just cut across where you don't want them to go, I went overboard by actually removing the tracks i didn't need, but u dot have to

I know i have been a bit slack for not getting some updates in, I have been working at it, mainly on the pipes but they are proving a little more difficult so not really much to show, but you guys have spurred me to do a update so here goes..

Well after many attempts to get the pumps to case forwards i just couldn't get the tubes to route as i needed them, unfortunately bending the copper tube gives a rather wide radius, although no more than the bitspower 90 degree fittings.. but even with that i couldn't get the tube in, as you can see below even with the pumps pushed to far forward (you can see the mounting holes and its waaay back) the tube still couldn't make it to the ports. I spent plenty of time on this and wasted plenty of rather expensive copper tube.. so much so that i need to go get more..


so eventually found a way to route the tube, i had made 2 pieces but found they were a little short, so in an effort to try and recoup some of the tube i had wasted i soldered some pipes together with silver solder to extend, after some cleaning they came out ok..


Then spent some time polishing the pipe as i want to get these nickel plated, and the better the finish before plating the better the finish of the nickel


and of course ol murphy had to stick his head in.. i contacted the nickel plating company cos i wanted to be sure these joins were going to be ok... they dip the pipes into sulfuric acid to clean the pipes of all impurities before putting them into the nickel plating solution.... sulphuric acid eats solder and silver solder..... so my pipes would just fall apart at all the joins... was not overjoyed by this news.. But not to be defeated i found my local hardware had some annealed 12mm copper tube.. happiness, or so i thought, it was labeled 12mm, but i soon found it was in fact 12.7mm (1/2 inch tube) and that doesn't fit into the fittings i have... many choice words were thrown around the workshop after that...

So.. decided to crack on with the remaining original tube i had, i have enough to finish off the remaining tubes i need but not enough to remake the original 2.. anways.. firstly test fitted the mobo and one of the GPU's with the block on it, excuse the stock cooler.. nasty thing that!!)


got the long tube made up and after a few tweeks was almost fitting well.


decided to put all the other tubes in just to check the look


real pity i need to remake those 2 tubes.. got the pumps in since i drained my machine and removed everything in prep for the transplant to the desk (hence that nasty POS stock cooler) i am actually glad i ended up doing the pumps facing back as the pump head is all kinds of puurdy! Looking forward to seeing those O rings glow under some uv


got the fitting onto the tube but found it was pulling the card a little, tried to get it to align nice.. but just couldn't get it


so decided to pull one of the 90 degree adapters i had and just have the tube run straight into it, card was nice and straight :-)


So apart from the 2 tubes i need to remake i still have the tube that will come from the GPU to the CPU, and then from CPU back to the res to make, I should have enough left over for those 2... tomorrow i am going to collect 3m of acrylic tube, i am going to try my hand at bending that and see what the tubes will look like all clear.. i still think i will go with the nickel coated copper though...

So other that that i also notice my I/O plate wasn't fitting so well, so pulled it apart and added a sheet of 3mm plexi


also re-did the back plate with rounded corners and added a bit of extra for mounting, wasn't happy with the amount of clearance the first one had..


also cut out the access slot on the mobo back plate, so i can get to the screws and water block back plate, i cut extra as i am planning to possibly add the full mobo water block so made sure i could access all the screws for when i want to fit that aswell..


Also been working on the gpu back plates, decided i don't want them black anymore ;-)

according to the EK site they are painted... they are infact anodized.. so a lot more sanding than i originally bargained for..


But after a good 3 hour sanding session, one down, still need to wet sand and then polish it up.


although i am liking the brushed aluminium look...


Edit:
I picked up 3 meters of acrylic tube today, so will be making up a set of pipes with that aswell to check and see if i like the look.. otherwise i needs to order more copper tube...

Thanks for checkin in

[KoSoVaR^]

why didnt you just buy nickelplated water pipes, there are a lot of them

[SilveR_172]

Oh god ! , the set up like you have it at the moment makes the copper piping sooo sexy ! , keep up the good work !

[B NEGATIVE]

Originally Posted by KoSoVaR^

why didnt you just buy nickelplated water pipes, there are a lot of them

Its chrome,not nickel.

Squigly,be careful about have bends so close to the fitting,it increases the chance of pipe deformation and blow out.

Airtest the loop before putting water in,you can pile on more pressure that way and guarantee proper seating.

[Bladesingerz]

Love it the pipe layout man, good luck with the acryl, I have no idea if its easy to bend an retain its inner diameter..

[modscases.com]

cant wait to see final pic keep it up

[Squigly]

Originally Posted by KoSoVaR^

why didnt you just buy nickelplated water pipes, there are a lot of them

As mentioned its chrome not nickel, also couldn't find any local suppliers. Since its in funny little spaces i knew there would be lots of trial and error in making the tubes and was worried about ruining the finish, this way i can sand down or clean up the tubes before final finish is applied.

Originally Posted by SilveR_172

Oh god ! , the set up like you have it at the moment makes the copper piping sooo sexy ! , keep up the good work !

Thanks SilverR, much appreciated, hoping the nickel plating will still look as good if not better!!

Originally Posted by B NEGATIVE

Its chrome,not nickel.
Squigly,be careful about have bends so close to the fitting,it increases the chance of pipe deformation and blow out.
Airtest the loop before putting water in,you can pile on more pressure that way and guarantee proper seating.

Thanks bud, i was actually worried about that, i had noticed the tube had a slight deformation, i have a 12mm drilling bush i push the ends into after bending and cutting to make sure they are nice and round, also allows me to push out or reform and badly deformed area's. But a nice tip there with the air!! will definitely be trying that thanks mate!

Originally Posted by Bladesingerz

Love it the pipe layout man, good luck with the acryl, I have no idea if its easy to bend an retain its inner diameter..

Thanks bud, I have watched a few vids that gave some nice tips, so will be giving that a try, will report back with how well it went

Originally Posted by modscases.com

cant wait to see final pic keep it up

Thanks mods, am hoping it wont be to much longer now...

[The_Crapman]

this is looking epic. on the blackplate conundrum, i'm a beleiver of brushed over polished, but depends on the finish the rest of the desk would have and how it would fit in. With chromed pipes polished would probably look better.

[Waynio]

Tricky pipework, be sweet once you get it done though.

Back plate looks a lot nicer after you sanding it, brushed or polished will look sweet & brushed will be easier to do & maintain a nice look but polished always looks awesome.

[Squigly]

Originally Posted by The_Crapman

this is looking epic. on the blackplate conundrum, i'm a beleiver of brushed over polished, but depends on the finish the rest of the desk would have and how it would fit in. With chromed pipes polished would probably look better.

Thanks Crapman!! Yea been thinking the same, although the front panel of the desk will still be brushed... so brushed could still work... the small enough to leave towards the end to make final decision though..

Originally Posted by Waynio

Tricky pipework, be sweet once you get it done though.
Back plate looks a lot nicer after you sanding it, brushed or polished will look sweet & brushed will be easier to do & maintain a nice look but polished always looks awesome.

Thanks Wayne, my arm was swearing at me after the sanding but i was happy with the result, specially that the label kept the colour and pops a bit more now..

Small update today, got another pipe done from CPU block back to the res, but forgot to take a picture, will be getting the full mobo block as well since there will be no fans in the main area of the case, so need that to arrive to do the last 2 pipes.. But also finished off the cable routing holes and covers for the mobo tray, and remembered pics of that at least..

cut the 3 slots needed on the left bottom on top right side of the mobo


top view of the cover in place, these are held off my mobo risers


cables will route through hole and around the top cover


and the top right cover


the pipe took some time but then also decided to start trying to make the acrylic tubes, i got 2 done (yes forgot pics soz) but found with some of the tricker pipes it got a bit difficult with the acrylic, you need to heat and slowly get to your angel by bending in 5 degree increments, all the while squeezing the tube a little with your fingers to get rid of kinks.. and that tube be HOT from the heat gun.. so am typing rather gingerly here as my fingers are feeling a bit tender..

The vid i had watched to see how best to bend the acrylic the chap had mentioned he tried all kinds of fillers for the tube, but they left marks.. I had a "test piece" i was trying on here you can see the kinks that start to appear when doing it by hand with no filler, also the radius of the bend is pretty big, but about the same as the bending tool i was using for the copper


so i decided to try flour as a filler, no kinks, a much much tighter bend radius and honestly minimal marking inside the tube, you really need to look close to see them, but bend came out much better... so i may try this for the rest.


tried to get a closeup but it really is hard to see the marking, its a slight texture to the inside of the tube, but very slight


hopefully the mobo waterblock arrives this week and will also go pick up more copper to finish off the tubes.. starting to get that happy dance feeling.. can almost strip it down to start paintwork soon....i hope!!

[B NEGATIVE]

Just get some silicone fuel line with a match OD to the pipes ID,when you bend it,it wont collapse.

[Squigly]

@B Negative, you sir, are a genius!! will give that a try!!