Scratch Build Model 01 | 3 Updates today (05-24)! Internet was down...

[Andreas | Brodholm]

Welcome!
I thought I would share a project I have been working on for a few years!
I hope you will enjoy the log!



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[Andreas | Brodholm]

[Andreas | Brodholm]

Hello everyone, I have always been thinking about creating an account here at Bit-Tech but I never got to it. I have been browsing around here many times but never made an account. I have been over at XS for a long time and some of you might have seen me there. But now it is finally time to join you over here!

And I thought, what better way then to do a build log here! Hope I am welcome here and that you will enjoy the log!

History behind the design:
About 5 years ago I decided that I was going to water cool my computer. Back then I had a Antec P180, not exactly the perfect chassis for water cooling your components. I looked at a lot of different chassis but I was never really happy with any of them. So I started sketching on my own design. First they were really awful, but as time progressed I got better and better at drawing. Early drawings was in MS-paint. I then moved on to Google Sketchup and finally Autodesk Inventor. I have probably gone through about 30 different designs until I finally decided on this one. This will be my first custom designed chassis and it will also be my first ever water cooled system!

Goal:
To design a chassis specifically for water cooling that is able to handle high-end components and still be quiet. And at the same time have a clean and stylish look that does not get old after a few months.

Progress
#1: Planning and Designing.
#2: Constructing Parts.
#3: Assembly of Chassis.
#4: Completing Chassis. <--- I am here right now!
#5: Water Cooling.
#6: Components.
#7: Modifying
#8: Installing and Testing.
#9: Finishing Touches.
#10: Final Pictures and Summary.

Specifications

• Height: 570mm.
• Depth: 610mm.
• Width: 240mm.
• Calculated Weight: 14.5kg (Without components)
• Material: Aluminum (1 and 3mm sheets).
• Color: Anodized Black
  
  Hardware:
• ASUS GeForce GTX 680 4GB DirectCU II i SLI
• ASUS ROG Xonar Phoebus Sound Card
• ASUS ROG Next-Gen Motherboard
• INTEL SSD 520 Series
• INTEL Next-Gen CORE i7 Processor
• Corsair AX860i Power Supply
• Corsair Dominator-GT 16GB (4x4) 2133MHz RAM
• Corsair SP120 Quiet Edition Fans (1450rpm)
  
  Liquid Cooling:
• EK XTX 240 Radiator
• EK XTX 480 Radiator
• EK Supremacy - Full Nickel
• EK ASUS GTX680 DCII 4gb Full cover blocks
• EK Backplates for GPU's
• EK Coolant CLEAR (premix 1000mL)
• EK Monarch X6 Dominator Ram Block
• AC Aquaero 5 PRO/XT
• AC D5 Pump
• AC Aqualis D5 Pump Adapter
• AC Aqualis Resorvar
• AC Flow Sensor
• AC Temp Sensor 
• BP Multi-Link Adapter
  
• BP Low-Profile Stop Fitting
  
• BP CaseTop Water-Fill SET
  
• BP Mini-Valve With Handle
  
• BP Triple Rotary 90 Degree
  
  
  Misc Items:
• AcoustiPack Sound Dampening Material
• AcoustiProducts Fan Gaskets
• AcoustiProducts PSU Gaskets
• AcoustiProducts Silicone Washers
• MDPC-X Sleeve Small Black
• MDPC-X Sleeve Small Color-X
• MDPC-X Sleeve SATA Color-X
• MDPC-X Heatshrink Black

[Andreas | Brodholm]

Gallery link! I can recommend watching the pictures on Imgur if you want bigger pictures. You can click a picture for zoomed version without opening a new window. Otherwise you can just watch them normally here on Bit-tech!

Gallery link! I can recommend watching the pictures on Imgur if you want bigger pictures. You can click a picture for zoomed version without opening a new window. Otherwise you can just watch them normally here on Bit-tech!

Youtube clip of the laser cutter!

[Andreas | Brodholm]

Gallery link! I can recommend watching the pictures on Imgur if you want bigger pictures. You can click a picture for zoomed version without opening a new window. Otherwise you can just watch them normally here on Bit-tech!

[Andreas | Brodholm]

Gallery link! I can recommend watching the pictures on Imgur if you want bigger pictures. You can click a picture for zoomed version without opening a new window. Otherwise you can just watch them normally here on Bit-tech!

[Andreas | Brodholm]

Gallery link! I can recommend watching the pictures on Imgur if you want bigger pictures. You can click a picture for zoomed version without opening a new window. Otherwise you can just watch them normally here on Bit-tech!

[Andreas | Brodholm]

Gallery link! I can recommend watching the pictures on Imgur if you want bigger pictures. You can click a picture for zoomed version without opening a new window. Otherwise you can just watch them normally here on Bit-tech!

[Andreas | Brodholm]

Originally Posted by Zsolt Guriga

man this is perfect,and the rendering....i ve got no words to say

Originally Posted by Burnout21

I'm interested! loving the work so far

Originally Posted by Rodrigo Vicentini

wow Nice word =D professional tools rules =D

Thanks! Its really nice to have a good set of machines. Some of them are more or less only good for really big stuff.

Originally Posted by siliconfanatic

Nice work! Just be a little less... detached and professional, and you might get more comments
i personally hate it when it seems more like a journal than a log.

Thanks for the feedback! I really appreciate it! I know what you mean, Its a bit cold and detached right now. I will try and work on that! Maybe I should just use normal text instead? That makes it much less "professional" at least

Right now there are catching up posts. But after the next post It will be "live" or what I should say. Usually I am in the workshop all day and when I get home I edit the pictures and present them this way.

[Andreas | Brodholm]

Gallery link! I can recommend watching the pictures on Imgur if you want bigger pictures. You can click a picture for zoomed version without opening a new window. Otherwise you can just watch them normally here on Bit-tech!

It's now "live"

Next step is to sand everything down with 240grit paper and then glassblast everything. It will be interesting to see if I can manage to get an even surface

[Andreas | Brodholm]

Thanks for the nice comments! Really inspiring!

I will try to post a update as soon as possible!!!

[Andreas | Brodholm]

Gallery link! I can recommend watching the pictures on Imgur if you want bigger pictures. You can click a picture for zoomed version without opening a new window. Otherwise you can just watch them normally here on Bit-tech!

[Andreas | Brodholm]

Originally Posted by Axoxenon

It looks very nice indeed!
Did you laser cut and bended the I/O bracket aswell?
Sure could use one later on ^^

Yep, laser cut and bended. You can actually see the flat model if you look at the picture with all the parts in update. I think it is this one http://i.imgur.com/HCTeW.jpg to the right.

[Andreas | Brodholm]

Thanks for the comments!

The I/O shield is really tricky to produce since I have to do them manually, and since I do not work at the workshop and I study at another town I think it will be hard. Also its kinda expensive to laser cut things. Then you would have to make a lot of them, and I still think they would be kinda expensive then

The workshop is really nice. There is a few things that i miss though. Like a water jet/laser cutter a CNC miller and a press break suited for these kind of things. Then you could actually produce this design relative "cheap". But as it is right now, I have to order stuff from other companies and its very pricey!!! I have no idea how I am supposed to afford to fill this chassis up with components

[Andreas | Brodholm]

Originally Posted by jrs77

I see. Thanks for consideration anyways

No problem at all

But there must be companies that sells I/O slots? Or do you have to get a motherboard plate as well?

[Andreas | Brodholm]

Originally Posted by siliconfanatic

Wicked. And as for the Marking amuminum, thats why brushed metal is so awesome
and good god make me an i/o bracket... stock stinks like alu turd! Course we're here so ccomplaint is invalid

Haha, alu turd

Yeah, brushing is nice, although glass-blasting looks better in my opinion! It gives such a nice finish!

Originally Posted by Axoxenon

I belive theres still possible to get the motherboard tray from Lian Li.
Pretty cheap but not as fancy as yours

And for your CNC milling concerns, just holler and i might be able to help you out

Thanks! I may take you up on that offer

Originally Posted by jrs77

It's pretty much impossible to order motherboard trays in continental EU. Atleast I've not found a shop in the €-region during the last two years that's selling those LianLi-trays.

Ordering from UK or US would be possible, but you don't really wan't to pay the shipping.

There MUST be some store close to you that sell I/Os? Have you checked Caseking? they have everything

Originally Posted by Axoxenon

I dont know where you are located but Im pretty sure I saw it availible at a swedish website.
Can check when Im back home.

Sorry for OT.

There is like 15 stores here in sweden that sell those. OT is always fun!

If anyone have questions you can always ask them! I will not mind at all, and I will try to answer if i can

Originally Posted by Burnout21

really nice results!

Thanks!

[Andreas | Brodholm]

Originally Posted by jrs77

As I'm speaking german and english I'm checking online-stores everywhere in the €-zone that have english or german language available. And no, Caseking doesn't sell them, and this is allways my first choice.

I've made a thread in the modding-section about this, so we don't need to derail your thread further

They don't? Well I guess they have almost everything

I hope you will find one!

[Andreas | Brodholm]

Gallery link! I can recommend watching the pictures on Imgur if you want bigger pictures. You can click a picture for zoomed version without opening a new window. Otherwise you can just watch them normally here on Bit-tech!

[Andreas | Brodholm]

Originally Posted by Axoxenon

You got a great finish using glassbeads! Whats next? Might have missed it somewhere..
Anodizing? =)

You are correct sir! Anodizing is the next thing on the list!

Originally Posted by quizz_kid

Looks amazing Andreas! Top quality right there!

Thanks man! Also checked your log a while ago. Amazing stuff

Originally Posted by jrs77

Blasted looks definately better then sanded. I particularily don't like sanded finishes, because the brushlines usually don't match up throuout the whole case.

Great work so far Andreas. I wish you luck with the anodizing

Exactly, it is so hard to get even brushlines and at sometime you have to change the direction of the lines. It is almost impossible to not to.

I really hope the postal office is careful with my package!

[Andreas | Brodholm]

Originally Posted by tekonivel

Mamma Mia! This will be Amazing!

Thanks! I hope so!

Originally Posted by GamerIDGoesHere

This looks really promising, can't wait to see it after Anodizing!


- Dan

Thanks! I only hope that the postal office is kind to my package!

Originally Posted by marius_mym

Fantastic work Andreas !
I already love your case, but i can't wait to see it after anodizing !

Thanks! Me nither!

Originally Posted by Achron

Just make sure they do an acid dip before anodizing. Since you used glass beads, there's a possibility for the beats to become embedded into the aluminum and screw up the finish when anodizing.

When I talked to them they said something about acid. Im not sure it was about that. But ill call them up just to be sure!

Thanks for the tip!!!