Spoiler: Introduction Oh god, here we go again, none the wiser since my last project apparently. So... It seems that a yearly build is becoming quite the habbit for me! Since the disappointing end to my last project around december of 2018, I've been designing, scrapping, redesigning a scrapped design, designing something completely new because of a fatal flaw in the old-new design, and scrapping that design once again, only to take it up a month later and start all over... I think you get it. This is the process which I've repeated over and over and over again for the last half year. Something happened one day though, not that long ago, when I was peacefully and possibly quite bored sitting in a classroom - I got a great idea, possibly one of my best yet (not really), and over the last couple of months, that idea has come all the way from a quick sketch in my notebook to this moment right now, me sitting here and typing out this first forum post about this brand new, glorious, and as always, very overwhelming scratch-built project. Scratch built case specifications: 7.23L excluding raised sidepanels 8.97L including raised sidepanels 100% anodized CNC milled aluminum structure - main structure will be entirely 12mm panels - inside structure will be 3mm panels 2x 4mm thick tinted tempered glass panels Entirely assembled with metric countersunk- and metric thumb-screws Hardware specifications: Custom modded Asus X470-i motherboard AMD Ryzen 7 2700x CPU 2X8GB of 3GHz G.Skill TridentZ RGB Gigabyte GTX 1070 MINI ITX OC 8GB Samsung 512GB 950 PRO M.2 NVME SSD 450W G-unique Archdaemon + unlimited brick combo as power supply Watercooling loop: Alphacool Eisbaer LT solo Alphacool NexXxoS UT60 triple 80mm X-Flow Radiator (3x) Noiseblocker NB-BlacksilentPRO PCP 4-pin PWM 80x15mm fans Exclusively low profile koolance fittings Koolance QD3 quick disconnect fitting for filling, topping off, and draining Worry not, for the build log will soon begin! Thanks to @Josh | NFC for lending me his beautiful skyslot design for this project!
I've built and used the PC in the state it was in in the original post for quite a bit (even though I haven't been good at updating the build logs), and I've made quite a bit of changes - both performance and usability wise. Among the changes are: A completely new front panel design allowing for substantially larger fans and incredibly improved airflow. Top and bottom covers on two structural pieces instead of single solid panels on the top and bottom. This eases assembly by a considerable amount. I'm also thinking about adding the GPU into the loop by converting it into a single slot card with a waterblock and adding a slim 120mm rad with a 15mm fan behind it. One thing at a time though. I'm waiting for some new hardware to fit on the new front panel design (should arrive in the coming week), so for now I've made a slideshow of the assembly to please your eyes. Because I'm only home in the weekends, I saw no use in building the entire PC to "completion" just to disassemble it again on saturday when I come home. This is only to give and idea of how the case is designed and built. The case assembled Notice that the screws holding the radiator assembly together are too long - this is because I'm waiting for thicker fans to arrive. The assembly Just for kicks, I laid most of the hardware and all of the case components out on the floor. Don't worry, no PCB's are touching carpet, and I took proper care when assembling the PC. I will start by assembling the front panel. This is the lower front panel part in the new design with the powerbutton mounted. The lower half of the radiator mount is mounted to the lower front panel assembly (had to split the rad mount because of my printers print volume). The process is repeated for the upper half of the front panel. Here comes the hard part. The front panel has to be assembles with the fans, fan covers, two halves of the front panel, and radiator all "floating" in 3D space before the parts can be secured with a set of long screws. With the new front panel design, I've made room for 25mm fans. Those will be put in when they come in the mail. Now the top and bottom structural pieces must be assembled. For clarification, this is the top part. Process is repeated with the bottom part. Sidepanel mounts are assembled on to the top and bottom. The case feet are mounted on the bottom panel. The bottom structural piece can now be mounted to the front panel assembly. The GPU-backplate is mounted on the bottom structural piece. The back panel is mounted to the case. The top structural piece is mounted to the case. The motherboard tray is mounted to the case. Struts are secured between the GPU-backplate and motherboard tray. This adds an incredible amount of stability. Top cover is mounted on the case. Bottom cover with the case feet attached is mounted on the case. Motherboard is mounted. GPU is mounted. TG sidepanels are put on.
lovely build and very well thought out and designed, I am also curious to see the cooling capabilities of this 3x80mm rad with a Ryzen 7 2700x CPU...
With a completely closed off front panel (as in the original design) and a lapped 2700x with conductonaut on it, I was sitting at quite respectable temperatures. Somewhere in the 60-70 degree range under full load if I remember correctly. I will post some test results when I get the new Noctuas.
'didn't dare to ask, but yes,I'm interested to see about it since I have a quite similar mini-itx config (still on air actually but meaned to be WC in a small form factor)
Me too. I drew up a similar layout with an 3x 80mm radiator as well. I fear it would cook off with a roughly 78F degree ambient.
Changelog * Slim Noiseblocker fans changed to new Noctua NF-A8 Chromax fans. * Watercooling tubing has been sleeved. * New and cleaner cable routing. Upcoming changes * New GTX 1070 with a bitspower water cooling block. * Possibly the addition of an additional 120mm radiator in the system. Pictures New sleeved 6x10mm tubes. Rad with the new Noctua fans. Note that the temporary fan grills have been taken off the fans in installing the rad, as they were in fact just temporary. New sleeved tubes seen from the CPU side of the case. New sleeved tubes seen from the GPU side of the case. New routing for the fan cables. New routing for the cables over the motherboard. Finished build without panels attached. Finished build seen from the GPU side. Finished build seen from the CPU side. Finished build up and running. Cooling performance I left the documentation on this PC (Blackbird), and next time I have access to it is in two weeks. I'm writing this from my laptop. You'll have to excuse me and trust my word. Prime95: A peak temp of 48C was reached after 15-20 minutes of 100% CPU load. On about the 30 minute mark it settled on hovering from 43-45C, still at 100% load, and it seemed to become stable at this temperature range. Due to the new Noctuas, the loop was dead silent too. I couldn't at all hear it over a light drizzle outside. I'm very pleased.
Cool! However, the child will definitely try to put his finger in the fan. The grille is required on the front panel.
Love the alternative radiator that you had used! I looked into one of those 2x80mm but wasn't sure about the cooling ability due to the size. This is a brilliantly executed build, extremely clean and extremely efficiently packaged!
It look cool, is quiet and work well you can't ask for more. I like it more when the fans have your white frames on, but you can put them on whenever you want so .
Well well, it seems that the fan grills are going on again in the next update then. ) Thanks a lot for the love and feedback you guys!
