Scratch Build – In Progress Hotmods.net - The Scratchbench - FINISHED 01-01-2016

Alright, here we go...

Been planning this one for a couple of weeks or so. Those of you following me on Facebook would probably already know what I'm talking about, but let me explain it to all of you.

See, I'm waiting for this kind of special case so I can begin my next casemodding project, but it won't get here until early may - as I've sold the case from Project: Nutman I'm stuck with no case or anything.
Since I really want to start testing/optimizing/overclocking the hardware that will go into my next casemod, I need a testbench. And I don't want to pay for a factory made bench, so I'm going to make my own. After all, I AM a casemodder.

Having learned something from my previous projects (yes, I know... I learned SOMETHING. Weird, huh?), I began planning ahead. Wait, let me say that again: Planning ahead..... hm, feels weird in my ears, those words...
I downloaded Google SketchUp, some models and had a go at it - and, before I knew what had happened, I had the first couple of concept images:






The first iamge is the initial design for a radiator holder for the bench.
But I found it too flimsy, so I began working on a simpler, but more solid design - see images 2 and 3.

Henrik from CUDS is going to help me once again with cutting some parts - he will be cutting the radiator holders and various other bits 'n pieces.

See, I want this bench to be able to accommodate for a nice watercooling setup, so I'll be fitting 2 radiator holders on it, both being able to hold up to a 360 mm. radiator. These radiator holders will also act as sides and, in-directly; feet.

The initial design of the entire bench looked like this:



I added some some SSDs, some case feet ("Micro" case feet by MNPCTech), Bitspower fittings, a graphics card and some metal bars in the bottom to make the bench more sturdy:








I felt like I was almost there, but I wasn't too happy with the location of the SSDs, the reservoir and the pump - and I also thought it looked kind of stupid with that open floor, so I moved the SSDs under the floor, created a new res/pump bracket and installed a full floor:




Also cut a hole for cable routing:




At this point I really liked the design:



But then I discovered that the cable routing would look much, much nicer if I turned the mobo tray 90 degress, so that's what I did. Oh, and I also added watercooling tubes for the looks and constructor a more sturdy bracket for the reservoir and pump:











The current (and final) design phase state of the bench:



I'm quite happy with that, so let's get down to building it.

 

great sketchup skillz!!!
i'll never have patience to draw _coolant inside tubing_!!!

 

The trick is to just colour the inside of the tubes BEFORE you use the push/pull tool (Hotkey: P) to pull the tube over the fitting.

 

looks nice but you have to post pictures before a moderator comes by

 

Concept looks great, waiting for more.
Subbed!

 

Too late!

Moved to Modding for now.

 

This design looks awesome Nutman, I really like the modularity of it all. Should make for a great log

 

Whoah, admins are fast. Well, now you can move it back to the Project Logs section...

Alright, first couple of construction images...

A Lian Li PC70 will serve as donor for this build.

It's a nice, big case:





But I'm mostly interested in the mobo tray and the PSU plate, so here we go about dismantling the case:



The parts I'm going to use for the testbench:



Oh, and don't worry about the rest of the case - it will be saved and used for casemod projects aswell. I'm like an eskimo - I use all parts of the things that I kill.

Have to re-measure everything and update the SketchUp model, before I can place the order for CUDS to start cutting parts for me:

 

It still lives (it has to, because it'll have to be completed in app. 30 days!).

I've been sketching some more parts and everything's ready to be cut and bent now.

This is the top plate, the bottom plate and the combined reservoir_pump holder bracket:



And here's the PSU holder bracket. Went slightly overboard with measurements, hehe:



Editor22 contacted me and asked for my permission to do some HQ renderings. He really didn't have to ask, hehe. This is pretty good work!



Hopefully, I'll soon be able to show you some cut and bent parts - stay tuned.

 

hmm... i thought that pic above is finished project (man You're FAST) great render so far!!!

 

Yeah, Editor22 is pretty good at rendering stuff.

 

why the 30 day deadline?

 

Because a friend of mine comes visiting me then and we have a good gaming weekend - and I need a PC for that.

Plus, I'm really, REALLY tired of not being able to play Skyrim, so NOW I want a test bench to mount all my hardware in.

The test bench will also be used for testing and tweaking my new hardware, before it goes into my next REAL build, which is my upcoming casemod. Big plans for that one, hehe.

 

okay some of us just use a cardboard box for that( i know have to do something about that )

 

I want a proper bench this time. Been through the ghettomod like you suggest - ain't gonna work for me anymore

 

Looks nice

Subbed

 

Still no bent parts to show, so I thought I might aswell start doing something to the hardware that will be installed on the bench.

First up: pump modding.

I bought a used Swiftech MCP655/Laing D5:



And an EK D5 pump top:



This pump has no RPM wire, but I went on the lookout to see if people somehow had managed to fit one themselves.

And, lo and behold: I found an article where a guy has had the same thoughts and he had asked Laing about this - didn't take long for one of them to respond and point him to a big solder point on the pump's PCB (see red circle):



So, let's get soldering:



I also wanted to sleeve the cables and route them nicely out of the pump house - the bottom plate of the pump house had to be modified. It only has a quite small opening for the wires. Interestingly, there is already room for three wires (= the two power wires and the RPM wire):



Drilled that hole a tad bigger (OK, quite a lot bigger) and installed a rubber grommet:



And then I began sleeving the wires.

I used Bitspower sleeving and BOY is that none-see-through sleeving - but doesn't expand much, so it was quite hard getting it on the wires:



In fact, it was so hard that I got a blister from the hard work:



But the result pleased me:



And then it was time to test the pump/reservoir setup - you've seen the Google SketchUp drawings that I did, so this picture should not be a big surprise to you:



That's the pump running at speed setting 5 - the attached Aquaero reports app. 4400 RPM. Good.

Putting the pump at speed setting 1:



App. 1800 RPM....

Yeah, so the guys from Laing were right - and it was a very easy mod, except for the Bitspower sleeving.

And yes, that's an EK Multioption Res X2 100 Basic - it's fine for this project.

In the next update, I think I will show you a bit more of the hardware that will be mounted on the test bench - will also show what I do to that hardware, so stay posted. Next update coming "soon".

 

Very nice finding with the D5

What are you going to connect to the Aquaero?
Just to be carefull with the load

E22 did a great render, looks almost the final thing!
Keep modding!

 

#18: Thanks. Thinking about doing a video on how to mod the D5, but don't know how relevant it will be, since it's described pretty good in text already. Hm.....

I won't be using an Aquaero for the test bench at all - well, at least not this Aquaero, which is an older model (v3.07).

And yes, Editor22 is pretty good and very, very nice on top of that. Good guy!

 

As usual I miss the begining of a Nutman log.

Subbed looking good mate.