Hi there, long time since my last computer related design. I'm working on a project to give my computer a better look and better cooling performance. Let's start by introducing my current chassis and hardware... Hardware: Asus Z87 Gryphon with Thermal armor Asus Thermal armor kit Intel Core i5-4570 EVGA GTX770 Superclocked 2GB Kingston Fury 8GB (planning to add 8GB) Sandisk Extreme II 240GB What am I after: Minimalist look Open frame Small foot print Below is a first try showing what I have in mind. Main features: Solid wood core Thick aluminium foot Decoupling spikes Laced cables Rigid tubing I'll do a proper 3D model and rendering once I'm done with sketching. Hope you like it and feel free to give any comments. This is my first watercooling attempt, so all advises will be more than welcomed. - Guille -
It's not the being away from the tablet. I've used that software. -No precision line maker at all. Feet: MNPCTech feet + turntable spikes on top.
I used Shift + click to draw straight lines. I'll give Krita a try too, looks like it could be a great tool. Hi-Fi decoupling spikes are what I had in mind. I'll play with the layout a little, I wanna try several arrangements.
I've been refining the design a little, mostly working on the layout. The quick pencil scketch below illustrate the changes: The PSU is now on the hardware side, while the radiator is now on the cooling side. I haven't drawn the other side as I'm not fixed yet concerning the radiator orientation. I also reworked the tubing, moving from parallel to serial connection between CPU and GPU waterblocks. The central wood panel changed too. It is now conposed of two panels separated with female threaded spacers and screwed together. This will allow easy cable routing as well as giving the cleaner and lighter look. Passthrough fitting will be used to connect the tubing between the two sides and quick-disconnection to be able to separate the two sides without draining the loop. Again, please feel free to post any comments as long as it is relevant - Guille -
I did two mockups on scketchup, one with dual sided layout, one with single sided layout (narrower but taller). Don't mind the tubing on the taller one, I duplicated the one from the dual sided design. Which one do you guys like the most ? Dual sided size (H x D x W): 410mm x 280mm x 210mm Single side dize (H x D x W): 700mm x 280mm x 150mm Edit: I thought about a third layout (410m x 410mm x 150mm). Don't mind the tubing again, not finished yet. - Guille -
Today's update: I'm done with the layout. I think this is as far as I can shrink it. The tubing is almost done and only the pump and draining are missing. I change the dual wood panel design for a Aluminium / Wood / Aluminium combo. I still have to model the PSU though. I'm gonna buy a new one, as my current Corsair HX520W has a coil whine since a few days. Time to move a fully modular Corsair RM750i. This PSU has a great feature: Data logging through USB (voltages, currents, efficiency) for all rails. Another feature I want to include is the temperature sensors. My Asus Z87 Gryphon has 3 temperature sensor headers that I'll use to monitor the water temperature at the inlet and outlet of the radiator, then I'll use those data to control the fans and pump speed. What's left to do: Pump modeling and tubing PSU modeling Cabling Foot design
The dual side is better...this 3rd version is like a big mobotray What about legs seen in the first sketch?
I kinda agree. Not sure to go with watercooling though as I have a few problem on my car . Another point, I'm really gaming anymore and I'm considering selling the GTX770. Computer usage will be my usual tinkering / hobby (digital painting, coding, writting, music). I'll keep the idea of a minimalist looking computer and thinking around that lines. I'll design the legs once I'm done and happy with the outter shell . Edit: Here is my idea, still need to be dressed beautifuly but those are the lines My idea is to sell my GTX770, my i5-4570 and my 2x 4GB to buy a 35W i7 and 16GB of very low profile DDR3 (ideally 1.2V). I'll trade the Noctua NH-C14 for a Noctua NH-D9L that will be run passively. Next step is the PSU. I'm very tempted in these 250W DC-DC from HDPlex: http://www.hd-plex.com/HDPLEX-250W-Hi-Fi-DC-ATX-Power-Supply-16V-24V-Wide-Range-Voltage-Input.html
Another solution: I go the ITX way and I sell my Gryphon Z87. Heatsink is a Thermalright HR-22 and the chassis has a single 180mm fan blowing at it. Note: Front panel is not showed, but I'm thinking about vintage speaker cloth streched over a frame mounted to the chassis with small magnets or grill inserts ... http://www.kldguitar.com/KLDguitar-...guitar-British-Style-Speaker-Grill-Cloth.html Edit: I've added a quick vintage speaker cloth front panel. I can play with the pattern by simply changing the texture file linked to the material.
Thank a lot for this advise. I've been considering a Broadwell CPU (both i5 and i7), but I really don't do much 3D nor gaming. The HD4600 from my current i5-4570 is enough for me. I'm only considering ditching the i5 because I fear that I can't run it passively. Another point, this computer will be used with Linux only. I don't what is the support for the Iris Pro 6200 under ArchLinux.
I've been testing a front made out of lighter colored wooden blades. Also, I'm still hesitating between 1x 180mm front fan with passive HR-22 or a Noctua tower with 2x 120mm (but no 180mm front fan). I already have a spare Noctua NH-U12P from my previous Intel Q6600 and I have 2x 120mm Noctua PWM fans. Reusing them would lower the final bill and I'd have more to throw at the material (wood, alumiinum sheet, thoughed smoked glass, etc.).
Chestnut for me. With one 180mm fan you'll give fresh air to all hw intead of two 120 attached to the cooler.
Thanks a lot. To be honest I can't choose one over another . That's what I've been thinking. With the proximity of the 180mm fan, I don't think that I'll need any fan attached to the cooler. Here is a Sketchup 2D export with the Thermalright Macho Zero I've been modeling today. It's very massive but still fits tightly inside the case. I'm gonna use HEPA filter on the intake fan to prevent dust from entering the chassis lung while keeping a good airflow. Next step is to work on the side panel assembly and settle one one wood timber. I also have to find a different kind of spikes as the Viablue with the 45° feets give the false impression that the case is huge. p.s.: Please don't mind the blade less Silverstone AP181. I've been modeling it today too, but I'm not done yet.
I've made some changes in order to use and waste as little material as possible. The chassis in now composed of 2 parts. The inner skeleton: This is a single rectangle of aluminium folded into a U shape. The 180mm fan is now a structural element of the chassis, being the fourth side attached to the top and bottom panel through 2 bended tabs. The outter shell: This is a wood case inside of which you slide the whole skeleton. You'll only have to secure the skeleton to it with a single screw at the back of the chassis. Edit: Been adding smaller decoupling spikes from Monacor. I think it looks far better than the bigger ones from Viablue. I'm wondering one thing. Should I orient the heatsink toward the fan (like on the left) or toward the exhaust grid (like on the right) ?
Lately, I've beem thinking about what this design would look if it was derivated into other form factor. Below is a first try at an mATX version of the case: It still features a slide-in inner skeleton, but now the chassis is opened back, in order for the two 180mm front fans to push the air outside the chassis. I spent very little time in this, it was only to have a rough idea of the volume and the overall look. I have several ideas that I'd like to model before going further. Important points: Materials MUST come from local industries (sawmill, metallurgist, etc.) Materials MUST be made from recycled ones, when possible Materials MUST be natural (metal, wood, coton sleeving, etc.) No plastic, no paint
It is not displayed, but the heatsink has, indeed, a fan attached onto it. It's the same approach but with conventional cooling and opened-back. The cooler is facing the fan ...
