Scratch Build – In Progress Scratch Build: The Ivory Tower

Maybe
I can always change if necessary.
I chose this size to match the Lian-Li style...

 

Well this update came later than I planned it to be but thats because I got some new stuff in...
More on that later...

First continue the work on the internal "drivebaycovers".

I still had to cut some profiles to the correct length:


It needs lots of holes which is lots of work for what is is really


Offcourse the holes need to be tapped to M3:


Little bit of filing for good contact...


Once mounted:


The gap between the 2 plates is minimal and will be smaller once it is painted.





Had one problem though: One of the tapped holes didn't line up and caused that one of the screws didn't fit.


When I was bored I disassembled the pump:



In putting together the pump I used my own black screws which look better on the pump...


New package:
A new load of M3 screws, 8mm and 30mm
A 16GB SD card
2 Packages of J-B Kwik. J-B Weld wasn't available anymore and this will do.

Solution for the bad screw hole:


Once filed:


Afterwards it wasn't very smart of me to file it first and drill later. When I drilled it, it pushed the glue right out off the hole. I should have drilled and tapped it first and then file it. But eventually the screw fit so no problem there.

The case is originally equipped with a fancontroller. Since I will have a decent controller I didn't needed the fancontroller provided. I switched the front plate for a small aluminium plate.

It doesn't look very decent but this is juist the first layer that isn't filed yet and it needs more J-B Kwik.

I had some metal plates lying around on my desk. I don't know what they were for but I used them for a better connection for the plate with the front panel. It doesn't look pretty but this is not visible in the end so I don't care.



I didn't need the original LED-holes since I probably will go with some Vandal-switches or something similar.


That's it for today.

 

Sanding time!!!

First refresh your memory:


After sanding it looks about like this:


There is still a gap that needs to be filled:


By using a piece of scrap metal I can prevent the use of to much glue and a better finish thus less sanding for me.


Almost ready but not quite:


All sanded an dried in the sun:



On first sight it look near perfect:



But on second sight:
What the **** is this?



This is probably an airbuble formed while the glue was hardening. By sanding it became on the surface.
I think I leave the finishing to the painter. He has more experience and equipment than me...

 

On a note slightly related to your build; Could you give a link to where you bought the screws? I'm on the lookout for good looking black machine screws for a planned build myself.

 

www.conrad.be
I guess that conrad.com also works...

 

Cheers! Thanks for the link

 

No problem,
I have to admit that the site isn't very easy to use and full of bugs...

 

A while ago I received a package from my sponsor EK Water Blocks.


A package as you would expect from a trip from Slovenia to Belgium.


It is very well packed. Any opening or side that can be easily damaged has been taped with brown tape.


Once cut open:


Here you see that the boxes used are very well for transport because of the double layer of cardboard:


So what's in the package:


- RES 150 Advanced X2
- EK DCP4.0
- 2 Mounting brackets for the pumps.
- A few more screw fittings



Mounting Brackets:

Included are a quantity of screws, two foam pillows, a guide and of course the mounting plate.
The quality of the mounting plate is very high as is seen at the finish:


Two different foam cushions:
No idea what I am supposed to do with them...


And probably no one who reads the manual but still useful.


Each packet contained a stamp so you can see that it is not an opened package. Not really important as the package comes directly from EK.


The number of screw fittings that I have now is inadequate so I had to reorder some.


RES 150 Advanced X2:
To bleed a little easier and of course for the looks I bought a reservoir. I thought for a size larger but did not fit exactly where I want the reservoir.
The box is traditionally formed with the color blue which represents reservoirs at EK.


On the sides there is some information that might be usefull.



In the outer packaging is a white box that contains the reservoir.


In the box we find the reservoir wrapped in bubble wrap, mounting brackets, screws and some stopfittings.



The reservoir is of high quality. EK used to have some problems with cracked and damaged tanks. But this is very well finished and feels very solid.







Presumably this anti-cyclone thing should be mounted in the reervoir when necessary.


Now I have a small question:
What is the best of both: Radiators series or in parallel using Y-Connectors

 

Nice gear you have gotten yourself there. I would say that for the radiators running them in a series would be best.

 

Nice hardware. As always, the quality of EK stuff looks impeccabcle.

Oh, and it's not that uncommon to miscalculate the actual number of fittings needed, hehe. Also, when running into unforeseen space- or tubing routing issues, you might need to bue some additional fittings - or just some different kinds of kinds of fittings.

 

Yeah at the moment I am trying to finalize my last order so that I got everything that I should need. Still expensive though... I'm looking at spending again over 300EUR...

 

Small foto-update:

 

Small update:

 

to be honest...that is the most ugliest mesh you ever could find! Buy hex mesh instead ! ist so mutch god looking the this !

 

This is the same style and size that Lian Li uses...
But yeah I was going to go for HEX mesh but its a bit difficult to find here.
Need to wait a month for HEX...

 

I actually like that mesh, but I was wondering how it's going to affect the airflow?
Seems pretty restrictive to me...

 

Well, not that difficult to switch to HEX so not much of a problem

 

Mesh like that will have about 10-15% less airflow then hex, I'm not a fan of hex myself, stick to the circle mesh .

 

Midplate fanholes:




Someone have an idea for cutting acrylic?