Project: Little BIGFooT

[SolidBladez]

A small build I will be working on for the next week or so. I am migrating all of my parts from my main computer to a test bench. I will be sleeving my PSU as well. Trying to make this build overkill while neat as possible.

PC:

CPU: Xeon W3520 @ 4.5GHz (1.328v)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-X58A-UD5 (rev. 1.0)
RAM: OCZ Platinum 6GB (7-7-7-24)
Video: eVGA GTX 470
Sound: Creative X-Fi Titanium Fatal1ty Professional
Storage: Intel X-25M 80GB / Western Digital Black 1TB
Optical: Samsung TS-H663B DVD Writer
Case: Danger Den Torture Rack (Black)
PSU: Corsair HX850

Water cooling:

(x2) XSPC RX480 radiator
Feser XChanger 240 radiator
Swiftech MCP355 with XSPC Reservoir Top
EK Supreme HF (Gold)
EK FC-470 GTX block (Acrylic/Nickel)
(x2) Koolance QDC (Extreme Flow) Male / Female
(x10) Danger Den Fat Boy (1/2")
(x2) Danger Den High-Flow (1/2")
Bitspower Shining Silver 45° Rotary
Mixture of Blue and White Primochill Primoflex Pro LT tubing (1/2" ID x 3/4" OD)
Iandh Killcoil and silver strip
Gallon of distilled water

Other:

Clean Cut Black sleeving 1/8", 3/16" Black Heatshink
(x2) Koolance 4-fan wiring harness, 3-pin
(x4) Scythe Gentle Typhoons 1850RPM
(x3) Yate Loon D12SM-12
(x3) Zalman ZM-F3
Lamptron FC-4 Fan Controller

 

[SolidBladez]

Stock sleeving is a bit "meh".

Cut it down to roughly 1½ - 2 inches.

After almost a week of work. Had to wait for some 3/4" heatshink to come from Performance-PCs. But what a difference!

6+2 PCIe.

The 8-pin EPS12V was a pain to unpin. It took lots of brute force to remove the pins.

 

[scaarbelly]

Looking good so far.

 

[Jesse B]

If Tony Stark approves, I approve.

 

[SolidBladez]

Not much to report today. Still waiting on my tech bench.

I did figure out how to sleeve my Koolance 4 fan, 3-pin wires.

 

[slayer9019]

that looks REALLY nice. I think you may have given me a new project to work on

 

[Rossi~]

That really is a bit over kill on rads for just 1 i7 and a GTX470
Nice sleeving though

 

[SolidBladez]

Since this has to do with my worklog, I figured I'd help a few members on how to sleeve properly.

I will start with a 3-pin 36" extension cable. As you can see, the wires are untidy and look horrible.

After you've cut the sleeving, you will need to seal the ends to prevent fraying. I would recommend using a lighter (or a grill lighter to make it easier on your fingers).

Just a few quick swipes across the top will do. Right after, take your fingers and lightly go around the melted top. Doing this will help make a tighter seal and also make it easier to put the heat shrink on later.

This is what it will look like afterwords.

Now you need to cut a few pieces of heat shrink. I cut mine about ½" in length using a piece of foam as my guide.

After putting the heat shrink on, put the connector back in and carefully seal the shrink using a lighter, heat gun, or blow dryer.

This is what it looks like after.

Close up.

As a side note, be careful when you are heating the shrink. If you're using a lighter, a few passes is only needed. I was trying to take a picture and hold the lighter in the other hand but accidentally burned the male connector. Oops

 

[SolidBladez]

Was sick this week and had other issues to deal with so my progress has been slowed a bit. Luckily I have most of my materials in my possession. Ordered Novus Plastic Polish for my Danger Den Torture Rack since it was bought used and had several minor scratches all over.

Last weekend, I went to Home Depot and bought some goodies. The Rust-Oleum is for my radiators, the epoxy is for the chipped piece on the Torture Rack, and I needed a new set of screw drivers as well as a new soldering iron. My dad's iron isn't working like it should.

Fins taped and ready to spray paint.

 

[CustomModAddict]

I still don't get the whole single sleeving on the power supply 24 pin. Just doesn't do it for me, but to each his own. But it does look like you took your time and did a great job... Can't wait to see the rest.

 

[SolidBladez]

After spray painting, I let the radiators sit for about 2 days (to be safe). I noticed that when I touched them that they left smudge marks. Gave them a good rinse in the sink which helped give them a clean finish.

Earlier last week, I ordered a Vandal momentary switch - I will use this for my power switch. The Torture Rack comes with a silver Vandal momentary switch (non-illuminated) - I will use that as my reset switch.

 

[Jesse B]

Looks good, that matte finish looks great on those rads.

 

[vengence]

loving the matte

 

[FrEaKy]

Very nice work so far bro!

 

[Nickbaldwin86]

buy a heat gun they work much better and do less damage to parts then a lighter

Great start

 

[SolidBladez]

Finally got my plastic cleaner and polisher. Did a great job fixing some of the minor scratches, tiny fractures, and fingerprints.

Before:

After:

Whole thing put together. Note: There are no fingerprints on any of the acrylic panels. I was smart and used cotton gloves.

 

[Rossi~]

Looking good! And VERY black lol

 

[snefan]

nice! another small build! /sub

 

[SolidBladez]

Pair of white cold cathodes. I will be putting them underneath the motherboard tray.

All the fans I will be using (I know I am missing one fan). Will have to have one of the quad radiators with just three fans.

With the PSU, power buttons, and four 120mm fans installed.

Pump with reservoir top using (UN)Designs brackets.

Attached to Feser radiator.

Installed on side of bench.

 

[SolidBladez]

I love these cable clamps!

^^Forgot to mention I had sleeved my molex and SATA cables.

SSD + HDD.

Installed.

Xeon W3520. Obviously an awesome chip. :thumb:

EK Supreme HF.. GOLD!

I hate the bolts that EK supplies with their block. Why the hell do they use 'countersunk' screws? *shakes head* So I am using mine own 'pan head' screws.

 

[artnsx]

thank you for the detailed guide on sleeving. pics and description should really help me since i've never attempted it before and will soon be doing one.

 

[SolidBladez]

^^ No problem. Glad I could help.

On a side note... boy I didn't put the radiator's width into perspective. I realized last night when I was trying to put the two quad radiators side by side that they were to wide, preventing me from mounting them onto the 120mm fan holes.

So after some careful thinking, I decided on this:

 

[Nickbaldwin86]

I wouldn't recommend stacking fans like that or are the fans bolted to the case "fanless"

 

[SolidBladez]

I wouldn't recommend stacking fans like that or are the fans bolted to the case "fanless"

They're fanless (shrouds). I gutted the fans prior.

---

Well I got the whole thing set up..

But..

The piece that I had "fixed" with epoxy didn't hold and broke. Sigh.

 

[SolidBladez]

Final pictures!

 

[snefan]

Too many radiators and might look better if it wasnt open case, but that's just IMO. Nice job tho!

 

[formula409]

There are never enough radiators!

 

[CustomModAddict]

How about mounting the rads into a custom fabricated radiator housing. You seem like your into ocing so off board cooling rads might be better for you. That way you can make easy changes, fills, water changes, etc. If not....

How about mounting the quads on there sides, but make sure the left over 120 spaces reach over the back, that way you still have a nice clean front....

 

[SolidBladez]

How about mounting the rads into a custom fabricated radiator housing. You seem like your into ocing so off board cooling rads might be better for you. That way you can make easy changes, fills, water changes, etc. If not....

How about mounting the quads on there sides, but make sure the left over 120 spaces reach over the back, that way you still have a nice clean front....

I was thinking about making a rad box but bought this particular bench for these radiators. I also have zero skill resources for making an external housing.

I had thought about putting both rads on their sides and scoot them back so that nothing was sticking in front but I was going to use more tubing and it was going to be a mess when I wanted to connect stuff behind my motherboard (ex: I/O cables).

My next step is to purchase a new backboard since I can't fix the one I have currently. Danger Den customer support wasn't much of a help when asked what to do to fix it, "We suggest buying a new panel".