700D carbon fibre build: Blackbox II

Soldato
Joined
20 Dec 2006
Posts
3,756
Just starting a thread for my first water cooled build.
Progress will be gradual as work and fatigue interfere!

As for the name Blackbox II, my Dad always used to call my PC 'the blackbox' so this build is an evolution on that theme.

The theme is carbon fibre, silver metal and white illumination highlights, including motherboard backlighting. I am going for a clean look that also performs well, something that Dad would be proud of!

So forgive me build addicts, as I take my time with this one:)

700D
20k6kis.jpg


Sans grommets:
1xz3pd.jpg


Standoffs came off with some needle nose pliers:
1085hl1.jpg


All off:
2reoe8w.jpg


What do we have here?! A tube...:
27yvr15.jpg


3m Carbon Di-Noc vinyl emerges:
2ywh0za.jpg


More:
o77yo8.jpg


Stock 140mm fans removed:
eq86yp.jpg


PCI slot covers plates removed:
1zl6ono.jpg


Ready for cutting with a scalpel:
349f2oy.jpg


The exposed and cut to shape film:
dg5nac.jpg


In situ:
25r1mjm.jpg


Too big as planned:
2w2exiv.jpg


Picture of the back:
okpzd4.jpg


Spot the motherboard! This case is BIG but getting used to it..:
o0xu02.jpg


Some access points cut out, I stopped myself there as I realised I didn't necessarily have to cut them ALL out and could have created a cleaner look potentially, oh well no deal, too late now, hopefully i'll need to use them all:
245wmz6.jpg


Box of toys:
1expwz.jpg


Test fitting the bottom piece:
ajm9o5.jpg


That's all for now, I have more pics but will do another uploading session tomorrow. Night
 
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Soldato
OP
Joined
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3,756
FINALY got some of these, 25mm fan shrouds are JUST too big to clear mobo heatsink up top:
ekqdfb.jpg


Cutting rear stock grill off with heavy duty snips:
2cnfjt5.jpg


off with initial smoothing:
e05o9c.jpg


cutting top grill off:
15cdg00.jpg


one off:
14m7w9t.jpg


two..:
2hrkb4n.jpg


three..:
j7caaw.jpg


eventually got myself reinforced cut off discs, these are BRILLIANT as I found out later:
5cf3pu.jpg


money shot:
sepp3r.jpg


first efforts:
24w8wzn.jpg


getting there:
23mx6pl.jpg


happy considering first working with steel:
t71wci.jpg


everyone likes DUST:
qx41av.jpg


allow me now to change direction, to the backlighting:
2gvv71d.jpg


soldered together:
2ebehqw.jpg


testing:
4rp254.jpg


Also flushed the rad today:
zwryv.jpg


XSPC RX360, didn't realise it had a plenum chamber both sides, my first rad but it looks decent:
nx7uxg.jpg


A cuppa solves everything, it got HOT fast!:
16ay6jb.jpg


First flush, clear water with copper oxide pieces:
16c85sp.jpg


Second flush with warm water, less junk:
14xi3xc.jpg


Did hot water two more times then three or so of deonized and have left it at that.
And yeh, correct as to where solder is from:)

All this being monitored is good for keeping me working on it :D
 
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Soldato
OP
Joined
20 Dec 2006
Posts
3,756
who knows what this is?:
28v4oxu.jpg


gulp, time to take apart the GTX, first screw came out ok, so they'll all be like this right?:
2sb69ls.jpg


WRONG! I knew they would be thread locked, was painstaking, eventually a bigger but more acutely tapered (sharper?!) screwdriver I had was perfect as I could apply much more needed pressure. I also used a soldering iron on some but don't know if it did anything:
33otyci.jpg


prising cooler open:
339ru3s.jpg


no going back now:
91f3hd.jpg


forgot this final little tab, then it all came off:
2hcfh1k.jpg


taking the heatsink off:
eg7ddd.jpg


the paste, the paste:
2mcha9j.jpg


presoak in nail polish remover:
1qs8bq.jpg


Hello:
29fw5mg.jpg


shiny shiny:
21l4wab.jpg


flushed with deionised:
9ifcpd.jpg


core clean and ready for MX-3:
9fxn52.jpg


I just followed EK's paste application advice, thermal pads on too, not very sticky:
e0pw2.jpg


mounting bracket on with washer:
1zpnyg6.jpg


was worried about mounting these lads on for fear of em slipping around:
15s8mc7.jpg


In the end the prolimatech paste I had was fairly sticky and did the job fine. standoffs would be nice however EK!:
30ieuty.jpg


Backplate time:):
k12tcp.jpg


more:
14wdmyc.jpg


block on card:
280ljlh.jpg


final one, magpie win:
vnd009.jpg
 
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Soldato
OP
Joined
20 Dec 2006
Posts
3,756
Cheers,
Yeh specs as per sig, I have wanted to try watercooling for six years and went this way instead of going i5/upgrading etc.

However I will see what sandybridge brings to the table next year...
 
Soldato
Joined
13 Jul 2009
Posts
7,162
Location
Llanelli
That stuff does look rather good. I bet it's fiddly getting it cut and laid right though.

I bet that will look sweet when the case is all covered and finished.
 
Soldato
Joined
11 Dec 2005
Posts
11,364
Location
Cheshire
Carbon fibre looks sweet. Everyone loves CF so I don't blame for using vinyl sheets rather than the real deal, which is ridiculously expensive :p

As long as you didn't get the CF from a competitor feel free to post where you got it from up!
 
Soldato
OP
Joined
20 Dec 2006
Posts
3,756
Thanks for the encouraging words so far.

I'm waiting for some dremel reinforced cutting discs and a mandrel to arrive this week to tidy up the rad grill area (i've cut out the stock mesh) and to make a starter cut for my jigsaw for a custom window:) Which will be faint smoked perspex i'm thinking.

The film is easy to apply, its scored with fine channels underneath, on entire flat sections not even one air bubble formed, even if it did you would easily be able to push it out. You can do compound curves with a heatgun too (I bought one for the mod) to soften up the film or return it to normal if you crease it wrong!

I have experimented on the corners of the case and found I can even make a seamless effect over the right angle! Great stuff, I got it from undergroundgraphics.com, best prices and sensible sizes in the UK I think...

Gonna take friday off work to make needed inroads:)
 
Associate
Joined
2 Oct 2009
Posts
829
Location
Belfast, UK
Really great look going on, I might have to do something inventive with my next build :) Maybe some white/silver lighting could further enhance the look of the CF in the dark :)
 
Associate
Joined
21 Aug 2010
Posts
747
I got some from here

They dont seam to sell anything OC dose so should be ok. I was tempted to go all the way and build the case from scratch useing Epoxy and carbon fibre but lacked the time money.
 
Soldato
OP
Joined
20 Dec 2006
Posts
3,756
Alright i'm off work now till monday whoo-hoo, but my housemate is recovering from nights now:( Didn't plan this so well...
Just gonna fire up the petrol angle grinder anyway...

No the film is removable but it needs a decent sustained tug to get it off, leaving no residue I might add. So the small puny heat from the mobo won't lift it I feel...compared to the heat gun which again does not cause lifting but increased maleability

From a few feet this stuff looks about 85-90% like real CF, the mess, cost and hassle of the real deal are astronomical and not for me. The new NZXT case would like pretty good and be easy to apply the vinyl to... specially as white CF vinyl is in the UK now...hmmm there's an idea

So today I may be blocking up the GTX 470, flushing the rad and blocks etc and anything else that doesn't involved grinding noises!

First gonna go pick up my cut off dremel discs from post office depot...exciting times
 
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