It's called hard because it is..

[Distracted]

Well. Maybe.

I've been putting together bits for a build for a while now and today i finally got to the step of doing my hardline bends.

But i chickened out and went with soft tubing.

I had to tell someone. I'm bummed out that I didn't just go for it but i felt like i didn't know where to start. So now I've got it going with soft tubing as a temporary solution until i can locate a heat gun and some space to do my bends.

For what its worth going with soft tubing gave me a new perspective on what i wanted to do with hardline, and I've found a different layout that I am really enthusiastic about. So it's not all bad news.

 

[Jamin280672]

Well. Maybe.

I've been putting together bits for a build for a while now and today i finally got to the step of doing my hardline bends.

But i chickened out and went with soft tubing.

I had to tell someone. I'm bummed out that I didn't just go for it but i felt like i didn't know where to start. So now I've got it going with soft tubing as a temporary solution until i can locate a heat gun and some space to do my bends.

For what its worth going with soft tubing gave me a new perspective on what i wanted to do with hardline, and I've found a different layout that I am really enthusiastic about. So it's not all bad news.

Don't worry about it, im too chicken as well to go hard tubing, and worked out with everything I would need to upgrade from soft tubing, it would cost me near on £200, ive got better things to spend that on, and soft tubing is much easiler and less time consuming to work with.+

 

[Distracted]

Thanks. It did feel like a letdown after getting all the bits to do it and planning it out.

It was certainly less daunting getting started with soft tubing and once i was going it was no hassle at all. It's made cleaning and fiddling with the loop really easy as well which is nice.

I feel like I'm working my way up to it

 

[Thekwango]

don't be put off....it's not as bad as it seems. buy a couple of lengths of the cheapest petg you can find and practice on those if your worried. once you done a couple of practice bends you'll get the feel of it better.

 

[davido_labido]

if you ever need any help, hit me up

 

[LuckyBenski]

Very much agree that once you've done a couple of bends, you get more confident. If using some "throwaway" pieces to do that helps, go for it.

I got bending mandrels to do mine and screwed them to a board, helpful but I didn't use them for everything. I even have a horseshoe shaped tube in my build now! Once you fire up the heat gun you'll get into the swing of it

Also highly recommend taking Davido's offer of help up too

 

[WantoN]

Shouldn’t feel bummed out fella, watercooling a PC isn’t something very many people can, or will ever do. What you’ve achieved is awesome, and I’m sure when you get to hardline it’ll be dope.

It’ll sound weird but I don’t really like hardline. Not the aesthetic, and definitely not the practicality. Ive never really wanted to use it. Being able to move tubing out the way, troubleshoot without constraint or fit new components without having to bend new tubing is awesome.

I totally get why people do it, and I may even do a hardline build one day, but choosing not to isn’t something to beat yourself up about. I have seen a couple of YouTube vids by a guy who uses frosted hardline with coloured coolant, and they look awesome. Otherwise I’m not fussed.

Just enjoy your awesome build and smile at the fact it would blow a layman’s mind that there’s water rushing through all those tubes!

 

[tyler_jrb]

I’ve done hardline before and it’s not all that hard. Just keeping the gun on low, about 8cm above, rotating for 30s-1min until it goes soft. Bend, hold for few secs then into cold water (unless your using acrylic). Just like anything it takes practice. It actually suprised me first time I did it at how easy it was to bend.

The hardest part is probably bending it in the correct place rather than the bend itself.

One tip don’t use a hacksaw get yourself one of those copper tube cutters with the little disc. Much much quicker, perfectly square and more accurate.

I still have always preferred flexi tube however, which is what I have now. Just easier to change and maintain. Easier to move things.

But at least hardline is something I can say I have done and may return to in the future.

If you are serious about it just buy yourself a hot airgun, a few lengths of tube and an insert and have a mess around practicing as you are bound to lose a few lengths of pipe anyway.

 

[Distracted]

Thanks all, i really appreciate the support.

@davido_labido i have visions of a bearded man in a UniKaorn onesie standing behind me telling me to bend. I don't know whether to laugh or cry!

 

[LuckyBenski]

Thanks all, i really appreciate the support.

@davido_labido i have visions of a bearded man in a UniKaorn onesie standing behind me telling me to bend. I don't know whether to laugh or cry!

Yes but way more positive and upbeat. "Bend, you can do it, go on. Yeaahhhhhhh!"

One tip don’t use a hacksaw get yourself one of those copper tube cutters with the little disc. Much much quicker, perfectly square and more accurate.

You can't really use those on acrylic as it tends to crack and chip. I have the snip/scissor things for soft tubing that apparently work on PETG too.

 

[tyler_jrb]

Yes but way more positive and upbeat. "Bend, you can do it, go on. Yeaahhhhhhh!"


You can't really use those on acrylic as it tends to crack and chip. I have the snip/scissor things for soft tubing that apparently work on PETG too.

Lol

Oh no I certainly wouldn’t recommend it for acrylic. Although I wouldnt recommend acrylic either, PETG is far better. Probably should have stated that

They work very well for Petg though. Cuts it very easily and perfectly square. As well as you can cut it exactly where you want it.

These are what I use. https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0001K9...hy=20339&hvtargid=pla-420895122360&th=1&psc=1

 

[haszek]

For me hardline is a bit more tricky to avoid leaks (during leak testing). As you don't see how does it looks like inside the fitting (and you think everything was installed properly). It's all fixable but you need to be more careful and do proper leak testing.

Bending tubes , you can play and waste some tubes like others said, don't pay too much attention that it didn't work the first time, or second, etc. Like above, aligning was difficult to me. I had some image of the loop that I wanted to do , but it always changes during the setup. As one fitting doesn't align with the other in a 3D space ...I don't have necessary fitting, bending would be too complicated and I have to change the idea...

 

[NikTheSHNIK]

Measure twice, cut once, be generous and then file to fit. Be patient, take your time and practice your bends on some off cuts.

During leak testing be prepared for the worst rather than hoping for the best and take things slowly.

Hardline can make the difference between a good WC build and a great one.

If you need someone to walk you through it @davido_labido I'm sure would be a great and patient tutor!

 

[davido_labido]

@tyler_jrb how come you think PETG is better?

I personally hardly touch the stuff. Acrylic is clearer, has a higher melting point and has less issues with the variety of coolents on the market.

Sure, it's harder to do slightly as the window to bend it is in a shorter range of temps and if you hit it with a hammer it smashes, but the first is fixed with a bit of practice and the second is fixed by not hitting it with a hammer

Don't want to derail the thread, but I always wonder when I see people saying PETG is better, when really, I have never seen a big positive about it in all the builds I've done :/


And yeah, I am happy to be a huge bender even as a unicorn

 

[tyler_jrb]

@tyler_jrb how come you think PETG is better?

I personally hardly touch the stuff. Acrylic is clearer, has a higher melting point and has less issues with the variety of coolents on the market.

Sure, it's harder to do slightly as the window to bend it is in a shorter range of temps and if you hit it with a hammer it smashes, but the first is fixed with a bit of practice and the second is fixed by not hitting it with a hammer

Don't want to derail the thread, but I always wonder when I see people saying PETG is better, when really, I have never seen a big positive about it in all the builds I've done :/


And yeah, I am happy to be a huge bender even as a unicorn

It’s clearer but not by a great deal and you can really only notice by looking down the length of the tube. Other than that you would be hard pressed to notice the difference between the two.

Never had an issue with PETG with any coolant I have used.

Acrylic is good. I have used it in the past before I went to PETG. But it cracks and splinters too easily for liking.

Suppose it’s just my preference after using both.

 

[Distracted]

I had already done my research on acrylic vs petg and I picked up acrylic. I went with Monsoon hard tubing, but I may have to change that when I redo the loop because the tubes don't seem particularly snug in the fittings I have bought.

Thanks for the offer @davido_labido once I get started I'll poke you for some advice

 

[davido_labido]

It’s clearer but not by a great deal and you can really only notice by looking down the length of the tube. Other than that you would be hard pressed to notice the difference between the two.

Never had an issue with PETG with any coolant I have used.

Acrylic is good. I have used it in the past before I went to PETG. But it cracks and splinters too easily for liking.

Suppose it’s just my preference after using both.

Yeah, it is personal preference and both have their pros and cons. Personally, I thing PETG just isn't as safe as acrylic and I know many of the other guys that work in the industry have the same opinion.

PETG is fine though if you're 100% sure you're not gonna have any crazy temps and as you mention, the clarity isn't a massive difference, but you can tell on some pictures when using them for shows.

But yeah, I ordered 350 meters of acrylic so I'm good for a while

I had already done my research on acrylic vs petg and I picked up acrylic. I went with Monsoon hard tubing, but I may have to change that when I redo the loop because the tubes don't seem particularly snug in the fittings I have bought.

Thanks for the offer @davido_labido once I get started I'll poke you for some advice

No problem at all, always happy to help when I can

 

[LePhuronn]

More than 1 horror story around the interwebz about PETG deforming at 60 degrees and popping out of a fitting and trashing a system. OK, if your coolant temp reaches 60 degrees then you have bigger problems to worry about, but at least with acrylic you can turn the system off without the risk of tubing exploding everywhere.

 

[Harpss1ngh]

I've put off finishing my last build for a whole year because it's hard line! Already wasted a lot of tubing! And also lost many hours of gaming . Might just get lots of 90 and 45 degree fittings and do it that way, the bends I've tried doing are terrible. Not sure if Monsoon provided the wrong insert or something but I've had a few kinks here and there and just can't get the band right, to align with the fittings either side..

Soft tubing is great if you can make it look neat - I'm terrible at that too, hah.