Distribution blocks and passthroughs

[rebel rebel]

Hello,

Where do you get custom distribution blocks and passthroughs made? Specifically case side panel ones.
The infin8 Obelisk system has amazing side panels and I would like something like that on my next build.
I asked the shop here, but they wouldn't say.

Thanks

 

[LePhuronn]

These things are all custom designed and custom made. Bitspower and Barrow are starting to make distro blocks for popular cases, like the Lian Li O11, but even then they're a stock design so you're restricted to how they intended the loop to run or you have a load of unused channels which defeats the point.

These things are also no trivial to design either. You need to know exactly which case you're using, have sub-mm accurate measurements and know exactly what your loop order is going to be and how it all fits together, again having sub-mm accurate measurements for precisely where all your fittings and tubes will go. Then it needs building in CAD, then it needs transferring to CAM to be machined and then cleaned and assembled.

So yeah, it's an entirely bespoke job and the only people I know who are doing them are members of the modding community who are possibly too busy with their own kit to take paid commissions, even if they were comfortable doing 3rd party stuff because it's your loop, not theirs.

Now, if you can do all of the measurements, design and CAD, it's then just a case of finding somebody to CNC the thing for you. That's likely to be easier.

 

[rebel rebel]

Thanks for the well written explanation. I could possibly learn how to use cad, but knowing about how wide the channels need to be and what the heat limits are would probably be beyond me, especially as this build will be my first real water cooled system. I've only ever built aio's before now.

I knew about Barrow, but not about Bitspower, so will look on there. Hopefully more places will do custom pieces for other cases. It's an area that interests me a lot.

 

[LePhuronn]

Well I can tell you you're best off with 10mm cast acrylic for the main distro plate, channels should be about 5mm deep but can be as wide as you want. You want the o-ring grooves to be about 1.5mm deep and 2mm wide and offset about 2 or so mm from the distro paths. Your lid would be fine with 5mm cast acrylic (you don't really want to machine extruded acrylic).

You can thin all these down a bit too as you need...

Oh look, the legend that is Alex Banks (MakiRole) did an article and video on this very subject over at bit tech

https://bit-tech.net/features/modding/watercooling/how-to-design-a-watercooling-distro-plate/1/

Enjoy

 

[rebel rebel]

Thanks mate, some decent information there. Lots to think about now.

 

[Glanza]

Phanteks are now selling a universal distro plate that fits the back of cases that can take a 140mm fan.

 

[rebel rebel]

Phanteks are now selling a universal distro plate that fits the back of cases that can take a 140mm fan.

Thanks, yes I saw that, it looks pretty cool. Probably the best alternative to the Infin8 Obelisk custom side panels, which look technically way beyond anything else I have seen.

 

[Bluntwrapped]

Parvum take on custom work too

 

[rebel rebel]

Thanks! We're getting warmer now.

 

[Smffy]

Parvum take on custom work too

Utterly useless though, just like the cases the communication is poor and erratic. You email and you get a reply saying of course I’ll quote you on that today. Nothing. 10 emails later, nothing. Email again support new thread, and someone else replies saying sorry about that I will get Justin to reply today. Nothing. Email 3 more times, replies with a figure for one item not the rest and asks a question... answer question and guess what? Nothing.

Sorry to bad mouth them but like many people waiting on custom cases they just seem to take 3-4 months to do any work so I’ll take my large order and money elsewhere.

And this is the MD we are talking about...

 

[rebel rebel]

Ok thanks for the heads up. I'm still at the planning stage, and won't be rushing into things.

 

[LePhuronn]

Utterly useless though, just like the cases the communication is poor and erratic

I never understood what everybody's obsession with Parvum is anyway. I thought we moved past plastic cases in 2003? I've only ever seen 3 decent Parvum builds and they were because of the hardware design. Hell, I'd say they were even let down by the case.

Go check out Parvum Lightning and Chocolate Box by JR23 and Tears In The Rain by James Walt. You'll see what I mean.

 

[Smffy]

I never understood what everybody's obsession with Parvum is anyway. I thought we moved past plastic cases in 2003? I've only ever seen 3 decent Parvum builds and they were because of the hardware design. Hell, I'd say they were even let down by the case.

Go check out Parvum Lightning and Chocolate Box by JR23 and Tears In The Rain by James Walt. You'll see what I mean.

Yeah, pretty much anything JR builds is going to be solid

I don’t like the cases but saw them as a source to mull my custom parts (I wasn’t even asking for design I did that). Quite surprised in the lack of options to get things made commercially really, you would think OCUK would have a service given the margins on it

@LuckyBenski your fault for not buying the 3 grand CNC

 

[LePhuronn]

Tell you what, go halves with me on the almost top spec Ooznest WorkBee I've been lusting after for about a year, let me learn all the CAM and I'll cut you some bits

I can cut my own stuff too then without bugging poor MP5Works all the time!

 

[LuckyBenski]

@LuckyBenski your fault for not buying the 3 grand CNC

I told you, if you're happy with acrylic chips all over your house I'm in

TBH if I thought I'd have time to learn the process and get good at it I would. But I've only learned about half what I expected in 18 months with a laser cutter.

I did learn that distribution blocks are not easy to make with a laser and glue though! CNC mill is the way forward here.

Spoiler: Distribution prototype

 

[Bluntwrapped]

Disappointing to hear communication with Parvum is awful. You’d want some piece of mind after the effort and consideration involved in measuring and creating machine ready ‘artwork’.

I did learn that distribution blocks are not easy to make with a laser and glue though! CNC mill is the way forward here.

Spoiler: Distribution prototype

Looks not too bad for a first attempt

 

[Smffy]

Looks not too bad for a first attempt

Imagine the damage he could do with a proper CNC?

 

[Bluntwrapped]

Imagine the damage he could do with a proper CNC?

Lol I’m wondering if I can convince my old man he needs one, now he’s cleared his garage and made it into a workshop.

Thinking once he’s forced to see the benefits of owning one, he’ll not be able to say no

Photos of some CNC made wooden furniture should hopefully do it old man p0rn.

 

[Avalon]

As someone who’s used CO2 lasers for more years than a I care to think about, a custom design should take minutes assuming the client can supply vector ready artwork, slightly longer if you need to convert raster to vector or re-draw. It almost sounds like Parvum are outsourcing to a third party. My ancient/slow Epilog could knock out a few cases a day easily, Parvum should be using something more modern from the likes of Trotec and having seen/used the larger flatbeds they have, they’re amazing and could do cases in minutes.

With distribution plates, i’d be tempted to cut channels for O ring’s still as I don’t remember DCM doing so well with acrylic/Plexi and glue is just a horrible idea.