[OcUK Staff Builds] rjkoneill's TJ07
- Thread starter rjk
- Start date
they leave you with no space at all my friend, in fact to get mine working correctly i had to use the dual rotary fittings.
my advice if you are looking at the bitspower top. please please please get the V1 and NOT the V2
the v2 which i have is a pain and the v1 accommodates bitsy comp fittings well [up to 7/16, i dont think 1/2 would fit on either top tbh]
hope this helps
my advice if you are looking at the bitspower top. please please please get the V1 and NOT the V2
the v2 which i have is a pain and the v1 accommodates bitsy comp fittings well [up to 7/16, i dont think 1/2 would fit on either top tbh]
hope this helps
Update: Photography
reviewing my work i must admit my photography is rather fail.
i am a computer tech and not a photographer. i wouldnt know how to work a good camera if my life depended on it.
my current shots are taken with a Sony DSC-W110 which is a very basic point and shoot but serves me well.
i have been reading a few beginners photography forums recently and gained the following knowledge:
1. my camera sucks
2. i need a tripod
3. still images should be taken using a timer
so accounting for all of these three facts i have done my best to make the photography in this update at least half decent.
i took on board the advice in points 2 and 3 and got a tripod and sorted the timer out. the results are much better. my camera still sucks.
onwards with the updates.
some more in depth shots of the fantastic Gigabyte UD7 with EK Nickel Plexi full cover blocks.
then the front of my case will be filled with these vented bezels from Lian Li, they have dust filters in them but i may remove them.
behind the vented bezels will be my dual radiator. I wanted more active cooling in the loop and this will be ran in series after the Quad thermochill to keep that fermi under control. the rad will be mounted in the front using the lian li mounting kit that i had from an old build and a white P clip to keep things nice and tidy
then there is this beautiful piece of work. which will be stealth mounted to the board using the coolit backplate and m3 hex screws from earlier on in the build.
i am going to be upgrading my memory to a higher performance part and did want to run a Mips memory cooler. i emailled them directly asking for their dominator cooler with a nickel backplate and a plexi top. but they said that they weren't willing to work with plexi, so that idea has to be scrapped. i may go for some nickel plated extended dominator fins to match all the shiny blocks.
at the moment i am stuck between blue coolant and clear coolant. give your opinions on this if you feel you can input
my partner in crime NathWraith has been fantastic in ordering me my parts.[thats why OcUK stock that cpu block unsurprisingly] we have some clear tygon tubing on its way to us too which i will be modding by removing the tygon logos. this will provide superior flexability as well as preventing bacterial growth. should be here next week meaning i will be able to get started on what will be the final rebuild of this system.
reviewing my work i must admit my photography is rather fail.
i am a computer tech and not a photographer. i wouldnt know how to work a good camera if my life depended on it.
my current shots are taken with a Sony DSC-W110 which is a very basic point and shoot but serves me well.
i have been reading a few beginners photography forums recently and gained the following knowledge:
1. my camera sucks
2. i need a tripod
3. still images should be taken using a timer
so accounting for all of these three facts i have done my best to make the photography in this update at least half decent.
i took on board the advice in points 2 and 3 and got a tripod and sorted the timer out. the results are much better. my camera still sucks.
onwards with the updates.
some more in depth shots of the fantastic Gigabyte UD7 with EK Nickel Plexi full cover blocks.
then the front of my case will be filled with these vented bezels from Lian Li, they have dust filters in them but i may remove them.
behind the vented bezels will be my dual radiator. I wanted more active cooling in the loop and this will be ran in series after the Quad thermochill to keep that fermi under control. the rad will be mounted in the front using the lian li mounting kit that i had from an old build and a white P clip to keep things nice and tidy
then there is this beautiful piece of work. which will be stealth mounted to the board using the coolit backplate and m3 hex screws from earlier on in the build.
i am going to be upgrading my memory to a higher performance part and did want to run a Mips memory cooler. i emailled them directly asking for their dominator cooler with a nickel backplate and a plexi top. but they said that they weren't willing to work with plexi, so that idea has to be scrapped. i may go for some nickel plated extended dominator fins to match all the shiny blocks.
at the moment i am stuck between blue coolant and clear coolant. give your opinions on this if you feel you can input
my partner in crime NathWraith has been fantastic in ordering me my parts.[thats why OcUK stock that cpu block unsurprisingly] we have some clear tygon tubing on its way to us too which i will be modding by removing the tygon logos. this will provide superior flexability as well as preventing bacterial growth. should be here next week meaning i will be able to get started on what will be the final rebuild of this system.
you need to. i saw a mod on Xs a few weeks back that swapped the blanks for the vented and it looked superb. i think it would do the front of your project a lot of favours aesthetically
the stock mount for the supreme does look a bit rubbish tbh, but its the only thing EK arent doing right in fairness. their current range is better than ever.
i will maybe do a tutorial or an in depth guide when i assemble the rig to show you. the backplate i got is off a broken coolit domino cooler but works really well for the mod. all will become more clear when i post it up
indeed they do. thats why i went all out on this one.
the nickel 480 is something you can show to people who know nothing about hardware and their jaw drops.
shiny blocks are indeed shiney
thats a better idea than mine with the comp fittings but the rotarys work well to direct flow in the current setup.the lian li bezels arent final yet, im still working out which would be best, blowing in or out. cant decide.
the switch of block merely came about because the last build had all black blocks throughout and i really love nickel plated... everything
thanks for the kind comments too
i knew you would like it! i have my own dremel thanks OCD!
i went through your build log earleir and realised i have pretty much the i7 equivalent of your rig [thats just good taste]
ud7 board, dom gt, shiney blocks. *starts thinking about drilling holes*
Wow, you have a desk made with gravel!
Looking forward to this; you do really clean and neat builds. (And sexy, if a PC can ever be called sexy!
thanks, admittedly it was our garden path, the bloke nexdoor was giving me some right funny looks. [which i will remember next time his pc needs fixing]
its here on the OcUK site
Ud7 is top end, its not the soft option at all!
i have clocked consistantly higher than any rampage III on it too, plus i fancied a change. i had it before Nath got his UD9and Nath only got the 9 because i already had the 7
in fairness the only real thing the 9 offers over the 7 is nf200...
which i dont need/want and it doesnt fit in my case. they clock exactly the same too.
you can overtighten blocks. just make sure the block is making good contact.
be careful you dont damage the gpu as they can crack on ATI cards [they dont have a big ihs like nvidia cards]
i usually do a test fit and then fit again so i can ensure that the block is making good contact with the gpu and other heat producing components from the graphics card.
if i need to cut two holes at the same time i will certainly give you a shout as i would imagine you would be the best person to ask
be careful you dont damage the gpu as they can crack on ATI cards [they dont have a big ihs like nvidia cards]
i usually do a test fit and then fit again so i can ensure that the block is making good contact with the gpu and other heat producing components from the graphics card.
if i need to cut two holes at the same time i will certainly give you a shout as i would imagine you would be the best person to ask
thanks guys
plan is to do a few alterations
clear tygon tubing to replace the white
it seems that every watercooled build i look at these days is full of white tubing.
i remember when i started this build, i looked for WEEKS trying to find white tube.
and i never saw any system with white tubing.
now it is more common than clear
so its time to move on.
clear tygon is expensive and therefore, awesome.
i will be using some really nice blue fluid, should set the build off well.
also looking for some nice fans at the moment. i have seen some pretty ones i want but that will have to wait.
a fan bill of £60 is not what my bank balance needs at the moment.
plan is to do a few alterations
clear tygon tubing to replace the white
it seems that every watercooled build i look at these days is full of white tubing.
i remember when i started this build, i looked for WEEKS trying to find white tube.
and i never saw any system with white tubing.
now it is more common than clear
so its time to move on.
clear tygon is expensive and therefore, awesome.
i will be using some really nice blue fluid, should set the build off well.
also looking for some nice fans at the moment. i have seen some pretty ones i want but that will have to wait.
a fan bill of £60 is not what my bank balance needs at the moment.
agreed
the 20 inconvenient minutes it took me to splice a modular molex cable to a floppy connector and braid it up pales into insignificance when you look at the time i wasted trying to get the xfi working.
for everyones reference heres a link to the thread i made entitled "Massive Sack of XFi Fail"
the new cpu block isnt fitted yet
i am waiting for a few bits before i can start the rebuild
i have read that it is the best about at the moment so i have high hopes for it.
the 480 idles around 35 and sits under load at around 50 in games and 63 when it folds alongside my 970
problem is that it does a fantastic job of heating up the rest of the loop. i need to really work on the dynamics of the loop in the rebuild to get the temperatures down.
been reading a lot on the pros and cons of single vs dual loops and it turns out that there is no real benefit going dual over single. so that will keep the neat layout but the temperatures really do need to improve.
Custom Pieces and Treats
hi guys, small update here
been doing a bit of preperation for the switcharound on my case.
I'm beginning to accept that the murdermod panel is never goign to materialise.
their website hasnt changed for ages so im just going to leave it off the build.
this rebuild will be the last change to the TJ07 before I start looking at another project.
first of all, I have spent the last week braiding stuff up again to match the new board/colour schemes.
I'm still considering rebraiding everything as the heatshrinks from the last effort look a little poor.
the fans i will be using throughout the case have been braided too.
Xigmatek XLF Blueline 120mm.
there will be a total of six fans in the case plus the psu fan which is quiet anyway. still considering which fan controller to go for.
my custom pieces arrived within the week, very impressed with the quality, hope they fit better than the custom top window.
fanless rear panel, powdercoated satin black
plain midplate pwdercoated satin black
I also managed to get my hands on some 7/16 Tygon for the build.
just need to find some free time to put it all together!
hi guys, small update here
been doing a bit of preperation for the switcharound on my case.
I'm beginning to accept that the murdermod panel is never goign to materialise.
their website hasnt changed for ages so im just going to leave it off the build.
this rebuild will be the last change to the TJ07 before I start looking at another project.
first of all, I have spent the last week braiding stuff up again to match the new board/colour schemes.
I'm still considering rebraiding everything as the heatshrinks from the last effort look a little poor.
the fans i will be using throughout the case have been braided too.
Xigmatek XLF Blueline 120mm.
there will be a total of six fans in the case plus the psu fan which is quiet anyway. still considering which fan controller to go for.
my custom pieces arrived within the week, very impressed with the quality, hope they fit better than the custom top window.
fanless rear panel, powdercoated satin black
plain midplate pwdercoated satin black
I also managed to get my hands on some 7/16 Tygon for the build.
just need to find some free time to put it all together!
1 - white nano fluid
2 - there was no pcb on the ram cooler
i just took it apart, dremeled the frame of the fans to fit the frame of the cooler, then spliced the wires together.
2 - there was no pcb on the ram cooler
i just took it apart, dremeled the frame of the fans to fit the frame of the cooler, then spliced the wires together.
Modding my Fan Controller
The past few weeks I have spent hours trawling the internet to find a fan controller.
whilst the prospect of spending £100+ on a smart controller such as the fantastic Aquaero or Tbalancer was quite appealing, the fact that neither of them look particularly great or match anything in my current build is a bit offputting.
whilst the lure of a usb interface and smart cooling options would suit my new '6 fans only' setup, it is not ideal from an aesthetics point of view.
i went back to the idea of an analoge fan controller as it was the simplest idea.
i used to have the old plain ZALMAN ZM MFC1 Plus controller and it worked well but i noticed Ace Modder managed to get some of the Lamptron models in at work
Lamptron Fan Controllers
these are regarded as a great brand specific to fan controllers so i thought i would try one.
everyone who knows me or has read one of my build logs knows that i hate flash lights and that subtle is the key.
i went for the Lamptron FC2 - this is the cheapest in our range but only by a few pounds. the reason it is close to the next model up [the FC5] is because the FC2 sacrifices led screens and all that rubbish for raw power
the FC2 is a rheobus controller that is capable of 45w per channel
this means you can run Delta fans on it. not that i will, but the capability is there. the controller is well made and whilst it is supposed to cause some fans to hum when they are at really low speeds [from what i have read in reviews], i have only used decent fans with it so far and had no issues whatsoever.
the cool addition to this controller is that every channel can be switched off which my previous controller [ZALMAN ZM MFC1 Plus] was incapable of.
this means that i can switch off my 240 radiators fans and run my system off a 480 radiator on low speed if i want. the flexability is there which is what i wanted.
however. whilst the controller itself is a very well made piece of kit, the reason i went for this controller was for its features. i wanted to make the controller fit into my build and heres how i did it...
first i took the controller apart, this was fairly easy as i had to remove 4 screws and pull the knobs off the controller.
after removing the face plate from the controller, i prepared the bezel that i would be using for the mod. in this case, a vented bezel from lian li. the entire front of my TJ07 will soon be filled with these bezels so it will make the controller blend in really well.
i used the dremel to cut off the tabs on the side to be left with a front plate that resembled the stock one that lamptron fitted. i used the lamptron plate to create small drill holes in the bezel for each knob on the controller. i then used a larger drill bit to widen the holes. i wanted to keep the original face plate in good condition as this mod is totally reversable which means you can customise the controller then put it back to stock if you ever sell the controller on.
the lamptron controller has a row of LEDs that light up the area around each knob on the controller. LEDs are not required for me as subtle is the key, if you do this with a blank face plate then they will be covered anyway.
i found some foam that comes in the bezels of the antec 902 at work which i thought would do the trick. but i guess you could cut your own. the foam helped to bulk out the bezel to the same depth as the solid stock face plate on the controller so it is fairly required. [i can get these foam strips easily so message my trust if you need one] i poked holed through with scissors to match the bezel.
the bezels i am using have a mesh dust filter behind them so i put this inbetween the foam so that you couldnt see it through the little holes. it makes it look a little more stealth and it blends in with the other bezels that way.
after putting all three layers together then it is ready to go straight on to the controller and have the dials replaced. the pressure of the controller dials keeps the new face plate in shape.
I think it is a case of 'Mission Accomplished'
this mod took me 15 minutes, cost £25 and is fully reversable. give it a go, if you are looking for a new fan controller but are looking for something to match your case, this may be it.
"before you mention that i scratched the top left corner of the bezel, i know i did, i dropped it because i am clumsy. a new bezel has been made and it has been replaced already]
The past few weeks I have spent hours trawling the internet to find a fan controller.
whilst the prospect of spending £100+ on a smart controller such as the fantastic Aquaero or Tbalancer was quite appealing, the fact that neither of them look particularly great or match anything in my current build is a bit offputting.
whilst the lure of a usb interface and smart cooling options would suit my new '6 fans only' setup, it is not ideal from an aesthetics point of view.
i went back to the idea of an analoge fan controller as it was the simplest idea.
i used to have the old plain ZALMAN ZM MFC1 Plus controller and it worked well but i noticed Ace Modder managed to get some of the Lamptron models in at work
Lamptron Fan Controllers
these are regarded as a great brand specific to fan controllers so i thought i would try one.
everyone who knows me or has read one of my build logs knows that i hate flash lights and that subtle is the key.
i went for the Lamptron FC2 - this is the cheapest in our range but only by a few pounds. the reason it is close to the next model up [the FC5] is because the FC2 sacrifices led screens and all that rubbish for raw power
the FC2 is a rheobus controller that is capable of 45w per channel
this means you can run Delta fans on it. not that i will, but the capability is there. the controller is well made and whilst it is supposed to cause some fans to hum when they are at really low speeds [from what i have read in reviews], i have only used decent fans with it so far and had no issues whatsoever.
the cool addition to this controller is that every channel can be switched off which my previous controller [ZALMAN ZM MFC1 Plus] was incapable of.
this means that i can switch off my 240 radiators fans and run my system off a 480 radiator on low speed if i want. the flexability is there which is what i wanted.
however. whilst the controller itself is a very well made piece of kit, the reason i went for this controller was for its features. i wanted to make the controller fit into my build and heres how i did it...
first i took the controller apart, this was fairly easy as i had to remove 4 screws and pull the knobs off the controller.
after removing the face plate from the controller, i prepared the bezel that i would be using for the mod. in this case, a vented bezel from lian li. the entire front of my TJ07 will soon be filled with these bezels so it will make the controller blend in really well.
i used the dremel to cut off the tabs on the side to be left with a front plate that resembled the stock one that lamptron fitted. i used the lamptron plate to create small drill holes in the bezel for each knob on the controller. i then used a larger drill bit to widen the holes. i wanted to keep the original face plate in good condition as this mod is totally reversable which means you can customise the controller then put it back to stock if you ever sell the controller on.
the lamptron controller has a row of LEDs that light up the area around each knob on the controller. LEDs are not required for me as subtle is the key, if you do this with a blank face plate then they will be covered anyway.
i found some foam that comes in the bezels of the antec 902 at work which i thought would do the trick. but i guess you could cut your own. the foam helped to bulk out the bezel to the same depth as the solid stock face plate on the controller so it is fairly required. [i can get these foam strips easily so message my trust if you need one] i poked holed through with scissors to match the bezel.
the bezels i am using have a mesh dust filter behind them so i put this inbetween the foam so that you couldnt see it through the little holes. it makes it look a little more stealth and it blends in with the other bezels that way.
after putting all three layers together then it is ready to go straight on to the controller and have the dials replaced. the pressure of the controller dials keeps the new face plate in shape.
I think it is a case of 'Mission Accomplished'
this mod took me 15 minutes, cost £25 and is fully reversable. give it a go, if you are looking for a new fan controller but are looking for something to match your case, this may be it.
"before you mention that i scratched the top left corner of the bezel, i know i did, i dropped it because i am clumsy. a new bezel has been made and it has been replaced already
]EK Stealth Mount
Heres a small guide about how I am mounting my block.
the EK supreme series has all come with the same standard mounting hardware for as long as I can remember.
this series of springs and nuts works well but is a bit unsightly.
moving on, i obtained a backplate for 1366 from a damaged CoolIT domino at work. now some 1366 coolers have suitable backplates [megahalem and venom spring to mind]
the Watercool 1366 backplate from the heatkiller range would work too but that uses M4 screws [im going to use M3 as it fits the backplate i will be using]
the backplate is run of the mill but it contains its own screw threads on the mounting holes, ideal for my requirements.
it fits to the back of the board [i used a small piece of double sided tape to hold it in place]
decided to remove the stock black mounting plate from my Supreme HF and replace it with the new Nickel Plated one from EK
its so shiny, its essentially the same as looking at the sun.
then using the screws you mount the block into place.
[i used M3 X30 here as an example but have ordered some stainless button head screws of the same size] i will probably be using some small washers to protect the mounting plate a bit. more pics when i have the screws i will use in the final build.
and heres what the blocks on the board are going to look like
Heres a small guide about how I am mounting my block.
the EK supreme series has all come with the same standard mounting hardware for as long as I can remember.
this series of springs and nuts works well but is a bit unsightly.
moving on, i obtained a backplate for 1366 from a damaged CoolIT domino at work. now some 1366 coolers have suitable backplates [megahalem and venom spring to mind]
the Watercool 1366 backplate from the heatkiller range would work too but that uses M4 screws [im going to use M3 as it fits the backplate i will be using]
the backplate is run of the mill but it contains its own screw threads on the mounting holes, ideal for my requirements.
it fits to the back of the board [i used a small piece of double sided tape to hold it in place]
decided to remove the stock black mounting plate from my Supreme HF and replace it with the new Nickel Plated one from EK
its so shiny, its essentially the same as looking at the sun.
then using the screws you mount the block into place.
[i used M3 X30 here as an example but have ordered some stainless button head screws of the same size] i will probably be using some small washers to protect the mounting plate a bit. more pics when i have the screws i will use in the final build.
and heres what the blocks on the board are going to look like