Project Dovakhin (prev. Angel) - Build Log *Picture Heavy*

snedie

snedie

snedie

Associate
OP
Joined
26 Aug 2009
Posts
1,299
So I've been cleaning down some of the water cooling gear ready for when I begin the build, and was quite amazed at how badly stained the tubing appears to be after using Mayhem's Aurora Nebulae Blue for over 7 months:

IMG_01661.jpg

IMG_01681.jpg

And for the keen eyed you might notice my Macgyver cooling for the 7970 in the background. These things are hitting almost 100c in BF3, not to mention the fact I have had to wedge some plastic between the cards to stop the raised screws from hitting the fans of the top card. You may also notice that my HafX looks like it's been kicked to high hell, well I got stressed getting a radiator out and could not find the energy to put it all back together again :D
 

snedie

snedie

snedie

Associate
OP
Joined
26 Aug 2009
Posts
1,299
To be sprayed black by the Auto Sprayer was £100(ish). The actual artwork is costing a further £400 :D.

Also a quick update, just got a water block onto one of the 7970, in the process figured out why they where so terrible with the original cooler, quite simply ONLY the GPU core was being cooled, everything else (The RAM, VRM's etc) was simply left open to the air, no active cooling in the slightest.

Temps now down from 96c in BF3 to 39c (Max) in 3D Mark 11. Can't wait to get the case back an get the second card water cooled, but for now it will have to do.
 

snedie

snedie

snedie

Associate
OP
Joined
26 Aug 2009
Posts
1,299
Another update.

Just purchased the Rampage IV board and a new i7, along with a 256GB SSD and some DI water. I'm thinking to use UV reactive tubing, or use what tubing I have spare now and use a UV Dye Bomb.

Some more pic's from the artist to come, will have them uploaded tonight.
 

snedie

snedie

snedie

Associate
OP
Joined
26 Aug 2009
Posts
1,299
So for those following the thread, I've had a pretty major setback. The mainboard I purchased (Asus Rampage IV) died after just 10 days, for no apparent reason. I'm having to send it, along with the CPU (for good measure) for RMA, pretty sure the OcUK guys will have me sorted with new parts soon enough.

I have a ton of pictures to upload for the case, as of 7 days ago it was about 40% complete, but the artist has had some issues to deal with of his own and progress has been a bit slow. However, when you see the results, you can understand why the wait was worth while. I'll get them uploaded today and posted on here, as usual they will be in spoiler boxes just for the convenience of keeping the pages short.

Also Schizo can you send us a text bud, broke my phone and lost all my contacts :(
 

snedie

snedie

snedie

Associate
OP
Joined
26 Aug 2009
Posts
1,299
Definitely going to require two PSU's for this build. Been experimenting with overclocks on the 7970's today and was having the system shutdown with no errors, good sign the PSU isn't holding up. Hopefully the two 950Watt corsairs's I have here will be enough to run three 7970's and the rest of the rig without struggling to much.
 
Last edited:

snedie

snedie

snedie

Associate
OP
Joined
26 Aug 2009
Posts
1,299
Got the motherboard and CPU sent off for RMA today, with any luck I'll have the replacements next week, or early the week after. I'm expecting the case back within 14 days too.

For those interested in having some artwork done themselves you can contact the guy through his website here (Give me a mention :D ):
http://www.kustomflow.co.uk

My build cost a grand total of £475, which equates to £125 for a car sprayer to respray the case, and £350 for the artist (Tom) to do the work. He's a very reasonable guy, he normally charges that amount for just motorbike helmets with far simpler designs so be sure to contact him if you are looking for any work like this to be done.

Next update will be either when I have some more pictures to upload, or failing that when I have the case back and can begin the build. I'm going to need quite a few small parts before I can get the rig fully running. However as soon as I have the case and main parts essential to get a working rig I'll begin building. It will likely be a mess until I purchase the smaller parts with some tub resevoirs just resting inside the case until I get some front bay ones, and maybe a rad or two sat on the bottom of the case: I need around 48 6-32 screws and the only people which sell them are Phobya, and they an't cheap. There are also some BSPP to G1/4 fittings I have to get hold of for the Thermochill radiators, all the tubing, the list goes on.

Also, I've gotten the second 950Watt PSU hooked up now and it has resolved all the instability with the current rig. I found that another major issue was the motherboard bending: I had a slimline DVD drive under it (with foam between) to raise it up below the GPU's so they would sit in properly, this caused the board to bend slightly and something didn't like it too much. All sorted now though and turns out the cards still sit in without the drive under them which is a bonus. I'm thinking to get two more 7970's next year once the price drops a little, I'm hoping 4k screens will be released by Q2 as well :D

Thanks for looking guys :)
 
Last edited:

snedie

snedie

snedie

Associate
OP
Joined
26 Aug 2009
Posts
1,299
Case now finished :D. Pictures added to the picture thread (#3) of the final paintwork, all that is left to do is for it to go back to the car sprayers for it to get a coat of lacquer. I'm hoping to have it back this weekend with any luck, but it really is just a matter of when the car sprayer gets time to do it.

I have most of the hardware I need now, just lacking some 3/8" BSPP > G1/4" reducers for the thermochill rads, so the actual build will begin very soon.

Special thanks to the RMA guys for testing the motherboard and CPU for me, even updated the BIOS :)
 
Last edited:

Muel

Muel

Muel

Soldato
Joined
26 Jun 2009
Posts
3,023
Location
Sheffield
Looks great dude. Seems kinda wierd it still being called Angel though. That was someone elses concept, this is your own and completely different. Did you not fancy renaming it?
 

snedie

snedie

snedie

Associate
OP
Joined
26 Aug 2009
Posts
1,299
I did bud but the mods wouldn't rename it :(. If any read this and can change it can you rename the thread "Project Dovakhin"
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom