Project "Full Metal Jacket"

Bart_Hunt

Bart_Hunt

Bart_Hunt

Associate
Joined
12 Jan 2013
Posts
2,066
Location
Gdansk, Poland
Hi

I recently got bored of my old PC color theme, also I bought second GPU for SLI and PC started to generate a lot more heat.
I decided to spend some money and make a new build, some components will stay the same but I will be installing a full water cooling in my rig.
I made a simple picture of planned loop:

1. Bay Reservoir/Pump to CPU Block.
2. CPU Block to 120.1 Rear radiator.
3. Rear radiator to bridge linked GPU's.
4. GPU's to 120.1 Front radiator.
5. Front radiator to Reservoir/Pump combo.

l2oo.jpg


Here are the components:

Complete custom case - details coming soon.
EVGA Nex 750G '80+Gold' Modular PSU - Owned
Gigabyte Z77 G1 Sniper M3 - Owned
Geil 16 GB 1600 Mhz (2x8 GB) - Owned
2x Evga GTX 660 Ti 2 GB - Owned
LG DVD-RW - Owned
3x OCZ Agility (Size 60-240GB) - Owned
XSPC D5 Dual Bay Reservoir V2 - 50£
XSPC D5 Vario (Body+Screwring) - 57£
2x Hardware Labs Black Ice Radiator 120.1 - 56£
EK Water blocks EK- Supremacy- Nickel - 57£
2x NZXT 140mm Airflow Green Led fan - 28£
2x Corsair SP120 Quiet Series High Pressure - 28£
2x EK Water Blocks EK-FC670 GTX CSQ - 140£
EK FC Bridge Dual Serial CSQ Plexi - 19£
2x Monsoon 10/16mm Green fittings 6 pack - 56£
XSPC High Flex Hose 10/16mm Clear/UV - 7£
Mayhems X1 UV Green Premixed Fluid 1L - 8£
----------------------------------------------------
Total - 504£ + case (150£ ± 50£)

I will be buying these parts in 2 stages, because I cant afford spending so much in one month on a PC.
I should have first parts next week on Saturday. Probably case, reservoir, pump, cpu block and fittings - maybe few cheaper parts as well.
Rest will have to wait until 1st week of October.
I am also planing to paint cables so they fit color of the case - probably will have to mix dark green with gold to match it.
I will post updates with pictures and photos when I get some gear :)

Please let me know what you think about the loop.
Just for your information, I have 3 more variants of it, including use of 240mm radiator on top, but they are sub optimal in my opinion.
This way I use as little tubing as possible and I can route it very well.

Cheers
BH
 
Last edited:
I decided to play a bit more with case moding.
I got back from work and first thing I did was picking up pen and paper :-)
What I am planing to do is:
- moding left side window. It will still be a trapezoid shape, but full size without the additional fan slot ( I can't use the slot anyway, it wouldn't fit ).
- making a motherboard cover, basicly a plate or acrylic sheet with cutouts for watercooling, also cutouts for 40mm fans (for some heat generating components); planing 2-3 of those.
- adding a plate or acrylic sheet which will split the case into 2 parts: one for motherboard and other one for PSU and some cables - not all will fit behind motherboard.
- removing both HDD cages, moving SSD's behind motherboard.

Thats it for now.
Because of these modifications I may have to stretch building time to 3 months, but I'll do my best to make it sooner :-)

Cheers
BH
 
I have 3 other water cooling diagrams, one including a front 240mm cross flow radiator, but I wasn't really satisfied with the tube routing options there. I wanted to avoid long tubing.
Also, I will be putting few 40mm fans around north bridge, ram and south bridge. They have very high rpm, 2800 If I remember correct. I think that will be enough. Maybe I will put 2 SP120s on each radiator as well, but first I will test temps with a single one. My priorities with this project are: Cool> Good looking> Quiet.

EDIT: I checked some suppliers of acrylic and aluminum sheets, as I will need them as well. Unfortunately most are selling large formats and charge extra for cutting it smaller or in some shapes.
So I will be setting up a proper workshop first - this project may take a while.
 
Last edited:
Hi

A small update.
I decided to change one part of the project to make it more original :-)
I will be making my own case.
Materials used are mostly cast acrylic. I will be also using some special foam for sound proofing.
I will have some supplies arriving within next 7 - 10 days.
I will post an update with some photos then.
I also had to change the watercooling diagram a bit, I will post it within next few days.
Also, I need some advice.
I am not exactly sure how to make a 'front panel' with power/reset buttons. I could try using one from another case, just re-model it to fit the theme. Thats one of the options. Any of you is familiar with electronics enough to make completely new one?

Cheers BH
 
Uncle Petey said:
New one.

You reckon two 120mm rads are going to be enough for everything?
Click to expand...

Since there were modifications to original plan, I have to add that watercooling loop changed a lot. I will have to use a tube/box reservoir, but there is no problem with that.
I still plan to use a rear 120.1 radiator but there will be enough space on bottom to install a 120.2 / 140.2 or even 120.3 or 140.3 radiator.
My main concern is, in case of using radiator that size, can single D5 do this.
I will keep you updated.

EDIT: Main part of the case ordered :) I should have it sometime next week.
I also made a new watercooling diagram, just for this particular case.
I will have check it few more times and post it tomorrow, if I am satisfied :)

Cheers
BH
 
Last edited:
Wait until you see :-)
I will be doing quite a few new things in this case.
Right now I am working on reducing threat of loosing your rig to biggest dread of any watercooling enthusiast - water spillage. It works on paper so far :-)
I am thinking about making a field test as well, but then I will have to get some old rig for that.
Well, this wont happen until I do all the cutting, sanding, joining it together, painting, polishing...
 
Thanks, that will help a lot, as I was planing to use really thick rads, and 120s will fit much easier.
Finding fans for 140s was my main concern, couldn't find any good with high pressure and low noise.
Now I can just stick with Corsair SP120s :-)
 
Well, so far I have ordered some real hardware for my workshop.
It will arrive on Tuesday - mostly Bosch power tools.
And something I was very happy to find here on OCuk, a last part in stock :)
A power/reset + 4 USB 3.0 5.25" panel :)
So I wont have to fiddle with it myself, what a relief.
It will still have to be sanded and repainted but that's minor job.

EDIT: I decided not to spam posts so editing this one.
I have ordered tonight few acrylic parts i.e. front panel, back panel, mobo backplate (or that it will become when I cut it properly). Last part I need for assembly will be ordered on Monday - an insulation foam.
I will add some photos by the end of this week, probably just raw materials.
I am planing to start real work sometime next weekend.

Cheers
BH
 
Last edited:
Decided to put it into new post.
A new case requires a new water cooling diagram, so here it is below (I included fans as well).



Uploaded with ImageShack.us

1. Reservoir Pump yo CPU Block.
2. CPU Block to rear 120.1 rad.
3. Rear rad to GPU Blocks.
4. GPU blocks to 120.2 bottom rad.
5. Bottom rad back to reservoir.

As you can see at around 2/3 of case starts another chamber where most of cables, Reservoir and PSU will be located (PSU will be in another separate chamber tho). Thing is, it will be separated with a solid acrylic plate so any point putting that large intake fan at front of the case or better not?
I guess all fans on rads should be intake ones.
I wont have much space for exhaust fans but I have found a few smaller ones with nice airflow values and I can put them in a few places. Oh, of course PSU exhaust will be located downwards, out of the case so no heat will be generated into the case by it.

Waiting for your comments and constructive criticism :D

ps. I bought some wood today and will be doing some light DIY side project - building a workbench and wooden vice (my power tools are due to arrive on Tuesday, so next update probably then).

Cheers
BH
 
Last edited:
So, a very very small update.
I've eventually hit the wall - my funds available for this project this month ended.
I had one important part come yesterday - neoprene foam.
I also have 2 more packages coming today, those will be some acrylic sheets and Bosch tools. I already got the texts from DPD that they will be delivering today so I am waiting patiently (yeah... right... patience....).
What I will be doing first is a workbench and that will take me another day or two, so there wont be any case related updates for a few days.
I will post pics of what arrived when it arrives.
Thanks for your patience, it's stronger than mine :)

Cheers
BH
 
Right, time for an update... at last.
Today I received a parcel with few major components of the case:
Acrylic sheets, some pre-cut and 1 large which I will use for various parts inside the case ( motherboard backplate, chamber walls, ssd mounting etc ).

I have one photo of those, neoprene foam and modelling foam - which will be used for a stand for this case.



Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Sorry for the image quality but I don't have good camera and had to use my phone :/

What I will be doing for another 2-3 weeks is:
Sanding the circles (bottom right of the picture)
Cutting bigger parts from large acrylic sheet and sanding them (motherboard backplate etc)
Cutting grommets out of neoprene foam.

And more cutting :)
I have a special set of blades for my jigsaw, for soft materials so wish me luck and hopefully everything will be ok.

The very main component of the case will have to wait until October, around 10th or so.

ps. With all those changes I made, I should change the project name as well, because it no longer uses the NZXT case :)
When I come up with a good one, I will let you know.
 
Last edited:
I sort of hit the wall here.
I am trying to cut the acrylic with jigsaw, blade designed for cutting softer materials but it heats up in seconds and starts to melt plastic. Then it gets stuck.
Right now I can't find a solution to this, I may have to use different materials or even go back to standard case.
I would prefer to continue tho, because I spent some money to get this project go in this direction and would prefer not to waste it.
Any clues what should I do?
 
Thanks a lot, very good read and it really may help :)
I need to think a bit more about this, to be honest I wasted a bit of material here by cutting it with wrong type of blade :/ Need to buy another one now.
Anyway, thanks for advice

EDIT: Right, so I was in contact with a company which cuts different materials, but they told me they don't cut tubes.
Another problem is, I would need to spend much more to make this happen so I will have to completely change the design and hopefully find a solution.
Another option is, to use a different case and just modify it. I am starting to think about it more and more.
It wouldn't cost as much. Anyway, I will update when I make up my mind :)
Cheers
 
Last edited:
I finally have a solution for my problem.
It is quite simple in fact. I will have to go for smaller factor motherboard, a Mini ITX.
That means no sli and different choice of watercooling parts, but it will be much easier.
The reasons:
- smaller factor means I can have much better airflow, front intake, rear exhaust, thats it
- there will be no need to cut additional holes in the side of the case, which was a major problem with bigger case
- this will cost a lot less' around 1/3 of what I would have to pay before.

I should have most of materials fore the case by the end of next week.
Then comes the purchase of new mobo and watercooling stuff. Another 2 weeks most likely.
Then I will be able to show some effects of my work, at last :-)
Wish me luck :-)
 
Adding a little side project to this.
I will be building a pc desk, made of aluminium and acrylic.
How is it connected with the case?
I will mount power supply, cables, optical drive, fan controler under the desk.
The case will have only motherboard, cpu, gpu and ram inside + watercooling.
At least thats the plan, might need some cable extensions, but I am fairly confident in it :-)
Desk size is 500mm wide x 1000mm long x 720mm high so quite small.
I will put some gaming surface on top to hide all those cables.
Going to start working on it as soon as I get aluminium parts, sometime next week.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom