Project "Full Metal Jacket"

I had a single D5 running CPU/GPU + 2x240mm + 1x360mm Monsta rads, so I think you'll be ok :D

Looking forward to seeing your case design as I've been thinking about making my own acrylic case or caving in and commissioning Parvum to make one for me :)
 
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...
 
Bart_Hunt said:
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.
Click to expand...

Stick with 120 radiators, there is zero benefit goint to 140 and the fans are rubbish in comparison. D5 will be fine for one cpu and two gpu blocks, the number of radiators is virtually irrelevant as they are very low restriction items in the loop.
 
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
 
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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
 
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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.
 
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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
 
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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 :-)
 
hand tools - hawsaw, coping/fretsaw, padsaw(keyhole), nokogiri all work well and never move fast enough to melt the plastic.

Full size hawsaw (quality blades) cut down all my Parvum panels and used a junior hawsaw blade (just held in my hands/with pliers)
to do some of the small work on my project 20 build.
It's slow but very accurate and massively cheaper. I didn't need to go the the gym either.

20L-20.jpg
 
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Thanks a lot for the info :-)
I will try to get my hands on those - I already ordered materials for smaller factor case so have to go that way, but it will help anyway.

Thanks :-)
 
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.
 
Hey guys

I got bored of waiting for the parts for the desk / case, so I started making few things.

1. Painted few cables in UV Green: 3 Sata III and motherboard 24pin cable.
o7wc.jpg


2. Started making a radiator mounting. Cant use any standard thing here so had to connect some random bits. Measured them and they will fit a 240mm rad.
9b5o.jpg


3. Started making a PSU mounting. I drilled 4 x 3 mm holes, they fit the PSU screws from my old case, I am going to use them there. I will attach the PSU in place and then bend rest of the metal to hold PSU hanging under the desk. Mounting is attached to the desk, basically a 1000mm x 500mm x 5 mm acrylic plate.
Should work :)
3q1u.jpg



Other things in plans for next few days:

1. Cutting 5.25" slots in neoprene foam sheet (most likely 3 slots: 1 for Power/reset + 4 USB panel, 1 for fan controller, 1 for optical drive). Also It's very dense form and will make some parts like PSU or radiator virtually silent.

2. I just got an email that main part of the case, acrylic tube, will arrive on Wednesday, so I will start working on it then: sanding multiple times, painting (green/lime). I will update and post pics of my progress then.

This month it will all be working on the case and table. No computer hardware stuff until November, sorry.
Be patient, I will get to it soon :)

As usual I appreciate comments and advice, you helped me a lot so far :)

Cheers
BH
 
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I use a jigsaw for acrylic as well.
The idea is you have to cool the material.
For me it is enough to either keep the plexi within the foil layers.
If I jigsaw extruded plexi without foil I just poor water on it.
The stuff coming from it will clutter and not melt.
Same with drilling.
 
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