Project: H2Orange

[davido_labido]

Well, its time to rebuild my computer, its getting on a bit, and although the componants have stood the test of time well, im just getting bored with the overall build. So, time to do a rebuild!!!!

First and foremost though, i need to thank these awesome people/companies for either sponsoring me, discounting stuff for me (as i am on a really tight budget) or just generally been there when ive needed help with things!

To start with: (more will be said about these awesome folk as the build progresses!! i mean, a belly dancing costume manufacturer sponsoring a computer build!?! WHAT!??)

So, what have i got so far?

Some of this gear has been kindly donated by coolmiester over at XSPC, some of it ive bought from OCUK and some of it i already have, but this is where i gained the "h2o" part from, theres going to be quite a bit of Mayhems fluid in this, and as seen as its going white and orange again, and as seen as im using a H2 case, the name works quite well!!!

Here is the water cooling thats going in!

YOUR BASKET
1 x XSPC H2 Enthusiast Tower Case - Black £419.99
1 x XSPC Gigabyte GA-Z77X-UP7 WaterBlock £89.99
1 x XSPC EX480 120mm Radiator - Black £66.95
2 x XSPC EX360 Crossflow Radiator £52.99 (£105.98)
1 x XSPC RayStorm CPU WaterBlock (Intel) £51.98
1 x XSPC Memory WaterBlock + Side Plate Set £46.99
2 x XSPC Photon 170 Tube Reservoir £37.99 (£75.98)
1 x XSPC Universal Memory Side Plate (Twin Set) £19.99
1 x XSPC 5.25” Bay Temperature Sensor Frame £9.95
1 x XSPC 120mm Universal Radiator Stand £9.9
2 x XSPC Razor SLI Flow Bridge (2 Slot) £8.99 (£17.98)
1 x XSPC LCD Temperature Sensor (White) V2 + G1/4" Inline Sensor £8.99
1 x XSPC LCD Temperature Sensor (Orange) V2 + G1/4" Plug Sensor £5.99
Total : £945.66 (includes shipping : £12.50).




Oh, and 3 XSPC Razor GTX 680 GPU Waterblocks

Pics coming soon!!

Can you guess what the bodystocking manufacturer has sponsored me with!?

 

[davido_labido]

haha, i wish they would, and orange and white is awesome!!!! i have to keep my theme, i like it too much

 

[davido_labido]

Dust filtering stockings?

Subbed.

Looking forward to this, but can't but help notice this sponsor

Dust filter with tights perhaps? Really I have no idea...

However do tell us the conversation you had with them. How did pitching that you were planing to build a custom PC with their stockings go down?

Haha, its not really stockings as we know it, they are "belly stockings" for belly dancers, i didnt know when i started looking into a material to use, but belly dancers actually wear like a "body suit" made out of fine material, making it look like they arent wearing much (if its skin toned)

And your right, i needed some material for some custom dust filters im hoping to make, i ordered a sample from ebay, without really looking at the sellers name, i ended up with something which will fit my build perfectly, i approached them, and they have sent me more than enough! so who knows, i might go belly dancing after!!!

check out what i mean about their material here:

https://www.bellystockings.com/

you can get samples by clicking on the "Fabric swatches and straps" section, or by scouring ebay which is where i got mine!!

Sounds like this is gonna be awesome love the look of the H2 though the bodystocking has me intrigued.

Something I've wondered though is how do you guys get sponsership for your builds? I presume that in your case XSPC want something out of you for them donating their products?

I managed to get my sponsorship through meeting people at LANS and getting them interested in my previous builds, i also have "got about a bit" in the modding world due to my cable sleeving and also from problems ive had which ive asked for help with, every contact is a good contact, and when i have ideas, but dont have another 3 or 4 grand to throw at a build, its always nice to have the help! In return, the companies get a lot of advertising from me really, my last log got over 14,000 views on this forum alone, plus i got nominated for the "mod of the month" on another rather large website, every view is a potential customer! Also i go to some rather large LANS, and im certainly not shy!!

Meh, now you won't have any spare time to do cables for me /sadpandaface

I will have plenty of time buddy, dont worry, i will be going slow with this build as i want to try and plan some things out, which im not 100% sure how im going to do, so i can think about that whilst i sleeve your cables

Yes Dave!

speaking of cables, get them installed and stop sorting your house out

Well this looks like it's going to be something different with a sponsor like that!

haha, yeah, i thought it might turn some heads, at the end of the day, i dont think i will be able to use standard dust filters for what i have planned, so i need to make them myself, i think this material will work great!

Subbed!

SUBBED!

thanks lads, i hope i dont dissapoint! I will get some photo's of what i have already in the morning if i get some time!

 

[davido_labido]

Looking forward to this dave

How are you going about getting 2 x 360's in there (presuming in the bottom) with a PSU? Chop out the bottom pair of 5.25 brackets?

And 680 Tri-SLI? Beastly

That's the idea, it's why I've gone with crossflow rads though, hopefully I should be able to do it without having too many problems with the tubing then!

And they will be tri sli 670's at the moment because I sold my 680's (i really wasn't using them to their potential) but I might go for 3 770's in the near future if I can get them at the right price, at the moment I can't afford grab new gpu's and I've already got the 680 blocks that will fit the 670's

 

[davido_labido]

Another build?! swear you just finished the parvum not to long ago

Looking forward to how this turns out

I haven't actually finished that parvum, it's still on my work bench! Il probably finish that in the next few days and Il get the build log updated! I did do another build last month, but it wasn't really anything special, so didn't bother doing a log for it.

 

[davido_labido]

Well, i started to type a bit of an update, then i realised.... my brand new (had it about a month) keyboard was way too black for this build.

So, i changed it to fit with H2Orange!

Because rjkoneill has been banging on about his brand NEW plastidip range in the latest products area, i would see what all the fuss was about!

i bought, i bet you can guess? yup, white and orange.

First, i took it apart... sorry warranty, i never liked you anyway.

Then, a couple of coats of white to cover the black as much as possible, this is the first coat, i think i did 2 more after this

then, cracked on with the "blaze orange" I love that colour!!!

the finish isnt bad at all, the only problem was my impatience, i should have given it at least another coat as it seems i consentrated on the sides you see the most (from the front view) and only did 1 coat on the 2 sides, you cant tell unless you look closely, but the black is certainly still there.

if i get some time, il probably just give it another coat, but its certainly fine for now:

hmmmmm.... hang on, those keys look rather black to me =(

ooou, its ok!! ive got just what the doctor ordered!

Thats better!

and just some with the lights off to show, i did have this in mind before i bought the keyboard

So, not really an update with the build, but at least im getting in the mood

Thanks folks!

 

[davido_labido]

Thanks guys =D

And Yeh, the Plastidip has a kinda rubbery feel to it. I quite like it though!

 

[davido_labido]

Yes mate, they are the ducky shine 2 ones though, which keep confusing me a little!

 

[davido_labido]

Right, so lets get some pictures uploaded hey?

A massive thanks to

particularly coolmiester, who without his support, i wouldn't have even thought about rebuilding my computer, certainly not into a case as large as this one!!!
he has helped me, not only with equipment, but also with encouragement when i met him at a few events! THANKYOU!

so, this update, is just some XSPC component porn really, just a little taster as to what im thinking!

so....

Here is the case.... im not going to do much here, other than say.... ITS MASSIVE!!!! apologies about the messy backdrop, i literally grabbed it out of the box and took a picture in excitement, then took it apart, to see what i wanted to do with it. when i rebuild it il take better pictures!!

Reservoirs!!! 2 of them? well, it can only mean 1 thing...> DUAL LOOPS

for 2 loops id need 2 pumps though...right? aaah, sweet, i already ordered them

But XSPC have these too!!! dual looks that can be seen from the front? hmmm.... 3 reservoirs then? aaaah, why not!

im going to need a lot of fittings.... i know, i know i already have a box full.... but what about these sexy things!!!

they really do look lovely!!

a temp sensor holder... oh, and some temp sensors too (which i already have connected so, there are no pictures of

a 480 Rad? MUCH COOLING!

just to give you an idea of the hight of the case....

that window looks small though... doesnt it? Yeh, il have to do something about that i think

 

[davido_labido]

Mr Labido the public demand moooar! : )

OK, OK, il post up what little i did yesterday

I have full faith you'll do something awesome with this

Im trying!!! lack of funds is killing me at the moment! every time i think "right, il buy this so i can move forward with the build" something happens and i have to spend the cash. Either way though, il get some stuff sorted!

Totally agree with it.
The public definetely demands moar

thanks buddy a little update shortly

Can't wait

Thanks man

Oh those fittings look the dogs Dave. Triple res sounds intriguing and the case is beast! Looking forward to the next update, don't let us distract you.

Oh and get xspc to print you an orange logo t-shirt !

yeah, i might contact XSPC see if they will do that for me actually haha, im going i51 in a month or so, and hopefully will have soemthing to take there with me, so an orange and white XSPC branded t-shirt would be awesome haha.

 

[davido_labido]

So....

that window. for a case so big, it did surprise me how small the window was tbh, it showed everything most people would want to show off though, just not quite big enough for what i wanted to do (or what i think i want to do!)

So, i think this can be the first job.

Look!!! i even measured it properly! its rare i do that, usually i just jump in with both feet, cut away then fix things after

a new toy to get the job done

AND GOOOOOOOO!

Progress was very slow indeed.
after a hour, id got this far, i didnt want to give up though!

i decided to do it a diffrent way, draw the lines on both sides and dremel half way through on each side and hope that my measurements were correct!!!!!

a hour or two later!!!

Some of the edges do need a little filing down where there are some sharp edges etc, but over all, considering i could have got it done by friends using a laser or something, im really glad i did it myself, it was a lot more rewarding and looks good!

 

[davido_labido]

So today i woke up early, and thought i would have a crack at this rapping thing.... so WORD TO YO MOTHER!

yeah.... maybe im not the next Dr Dre.

I started off with these lovely XSPC RAM blocks. they really do look the bees knees, but they are urm... black =(

well, my first attempt didnt look too bad, in fact, im quite impressed with it. I think i would have got a better result if i used spray paint, but i wanted something a little less
permanent.

all of them done

and for a massive one (oooh er)

Spoiler

ive still got a lot of the wrap to play with, and i am in the process of doing a little bit more... but ive got distracted by geeky things

 

[davido_labido]

What's the finish like on the case?

its brushed aluminium, in black. it wont be staying like that though

 

[davido_labido]

well... today, i think il be doing the scariest mod ive ever done, so expect some pictures later.... well... if it works... if it doesnt, i wont be able to turn my computer on to upload them

 

[davido_labido]

in fact, just got talking to someone about what im going to do and he has some spare hardware that im going to have off him so i can try it out first haha.

so it might be a few days until i get the pics up...

 

[davido_labido]

A sensible approach! I wonder who suggested that??

someone with far more sense than me

 

[davido_labido]

There are.... But I can't put them up ATM because I have no computer....

If I can I'll try and do one from my server... I also don't have my camera atm so been using my phone. Hopefully the pics will be OK!

 

[davido_labido]

Right, ok... ive plugged my keyboard and mouse in the server and im going to give in and post an update!!

First of all appologies for the rubbish photo's ive lent my camera out to a friend, so im using my phone at the moment, i will be getting better photos soon though!! Just as soon as i can borrow one, or convince someone we need a night of drinking, playing bored games and taking pictures of tech... *cough* Confused *cough*

so... first of all i got quite a few XSPC waterblocks.

i had a XSPC raystorm CPU waterblock
A XSPC Memory WaterBlock (4 Slot)
And a XSPC Z77X-UP7 waterblock ready to go... but again, they are all black!!!

sooooo its time for some spray painting!

Here is what i ended up with! I did do them in wrap at first, but i just wasn't feeling it tbh, i prefer the finish of the paint!

The XSPC motherboard block

The XSPC Raystorm CPU block

The Ram block top

Ive got 2 more updates that i can do now.... Should i blow my load all in one go though, or trickle it to you slowly <--- if you see that as anything other than an innocent sentence, shame on you

 

[davido_labido]

looking good

Thanks buddy

Blow your load

sigh... as per usual, i never last long...

Ok, So... the case.

First of all, im going to thank

again for this!!!

This case is the XSPC H2 Enthusiast

And what a case tbh. Easy to assemble/ disassemble (although you do need some good screwdriver skills, or like me, grab your electric one!

There are 2 main problems with the case.

1) there's not actually that much you can mod, there's just no need. usual id mod for radiator space, or somewhere to stick an extra fan or two etc etc, but i just dont need to with this! It means its really hard for a modder to play with! For someone who just wants a case to work straight out the box though, yup, its fine!!

2) the colour. BLACK!!? ARGH!!!!!

so heres what i did..... TO THE POWDER COATERS!!!

i did have a powder coater that was going to do this for me as a sponsor, but unfortunately he didnt have time to do it for me, and i didn't have time to wait. So i sourced someone local, who did a fantastic job and in all honesty, cost peanuts!

With this case, there is actually a double beds worth of metal !!!

The base, this has 4 wheels on the bottom, i did put my cat on it and try and convince it to have a go like a skateboard. it didnt work. =(

Getting there:

done!

i will be getting better pictures of this as i literally only finished putting this together around a hour or so ago. I do love it in white. its beautiful. it doesnt seem so dauntingly big either which is a bonus!

Tomorrows update will be a bit more.... daring.

 

[davido_labido]

well, luckily my next update has some white as well

White and orange are the best colours for a computer!

everytime i think "this time il go for something different" i just cant think of a combo that isnt done all the time!!