Project Micro Goliath

TheNoviceModder

TheNoviceModder

TheNoviceModder

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Joined
11 Sep 2014
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212
Location
Suffolk, England
Welcome, to my second project build log! My first being project Molten Gold, in which I built my first ever custom loop with a black & gold colour scheme. With this new project, I plan to take things one step further & not only custom build the pc, but the case too!

I plan on using wood, glass & aluminium as my core materials for the case and I will make my own custom length sleeved cables for all possible components too. I'm yet to decide on a colour scheme for this build, but I'm thinking of a two tone theme. The wood I'll be using will be reclaimed from wooden pallets, just like I've done with my desk.

Below is the original design/layout I had in mind, before I got my hands on a pallet & spare parts for testing. After getting the pallet & cutting the wood to size etc, that layout wasn't possible & didn't look right, so it's been changed. Progress images & posts will be further into this log.
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The components I plan to use for this build are listed below (this may change as the log progresses):

Mobo: Asus Z170-A Intel Z170 (Socket 1151) DDR4
CPU: Intel Core i7-6700K 4.0GHz (Skylake)
GPU: OcUK GeForce GTX 980Ti "Reference Design" OR OcUK GeForce GTX 980 "Reference Design" Depending on my budget
RAM: Kingston Fury Black 32GB (4x8GB) DDR4
Storage: Kingston HyperX 3K SSD 480GB
PSU: Corsair RM Series RM 850 '80+ Gold'
Fans: Corsair SP120's (possibly also AF120's/AF140's)
Radiator: XSPC EX240 Crossflow
CPU Block: Aqua Computer Cuplex Kryos XT .925 Silver Edition
GPU Block: EK-FC980 GTX - Acetal+Nickel
Tubing: Hardline (brand undecided)
Fittings: Monsoon Free Center Hardline 1/2 X 5/8 (16mm) 6 Pack - Green
Reservoir: RAI-R10 or RAI-R20 (Black)
Pump: XSPC D5 PWM + Bitspower D5 Mod Kit


This build is planned as a high end gaming machine in a small package, allowing me to travel with it with ease. This build was inspired by a game called Ark: Survival Evolved which is in Early Access on Steam right now. It's pretty demanding in terms of hardware, and my poor little system isn't up to the task of running the game at max settings. If I have chosen any parts which aren't suitable for the intended use, feel free to suggest replacements and explain why :) This log will be a long & steady one, so sit back & enjoy!
 
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TechMinerUK said:
Looking forward to seeing this build :). Just remember to make sure your case is sturdy as since you are using hardline tubing if the case moves too much in transit it could cause the acrylic tubing to crack at the fittings. It's rare but it's better to be safe and sure to avoid killing your hardware.
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Yeah, don't worry it'll most likely be made from oak :) Either oak or use(good condition) pallet wood, which ever looks best & is sturdy enough. If I ever plan to move it outside of the house, I'll most likely take it apart & refill the loop once it's done moving. It'll be easy to take apart, in my mind at least aha.

Today I'm drawing up the placement plans on cardboard, can't do any test fits on old wood because I don't have any spare parts laying around :( But for Christmas, I should hopefully be getting the Monsoon hardline tube bending kit, some hardline & fittings :) So even with the old (current) hardware, I should be able to do a test fit & get it up & running. Then in time, replace the old hardware with the new.

Something I'm REALLY looking forward to doing & showing off, is the cable management idea I have in mind. Never seen it done before & it's going to be a sight to behold! Let's just say, I'll be taking cable routing holes to a whole new level! ;)
 
TechMinerUK said:
It's not my forte but I would assume the metal is to provide structural rigidity so the acrylic/glass don't get strained and crack. This could be due to woods natural nature to expand/shrink/bend/warp etc so the metal will provide a solid structure :)
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Ah okay, thanks :) The wood I'll be using will be very strong, about an inch thick maybe more. The plan is to have grooves cut into the wood so that the glass/acrylic can slide into position. The concept is to have an upside down T shape wooden structure, then on one side (the near side) will be acrylic/glass going up from the base then across to the middle section of the inverted T (hopefully the acrylic/glass will be curved instead of a 90 degree angle). Then at the rear will be the 280 rad, exhausting hot air out the back, at the front will be two 140mm fans to blow cool, clean air across the gpu & mobo. The mobo will be rotated 90 degrees with the rear io ports pointing downwards. The gpu will be mounted flat to the wood on the right of the mobo using a pcie riser cable, again with the display ports facing downward. Reservoir will be horizontal above the mobo (or to the left, which ever looks best). PSU will be round the back, behind the 'mobo tray' along with the pump (which hopefully will be in a sound reducing chamber). The SSD (or SSD's) will be mounted along the base of the inverted T. That's what it looks like in my head, I hope it looks even half as good in anyone else's head aha!
 
TechMinerUK said:
Sounds like a good plan, if I'm imagining it correctly it should look excellent. Like I say though, the metal may be necesary for the acrylic tubing to provide a decent structure so they don't strain and crack. Other than that though the plan seams well thought out. Good luck as I'm looking forward to seeing this build develop :)
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Thank you (: If I do implement the metal, it'll be sandwiched in between the two layers of the mobo tray & possibly along the base. I want it to look as rustic as I can with the least amount of metal showing. I think my biggest problem is going to be getting the glass bent at a reasonable price at the angle/radius I want. After Christmas, watch this log speed up :)
 
Got the pallet this week. So I've cut the slats up & trimmed them to equal sizes. Waiting until after Christmas until I can do a proper test fit of components. The layout has changed since the original design, so this is (roughly) how it'll look:
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The ruler marks roughly where the top (side) of the motherboard will be. The reservoir will either go horizontally above the motherboard, or round the back where the psu and pump will also be. This build is all about showing things off, so making both sides of the system interesting is what I'm aiming for.

If an SSD will fit on the slanted plinth below the motherboard, I will mount one or two there. The 280mm radiator will go at the back, behind the fans. Due to the length being a bit much, I've decided to mount the gpu directly to the motherboard rather than next to it with a riser cable.


So, that's where I stand at the moment. The next steps are: Sanding the edges & surfaces, screwing the wood together, motherboard mounting hole markers & lots of youtube videos on making my own custom cables!
 
savagesam117 said:
I had a quick skim on this but you need some metal as an earth, obviously the motherboard tray needs to be metal. Other than that, metal is just nice and strong so great for making cases.
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Oh really? I would love it if the metal could be hidden somehow or as invisible as possible. Would it work if I attached a metal plate on the under side of the base? Or directly behind the motherboard & the same size as it, so I can't see it?
 
savagesam117 said:
Yeah, just cut a tray out of another case with the stand offs and you should be okay :)
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I have an old, Coolermaster HAF 932 (original, unpainted metal insides). Will the standoffs be in the right place for the motherboard I have in mind to use?

FL630 said:
I ran my PC for a while not earthed, never had an issue?
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I'd rather be safe than sorry, seeing as how much I intend on spending on this build (: Glad you've not had any problems so far though!
 
So, minor update time! Yesterday these beautiful parts arrived & other than the orange accents on the fans, they look beautiful! Will hopefully change them to green, black or white in the future. They are the LinusTechTips Special Edition versions of the Noctua NF-A14 PWM's & they feel very premium in the hands. The radiator is an XSPC EX280 & the slimline approach is going to fit nicely in with the build's small size.

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The next step is to sand the wood so it's all flat/level & screw/glue it together. I'm currently waiting for the "140mm Universal Radstand" on the XSPC website to come back into stock so I can mount my radiator & get a feel for how it'll look. I'll order two, so that the second one can be used at the front with a couple more 140mm LTT Noctua fans.

That's all I can do until Christmas, where I'll have a lovely update in the new year!
 
TechMinerUK said:
You have good photography skills. :)
Those LTT Noctuas look very nice, I can't wait for the coloured mounting systems to come to the UK so I can get some white grommets. I can't wait to christmas to see the build take shape but I know it will be worth it having seen your previous builds :D
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Thanks man, really means a lot :) I'm so excited for Christmas!!
 
FL630 said:
Sorry forgot to reply. If you wanted to build a wooden case but were concerned about grounding your PC, then where you screw or bolt your motherboard into the case, notice there are blobs of solder around the hole?

The idea is that these transfer a 0v line to your case via the motherboard screw. If you make it in wood, then run a wire from said point to a 0v port on your PSU, this way you can ground it all.

If you're confident with electrics then do not do it, at all, please find someone who can, it'll save you a lot of time money and hassle.
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Okay, after reading that carefully & slowly, I understand most of it :') The only problem is, I don't know where the 0v port would be on my PSU. How do I find out?
 
Thank you so much man! I'll definitely get someone with experience to help me with this. I plan to make custom cables for as much as possible in this build & I'm really nervous about wiring up the power and reset buttons! Going to do a test construction of the case this week & sand it down, keeping as much of the old/rustic look as I can.
 
Christmas Update!!

So it's been a long time coming, here's my Christmas update! The build itself hasn't exactly progressed as such, but I did get these lovely things from Santa :D All that's missing is the acrylic tubes. Thanks OCUK for all 10!! of the Haribo's :D

:) Merry Christmas everyone!! :)

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In preparation for the custom sleeving I'll be doing for this build, I want to learn how do do certain cables such as molex & sata. As I've never done this before, I'd like some tutorials/guides showing the tools I'll need etc.

I need to power my pump off the psu, but it currently uses a molex connection with a molex to pcie adapter. Is there a way to mod the pump cable to go directly to the psu?

Also, because I'm on such a tight budget, I can't afford to buy a second motherboard & cpu block to get measurements for the tubing. That's what's slowing the build down right now. I don't want to take my system apart, get measurements & put my system back together again, only to take it apart again to put the new one together. It's a lot of faffing around that could be avoided if I had spare parts such as an ATX mobo, cpu block & psu. They don't need to work, I just need them for measurements/guides. This would be much easier if I was being sponsored but I'm a LONG way off that stage yet lol
 
Bit of a silly question but other than looking at pictures & watching videos of people bending hardline tubing, I'm brand new to this area of watercooling. So I need to ask, do I need some kind of adhesive to secure my tubing to the fittings? I ask because I did a test fit when my tubing arrived & it has no grip, it just slides right out which doesn't seem normal...?
 
TechMinerUK said:
With the Monsoon Hardline fittings you need to use a UV glue to ensure that a seal is formed with the colar. They're the only fittings that need this though :)
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Sweet, thanks man! I ordered a couple of bottles of the stuff earlier just in case I needed it, along with a few other bits & bobs :) Treated myself so a 500GB SSD, a wired mouse & some other little bits & bobs :) The UV glue isn't in stock though, so I gotta wait for that to come in stock again :(
 
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