Project : Primo Midas

[colinmcr]

Project : Primo Midas + FINAL PICS 1st Post

"The famous King Midas is popularly remembered in Greek mythology for his ability to turn everything he touched into gold. This came to be called the Golden touch, or the Midas touch."



Ok so that's kinda an intro to my build, flair for the dramatic perhaps. My original build plan involved the use of the Asus X79 Extreme Black Edition, however I had a change of heart due to the delays affecting this board. So I went for the other board that Asus have managed to get out and I'm sure you've guessed by now, based on my intro which one I'm talking about.

replaced with

That's right the Asus X79 Deluxe... EDIT: Replaced with Asus Z10PE-D8-WS

So where is this going to reside, of course you already know that to, if you read the project log title properly....



Ok don't worry I won't post too many more pics in the intro, well maybe a couple.

Here is my parts list... (Old spec before upgrades)

Phantek Enthoo Primo
Asus X79 Deluxe Motherboard
Intel 4930k CPU
EVGA Nvidia GTX 780Ti in Sli
EVGA SuperNova G2 1300W '80 Plus Gold' Modular Power Supply
Avexir MPower Yellow Series 16GB (4x4GB) DDR3 PC3-12800C9 1600MHz Quad Channel Memory Kit
Dual Samsung 256GB SSD 840 PRO's

There won't be an optical drive I bought and external one for installing physical media if and when I need to.

So looks like pretty hot stuff right? Well we need to cool this sucker somehow, lets start with....

CPU - EK Water Blocks EK-Supremacy Clean CSQ - Gold
XSPC D5 Dual Bay Reservoir/Pump Combo V2
Dual EK-CoolStream RAD XTX 480's
Monsoon 16/11mm (ID 7/16 OD 5/8) Free Center Compression Fitting
Primochill Primoflex Advanced Tubing 16/11 - Black
Corsair SP120 Performance Series High Pressure 120mm Fans

EDITED 7th Oct 2015

As many of you know I changed the spec and upgraded Midas to a dual CPU Compute/Folding@Home monster. Thanks for following my log over this long time but here are the new FINAL pics

The full Album is public here --->>> http://imgur.com/a/0bURH

 

[colinmcr]

You are limited on how wide the bottom rad can be.

If your not modding the bottom, the rad you chose is too wide - max that natively fits is 124mm

Rads that I know fit are

EX 480
RX 480
EK-CoolStream RAD XT 480
Alphacool NexXxoS Monsta 480mm
Alphacool NexXxoS UT60 Full Copper 480mm

Hope this helps

Seems like every guy out there I was more concerned with length and forgot to check the girth ! I just looked up this drawing and it states 125mm.

Spoiler

So I have a 5mm to account for, well I shall have a look once it arrives and see if I can engineer a solution and go from there.

Just goes to show even after all the research I've done how easy it is to overlook the obvious. Thanks for the spot....scott

 

[colinmcr]

Small update for today, EK have released their 780 Ti blocks

Now its looks like no stock already but on their FB page they urge people to just go ahead and order as they refresh their stock page every 4 hours. Demand is high.

So taking them to their word of course I ordered two of each of these bad boys !



Possible graphic for the top card backplate, or maybe even both... Just thinking out loud here, as I was experimenting on small highlights that may or not be used. The water loop may obscure it to a certain degree now that I think about it.

 

[colinmcr]

*UPDATE*

Ok guys good news, some lovely boxes have arrived

Bad news is when I was opening the Rad boxes I found this



The inside of the large box all the parts came in, note the hole punched through.



Here the hole punched into the EK- Coolstream XTX 480 box (Which was sat directly above the hole in the exterior box. So guess someone wasn't too careful handling it !

Spoiler

So RMA request already sent. Now I guess you want to see the good stuff now? OK here we go, excuse the pics my dslr battery was dead.





Its one big case for sure but I love it ! Oh and I test fitted my good rad in the bottom and it fits fine, except when you come to the forward panel. I'll have a go at removing it later to let you know for sure if the XTX 480 will fit all the way along, as you know its 5mm too wide according to Phantek limit of 125mm width.

The reason there is no motherboard, ssd or cpu in the pics is because I have already have them over a month ago.

 

[colinmcr]

colinmcr, are you still planning on modding the optical cage side panel to accommodate your XTX 480? I was looking at it and thinking a person could cut a section out of the flat and notch the 'C' post part 6-7mm. Would need to install radiator before re-installing panel but should still have reasonable strength remaining in panel. Haven't actually removed panel so could be wrong. Wife says I'm wrong most the time anyway.

I will have a look tonight see what can be done for sure. I'm sure someone else on the case forum has already chopped out the section. I haven't had a good look yet, just got back from India so jet lag is catching up with me. I'm sure on the ModZoo youtube video they got in a monsta 480 push/pull, but its narrower.

 

[colinmcr]

*UPDATE*

Ok guys ignoring the urge to sleep I've stripped out the case for your pleasure. Want the good news? I thought so! So this first pic will show you that yes indeed you can squeeze a 480 XTX in there at the bottom But there will be some modding to refit the bay panel (just not all of it) Also note the front mounted fans are still in situ



As you can see there is a fair bit of sag in the optical bay once you remove the side bay panel. Might have an idea to solve that if I don't hack the bay panel in half.



Now the side bay panel has a folded seam, it might be possible to cut this section away and still have the look of the panel see pic.Might just be simpler just cutting the panel in half, I will try the seam first as got nothing to lose if I decided to chop the panel in half anyway.



Here's the rad in the top



Anyway off to bed !

 

[colinmcr]

Does side cover fit? Kinda looks like window might not clear. Removing grommet in PSU step cover will give you a couple mm.

Nae worries doyll, the window panel sits in that small recess (Red in pic), to the front (4mm wide). Clearance between the window panel recess and rad (Yellow).

 

[colinmcr]

I have a slightly different idea to try first, see my pic couple posts up. Now if you look at the "Bay Panel" the folded seam (image I marked with red) is what makes the panel sit deeper into the area where you want the rad to go. My theory is that if I cut out the folded seam it would then allow you to manipulate the panel to "tuck in" between the rad and the channel that holds the side window panel on. Then you only have the thickness of the "Bay Panel" sheeting which isn't very thick.
Although this panel also has a fold at the bottom where is secured by screws when the case is upside down. This would probably have to be cut or trimmed to allow it cto fit flusher with the side panel recess.

I will see if i can get a better photo to show you what I mean.

Also as far as rigidity is concerned for the optical bays, now if you extended the cut that you have marked all the way up to just under the two screws which attach to the optical bay frame it would be fairly rigid still, plus you get to see the rad and fans in all their glory.

Oh and here's what the postie brought today.... Golden !



Nils also sent some sample colours

 

[colinmcr]

Yep, I thought of that, you would have to put two bends in the panel, the upper bend would move it closer to the edge the the lower bed would bring it flush again. Thing is you effectively make the panel shorter by bending it. However the fold at the bottom of the panel the "feet" if you like, could be bent back through 90 degs giving you the height back and then the original holes could be used to put a screw in through to secure.

Things is it now starting to sound complicated when just chopping the panel in half would be far quicker and simpler.

Bends



Here's a close up, took the panel outside to get better images with my dslr.

 

[colinmcr]

I have some lovely carbon fibre vinyl to show you, I already had that in my head. Great minds think alike

Here is some pics I did just to get a feel for looks, cpu and memory installed to motherboard. Mock placed the cpu waterblock and monsoon fittings.

 

[colinmcr]

*UPDATE*

Well good news and some not so good.

First the good news is my SP120's finally arrived, so mocked them up to the rad for the bottom so I could get on with hacking up the optical bay side panel. Think it went ok, will have to get some U channel rubber to line the bottom edge with to avoid metal on metal contact with the rad. I decided in the end just to chop 70mm form the bottom, although it was maybe to generous with that but the U-Channel rubber should make up the slight gap, if not I'll shim the underside of the rad. Anyway have a look.... BTW I removed the Phantek nameplate, couldn't bear to destroy it





I even fitted the window panel on just in case any of you ask....

Top down view, nice reflection !


So I think it looks quite nice, there is a little bit of tension or squeeze when you screw the panel back onto the bracket for the optical bay. Might not be an issue will see in time.

Ok so the bad news....tried my hand at the old sleeving. Classic mistake not planning ahead. Yellow sleeve on black wire changes the colour horribly. Not the yellow I want. I carried on regardless and did my whole psu 24pin connector which has two separate ends at the psu and multiple wires in some holes. Needless to say there was a lot of swearing, burnt fingers and a horrible looking job at the end of it. An extension would have be so much simpler. Don't ask for a pic, just imagine putrid yellow, instead of sunshine golden ! Even under proper tension the black still made the colour less vibrant.

I need to slow it down maybe and take more time, even though I spent the best part of 6 hours trying it. Live and learn anyway...

 

[colinmcr]

pop the sleeve to me bud, il re do it, but using white cable instead, it will make it look 100% better, pop me an email and il send you my address.

Dave thanks mate I think I'll be dropping you that email ! You must be mad, its so time consuming.

 

[colinmcr]

*UPDATE*

Missed delivery of my gpu waterblocks today by like 5 mins according to the card the driver left, I was gutted.

Guys just been trying some spray painting (the SP120 coloured rings) today but the yellow I've been trying is too pale, so in search of something far brighter. I've also been doing this to the internals of the case and wondered what you guys thought?

In case you are wondering it's 2D Black/Gold carbon vinyl wrap.






I'm not planning using lots of it, will see how it looks. Thankfully its easily removed, I was also planning using it on the vertical cover that hides all the cable gromits and also to the optical bay side panel.

With regards to the optical bay side panel, I'm seriously considering chopping it more, up to just under the screws which support the optical cage. That way you see the whole rad and fans.

 

[colinmcr]

Black/Gold Carbon looks fantastic

It does doesn't it

Looks nice, wouldn't cover the whole thing with it though!

Yeah Ben, I don't want to over do it. But if I and you guys (because I value you're comments) don't like it or think its too much, then its easily removed. The other thing is once the bottom rad is in place it hides a lot of that carbon lower section.

Ok so saying that, how's it look now? Think I need to get the motherboard in their for you guys to get a feel for it, what you reckon?




Just because I said I would here is the motherboard in situ....

 

[colinmcr]

The carbon looks great. I'd go for some black or black/gold braided cables, though, for a bit of contrast.

I'm now having second thoughts about my yellow sleeving, I think the Vanilla Sands colour and black now.



Yeah Petey I'm worried it'll maybe be overpowering but I really have to see the build dry installed first. There will be a fair bit of black tubing to contrast off.

 

[colinmcr]

Ok some for, some against, here is the option that I thought was too gold ! I only have a small sample A4 piece, here what do you think of this one? It does seem to match the motherboard's very yellow/gold appearance.

I've only done the gromit/cable cover so you can get an idea of the difference between the two.

 

[colinmcr]

Thanks for the input guys, like I said before its easily removed and just testing some ideas.

Here are the fans with a subtle change... I was thinking of removing the grey rubber gromits and painting them also.

 

[colinmcr]

Well today I had a delivery..... I now realise the vertical gromit cover plastic section will have to be removed to fit the cards/blocks. So its gonna look slightly different. I've ordered some black 4D carbon for a tester, I just can't get away from it folks I just like the look. It's supposed to be textured also so will give it a go for you to see.


Some lovely LIDL packaging paper included lol

 

[colinmcr]

*UPDATE*

Ok I decided to chop some more off the optical bay side panel. I really want the rad and fans to be in full view, otherwise what's the point of that little side window right ?
As you can see I also removed the plastic cover from the vertical cable cover, this allows you to fit a longer gfx card.
Just for fun I mocked in my old refrence gtx 680 and a gtx 680 Direct CU II which as you can see from the last image is too big and you'd need to remove the whole cable/gromit cover to accommodate that bad boy. Hope that's a wee reference for anyone who would be using those parts. Of course mine will have the 780 ti's.

One other thing. Something my cousin pointed out yesterday, "Aye it's looking good, but whit yie doin' aboot those 140 fans min?"

Had to laugh, totally forgot to order AF140's..... cheers Bof !

Oh forgot something else, my damaged rad has been replaced and is on its way, thanks OcUK



GTX 680 Ref leaves you with 20mm space


GTX 680 Direct Cu II (Needs about another 25mm for clearance, so that panel would have to come out)

 

[colinmcr]

My replacement rad arrived at 5pm, excellent turn around OcUK. So got them both in the case now, little bit of an issue trying to get the lower one to line up with the screw holes on the underside (guess that's because I'm using too wide a rad officially.)

I've also done some subtle changes....