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Looks awesome dude.....when your finished, Im going to come rob you because you left your address showing on the braid package 
(hint hint....remove it)
(hint hint....remove it)Project: Redstone
- Thread starter Gundog48
- Start date
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Those fans are the beez kneez, I should know I have six of the things! Progress is looking great Gundog, o and your braiding skills are miles....kilometres better than mine!
So, finally upgrade time! Going to hop on the SB 2500K bandwagon, but which motherboard should I pair it with for this build?
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MB-336-GI&groupid=701&catid=5&subcat=1990
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MB-361-GI&groupid=701&catid=5&subcat=1990
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MB-049-AK&groupid=701&catid=5&subcat=1906
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MB-336-GI&groupid=701&catid=5&subcat=1990
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MB-361-GI&groupid=701&catid=5&subcat=1990
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MB-049-AK&groupid=701&catid=5&subcat=1906
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That Fatal1ty board would look great with your braiding but i'd personally go for either of the Gigabyte Z68 boards - I'm all about redundancy
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Asus or gigabyte ft.....better performing machine
Think I'm going to go for the standard UD4, there's enough red and I'd rather not choose my components based on looks, especially with the price premium for the Fatal1ty branding.
Soldato
I dont feel I paid a premium
sucuse gramma tryna eat a pizza
sucuse gramma tryna eat a pizza
Did a little test fit to show you guys what it will look like before I paint the fans! Would like to do something to the labels on the bottom fans because they look a little ugly.
Soldato
Oh I'm glad your carrying on with this mate! I thought it had died after you has spent sooo much on such a gorg case.
I wouldn't dream of such a thing! No, progress is slow because of loads of things I have to do, however I'm slowly getting there and I'm nearly there now! Every time I look at my current case I am inspired to get this finished! Once the fans are done all that is left is to order the new components and build it!
Soldato
Please say you've got the PCI Doors/Gates sprayed red?
Just ordered the Z68XP UD4 and 2500K! Went for that motherboard because the standard Z68X was out of stock, can't wait to get them! Not sure about CPU cooling though, I have a Xigmatek Thor's Hammer which is really good but a bit big and would hide a bit too much of my hard work. I also have a CoolIT Vantage which I don't really like because it just beeps at me all the time, I'd consider trading it for a Corsair equivalent but I'm not sure how I would mount the single 120mm rad and make it look good! The only other option would be a H100 which are a bit too expensive but I'd be able to make it look OK.
I've decided to use my CoolIT Vantage as a CPU cooler to allow a clear view of the insides of the system. However, I used to use it in my main rig but I was forced to take it out. The thing has too many features, it has an LCD display displaying coolant temperature which is fine, but the b***** thing beeps at you all the time! The most annoying one is if the coolant is below 19.5 degrees it will beep, which means every time I turn on my computer it beeps for a couple of minutes before it heats up. It also beeps just as you shut the computer down once because the pump looses power just before it turns off.
Needless to say, something had to be done! I was waiting for their Maestro software to be released, but they have now pulled out of the retail market in an agreement with Corsair, so that wasn't happening. It seems that more direct methods were required, so I removed the lid and a few scews later I was greeted with the pump assembly.
And the PCB that handles all the electronics for the unit. You can see the offender there...
And so the buzzer was silenced. I tried desoldering but it didn't want to have it!
Hopefully it won't make those stupid sloshy noises too much. Has anyone ever bled one of these WC loops, it's got some air in the system but I'm not sure how I would get it out!
Needless to say, something had to be done! I was waiting for their Maestro software to be released, but they have now pulled out of the retail market in an agreement with Corsair, so that wasn't happening. It seems that more direct methods were required, so I removed the lid and a few scews later I was greeted with the pump assembly.
And the PCB that handles all the electronics for the unit. You can see the offender there...
And so the buzzer was silenced. I tried desoldering but it didn't want to have it!
Hopefully it won't make those stupid sloshy noises too much. Has anyone ever bled one of these WC loops, it's got some air in the system but I'm not sure how I would get it out!
Huge Update!
Ordered my components and started the build. I nicked 4Gb of RAM from my main rig to test the system and installed it with the stock cooler on the removable motherboard tray. I got Windows and all of my programs installed on that while I still had my main rig up and running. Because my DVD drive is IDE, I couldn't install Windows from a DVD, so I had to format my camera's memory card, and use the camera as a card reader to install Windows from, hence the iPhone pictures (a Christmas present- very happy)!
Then I proceeded to build the thing! The motherboard had to come off for the backplate for the new CPU cooler. I will never go back from using a removable motherboard tray, I love these things so much! They make life so much easier! Building this required a bit more physical work than I thought, everything was heavy and difficult to do, such as trying to get the top mesh on. I could have done with an extra pair of hands tbh! Getting the rad for the cooler in was very difficult too, mainly because it is not designed for it!
I had braided the front panel connectors, I just attached the power and reset switch as well as the power LED- I hate HDD LEDs! I also included the buzzer which I tucked under the braid, but with it's red and black wires it's pretty tactical anyway.
I got a red LED strip for the bottom to give it a bid of a glow. A very usefully placed hole allowed me to route all the wiring nicely.
I was originally going to get a newer 1TB HDD for the build, but after what happened and the subsequent rise in HDD prices I stuck with this, at least I wouldn't have to copy all my documents over!
This should help alleviate the issue! I've installed Windows, all my games and editing programs as well as Office and a few other bits and pieces and it's still less that half full!
Every regular PC builder or DIY person should get these, it's a Snapon magnetic ratchet screwdriver and Mac Tools head set. This thing does everything, Torx, Allen heads, about 5 different types of posidrive, both sharp and blunt and a whole host of other heads I've never even seen before!
I just found this screw in my organiser, god knows what happened to it!
There are two backs for PSUs on this case, one is for standard ATX PSUs which are mounted vertically the other is horizontal but is designed for redundant PSUs. I couldn't use the vertical one because it would hit against the fan. So far more high tech mounting solutions were in order:
The 3M tape is just amazing! I had the case upside down later on and the PSU just sat there! As you can see, the size for the hole of a redundant PSU is almost identical to the full size of an ATX one, so it fills the gap perfectly, just isn't screwed in. The flash did a horrible job of highlighting a very shallow scuff that isn't visible normally, so thanks!
Finally, the finished article. The pictures aren't the best due to the slow shutter which makes it difficult to see through the window, I'll try to get some better ones up at some point! All that's left is to do the 24-pin ATX and the two 6-pin PCIe connectors to finish the job off. Other than that, a bit of cable management, some white lighting for the main section and it's done! The bottom lighting gives it a nice glowing effect at night, but is not really visible here. Also the screen on the cooler came out badly due to the long exposure, it displays the coolant temperature and a few other bits rather than a solid red screen!
All I wasn't happy with were the side panels, they just didn't seem to slide all the way forward. I had to really wrestle with it and force them in with the screws which required a screwdriver to do up. I'm not sure if this is due do the unibody section being left for ages which changed it's shape slightly. Anyway, I'm going to try bending the 'hooks' a bit next time I have it apart, but it's hardly an issue really.
My room is a state most of the time due to my work (all the boxes under the desk) but by the time I'd finished with this it looked like a claymore filled with screws had gone off! Fortunately, clearing up scews is one of the other great uses of my magnetic screwdriver!
My old system was looking in a bit of a state, I'll be selling the 1055T for a cheaper Athlon to give to my parents as a replacement for the 1.7Ghz Celeron laptop with 1Gb RAM running Vista I gave them a few years ago! Just need some RAM, and a HDD- funnily enough I have a few PSUs I could use! I would sell it, but the motherboard hasn't got a warranty or a box so I wouldn't get a decent price for it.
But the thing that was looking in most of a state was myself as you can see from this very un-flattering photo! I was knackered! A cup of tea well earned I think!
Then I had to lift the thing onto my desk, which was no mean feat! So that's the project just about finished! All that's left is a little lighting and braiding and it's totally finished! I can't tell you how amazing it looks sitting here on my desk- pictures just don't do it justice!
Ordered my components and started the build. I nicked 4Gb of RAM from my main rig to test the system and installed it with the stock cooler on the removable motherboard tray. I got Windows and all of my programs installed on that while I still had my main rig up and running. Because my DVD drive is IDE, I couldn't install Windows from a DVD, so I had to format my camera's memory card, and use the camera as a card reader to install Windows from, hence the iPhone pictures (a Christmas present- very happy)!
Then I proceeded to build the thing! The motherboard had to come off for the backplate for the new CPU cooler. I will never go back from using a removable motherboard tray, I love these things so much! They make life so much easier! Building this required a bit more physical work than I thought, everything was heavy and difficult to do, such as trying to get the top mesh on. I could have done with an extra pair of hands tbh! Getting the rad for the cooler in was very difficult too, mainly because it is not designed for it!
I had braided the front panel connectors, I just attached the power and reset switch as well as the power LED- I hate HDD LEDs! I also included the buzzer which I tucked under the braid, but with it's red and black wires it's pretty tactical anyway.
I got a red LED strip for the bottom to give it a bid of a glow. A very usefully placed hole allowed me to route all the wiring nicely.
I was originally going to get a newer 1TB HDD for the build, but after what happened and the subsequent rise in HDD prices I stuck with this, at least I wouldn't have to copy all my documents over!
This should help alleviate the issue! I've installed Windows, all my games and editing programs as well as Office and a few other bits and pieces and it's still less that half full!
Every regular PC builder or DIY person should get these, it's a Snapon magnetic ratchet screwdriver and Mac Tools head set. This thing does everything, Torx, Allen heads, about 5 different types of posidrive, both sharp and blunt and a whole host of other heads I've never even seen before!
I just found this screw in my organiser, god knows what happened to it!
There are two backs for PSUs on this case, one is for standard ATX PSUs which are mounted vertically the other is horizontal but is designed for redundant PSUs. I couldn't use the vertical one because it would hit against the fan. So far more high tech mounting solutions were in order:
The 3M tape is just amazing! I had the case upside down later on and the PSU just sat there! As you can see, the size for the hole of a redundant PSU is almost identical to the full size of an ATX one, so it fills the gap perfectly, just isn't screwed in. The flash did a horrible job of highlighting a very shallow scuff that isn't visible normally, so thanks!
Finally, the finished article. The pictures aren't the best due to the slow shutter which makes it difficult to see through the window, I'll try to get some better ones up at some point! All that's left is to do the 24-pin ATX and the two 6-pin PCIe connectors to finish the job off. Other than that, a bit of cable management, some white lighting for the main section and it's done! The bottom lighting gives it a nice glowing effect at night, but is not really visible here. Also the screen on the cooler came out badly due to the long exposure, it displays the coolant temperature and a few other bits rather than a solid red screen!
All I wasn't happy with were the side panels, they just didn't seem to slide all the way forward. I had to really wrestle with it and force them in with the screws which required a screwdriver to do up. I'm not sure if this is due do the unibody section being left for ages which changed it's shape slightly. Anyway, I'm going to try bending the 'hooks' a bit next time I have it apart, but it's hardly an issue really.
My room is a state most of the time due to my work (all the boxes under the desk) but by the time I'd finished with this it looked like a claymore filled with screws had gone off! Fortunately, clearing up scews is one of the other great uses of my magnetic screwdriver!
My old system was looking in a bit of a state, I'll be selling the 1055T for a cheaper Athlon to give to my parents as a replacement for the 1.7Ghz Celeron laptop with 1Gb RAM running Vista I gave them a few years ago! Just need some RAM, and a HDD- funnily enough I have a few PSUs I could use! I would sell it, but the motherboard hasn't got a warranty or a box so I wouldn't get a decent price for it.
But the thing that was looking in most of a state was myself as you can see from this very un-flattering photo! I was knackered! A cup of tea well earned I think!
Then I had to lift the thing onto my desk, which was no mean feat! So that's the project just about finished! All that's left is a little lighting and braiding and it's totally finished! I can't tell you how amazing it looks sitting here on my desk- pictures just don't do it justice!
Last edited:
Soldato
Nice one mate, looks good.
Thanks guys! I know your not a big fan of integrated liquid coolers (or liquid-assisted air coolers ) but the plan was to dispense with my old faithful Xigmatek Thor's Hammer, which is an outstanding cooler by the way, and replace it with something that would allow better views of the motherboard. I like to stick with air cooling because I don't really have time to maintain a loop, and it causes extra hassle when swapping out components. I'm not an experienced overclocker at the moment, but I can see myself WCing in the future!
Any tips on taking these photos, I really cannot capture the true effect of how this looks in the flesh, I'd really like to show you it the way I can see it, but I can't seem to do it! I think the main issue is lighting.
) but the plan was to dispense with my old faithful Xigmatek Thor's Hammer, which is an outstanding cooler by the way, and replace it with something that would allow better views of the motherboard. I like to stick with air cooling because I don't really have time to maintain a loop, and it causes extra hassle when swapping out components. I'm not an experienced overclocker at the moment, but I can see myself WCing in the future! Any tips on taking these photos, I really cannot capture the true effect of how this looks in the flesh, I'd really like to show you it the way I can see it, but I can't seem to do it! I think the main issue is lighting.
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- 8 Sep 2009
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Enjoyed reading through this build and a great result at the end! nice job