The Left Handed Build

[piggin]

OMG Good luck.

Thanks, I think I need it.
I have taken some comparison photographs over the weekend. Hopefully I will post them later

It wasn't the water that killed mine. It was the fact that I tried to replace the NB heatsink with a WB but that meant severing the heatpipes from the SB and MOSFETs. I tried to re-link them, but it didn't like it and I nearly got burnt on the SB!!! The MB wasn't really RMA-able...

Cutting heatpipes is never a good idea.
I purchased a Maximus once & could not get a full board water block for that.
Ended up removing the heat pipe & fitting Thermalright air cooling to parts of the board.

A few pictures from a long time ago

 

[piggin]

Sometimes it is good to learn the hard way, or so I've been told

Learning the hard way can be very expensive sometimes (done it quite a few times myself)

Looks good so far

Thanks

 

[piggin]

I think it cost me about £200 for the new MB and a some ear-ache from she-who-shall-be-obeyed. On the upside resulting PC was more reliable though.

ear-ache, if only this was a tangible cost. My system would be running into millions of pounds.

Are you sure Mrs P & your good lady are not sisters

 

[piggin]

The Mrs says that all females are related, so perhaps you are right!

lol, I think they go into SISTER MODE when required.
I am also sure they have all had expert classes in NAGGING.
I don't know when this happened (maybe when we were out in the cold playing rugby, they were in the gym having lessons) but they are so good at it.

Blimey and there's me worrying about my missus giving me grief over me wanting a RASA kit lol.

It all starts from the smallest of things.
My problem started when I had to decide between purchasing a TRUE & going with good air cooling or have a go with water.

Maybe I should start a self help group

 

[piggin]

This is incredibly awesome, wish i had the confidence/money/time to complete an awesome project such as this i'll be keeping track of this for sure!

Looking good, nice project going there.

Thanks, another update later today (fingers crossed)

 

[piggin]

Now that sounds like a plan, it would certainly help all us blokes who are ... how shall I put it ... ermmm.... well you get the picture .

I am not sure if I am ermmm & I am not the man to start a sexual revolution (not even in my own home)

Are you worried that this forum is monitored by our better halves? Because as we know from Mrs P's occasional borrowing of piggin's login that it can happen.... Be afraid!

I am very afraid, there is no such thing as freedom of speech in our house.
Everything is censored & monitored before anything can be posted.
There is only one boss in our house & its not me.

Sorry boys, having to play along as Mrs P is back & forth monitoring me

Looking too good matey!

Thanks m8

 

[piggin]

When I first started this project I wanted something simple that I could complete within a short period of time.
Obviously, from my build log this is no longer the case.
The remit for the project has now changed into making the best possible case I can.
This has meant that numerous changes have taken place within the life of the build.
Recently, I decided I did not like the cut out design on the side panels of the case.
As each panel has this design, a complete case had to be manufactured to rectify this problem.
This also gave me the opportunity to make some very subtle changes to the design & layout of the finished case.

So basically I am now on 'The Left Handed Build' part 2.1

As you can see there is very little difference in the panels.

This is the old design

And this is the new

The design has not changed that much but I am now happy (until build part 2.2)

 

[piggin]

Blimey that is subtle! At first I had to check it wasn't a joke, but I can see the difference close up, although the overall effect seems very similar. Is there anything in particular that warranted the re-design?

I agree, it is very subtle.
When I placed the mesh behind the old design it just did not look right.
I did not realised it at first but the panel that will hide all the 'snakes' was not the same as the rest of the case. (the laser cutter had cut & pasted the wrong section)
After lots of deliberating, I decided I liked this new design more & had a new set of panels cut.
I always liked the old design but the new one was that little bit better.
Also this gave me the opportunity to change a few minor things (like making the window a little larger etc)

 

[piggin]

Perhaps you will be able to do a new project called the "left-over" project with all the rejected pieces of this one!

Basically I now have two cases, one with the new design & another with the old.
I don't think I will be building another one soon but they could always make their way onto the MM.

I love how you lay this out like a story, looks fab.

lol, mills and boon have nothing on me

 

[piggin]

I have not had a lot of time to do any work on the case recently as we have had a few problems in work (had to call out the fire brigade & six tenders later we got things under control)
However, I have had a little time recently to do some rad fitting.

Test fitting of the rads

Final measurement to ensure correct fitting.

Case marked up for fixing bolts

Hole drilled

Rad bracket clamped into position

Drilled through with rivet nut fitted

Rad bracket fitted

Rads fitted

Fan cables cut to length ready for braiding later

 

[piggin]

How many rads?!?!

That looks incredible!

Those rads look ridiculous! (in a good way)

what he said LOL - amazing

Yep, had a few rads hanging around, so I thought I would put them to sum use.

 

[piggin]

Coming alone very nicely, was originally following this on *****. That case is going to be mahoosive when it's finished.

Nice to see you have found me again.
That place has become very quiet & very few build logs are generated.
I still update my build but that's about it.
I have found that people just want to argue with you over the slightest thing

i v much enjoyed reading this post - not least as im left handed and much prefer pictures to text

Thanks for the few kind words.
I prefer to take as many pictures as possible & let them tell the story.
I have found that you can type pages to try & explain yourself when a few pics will do the job.

your taking your time to build this .. looking good m8

Agreed, this build has been going on for ever.
I has had a few problems though :-
Mrs Piggin breaking her foot & me being nurse maid for 17 weeks as she was house bound.
Me trapping the nerve in my neck & not being able to move my right arm for months.
Changing jobs from working shifts to days (now I work longer hours than ever & have less time off (not the most sensible move I think)

Having to contend with all this has pushed my time scale for this build further & further out.
Hopefully if everything stays as it is, this build will be completed before ????

 

[piggin]

At last I am getting a sense of the size of this build - it is quite a monster!

Looking great though and I like the fact you've left enough space for push-pull fans around both rads.

Yes m8, this case is going to be BIG
It was always my intention to make sure I has space to fit everything in & work on it.
Was also trying to make it future proof (if that's possible) by making it possible to change things around later.
This should be possible as this case is completely modular.
I could even add a motherboard with 10 slots as the case has the room.

 

[piggin]

Due to the number of fans I will be running in this build. I will need more than one fan controller.
These controllers will be mounted in a frame bellow the DVD drive.

The fronts have been removed & the brackets refitted.

The controllers are then fitted into the adjustable slots.

The power supply cables were then cut to length

Then joined together & braided

Finally the cables fitted onto the controllers

 

[piggin]

Lovely pictures, as always!

I would have thought that on a super, duper, state of the art rig like that you would have used a Blu-Ray drive though!

Thanks, thought about getting a blu ray drive but as I don't have any disks, I decided against it.

 

[piggin]

I have had some real problems with transport recently (sold my Subaru & my Astra failed the MOT), so I have not had any time to do any work on my build.

I have however had some time to spend more money & do some planning.

I purchased two reservoirs for the build

Something nice & subtle, just like the rest of the build. So went with X2 RES 250 Advanced

Well packaged, just like all the rest of the EK products

Lots of options for putting tubing in & out

Mounting kit & instructions

One res lined up for fitting

Cables attached to GPU to help finalise position

Side panel fitted to give some idea of finished project

Both res's put into position

Holes for cut-outs on motherboard tray worked out & marked up.

 

[piggin]

Looking good. Two reservoirs = 2 pumps = 2 loops??

I am having two loops but not two pumps

 

[piggin]

whats going on with this build atm?

Not had a lot of time to do anything recently as I have been playing with my new toy

 

[piggin]

Thanks for the kind words gents.
Hopefully I will find some time soon to get on with this build.

Shiny! So shiny I can see the photographer's legs

lol, not my legs m8.
Spent the day cleaning the car & giving it a polish.
Mrs Piggin must have slipped out & caught the moment for posterity whilst standing next to her car.

I have recently spent a lot of money on a new polish & wax for the car.
Hopefully the weather will improve soon & I can make it really shiny

 

[piggin]

That blanked out part of the 'plate' looks a bit on the short side... I suppose it couldn't be anything like "PIGG 1 N" could it?

lol, no its P16 GIN