External Rad Box (wood atm) build log - with pics

[brammers]

Hi all,

I finally threw together the build log and pics of my external replacement for the Koolance unit I was using (never again!).

Enjoy...

http://www.bramleys.org/radbox/

Larger pictures (5mp camera), more comments etc available on request :D

Thanks for looking.

J

[systemviper]

WOW

I am very impressed. I almost built my Tec Rig out of wood, but several factors made me take that option off the table.

I love working with wood, you can make it do anything you want, plus the smell is just fantastic..

YOur project is just Top Notch, I love it.

keep up the good work and thanks for sharing it with us!:up:

[FallenCow]

Excellent job mate! That see-through lid for the case is sexy. The only thing missing is the paint...

[Nate P.]

Amazing job!

[smee]

Very very nice mate!!

I'm thinking of doing the same thing for another build I have in mind :D

[jabski]

Amazing job!

+1. congrats on a lovely radbox :clap:

[goramus]

looks great man! any plans to paint the rad box? Also what quick disconnect fittings did you use?

[Movieman]

Hi all,

I finally threw together the build log and pics of my external replacement for the Koolance unit I was using (never again!).

Enjoy...

http://www.bramleys.org/radbox/

Larger pictures (5mp camera), more comments etc available on request :D

Thanks for looking.

J

Nice job!:up:

[Mickey Padge]

MDF can easily be finished to a plastic style gloss finish, if suitably sanded/smoothed, then primed and sprayed with some gloss car spray paint :D

Great job! :cool:

[septim]

why is it very close to the wall, where does your hot air escape too?

its nice simple project. a nice paint job would look good on it...

[Fujimitsu]

Nice work, simple and effective.

[Nashaz]

awesome work dude... :D

[brammers]

Oh wow, questions :)

I'll try and answer them ...

I probably will paint it - once I'm happy it's "finished". The reason the screws are so heavily countersunk is so I can use plastic wood to cover them before painting - going for a "no screws" look.

(All tips on MDF painting gratefully received!). Might not need the Alu box after all :D

The quick disconnects are the Cole Palmer 1/2" barb, 3/8" flow valved kind. About £14+VAT per set (2 sets used). The cable plug/socket that screw locks together is from Maplins (I used the 4 core one so I could feed 12v, 5v and ground to the box).

As for the hot air - the angle of the picture wasn't great at showing this, but it's 2 inches clear from the wall. The hot air get drawn in from the open face of the box - which happens to be behind my monitor and close to the window, then vented "at the wall" to dissipate in the room, hopefully by convecting to the ceiling before cooling down and dropping for reuse :)

EDIT: I'm also going to use some gloss black Hammerite paint to get rid of the silver look on the expanded steel mesh. Anyone got any ideas on how to edge it better than electrical tape?

[Wolfsburg18]

Nice build and well done.

[Mickey Padge]

I probably will paint it - once I'm happy it's "finished". The reason the screws are so heavily countersunk is so I can use plastic wood to cover them before painting - going for a "no screws" look.

(All tips on MDF painting gratefully received!). Might not need the Alu box after all :D





Pop down to Halfords and get some car spray and primer etc.... If you smooth the unit down fully with fine sand paper and apply fine layer after fine layer of spray paint without rushing and letting it dry after each single coat, it will end up with a really good smooth gloss finish! If you spray with too much volume, it will never dry and always be tacky.

I have done this myself a few times and it leaves no paint brush marks or running/drips and look very VERY good. It just depends on how long you want to take fixing it up.

Cheers :D

[FallenCow]

Does that MDF do a nice job of muffling the sound compared to your computer's steel/alu?

[brammers]

It does a good job of muffling normal noise transmitted by air, but not noise transmitted by vibration.

However I've got a pump decoupling issue which is causing some noise. At the moment the pumps are making the box act like a guitar body :)

I've got some bits to use tomorrow to see how quiet things can get.

J

[brammers]

Update 9-feb-08.

I purchased some 5mm silicone sheet from welshtom. It's done the job wonderfully. The Yate mediums (@1000rpm) are now the major noise makers :eek:

I've updated the buildlog, quick link to the new part: http://www.bramleys.org/radbox/#noise

J

[Pedalmonkey]

for the edges, i think some C strip molding like Petras has should do the trick. shouldn't be to hard to find in UK, but i wouldn't know being in the US and all.
http://petrastechshop.com/neruedtrmo.html

[brammers]

for the edges, i think some C strip molding like Petras has should do the trick. shouldn't be to hard to find in UK, but i wouldn't know being in the US and all.
http://petrastechshop.com/neruedtrmo.html

Is that what is often known as "blowhole trim"? If so, I know where to get it.

TIA
J

[disruptfam]

wow looks good... give that rad box a paint and your sweet :)

whats temps are you getting with that setup?

[brammers]

wow looks good... give that rad box a paint and your sweet :)

whats temps are you getting with that setup?

idle @ ambient (between 20C and 23C depending on the house heating)
TAT load, about 36C

E6600, 3.2G, 1.3v (my 8800gtx is also in the loop - EK FC block)

The GTX idles at 39C right now, with 3d view in ati tool 42C.

I'm happy. Just saving up for a nice Penryn Quad and a P35 (Or P45 by the time I get to it) board to really test this sucker out :D

The fans are pretty much left at 1000rpm - so I even have some headroom in that department too - but I'm enjoying the whole "quiet" thing at the moment.

PS: Yes, yes I will paint it :) I've just built the thing, I don't really want to tear it all apart right now. I'll probably flush the loop in 5-6 months, so I'll paint it then. This has the added bonus of being summertime, which will help the paint dry (and result in me not freezing in a 9C garage!)

[Janno]

PS: Yes, yes I will paint it :) I've just built the thing, I don't really want to tear it all apart right now. I'll probably flush the loop in 5-6 months, so I'll paint it then. This has the added bonus of being summertime, which will help the paint dry (and result in me not freezing in a 9C garage!)lol :up:
nice work, everything's very neat

P.S. think of painting it pearl blue, it would look aewsome :cool:

[brammers]

lol :up:
nice work, everything's very neat

P.S. think of painting it pearl blue, it would look aewsome :cool:

Pearl blue, nice :)

So wouldn't go with the room though :(

Metallic gloss black could be good though.

[brammers]

What are you planning mcoffey?

[Unoid]

Looks good. I used the same quick disconnects as you.

[bigslappy]

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=170630


But, I got stuck because I couldn't live with all that heat dump in the case. Now that you've given me your idea, I can use it to build one exactly the way I want, and it will be perfect. Takes care of all my problems, be neat as a pin, trick and very quiet. I'll update my thread soon.

Hot damn, now I'm getting excited. Thank you so very much. My build will kick pure ass now:D Oh man, this is going to be fun, and I already have all the material here at the house. Off to the saw.

Dude, you rock.

andyc
Yeah that build makes do'in the loops much easier inside the PC

[bigslappy]

try holding the pumps in place with plumber's metal tape (the stuff with the holes in it) it's about 3/4" wide come in a roll and is not tape at all but flexable steel with holes every 1/2 inch
single loop around the pumps with some gromments to hold the steel away from the pumps , then screw/bolt that tape to the pump hold down plate , those rubbers are gonna go bad on you very quickly !


sub'ed this build

[drbhatti]

hi - great build - just wondering if you could link or give us the catalogue number of the cole parmer connections.

[brammers]

Sure!

Female half:

http://www.coleparmer.co.uk/catalog/product_view.asp?sku=3130311

Cat No: 31303-46

Male half:

http://www.coleparmer.co.uk/catalog/product_view.asp?sku=3130346

Cat No: 31303-11


I'll dig out the invoice later for confirmation - but those descriptions look right.

J

[RockfordFosgate]

You must be painted the box bro;)

[brammers]

Painting is planned! Believe me!

I'm waiting for:

a) some nice long dry weather
b) the 6 month anniversary so I can flush the loop at the same time.

As per previous posts, I will be sanding and using car paint for a nice "plastic like" finish. That's why the screw heads are countersunk so far - I'm planning on filling them before painting.

I'm also thinking about making the box a little smaller (I reckon I can save 50mm or so on the width).

Given that there are now dual-DDC tops on the market, the whole box layout might change as I won't need so much room for the two pumps.

Who knows :)

J

[douirc]

nice job! very clean. any suggestions on something i could buy at home depot to transform into a box like that, without having to use too many tools? (i live in an apt and don't really have room for cutting, nailing, etc.)

[eXa]

Nice build. U relly need the yates @ 1000rpm? bet u can lower them even more without much temp difference. And u can probably gain back a couple of degres by putting the case on the floor instead of ur desk.

[brammers]

@douirc:

I used 9mm thick MDF (not sure that thickness that would be in US Imperial). I got the shop to cut it up for me.

All I had to do was drill, screw together and do the cut-outs with a jigsaw.

I was in a garage, but I didn't need much space to do it. The trick will be keeping your apartment clean not space.

@eXa:

You're right - on the other hand @ 1000rpm they're already silent, so why go lower? :) My two 120mm case fans and 4 raptors in the tower drown out the 6 Yates in the radbox. Might as well have the low temps.

As for the floor - not in this house! Two long haired cats - it'd be clogged in days. This would result in much higher temps than sat on my desk behind the TFT. :D

J

[vblanche]

Hi,

great work...

quick question: How long - in total - your tubing is?

also, just wondering: even if your temps are nice, would one expect lower temps if all tubing was reduced?

again, very nice work...:up:

[brammers]

Hi,

There is a total of approx 23 feet in the loop.

I used Martin's flow estimator to see what difference halving the tubing would be - very little. I doubt the increase in flow would even get an extra 1C cooler.

The flow on this loop is already just above 1.5gpm (estimated).

J

[vblanche]

nice...nice

[brammers]

Apologies for the thread necromancy but, after some considerable time...

an Update!

It's all painted and done, build log has been updated/extended for your viewing pleasure:

http://www.bramleys.org/radbox/#reduex

PS: Q's, Pic requests etc all welcome :D

J

[XS_RoB]

Still loving it! I wanna build one to put under my desk! Love it and the detailed Pics! :)

[Lagaaja]

Impressive temps:clap:

[Logos]

impressive :up: looks really good and most likely very powerful :clap:

[brammers]

Oh, since the rework the temps went down 3C :)

What wasn't shown in the buildlog was a small "opening" of the air holes (mainly to square out the corners as "round" wasn't doing it for me).

I think I mounted the GFX block better this time too. I also swapped to the next size down nozzle in the fuzion - so that's helped a little.

I'm now loading at 37C at 3.33GHz (1.35v) with Orthos.

The GFX is now 34C at Vista desktop and 38C running the ATI Tool 3d View.

Thanks for all the comments!

J

[emuexport]

Excellent work! Lots of ideas that people can "borrow"

emu