Microcool Banchetto 101 and Thermochill Rads

[Sabre2]

Ok so i bought the Microcool Banchetto and I was under the impression that the Radiator rack was compatible with a thermchill rad. It has adjustable screw holes that would make it look like it's compatible but when you line things up, the radiator only makes contact with 4 of the screw holes instead of all 12.

This is bad... very bad. I would like to think I can figure out a way to put new holes but what it looks like right now the radiator support from the banchetto is not long enough to reach both ends of the radiator.

This is not what i was expecting. Someone tell me there is still hope? I'll take pictures sometime soon and see what I can do. I may have to get a buddy of mine make me a new support rack for the radiator so i can make this thing fit right. But I'm not sure it will look good.

On top of all this, one of the screws was put into the rack and it was the wrong threading so it broke the acrylic threads and now i can't screw the hard drive rack into it. There were scratches on the black metal racks and it looks like someone took a sharpie to it to cover it up.

[Utnorris]

Wow!! Got to love the high end stuff. Seems to be theme across the board lately.

[bluehaze]

4 screws should be fine for a 360, I have a monsta mounted with only 4 screws and it's plenty secure. I only use fans on the outside though in a pull configuration. If you are mounting fans between the radiator and the banchetto with only 4 screws holding it might be a problem as there is alot of play added.

That is kinda funny about the HD tray screw, mine had exact same problem. I took one of the larger thread thumbscres and screwed it in very slowly to retap the hole and it holds fine but it is definitely disappointing that this seems to be a common problem with such an expensive test bench, my 5 1/4 inch bay was broken on one side, with all the screws in place it doesn't really effect anything but when taking out bays it makes the thing very flimsy. :/ It looks very nice but the quality is definitely not what you'd expect from something so expensive.

[Sabre2]

It's just really not what i expected. I'd buy another radiator if i wasnt cooling my CPU, two GPUs, and my northbridge. But I don't think other rads can compare to the thermochills capabilities. I don't feel like I need another radiator. I emailed Sidewinder to see if theres anything that can be done. If not then I will have to find a different radiator or keep this workbench

[septim]

here's a friendly advice from a benchetto owner and thermochill user:


YOU DON'T HAVE TO MOD
just use the 4 center mounting holes and your done
exactly the way I have mive set up

unless you mean another thing, then pls post a picture...

[shazza]

It's just really not what i expected. I'd buy another radiator if i wasnt cooling my CPU, two GPUs, and my northbridge. But I don't think other rads can compare to the thermochills capabilities. I don't feel like I need another radiator. I emailed Sidewinder to see if theres anything that can be done. If not then I will have to find a different radiator or keep this workbench


If you aren't satisfied with just mounting the middle fan, I imagine you can use the Feser or XSPC triple rad without much of a performance hit. Looking forward to seeing this put together.

[Conumdrum]

I have the Banchetto and a TC rad. Using the 4 middle screws would be plenty plenty good. I mounted my rads vertically on the rad mount so I didn't have that issue. Still, using the 4 middle screw is plenty. Think of all the peeps with a 120.3 mounted on a radbox, it'll be fine.

http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg49/Conumdrum_2007/Banchettoback-1.jpg

[lennox]

Do you have a picture? why in the world would the Banchetto have extended mounting holes when it doesn't fit a Thermochill. that's odd. :shrug:

[Adderall]

I had to return poles for the PCI slots. Gary from Sidewinders was really great in sending me a new batch. The threading on half of the poles didn't match up very well so they would wobble around a lot.

The banchetto is a great design, and it looks slick... but I think there may have been one or 2 bad production runs.

Someone needs to inform them about Six Sigma.

[kinghong1970]

another reason i'm not a big fan of plexi...

[Conumdrum]

I had to return poles for the PCI slots. Gary from Sidewinders was really great in sending me a new batch. The threading on half of the poles didn't match up very well so they would wobble around a lot.

The banchetto is a great design, and it looks slick... but I think there may have been one or 2 bad production runs.

Someone needs to inform them about Six Sigma.

Six Sigma for sure, few small companies can even begin to dream or afford a 6S program.

Mine were messed up too. I told Gary when I received my Banchetto, he said there might be a few but he'd send new ones like you got if there was a problem. Luckily my mod box (growing by the day) has a tap n die and I just fixed em myself.

It wasn't the plex holes, it is the PCI standoffs themselves. I did check my plex holes though with the tap, they were fine.

[Sabre2]

I'm going to try and make this work. One of the poles had the same problem where i put a screw in it and the threading didn't match... it was the same type of screw i used for all the other poles and trying to take that screw out was a nightmare.... i had to put a rubber piece on the pole with a vice grip and use a screwdriver to unscrew the damn thing. I ended up with a scuffed pole that I won't put back in cause I really don't want to have this problem again.

I just wish I could find someone that would make a similar bracket that would fit a thermochil radiator so i can mount it sideways and not have to worry about only 4 screws. Im going to measure some more and figure out a way to secure it on there properly. I really don't feel well about having only 4 screws holding that radiator... that material seems too flimsy and I don't want to end up with a bent rad support. I might be able to drill a couple more holes and have 6-8 screws instead.

Once im done drilling, maybe ill touch up the rest of the bench that got scratched... ill just use a sharpie like they did :\ The Microcool Banchetto logo looks so lame when a few letters were sharpied in.

[Darth_Penguin]

Im almost positive the thread on the poles is fine, the problem comes in when they are chrome plated and change the diameter of the threading. ALL of my poles wouldn't thread at first until I put them in a vice and forced the thumb screws in all the way. after threading them down once they work fine now. Beautiful bench, but needs some design improvements.

[azza21]

Im almost positive the thread on the poles is fine, the problem comes in when they are chrome plated and change the diameter of the threading. ALL of my poles wouldn't thread at first until I put them in a vice and forced the thumb screws in all the way. after threading them down once they work fine now. Beautiful bench, but needs some design improvements.

Yes i agree with that statement. Its a superb design but in parts it needs some work, hopefully in the near future there will be a v2.

[Conumdrum]

When I inspected my PCI rods, I think it was done with a stamp, not a die to cut the screw slots. The metal I think is brass, and someone told me softer brass small threads are sometime stamped instead of threaded (uber old time machinist). The threads were not wide enough or deep enough (could be the chrome) compared to a same size quality die cut screw.

Probably made at a cheapo factory. What would the diff be for Banchetto to up the screw production cost? I dunno, if some speaks Italian they could forward this thread to them and help explain. Then it comes down to where is the box with all the parts assembled? Even tho it's an Italian case, it could be all done in China. Only Banchetto knows.

[Weevil]

I have the Banchetto and a TC rad. Using the 4 middle screws would be plenty plenty good. I mounted my rads vertically on the rad mount so I didn't have that issue. Still, using the 4 middle screw is plenty. Think of all the peeps with a 120.3 mounted on a radbox, it'll be fine.

http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg49/Conumdrum_2007/Banchettoback-1.jpg

Would it be possible to see more pics of this setup? I am about to change my double rads to triple rads and would like to see more pics of how you've routed yours. I'm also separating my loops and adding a pump.

Would also be nice to hear how you like yours so far, I love mine.

Here's how mine looks in its current state. thx

http://i970.photobucket.com/albums/ae186/bolweval/Water%20Morph/newcolor054.jpg

[Sabre2]

I gave up... built a PC entirely air cooled and happy about it. The reason why I am happy is because I've had to RMA my video card 3 times now and still RMAing it again. I have a 2gb eVGA FTW Edition video card and it keeps giving me the dreaded black screen. EVGA won't fess up about it and I'm having a lot of issues. Currently using a GTX 260 and it works flawless... why their 500$ card isn't working right is beyond me and im totally pissed off. If I had this rig watercooled I'd have lost so much time trying to swap loops every time.

This is why I gave up water cooling for now. When my rig works fine on air, and totally tested... I will probably custom build mounting brackets in my mini p180 and fit everything inside of it. Right now I know there is room for the pump, res and all the WC things. When full cover blocks come out for the Asus GENE motherboard, I'll just need to figure out a mount on the top of my case and I'm good to go.

Just hope this video card issue gets resolved soon. I hear of people having to send their video card in half a dozen times to get replaced. Makes me happy I got the advanced RMA withi cross shipping.

[NaeKuh]

I gave up... built a PC entirely air cooled and happy about it. The reason why I am happy is because I've had to RMA my video card 3 times now and still RMAing it again.

True Jedi masters learn the way of the force... :rofl:

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?p=3642925#post3642925

10 min card change....

This is why i pimp'd QD's on gpu loop for a while now.

[Sabre2]

Knowledge goes a long ways. I just took a break... i own a small business fixing computers and were the only shop in town. I've been overwhelmed with work more than anything else so thats the real reason. I have all this equipment laying around though and I want to put it back to use. My pump is all pimped out and I had it machined so i could fit BP compression fittings... my radiator is flawless and has the BP compressions as well as the thread changers. I have a swiftech block with a copper top and im just ready to use it all. Unfortunately the situation hasn't changed and if I'm going to redo watercooling I will probably wait till I can get my hands on a full cover block for my asus rampage II gene.

Quick disconnects are def something I'm going to look for, so thank you for the suggestions Naekuh. I just have issues right now with all the huge watercooled builds. I want something smaller in a mid tower, even though the Mini P180 is a mini tower its more the size of a mid tower and thats what i want to keep it at. If I do the radiator on top I will have to remove the fan, cut a hole, put some rubber trim on it and keep all the fans internal. I want it to be a good custom job and everything fit exactly the way it's supposed to be. Then I'll WC my video card after I have the basic loop layout and set up some quick disconnects.

I'm excited at all the though, just wish I had more time! :)