Project Obsessed (Original U2-UFO build) (56k beware).....

Hello all. If you remember my other project, I did my first watercooling set up in a Lian-Li rocketfish case that I modded but I've moved on and want to do something else.

First let me introduce my sponsors.........

http://gallery.mmoguildsites.com/img80971.gif

http://gallery.mmoguildsites.com/img80977.jpg

http://gallery.mmoguildsites.com/img84503.gif

http://gallery.mmoguildsites.com/img80979.gif
Yes that's theseekers avatar :yepp:

http://gallery.mmoguildsites.com/img84659.jpg
Yes that's Evoted's avatar


Any more confirmed sponsors I will be definitely be adding ASAP

I'm using existing hardware and new case/water cooling stuffs. Here are the lists....... (being updated)

Hardware:

Asus Maximus II Formula
Intel Q6600 that runs right now @ 3.6ghz with 1.272v (will be pushing for 4 stable after build is complete)
Visiontek 4870 512MB
4 GB Mushkin Redline (Great memory, been very stable so far)
Corsair HX620W Modular PSU (that I am sleeving)



I want to do a very clean build that looks great and can show my skills with building and laying out a computer. I'm not as great a modder as most of the people on these forums but I have some skills and I'm sure I'll make a great computer. Lets start it off with pictures of the case.

http://gallery.mmoguildsites.com/img80931.gifhttp://gallery.mmoguildsites.com/img80930.jpg

The case I was able to pick up for 240. I think it was a good price and it's a bit dirty and used but I'll clean it up real nice.

The removable motherboard tray and pull out Drive cage. I like these a lot. This is the first case that I have ever had that has had these features.

http://gallery.mmoguildsites.com/img80929.jpghttp://gallery.mmoguildsites.com/img80928.jpg

Taking the thumbscrews out became a chore :rofl: I will be replacing these with red ones so that there's some contrasting color around the outside.

The already sleeved cables. I will be re-doing these because the weave is really really loose.

I will probably be ordering a red lighted front button from Mountain mods or somewhere else if anyone knows what size the original UFOs use and where to get them for a good price. I want red though. I want something like this....

http://www.mountainmods.com/images/BULGINRR.gif

Well back to my case.

http://gallery.mmoguildsites.com/img80927.jpghttp://gallery.mmoguildsites.com/img80925.jpg

Stripped down and nekkid.

The top of the case. There is a hole that was drilled out by the previous owner for a fillport.

http://gallery.mmoguildsites.com/img80926.jpghttp://gallery.mmoguildsites.com/img80924.jpg

A close up of the hole. It was well done but I don't use a fillport. I need to find a way to put something on this to fill it or something.

Just another shot when I first had it. There isn't a windowed top, it has the original top with a small window and 2 fans but the previous owner had it on the side so it looked like the top was a big window top.

SOOOOO what am I putting in it you ask??

:shrug:

J/K

First off I figure a few fans would be a good idea.......

http://gallery.mmoguildsites.com/img80968.jpghttp://gallery.mmoguildsites.com/img80965.jpg

http://gallery.mmoguildsites.com/img80966.jpghttp://gallery.mmoguildsites.com/img80967.jpg

Ok, I lied :ROTF: , around 14 fans should suffice.

That's it for tonight. I have some video games to play and I'll be posting with an update before too long.

Stay tuned for some nice stuff :rocker:

Looking good so far! Have fun with the build and please, lots of pics.

awesome start bro always nice to see a properly planned MM (unlike mine :p:) definitely going to be watching to see what you do :D and if you want to change those screws out for smaller low profile screws let me know makes the MM look MUCH cleaner on the outside ill get a pic of what im takling about in a min

EDIT heres the pic:

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y27...7/SNC12674.jpg

sorry for the pic in your work log just thought I would give you the option :up:

Do you have a place to get low profile screws that come in a nice red color let me know.

Ygpm

Got a few more pictures......

http://gallery.mmoguildsites.com/img81172.jpg

First time I saw the box.

http://gallery.mmoguildsites.com/img81176.jpg

Took it out and read the instructions, got out some MX-2 and put it on between the main block and the alumin piece for the rest of the card.

http://gallery.mmoguildsites.com/img81174.jpg

My camera is a good camera, I just don't know how to use it. It's not as good as all your guy's special cameras but it's a Canon Powershot SD1000 and it works great for what I typically use it for lol.

http://gallery.mmoguildsites.com/img81170.jpg

My new buddy. I'm gonna be spending alot of time with him I'm seeing. A ton of sleeved wires/psu/fans. I got it for 8 bucks from Harbor Freight locally. :up:

http://gallery.mmoguildsites.com/img81171.jpg

Just a closeup of what it really is.

Well that's it for now. Waiting on stuff to start working on other stuff. You know how it goes. I'll post tomorrow with all the system specs (hardware).

Thanks for looking.

I just wanted to give a quick update one picture from Petras site.

I have picked up a new sponsor in............

http://gallery.mmoguildsites.com/img84503.gif

Thanks a ton Alex for sending a ton of female black 3 pin fan headers and the second Sunbeam Rheobus I needed....

http://gallery.mmoguildsites.com/img84504.jpg

I have some more stuff coming in tomorrow and the day after and the day after the day after that :ROTF:

So keep posted and please subscribe because I promise you that this build will be a very good build with all the help.

can i get those fans in medium speed?
( i have to get pretty red lights for the top of cosmos s)

Tsaroth

You should invest in a mini torch like the one pictured below. IMO When sleeving small wires and small areas it works a lot better then a heat gun. Its the only think I use. Both Lowes and the Depot sell them....
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h2.../ST200T_lg.jpg

I'll keep that in mind. My heat gun is brand new so if it gives me problems and I can't get it to work right then I may go and get the mini torch.

I'll post again when I have some more pictures and get some more stuff done.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by trfnj74

Tsaroth

You should invest in a mini torch like the one pictured below. IMO When sleeving small wires and small areas it works a lot better then a heat gun. Its the only think I use. Both Lowes and the Depot sell them....
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h2.../ST200T_lg.jpg

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i always used a lighter haha

Got an update today.

I got a few things in the mail today.

First was a bunch of sleeving and heatshrink. Thanks a ton Geno.

http://gallery.mmoguildsites.com/img84653.jpg

Should be enough for what I want to do and I did something real quick to give you guys a look at the sleeving itself.

http://gallery.mmoguildsites.com/img84652.jpg

Quick question. Do you guys think I should continue to shrink over the end piece like I did on this end or bring it down to where it's only on the wire/sleeve?

I also wanted to give a shout out to my newest sponsor........

Evoted.

He is a member on the forums here that has given me a power supply to run my rig until I get my PSU all sleeved. I will also be keeping it (if I like it) to put in my backup.... I mean my kids computer.

Here's a quick shot of the donor PSU..........

http://gallery.mmoguildsites.com/img84657.jpg

Sorry to throw you to the wolves like that Evoted but you did send me an Aspire after all :ROTF:

Thanks a ton to everyone so far and I appreciate it all.

Any input is appreciate as well and I hope to do a great job with this.

I see swearwords on your plate.

Whatchu talking about spank?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Spankyfart

I see swearwords on your plate.

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\/ The banana's
\/ on the
\/ plate, guess it wasn't funny. :doh::banana::banana::banana::banana::banana: :bananal:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Tsaroth

http://gallery.mmoguildsites.com/img84657.jpg

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:rofl::ROTF::clap:

That's hilarious. I just wasn't quick enough to catch what you were saying.

Now that I get it, I think it's funny as :banana::banana::banana::banana:.

You like that dontcha.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Tsaroth

Got an update today.



http://gallery.mmoguildsites.com/img84657.jpg

Sorry to throw you to the wolves like that Evoted but you did send me an Aspire after all :ROTF:

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what are you talking about man? i've never had an aspire PSU :shakes:

We need an update!:D

Quote:

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Originally Posted by theseeker

We need an update!:D

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+1 on a update

Sorry guys. I am working on sleeving my PSU and it's been taking a while doing everything. So far I have the 8 pin sleeved and have to work on the 24 pin.

I also received a radiator from theseeker (Thanks Rocky) and being made in Germany it was M3 screws. I can't find those around here for the life of me so I went ahead and tapped each screw hole to 6/32 since I have a ton of those. Have 3 of my fans mounted right now on it and they look nice.

I was going to do a whole piggyback thing on the fans but decided against it because I didn't want to have to cut the sleeving and de-solder a fan if it died. I am going to be using a 3 fan to 1 plug wire harness (sleeved of course) more for serviceability (you like that word don't ya) so if one went out I could replace it or something to that extent.

I'm also in the works of making a custom cable or two for my modular PSU to have what I need for the front of the case. When I say custom cable I mean buying wire, getting 3 molex and 1 sata power and getting it all the right length and in-line for the front of my case in the MM drive bay cage which will consist of (from top to bottom) Typhoon 3 Reservoir, 1 dvd burner and 2 of sunbeam's rheobuses.

I have all the fans sleeved and they look nice.

My camera broke and since I had a best buy service plan I had to have them send it to their underprivileged children working in their sweatshops to get it fixed.

As soon as I get the camera back (hopefully in the next week or so) I'll be able to post some updates with pictures. I have a lot of great things going on with this rig with help from alot of great people. This will be the best build I've ever done.

Louis,
Thanks for the update and I hope the Rad serves you well!
Did you manage to use the CPU cooler?
Keep us updated and send in some pics ASAP!
Rocky

I will be using the Apogee GTZ.

Even though they lost all the screws and hold down stuff in the mail, I got Michelle from Swiftech to send me more mounting screws/spring/washers and it's ready to go.

I'll post pics asap.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by theseeker

Louis,
Thanks for the update and I hope the Rad serves you well!
Did you manage to use the CPU cooler?
Keep us updated and send in some pics ASAP!
Rocky

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That is good news!
Get it going Louis and I am always happy to help my friend.
LMK if you need any thing else.

Sorry I've been MIA, AFK or whatever you want to say.

With Wrestling practice, football practice, part time college, working 40+ hours a week and being married with 2 small children (6 and 3) I just don't have a ton of time.

Well now it's summer time and I have some time, so I've got back to this build. Here are a few pictures to hopefully hold you over till next posting.........

I got a nice little box from Geno that has all of my stuff that I need (minus maybe 2 comp fittings).

http://gallery.mmoguildsites.com/img100747.jpg

Got the comp fittings, tubing, NEW sleeving that primochill / moddersmart has just picked up and it's 100x better than their old stuff. I also got my Typhoon III in that pack, but I'll be showing pictures later because I was so excited about getting it that I put it in the case and haven't taken it out yet lmfao.

http://gallery.mmoguildsites.com/img100743.jpg

- The 3/8" polycarbonate compression fittings

http://gallery.mmoguildsites.com/img100746.jpg

- The 3/8" black PrimoFlex PRO LRT tubing. LRT stands for Low Radius Tech and it sure as hell delivers with the bend radius

http://gallery.mmoguildsites.com/img100744.jpg

- A closeup of the sleeving, this is the thicker stuff and it's top quality. The weave is awesome.

Here are some pictures comparing the old sleeving vs the new sleeving. I shouldn't have to tell you which is which.........

http://gallery.mmoguildsites.com/img100143.jpg

http://gallery.mmoguildsites.com/img100145.jpg

http://gallery.mmoguildsites.com/img100144.jpg


Here are some more various pictures that I have taken recently..........

http://gallery-slides.mmoguildsites.com/img100620.jpg

- That is one of my PSU wires sleeved in the new sleeving and me coloring my wires on the power supply with a sharpie. Yup, you heard me right.

I figure I'm either OCD or ADD or OPP, wait... that's not right....... anyways.........

I have decided instead of having the sleeving looking a different shade of red (due to the wire either being yellow, orange, red or black) that I would just do all of the wires black and since I couldn't think of a better idea, I bought a pack of Sharpies and went to town.

I know in the past I have seen where people either spraypaint the wires (constantly raining right now and don't have a garage so that was out) to putting the same colored electrical tape on it (but I didn't because it was looking too fat for me) so I went with the Sharpies and they worked out great.

http://gallery-slides.mmoguildsites.com/img100740.jpg

- My wire harness that I'm gonna be working on to make it either shorter or something, and still sleeve it up.

With all the fans and only 8 knobs to put them on, I am going to be splicing the fans together in groups with the wire harness. I may still solder them in-line if I don't like how the wire harness is looking but that will be a last resort. I figure is a fan dies I"d have to take off all the sleeving and then desolder the one fan to replace it and that's too much hassle opposed to using a wire harness. Now, the management of that beast is gonna be something else for me, personally.

http://gallery.mmoguildsites.com/img100741.jpg

- After I replaced the white header with this black one, I took a picture. I'm not a very good photographer but I thought this picture was funny due to each prong having a BLING on the end of it lol.

http://gallery.mmoguildsites.com/img100742.jpg

- Where all the damage is done. Been using these helping hands with the soldering iron i got from Radioshack for like 8 bucks (works wonderfully). I've been working on the wire harnesses along with changing out the white male fan headers for the black ones and working on the PSU.

I've had one hell of a time using a tool to get the damn wires out to sleeve the PSU the way everyone else has. Maybe I'm retarded, or just not doing it right but I gave up on it and decided to cut all the wires and then put the sleeving on one end, zip it down and then solder the wire back together. Been doing that and it's going 10x faster than taking the wires out. I'll show you a few pictures in progress when I do my next one.

But here are the last few pictures to show you the transformation of my power supply from multi-colored to all black and ready for the sleeving.

http://gallery.mmoguildsites.com/img100748.jpg

http://gallery.mmoguildsites.com/img100749.jpg

http://gallery.mmoguildsites.com/img100750.jpg

http://gallery.mmoguildsites.com/img100752.jpg

Not matter how I took the pictures they looked a bit weird to me. The wires are all black, not as discolored as you see. However that doesn't even really matter because as long as they are all relatively black then the sleeving will look the same shade underneath.

THank you all for being so patient and I will post more pictures as soon as I get done with the Power supply and get headed in the direction of getting it done.

Glad to see you're back!

You did a heck of a job with that sharpie! I assume you have enough of the wire color showing to let you know which wire goes where in the connector ;)

Yeah Shazz.

The wires where you see color are the ones I've cut so I have to know which ones go back.

The rest of them are all colored because when i cut them to sleeve em I'll know which ones go back together lol.

......................

As a side note, my son just walked up to me and told me.....

"Dad, I just accidentally got a piece of popcorn stuck up my nose. Don't worry though, I got it out."

I'm gonna wind up dying before this build is done.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by shazza

Glad to see you're back!

You did a heck of a job with that sharpie! I assume you have enough of the wire color showing to let you know which wire goes where in the connector ;)

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Got a couple more pictures from last night.

I changed over two blue LEDs to Red ones and sleeved them. These are the leds the are on the front of the Mountain Mods case, the power LED and the HDD indicator I'm assuming :)

http://gallery.mmoguildsites.com/img100805.jpg

- The blue (wired) led and the red one I was replacing it with

http://gallery.mmoguildsites.com/img100806.jpg

- Colored the blue and white wires with mah sharpie so that the underneath would be the same color.

http://gallery.mmoguildsites.com/img100807.jpg

- Two done.

I'll post more as I get more done. I can only do little bits at a time but I'm working on it.

Here's some more pictures from tonight.

I only was able to sleeve 6 of the 8 wires on the mobo plug today.

Here are the pictures. Thanks for looking...................

http://gallery.mmoguildsites.com/img100922.jpg

http://gallery.mmoguildsites.com/img100923.jpg

http://gallery.mmoguildsites.com/img100924.jpg

http://gallery.mmoguildsites.com/img100925.jpg

http://gallery.mmoguildsites.com/img100926.jpg

Thanks and stay tuned.

If you pop that sharpie open you will find that big round felt like wick inside usually. cut about 1" off of the length and drive a nail through (end to end obviously =) and then make a slice and you have a very fast way to color those wires.

The slice through is so you can basically clip the sharpie chunk onto the wire and then slide it from end to end.

Do I need to mention wearing disposable gloves to do this?

I finally got the damn PSU sleeved.

I have had so many problems with this, just ask BoxGods. He told me I must have pissed off a Gypsy in a past life.

Anyhoo. It's done and here are a few pictures.

Mind you. This is the first PSU I've ever sleeved but I'm very proud of what I have done with it.

I'm even happier that when I was all done (since I did a bunch of wire cutting and soldering) that when I plugged it into my tester and turned the tester on, the fan spun up and the light on the tester came on. So I think it works.

Thanks for looking.


http://gallery.mmoguildsites.com/img102748.jpg

http://gallery.mmoguildsites.com/img102747.jpg

http://gallery.mmoguildsites.com/img102746.jpg

Now I can get working on the other stuff.

You should be proud, it looks GREAT!

Nice looking sleeve job. it's always a great plus when it works when you are done too. ;)

Sleeving seems to be one of those things that you keep asking yourself "What idiot thought this was a good idea" while doing it, but when you are done it is so worth it. :up:

Hey everyone.

It's been a while, but I'm back with an update.

Sorry for being away so long. My wife had to have a screw put in her foot cause she broke it real bad and I got hurt on the job when a concrete filled pole that was about 10" in diameter and 4ish feet tall fell over on me.

Dr. is having me get an MRI since it's been 5 weeks cause he thinks I may have torn some tendon in my knee (hooray).

So both of us gimped..... :cord: chasing around the 6 and 3 year old has been a real chore.

I do have an update though and I'm working on completing my project. Here is a sizeable update and I can't wait to hear your guys' feedback.

First off, I have some modded fan grills I have. I bought regular circular fan grills and cut out a design and then painted them.

Here you go:

http://gallery.mmoguildsites.com/img107177.jpg

http://gallery.mmoguildsites.com/img109381.jpg

http://gallery.mmoguildsites.com/img109382.jpg

http://gallery.mmoguildsites.com/img109383.jpg

And here are some pictures of the 2x120 swifty rad with the red fans on them.

Take a note, the sleeving on these fans was done with the old sleeving. Once I get my wiring all figured out in the case, I'll 100% be redoing the sleeving with the new stuff that Geno sent me that is on my PSU. That stuff is amazing, The old stuff.......... not so much.

http://gallery.mmoguildsites.com/img109384.jpg

I know this is dusty. I have tried to clean it a thousand times, it's not dirty unless it's that angle

http://gallery.mmoguildsites.com/img109385.jpg

http://gallery.mmoguildsites.com/img109386.jpg

http://gallery.mmoguildsites.com/img109388.jpg

Those are red, they look orange with the flash. They look nice and red in person.

http://gallery.mmoguildsites.com/img109389.jpg

Here are some of me putting that back radiator in the case.

http://gallery.mmoguildsites.com/img109390.jpg

http://gallery.mmoguildsites.com/img109391.jpg

One of the Typhoon 3. Freaking awesome, I can't wait to have the red fluid in it.

http://gallery.mmoguildsites.com/img109392.jpg

Some images of the case with the rad in there.

PSU works, which I can't be more happy about seeing as I soldered over half of the wires till I was able to get the stupid pin removal tool to work properly..... wait never mind, I took a paperclip and beat the hell out of the ends with a hammer to make my own tool to remove the pins.

So I hooked the PSU up to my tester to jump it and plugged the fans into the controller to get a look and I was happy with the result.

These images show the modded red LEDs I put into the Sumbeam Rheobuses. They are looking good. I also changed over the two lights on the MM case to both be the same red.

http://gallery.mmoguildsites.com/img109393.jpg

http://gallery.mmoguildsites.com/img109395.jpg

http://gallery.mmoguildsites.com/img109396.jpg

Now the wiring looks real ugly here but I was testing the 2 fans to the Y-Splitter to the extension cable. I'm doing some incognito stealth wire runs so the path is a bit longer. It will be worth it and pay off when the fans wires are not insite and the inside of my case looks clean and awesome.

http://gallery.mmoguildsites.com/img109397.jpg

Here's the backside for now. The blue wires you see in there will be sleeved red so don't you fret.

http://gallery.mmoguildsites.com/img109398.jpg

Thanks for looking and I await all your feedback.

_Louis

Looking like a craftsman class project man. Stay with it--not a race or anything.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by BoxGods

Looking like a craftsman class project man.

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Thanks Geno.

Quote:

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Stay with it--not a race or anything.

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Well that's good, cause if it was, the tortoise would have spanked my ass about 2 months ago.

Whoa - some good progress here. Sorry about the injuries - not fun I imagine :(

Really like the fan grill mods. Also like the black and red fans! And, as Geno says - it's not a race, just try to enjoy the process when you do have time to work on it. Can't imagine having any energy left after chasing two youngsters all day.

Only gonna get worse.

I'm gonna try and get this done in the next two weeks if I can. (Well most of it anyways).

My wife and I both start school again soon. She stays at home and I work. She's gonna be going full time cause she almost has her B.A. I'm gonna be going part time again while working.

Football is also starting and I'm gonna be coaching for the Catholic School my son goes to again. I get to coach 35ish 5-7 year olds ........ w00t.

So between that and all the other stuff, I have to make a push now. If I don't then it may never get done.

Thanks for the kind words. I hope more people look at this and tell me what they think.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by shazza

Whoa - some good progress here. Sorry about the injuries - not fun I imagine :(

Really like the fan grill mods. Also like the black and red fans! And, as Geno says - it's not a race, just try to enjoy the process when you do have time to work on it. Can't imagine having any energy left after chasing two youngsters all day.

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Looking good Tsaroth!

I'm always a sucker for a nice black 'n red themed build. :)

I like what you did with those fan grill - simple but creative.

Sounds like you've got a lot on your plate - I know how that is! In any event, keep up the good work Mate; I look forward to seeing the finished result. :up:

Thanks Charles.

I'll be working on it the next two nights while I'm off work in the middle of the week (stupid hours with the OJI).

I have a freaking checklist of crap I have to do. I have a few more wire things to do. I have to finish sleeving the PSu cables and I have to fix a solder point that I broke yesterday on a Y splitter lol.

I hope to get it done in the next two weeks or so.

Pushing along though.