Custom Made Case U2-UFO "Replica"

[AussieJester]

Time has come to mount some hardware into this case...a step towards that today ...

I have put together a plexi rez over the last few days and just mounted it up
tonight... also, the planned 120x1 on the rear of case is now history a 240 rad will take its place...Extra hole marked and will cut tomorrow, have also marked out a rad shroud in 20mm plexi for the new 240 rad...



Click here for fullsize pics

Ordered a rad today hoping it gets sent before company closes for christmas break..

back when i am :-)

[Leeghoofd]

Good to see ya log back in action mate, keep it up !!! Really amazed by that paint job, my new cube still needs some finishing touches, you gave me some good idea's (again )

Greetzz !!

[Kayin]

Great work, later today you'll see what it inspired me to do...

[komer]

wow...nice work here!!!!

[AussieJester]

Today I finally finished the water cooled HDD rack i started months ago. Initially i held the unit together with bolts that screwed into tapped holes in the plexi, this was not satisfactory. The bolts were 5mm in length and the tension required to pull down the gasket to seal the unit caused cracking around the thread holes, to fix this situation I have used longer stainless steel socket bolts and dome nuts to suit that go right through the plexi. Here's a few pics of the completed HDD rack-->



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As can be seen I have also added an aluminum outer panel, i thought the unit looked somewhat "unfinished" with the straight plexi. I have leak tested and pressure tested the unit without issue this afternoon i am now happy with it and shall move on tomorrow to the second radiator shroud for the rear 240 rad...

note* The 1/2in clear tube connecting the two halves will be replaced with 7/16 tubing before use (waiting delivery)

[tuchan]

Very nice work as usual AJ!

[Chewbenator]

Holy Crap, that's a nice way to WC the drives. But, how much heat actually goes to the sides of the drives? I see all these coolers that only cool the sides of the drives instead of top and bottom, wondering how much it helps.

[xanvincent]

Majority of the heat is side/underneath for HDDs. Very nice case AussieJester!

[GAM]

Kickarse work AJ, looking tops!

Can't wait for the imminent finale.

Cheers
GAM

[AussieJester]

Thanks fellas appreciate the comments ;-)

Gam she aint far away now buddy ...not far at all ;-)

Updated

I mounted the HDD unit today using thumbscrews before I moved to making a plexi shroud for the 240 size radiator that will grace the rear of the case. I have mounted it using 4mm button socket botls and brass dome nutz-->



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I thought the D5 could do with a lil blinging up also, polished 0.5mm aluminium to the rescue :-) I also found some neat feet when i went to JayCar earlier in the week to pick up wire and connectors, the feet I presume are for stereo gear, 4 of them cost ~AU$7 they have rubber on the base to prevent scratching of the surface the pc sits on also, they are mounted with 4mm button socket bolts and brass dome nuts :-)

Things still todo...grills for top to fans, I must also drill the hole for rez hose inlet on top of the case, I will be making a filler myself (more on that soon) I also must fit the Bulgin power button on the front of the case before starting on the plethora of cable sleeving there is to do :-S

I have ordered Tygon hose from Gammods today such is the Gamsters commitment to service after he missed the pick up for express post at his local PostOffice he went driving to another post office to ensure the hose was sent today so i will see it by the weekend a service you wouldnt get from most shops! Gammods 10/10 ... From PC Case gear i picked up ASUS DRW-2014L1T 20X DVD/CD SATA LightScribe burner to fill the vacant spot in the bay along with some pruuuurty blue 90 degree sata cables...

Not far away now kiddies hehe...back tomorrow...

[AussieJester]

I had planned having the watercooling complete and the cable sleeving done this weekend, well the watercooling is almost there the cable sleeving got a start but i need to gotto JayCar and pick up some of the small plastic molex connectors tomorrow im afraid :-( Possibility HIGH i will hit GAMods up again for more sleeving to

Here's a quick snap as I organized which way i wanted the tubing routed, get it right first time with this tubing at 22 bucks a meter



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(left rez will have an additional D5 connected the hose will gotto the 120x3 rad from pump outlet, then to gpu - cpu second rez...I am 2 brass fittings short, i will use ones from current system when i swap components over thus havent included 120x3 in loop ATM)

Now this is 7/16 ID Tygon tubing (using this size specifically because i DONT want to mess about with using cable ties or clamps) IMO now i have had the opportunity to use Tygon it is absolutely no better than the cheaper tubing such as Clearflex. And my trusty garden hose trumps them all LoL... but for the looks this Tygon does suit the bill...


Back tomorrow with hopefully the final update ;-)

[Leeghoofd]

Great stuff mate, though I don't think you can transport that beast out of ya house unless you are a pro powerlifter...


Keep it up !!

[AussieJester]

Great stuff mate, though I don't think you can transport that beast out of ya house unless you are a pro powerlifter...


Keep it up !!

The case itself is very very light whats in it now though is starting to add up...

Been messing about with making extensions and sleeving them with FLEXO PET cable sleeving to work with the Aero Cool Gatewatch II im using in the cube case , it has temp probs for CPU GPU HDD and Case along with monitoring of the CPU GPU HDD & case fans. I have the Gatewtach buttons on CPU wired to 3x120 on front mount radiator, GPU has the rear 120 fan the HDD button looks after the 2x120 on rear rad and the top 2 case fans use the case button on the GATEWATCH... Leads for both pumps are fitted along with 2 cold cathodes ...All came out pretty neat and tidy i think heres a few pics...



Click here for full size pics

I Have been toying with using the 520watt Antec True Power 2.0 i am currently using on my pc but have finally decided to grab a modular PSU. I picked up a Corsair 620W today hopefully be here tomorrow Thursday latest, will need to shorten a few leads no doubt to keep it tidy then i can load in the final hardware...

p.s yeah yeah i know i should have painted that poxy blue box :-S

[AussieJester]

Here's some snaps i took late last night, when i have the gpu waterblock fitted i shall polish her up and grab some nicer shots these are a bit crappy was a lil intoxicated at that stage of the evening LoL So to those that have followed this build -->



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The pictures definitely dont do it justice, i need to setup the camera for some nice night shotz after i give the case a good polish to get the dusk and smudges off it from hauling it in (and it weighs a bit now all full me mate reckons ...i cant lift it)

There still are a few little things to do thumbscrews for the doors for example (I still have a pair of gas struts courtesy of MAD from OZ Case Modz to fit to the doors also. Its very quiet imo the 8 fans kicking over at 1500rpm according to GateWatch 2 monitor with case temps of ~25 degrees (ambient ~20 so airflow is obviously not a problem shes flowing in cold and coming out...well pretty cold to LoL...Im sure as like me some are wondering "how does the watercooled HDD rack work" Well i dont know LoL the temperature probe for the HDD on the GateWatch 2 isnt working and my hand held has a flat battery :-S that all said to the touch, the HDD is noticeably cooler! One interesting detail, i pulled the Nvidia 8800GT super's heatsink off and got rid of the factory thermal compound and replaced it with AS5 in doing so knocked a mammoth 10 degrees off the gpu temp :-S Gfx card now sits on 29 degrees (stock settings ambient now 20degrees) ....anywayz
Shall report back when i have a gpu waterblock fitted and some better quality shotz...Im just happy its all up and running finally :-)

Thanks to those that have taken the time to look at this worklog and comment, alwayz appreciated thanks fellas

AJ

EDIT: I forgot to mention the green LED fans is being replaced this afternoon bloody thing lol

[Leeghoofd]

Just add that GPU to the loop mate and you will get some awesome scores for I4memory Hw bot !! yeha got the same weight issue as you, initially the case feels pretty light , but once all that hardware and water goes in it adds up... think i'm gonna grab ya idea of the front panel...

[IanY]

AussieJester,

As usual and as always, your ingenuity and talent shines through. You are a major asset here. I salute you.