Project : Handjob

[undersys]

Looking though the work-logs hear is amazing, the detail and skill in so many builds.
None of that will be hear.
I also noticed that a lot of the mATX builds are very customized and very nice but not very simple. My build will be very simple.
I hope to give some inspiration to first time builders that mATX is not that hard with some thought.

The goal of Project Handjob is a basic h20 cooled system in a mATX size using only cheep hand tools for any mods.
Why no power tools ?
I don't own any and I live in a very small apartment in Hong Kong. Filling down bits of case already created WAY to much mess.
Why small ?
Residential space in HK is very very small.

Last thing to note, this will move slow, I have way to much on

Parts list so far :-
Case : Lian li PC-V600F
Motherboard : Asus Maximus IV GENE-Z/GEN3
Video : Zotac GTX 460se
CPU : Intel i7 2600s
CPU cooler : XSPC raystorm (missing 2012 mounts*)
Video cooler : XSPC full cover for the GTX 460
Res : Bitspower Water Tank Z-Multi 80
Pump top : XSPC DCC top
Rad : Black Ice SR-1 280

OS : Gentoo Linux

* H20 cooling is not very popular hear in HK, so the place I got the XPSC kit off vanished about two weeks after I collected my order and since my raystorm was one of the orignal ones I never got the 2012 kit HK has a retail bitspower store though..... once you find it

[undersys]

First challenge, how and where to stuff a 2x120 rad into the case.

The PC-V600F has two 120mm fans up the front under the two 5.25" drive bays.
As you would of guessed a normal 2x120 won't fit hear with out losing one of the 5.25" drive bays.
So out came the pop rivets ( I borrowed a power drill for this ).
Then with a small hack saw and many broken blades I managed to cut out the bottom of the 5.25" drive bay.
Drilled some new holes in the front mounts where the two fans used to be and mounted the res to it.

Fans will live on the opposite side as its to much of a hassle to remove the rad.

Drive Bays after I cut out the bottom and sanded it smooth:-



Rad mounted, this shot is from the back. I painted the washers and screws black later:-


Shot of the rad mounted in the case:-

[Little Man]

Looking forward to this one, subbed!

[Movieman]

Looks at thread title.. then

[kuroikenshi]

Hey Dave... I also read it the same way... Then I saw who was the last person who posted, so i had to drop in see what the whole fuss was about.. Lol

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

[Movieman]

Hey Dave... I also read it the same way... Then I saw who was the last person who posted, so i had to drop in see what the whole fuss was about.. Lol

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

Yea, I had to read through it myself..BUT couldn't resist..
I imagine this thread will get LOTS of views just from the title..

[undersys]

Everyone loves a good handjob

Just ordered a Kill coil from FrozenCPU
Shipping was more then the coil and exchange rages OUCH.. ah well

[undersys]

Picked up some bling led strips when I was in Taipei last week.
No sure where they will go yet inside at the or top or something, its not a build about bling but hey i like the red
photo's suck, as do my photo taking skills!

[aerial]

Title made me come here lol.

props for the Lian Li case, beautiful matx

[plzdontbetaken]

Title made me come here lol.

Nice choice of words


Sorry... couldn't resist.

[fr0wn3r]

Nice choice of words


Sorry... couldn't resist.

[undersys]

Time for another hand job

This time with a hand file and some different grades of sand paper and finished off with some nitto glass tape.

Well well, as others have said the XSPC ray storm back plate will NOT fit on the Asus Asus Maximus IV GENE-Z/GEN3.
Hits the legs of of some components at the front of the socket (easy fix) and a bank of SMD resistors on the side of the socket (hand job required).

I snipped off the long legs of the components and put glass tape over them as a precaution and checked to ensure they where not touching the back plate anymore. :-


Mounted on the motherboard:-


Now for the SMD resistors.. I marked on the back plate where about's the resistors sit. Lucky for me it was the same width has my hand file. So after a lot of rubbing I finally got a result, where it no longer hits the components. After some light after rubbing with sand paper I got the area nice and smooth. Covered with glass tape and mounted.

This is before the mount and before the glass tape is applied :-


Hear is the back plate mounted on the board :-

[undersys]

Went down to Mon Kok today get some hose clamps and my new monitor a Dell UltraSharp IPS U3011. Pics will come later once I get it out of the box.

If anyone is interested Accuracy Core Tech 2/F shop 222, Mon Kok computer center has them $1300HKD cheaper then Dell . Also they will let you test for any dead pixels...

[undersys]

We have fittings!
The HK bitspower store stocks a lot, not just BP stuff to a lot of swifttech as well.
I offered to pick up my order as I wanted to look at a local electronics store. Although they will deliver orders all over HK.
Staff are helpful and Email is read and responded to (unlike a lot of stores over hear!). If anyone needs directions let me know

This is what I collected:-




Yep barbs no compression fittings, this build is not about looks. Tygon black tubing and the bitspower label on the Swifttech DCC box

I really need to clean the outside of my windows!

[undersys]

Lucky for me I have a whole district devoted to computer parts and electronics and bits!
Spent a day at Golden Shopping arcade in Sham Shui po. Of course stopping for lunch at some local restaurants for some noodles and milk tea
If you ever in HK hit up golden arcade three level's of every computer bit you can find (if you can find it) and apliu street for all things electronic and audio.

So now we have :-
16gb of ram
Plextor M3p 256gb SSD
2x 500gb Hitachi 7200 2.5"drives
Asus blu-ray USB reader/writer with BDXL support
Seasonic X-series 660W PSU
Ducky ten key less mechanical keyboard with brown switches
A Logitech mouse a few other odds and ends.

[undersys]

Went to the post office today to collect my shipment from Frozen CPU

hmm gee this box is really big for a kill coil!
Open it up and there's my Kill coil and a Bits power Water tank multi 150. Nice red one...
Did not order that.. shall contact Frozen CPU to see what can be done.

At least I got my kill coil

[Miguelnotrabajo]

Undersys,

Funny to see we are both doing build logs of the same case / same motherboard at the same time

I haven't mounted my CPU waterblock yet. I'm going to run air-cooled first to take temp data.

I was noticing the hole in the Lian Li motherboard tray does not line up very will with the back of the CPU socket. Yours will probably be the same way. Do you forsee having to cut the hole out larger (with a hand tool of course) to allow the backplate to fit?

[undersys]

Miguelnotrabajo,

Your correct they do not line up.
No handjob needed this time! there is just enough clearance.
Will get some pics for you later.

[undersys]

Miguelnotrabajo,
Your work log is impressive ! I wish I had a space to paint anything

Check out the back of my case with the raystorm back-plate installed.
apologies again for less then perfect images

Distance :-



Close up :-

You can see there is a 1 or 2mm gap between the back-plate and the case, good enough not to need a handjob

[undersys]

Geoff at FrozenCPU was really good!
Sorted me out ASAP with really good service. That matters a lot when you take into consideration my HKD$ to USD$ exchange rate :P
Thanks FrozenCPU!

[undersys]

So its done!

I sleeved a few of the cables.. nothing epic just to keep it neat.
Two Late Loon's on the rad. The stock fan up top.

Temps are on idle CPU 37c Celsius and VGA 33c Celsius.
The two rad fans run at around 600RPM (manual voltage control), top 140m case fan runs at 900RPM (EFI controlled).
Its very quite.

The Hitachi disks I got are the new 4k sectors, so I did manual partition, LVM and file system alignment.. same for the the SSD but its on the erase block.

Gentoo runs very smooth as expected. Direct EFI stub loading. Boot loader is such a waste of time!
I've now got conky running to monitor the temps and RPM and output to my desktop.

Hear we are!

Inside component side :-
To my surprise the tygon tube fits right next to the PSU and the space next to the rad and the wall of the case! Sides go on no issues.


Inside rear :-


Front of case :-


Desk :-
Wall mounted the Dell 30" much cleaner


So now you can see what you can do with just your hands! Its simple and effective but not as pretty.

[Movieman]

Very nicely done!

[LeoAndrade]

nice! What about the temperatures?

[undersys]

Temps are good!

CPU @ 37c
GPU @ 34c

Under 10% CPU load. Inside with air con on. (its HK aircon is always on!)

I can get some under load figures if you like ?

[LeoAndrade]

It would be nice. Loved your rig... maybe I'll be using a m-atx case on my next project, need all info I can get