Project "Formal Black"

[Cutless009]

So after researching quite a bit, and asking a ton of newbish questions (thanks for answering them guys) I finally just laid down a sizeable chunk of cash for my businesses new demo rig.

Parts Ordered:


2x: GIGABYTE GV-R487X2-2GH-B Radeon HD 4870 X2 2GB 512-bit (256-bit x GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Retail

2x: Patriot Viper 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 2000 (PC3 16000) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model PVS34G2000LLKN

ASUS Rampage Extreme LGA 775 Intel X48 ATX Intel Motherboard

SONY Black 2X Blu-ray DVD ROM SATA Model BR-5100S

Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550 Yorkfield 2.83GHz LGA 775 95W Quad-Core


Enzotech SCW-1 Sapphire CPU Water Block AM2 LGA775 1/2" Barb Fittings

3x: Swiftech MCRES-MICRO Clear HI-FLOW Water Cooling Reservoir 3/8IN & 1/2IN Barb Fittings


2x: Primochill Primoflex Pro LRT Black 1/2IN ID 3/4IN OD Tubing (10 Feet)

10x: Scythe Ultra Kaze 120MM High Static Pressure Silent Fan 38MM 2000RPM

15x: Bitspower G1/4 High Flow 1/2IN Barb Fittings for 1/2IN ID Tubing - Dark Nickel Plated (Pair)

15x: Swiftech Adjustable Black Hose Clamps for 1/2IN Inner Diameter 3/4IN Outer Diameter Tubing (2 Pack)

3x: Swiftech MCP355 High Performance 12V Industrial Water Cooling Pump 3/8IN Barbs

3x: HW Labs Black Ice GTX Xtreme 360 Triple 120MM Water Cooling Radiator Black 1/2IN Barbs

3x: Ek Water Blocks EK-DDC X-TOP Custom Pump Top for DDC or MCP350 or MCP355 Water Cooling Pump G1/4

Ultra X3 1600-Watt Energy Efficient Modular Power Supply

2x: EK-FC4870 X2 CF High Performance Water Block - Acetal

Enzotech Sapphire Northbridge Water Block Rev. A

2x: EK Asus 3a Mosfet Water Block for ASUS Motherboards LGA 775 - Acetal

EK-NB/SB ASUS 4 Chipset Block - LGA 775 ASUS Motherboards - Acetal


And to put it all in a Mountain Mods UFO:

U2-UFO CYO (Choose Your Own)

- Acrylic Color Clear

- Back Panel Fan Spacing Swiftech/Black ICE

- Back Panel Type Triple Standard

- Finish Anodize Black

- Front Panel Fan Spacing Swiftech/Black ICE

- Front Panel Type Duality

- Horizontal MB brace Yes

- Side 1 Big Window Panel

- Side 2 Big Window Panel

- Side 3 Big Window Panel

- Window Etching None


Total Cost of ordered parts: $4,800! God I hope I don't break $5,500!!! o_0 insane!



One quick question, does anybody know the thread pitch on the MM UFO screws? I want to order some brass screws for it (this whole build will be black/copper or brass)?

[cobra_kai]

Very impressive. Do you mind if I ask what you will be demoing on this rig?

[dopestuff]

if correct the screws are 6-32
like these replacement screws for the standart thumbscrews

ow and looks good mate

[Utnorris]

WOW!!!, That should be a sweet setup, although I would have suggested you do the Q9650 instead of the Q9550. With that much laid out, why not do the best chip you can currently get, assuming you will be overclocking this gorgeous beast. If you do not want to go to the Q9650, make sure you get a Q9550 with the EO stepping and it still should be able to overclock quite well. Also, I would swap out the BP barbs and Swiftech clamps for Koolance compression barbs, the go for $9 a pair at PPC's and will look a ton better. Plus you may want to get some 90 degree ones for the mosfet blocks. I would also order some UN brackets to mount the pumps, drop the EK tops and Swiftech Micro Res's for some XSPC Res tops, price will only be a little more, maybe $10 each and will cut down on the amount of fittings/tubing you need and perform better. What hard drives are going with? Velicoraptors are nice, I have 2 150GB in Raid 0 for my OS and then a few 320's for storage. What you have is great, these are just some suggestions. Can't wait to see some pics.

[Cutless009]

Hmmm, definitely some good food for thought there. I might be able to do it with the smaller stuff, but I doubt I'll be able to change the processor out, and the processor SHOULD be the E0 stepping model. I'll def be looking into those compression fittings and res's.

As for storage, I might be throwing in a single 120gb Velociraptor just for improved boot times and OS speed, but the main storage solution will be 4x 500gb 3gb/sec server drives from WD in a raid 5 array, and a 750gb 3gb/sec for backup

[Utnorris]

If you are going to do just a single drive for the OS, pick up the OCZ SSD drive for $100. 32GB should be plenty for your OS.

[Cutless009]

because Velociraptor sounds like its going to eat your face and your babies, and OCZ SSD sounds like a drug craze involving midget hookers and sex in unsanitary places.

[Cutless009]

For the love of god where is it written that all res's must be made with acrylic? Give me a delrin or acetal res for christ sake, I dont have to see my water, I just want it to do its job and make bleeding easier >>

[Utnorris]

For the love of god where is it written that all res's must be made with acrylic? Give me a delrin or acetal res for christ sake, I dont have to see my water, I just want it to do its job and make bleeding easier >>

I didn't recommend it because it was acrylic, I recommended because based on Martin's testing you cannot beat the performance. It would be greatif they made one out of acetal, but they do not.

[HaCKs]

[Cutless009]

WOOOO, ended up having to cancel this build and my part orders for a bit there cuz of some stuff that came up, but FINALLY got all these parts ordered today today and then some! Total cost for the ordered parts was $5,082.67!!!! ARGH!

HUGE ups to the guys over at Mountain Mods for getting my Ascension CYO Packed and out the door by the end of the day when ordered late in the evening tonight! Thanks guys!!

And since Hacks wants pictures and I dont have any parts left, I'll just leave you guys with pics of a hot chick I met about 5 months ago that Im taking on a date tomorrow night:



Pics of actual goodies as soon as they arrive!!

[MomijiTMO]

Now be nice, make sure to pay for anything she wants to buy and don't expect anything when you take her home or part ways.

Oh yeah hurry up with this build already or suffer some PM attacks.

[.Logic]

Amazing eyes... shame bout the nose ring (not a big fan of piercings )

Can't wait to see more... of the project that is

[FrostyPanda]

because Velociraptor sounds like its going to eat your face and your babies, and OCZ SSD sounds like a drug craze involving midget hookers and sex in unsanitary places.

Highly sig-able ROFL



I want updates

[Cutless009]

So do I.... damn you shipping times!


Wewt woke up to shipping arrival tracking info for my MM Ascension!!

Ship date
Nov 6, 2008
Estimated delivery
Nov 13, 2008

INCOMING!!

Mcmaster Delivery also on its way!:

Sched. Delivery: 11/10/2008


Still waiting on newegg and NCIX to ship and give me tracking numbers.

I may actually be driving down to Performance PC's to pick up my order, as they are only an hour and 20 minutes south of me, we'll see!

[Cutless009]

WEWT!!! All orders have been shipped, and all but one of them gets here on MONDAY! YES!! --StokeD--

[MomijiTMO]

Woot. You must take loads of photos ok

[sniperbob]

Woot. You must take loads of photos ok

and you must also remember to post them all here

[Cutless009]

*preps 32gb SD card and digital camera to photo-journal every step of the build*

[T_Flight]

Cutless, did she cut your clothes off with those laser eyes?

She didn't try to set you on fire did she?

Looks like you've got a good one going here. I too hate waiting. I'm in one of those waiting phases too now. I have my case, but can't get the hardware yet...waiting on Core i7 and the boards to be released. I can't find anything but pre-order BS and a bunch of price gouging right now.

[Cutless009]

I would just like to update the parts list for this btw, it changed from the last time I posted it, and I went more for looks than performance since thats what seems to sell computers these days and this machine is intended to boost sales at my business.

2x: GIGABYTE GV-R487X2-2GH-B Radeon HD 4870 X2 2GB 512-bit (256-bit x GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Retail

1x: Patriot Viper 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 2000 (PC3 16000) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model PVS34G2000LLKN

ASUS Rampage Extreme LGA 775 Intel X48 ATX Intel Motherboard

SONY Black 2X Blu-ray DVD ROM SATA Model BR-5100S

Intel Core 2 Quad Q9650 Yorkfield 3GHz LGA 775 95W Quad-Core


EK Supreme Plexi LGA775 1/2" Barb Fittings

2x: XSPC DDC Pump Reservoir Tops.


2x: Primochill Primoflex Pro LRT Black 1/2IN ID 3/4IN OD Tubing (10 Feet)

10x: Scythe Ultra Kaze 120MM High Static Pressure Silent Fan 38MM 2000RPM

20x: Koolance 1/2" ID 3/8" OD compression fittings.

2x: Swiftech MCP355 High Performance 12V Industrial Water Cooling Pump 3/8IN Barbs

2x: HW Labs Black Ice GTX Xtreme 360 Triple 120MM Water Cooling Radiator Black 1/2IN Barbs

Ultra X3 1600-Watt Energy Efficient Modular Power Supply

2x: XSPC 4870x2 Full Cover water block.

2x Scythe Kaze Master fan controllers

1x LG DVD-R w/Lightscribe

Brass screws for case and other assembly

Brass fan screws

several sheets of black metal mesh

several sheets of copper woven fiber cloth for fan filter use

Enzotech Unicorn memory heatspreader

1x Delrin black vandal resistant switch, 16mm, white circle

1x Delrin black vandal resistant switch, 22mm, white circle

1x mounting plate for vandal switches

20x Danger Den Compression Fittings

2x Swiftech MCP355 pumps



Theres more random bits, like wire sleeving, heatshrink, cable management, cold cathodes (white), and other random stuff not worth mentioning.

Total so far is ~$5,200

[Cutless009]

First parts arrive tomorrow! Expecting the shipment from mcmaster, newegg, and Performance PC's in tomorrow... WOOO Christmas D: hehe.

[sniperbob]

i love it when stuff shows up for builds! it is definitely like christmas, except your money magically disappears...

[Cutless009]

Decided to make my first attempt at lapping a processor NOT be on my $550 Q9650, and instead decided to test my hand at it on my old AMD X2 4400+. Not bad for my first attempt at lapping:





I feel pretty comfortable with the process now, if I feel like it will gain me 1C I'll definitely do this to my Q9650.

[Cutless009]

So it was Christmas time today. Came home to find HUGE BOXES on my doorstep. Turned out most of it was PAPER. No really, Im not kidding, kudos to mcmaster for packing my materials in over TWO POUNDS PER BOX of effing paper.





The large upright box contained the huge roll of acoustic deadening material I ordered, while the other box contained the rest of my goodies.

Once it was all unpacked here's the materials that arrived today:



I ordered two large sheets of this copper cloth for use on various places on the case:



Also some mesh for use in various places:



My favorite thing that came today, my Enzotech Unicorn memory heatspreaders, by far the sexiest thing I have ever seen.

Here's a little walk-through of the unpacking. When I first unwrapped the box I was presented with this:



Holy crap was this thing heavy:



And no wonder, look whats inside!!!



In case you didnt catch that entirely, here's a close-up of how sexy these things are:



Here's how the largest one looks when pulled out:



And when you take it apart:



And of course the cpu block which I didnt take too many pics of, as Im sure we all know what an EK Supreme looks like:



The base of mine is kind of corroded or something, and not very flat.... any opinions on lapping this thing? I seem to remember somewhere that some1 said not to, like REALLY DONT DO IT, but I'd like to confirm that:



With a couple bitspower compression fittings attached:



And of course the most awesome thing that came today, I dont think it needs anything but pictures:















Seriously though, this thing is QUALITY. Plain and simple. I know its been said over and over and over again, but really, this thing is TOP OF THE LINE.

The last item of note today was the XSPC 4870x2 FC Water Blocks. I havnt ben able to find a lot of info on these, but at nearly half the cost of an EK I decided to give them a shot.



yup sexy so far



Mmmm, here comes the copper:



what a big beautiful solid hunk of beautiful copper.

And of course what all the hardcore people want to see, internal shots:



and the top:



I wish I knew what to think of these, but as a noob this really doesnt mean much to me other than "woooo COPPPER!!!!"


Also not pictured, 4x 12" white cold cathode tubes, 2x Kaze Master fan controllers, 100 brass flat-head screws and 100 mini thumb-screws, 20 feet of 1/8th" black sleeving, 10 feet of 3/4" black sleeving, and 5 feet of heatshrink for both.

Slightly pictured were the 20 BP Comp fittings I ordered.

Tomorrow arrives the hardware!