Project Classico (CM 690 II Advanced nVidia Edition)

[paulbagz]

Project Classico
Cooler Master 690 II Advanced nVidia Edition





Project Classico is a full rebuild of a current machine with some new hardware and a new case to try and tidy the whole machine up.

The final specifications of the machine will be:

Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9650

Asus Striker II Extreme

8GB Corsair Dominator GT

3x Nvidia GTX 480

Silverstone Strider 1200W Gold

(OS): 3x OCZ Vertex 2 120GB

(Data): 2TB Western Digital Black

Asus SupremeFX II

Bigfoot Killer 2100

People will always ask, why the use of "older" and "inferior" hardware in regards to Socket 775. I find that I have always been in love with this CPU and its raw horsepower. While it might not have some of the fancier bells and whistles (and performance) of the newer platforms, I still find it hard to put it away and upgrade to something newer and so I want to use this build as a swansong for an amazing generation of CPUs that Intel made. All of this can be summed up by the use of a single picture:


Copyright: Rick Bombard



Watercooling hardware for the single loop:

• Radiators: Swiftech MCR-320 Drive, Swiftech MCR-220-QP
• Pumps: Swiftech MCP35X (inbuilt), Swiftech MCP655
• CPU Blocks: Swiftech Apogee XT (with Rev2 top),
• Motherboard/RAM Blocks: Bitspower Blackfreezer 790i Mosfet and NB/SB Blocks, EK-RAM Dominator Nickel
• GPU Blocks: 3x EK-FC 480 Nickel/Acetal, EK-FC Triple Parallel Bridge
• Fittings: All Bitspower 1/2" x 3/4" Compression Fittings

Both radiators will have push/pull fans all controlled by a lovely new Lamptron FC Touch. Will also have Silverstone Air Penetrators as case fans.


The main goals with this build will be to get some good practice with case modding (Dremel work, laser cutting, customer interior manifolds), working with compression fittings (have always been a barb/clamp person), practice with sleeving cables, customer paint work and overall working on attention to detail.

Some parts have already arrived while others are still on their way, will take pictures when I have a better camera then my LG C900k.

Will be asking for a lot of feedback/advice during the production of this rebuild as I want to make this as clean and good as I can to be held worthy as an XSF build.

-PB

[paulbagz]

Some pictures of presents that have arrived already;

The case fresh in the box


Water blocks and GPU backplates (one more to come later)


Some of the new hardware going into the machine, will be using the cold cathodes in conjunction with Primochill LRT UV Green tubing


MDPC!


30+ Metres of black sleeve for EPS/ATX/PCI-E/SATA/Molex/Fan cabling with pre cut 15mm heat shrink


15+ Metres of UV green sleeve for EPS/ATX/PCI-E/SATA/Molex/Fan cabling with pre cut 15mm heat shrink


Several metres of Sata sleeve which will also be used for USB cabling


Black 3/4pin fan headers and an assortment of different size P-Clips for cable management


PCI-E cables stripped with inline metal tube over the 12V lines (will be removed when sleeved)


Other end of the PCI-E cable, has a 8 Pin header that has another 6 Pin header coming off (inline capacitor, will be covered by heat shrink)


Parts for another build but not this one


-PB

[paulbagz]

More updates will come in as parts arrive and sleeving starts to ramp up.

Will be looking at acquiring a good Dremel in the next week or so, will also familiarize myself with sketch up to get some designs up.

Can anybody recommend a particular model of Dremel that is a proven performer for case modding?

-PB

[PiLsY]

I have a 10.8v cordless that I was really happy with until the speed controller went. A quick google shows its a common fault with the cordless models.

Ive just picked up a 4000 4/65 kit which looks awesome. Flexi neck and a few other bits and pieces included. Cost just under £100 from amazon.

[paulbagz]

I have a 10.8v cordless that I was really happy with until the speed controller went. A quick google shows its a common fault with the cordless models.

Ive just picked up a 400 4/65 kit which looks awesome. Flexi neck and a few other bits and pieces included. Cost just under £100 from amazon.

Sweet

Yeah will be trolling the local hardware places next week and I'll flick back with what models I find see what ya'll think

-PB

[paulbagz]

Wow, I now see why people complain about sleeving

I've been doing some in my free time while at work, I have my brothers wedding today but I will throw up some pictures when I get the chance

On a side note, has anyone ever sleeved a Silverstone Strider PSU before?

If so, how did they go with the inline capacitor?

-PB

[W34513]

I have the standard 690 II Advanced chassis and it's fantastic for watercooling, looking forward to seeing this progress.

[PiLsY]

Sleeving is just agony. I had finger cramps for a week afterwards from battling with the pin remover, not to mention the sheer amount of time it takes. I have to say the end result is usually worth it though.

[owikh84]

correct me if i'm wrong the EK FC block will not match the GTX580 Lightning

[paulbagz]

Yeah Pils I'm currently doing all the PCI-E atm as semi practice before doing the ATX, 24 pins of pain!

Yeah Owi the 580s are a diff build

-PB

[paulbagz]

Hey guys, just dipped down to the local hardware store to look at Dremels and they have the following two models:


http://www.dremel.com/en-us/Tools/Pa....aspx?pid=4000

And


http://www.dremel.com/en-us/Tools/Pa...pid=300+Series

Thoughts and opinions?

Also bulk photos taken lately of some work, have finally finished sleeving the major cables (EPS, ATX, 3x PCI-E), took about 8 hour or so but finally done!

Have also begun stripping the current machine, will throw up a post showing the evolution of what has been so far.

Looking forward to your feedback (be nice :P).

-PB

[PiLsY]

Go for the 4000 without a doubt . The other one has 1/3 the power...

[paulbagz]

Ty PiLsY, will pick that up later this week when I get pain to do all my fans


Update - Sleeving




Sleeving was finished last week, finally got to take some pictures last night, took about 8 hours or so in total to do the 24pin, 8pin EPS, 4x Sata, 3x PCI-E cables.

Got all the way to the end and then on the weekend while helping my mate finish his new liquid cooling build, I realised that Silverstone include 2x 8pin EPS cables (1 long and 1 short) and I had sleeved the wrong one >.<

Alas more experience!











































You can tell which were my first attempts but as I went along they gradually got better.

Let me know what you guys think

-PB

[Utnorris]

Nice sleeving actually. I really like the green and black theme. Really wish more MB's were that color.

[paulbagz]

Update - Breakdown


Now an interesting update as I was pulling the current machine apart.

They always say; "its hard to know where your heading without knowing where your coming from" and the following are pictures of the previous build.

Now go easy, I know there are things in there that just shouldn't be, but Asus left me no choice with their stupid Fusion block.

























-PB

[paulbagz]

Quick question regarding loop formation.

I was planning on running two seperate loops in this rebuild like I did previously as follows;

Loop 1: Res -> D5 -> RAM Block -> Apogee XT -> Mosfet1 -> Mosfet2 -> NB/SB -> Radiator -> Res
Loop 2: Rad/Pump/Res -> 3x 480 GTX -> Rad/Pump/Res

The more I play around with the hardware and the case the more I find it would be a lot easier to just run a single loop (for tube routing concerns).

Would I see any gains by running all of the hardware in one loop? Would I see any losses?

-PB

[PiLsY]

Yes youll definitely be better with a single loop.

Dual loops are for several purposes - quick swap out of parts without a total take down, isolating parts based on flow restriction or temperature (so that one loop can be hotter/slower flowing without interfering with other parts) or simply because you want to. Oh and add folding on gpu's to that too.

Single loops gives you all of your cooling all of the time - meaning no matter where the load is at the time everything is well cooled. In your case you also gain pump redundancy and shorten/simplify tubing so tbh its a bit of a no-brainer .

[Elmy]

Looking good. I would change the clamps out though.

[paulbagz]

Looking good. I would change the clamps out though.

Yeah that was on the previous build that I've torn down.

I'm using full CC5 Bitspower compressions this time, however there's no 45 degree dual rotaries anywhere in the world.

-PB

[paulbagz]

Update - Paint Work

Just a minor update, been working on some stuff while waiting for parts to arrive from the US:









Should look good once they're all on their respective radiators/case panels

-PB

[Utnorris]

Looking good. Too bad the fusion WB can't be swapped out, but as long as it works who cares. Post some temps when you get a chance. Let's see what this baby can do.

[paulbagz]

Update - Parts Arriving

Another minor update, all the fans are completed, they came out better then I expected, here's a sample of a Silverstone Air Penetrator (will be using these as intake fans):


Also my order from Performance PC's finally arrived!


AC Ryan Perspex (UV Reactive, will use this when I laser cut the Nvidia logo on the Motherboard side panel)


Reacts really really well with the Bitspower Cold Cathodes


Also got the Prolimatech PK-1 in so I could finally finish blocking up the Motherboard, can finally get it in the case now and start looking at tube routing ideas







All in all just a minor update. Dremel 4000 has been ordered, should arrive early next week, will begIn planning and taping the top of the 692 in order to start cutting holes to fit the triple rad up top.

Quite suprised at the size of the CC5 fittings as well, they're huge! I was planning on using all 45 degrees for CPU -> Mosfets -> NB/SB etc but they're just too big, guess I will be doing what everyone else does with the larger loops of tubes.

Also, mate has just got a brand new DSLR, so he will be taking photos from now on :P





-PB

[paulbagz]

Small update, got the Dremel 4000 and the third GTX 480

Will start planning and taping the case for some case work this weekend





-PB

[paulbagz]

Update - Case Modding

Please excuse the poor quality of the phone pictures, will upload some better ones when I get them off the camera:

The following show the top panel taped up with outlines drawn followed by the rad grill ontop with the freshly cut out (still needs some filing/sanding work to have it exact)











-PB

[paulbagz]

In the process of uploading a bunch of photos for an update and cleaning up the other posts

-PB