NanoTek

[ShadowHunter]

Hello all! this is my first foray into case modding, watercooling, and overclocking.

Hardware:
DFI P55-T36 itx mobo
G.Skill Ripjaws (2x2GB) ddr3 1333 Ram
Intel Xeon X3440 (to mix things up)
Gigabyte SuperOverclock GTX 275

Thte project will be built in 3 stages:
Initial build and air cooling
watercooling and mild overclocking
case modding and serious overclocking

The plan is to accomplish all this in an Apex Mi-100, but the project may switch cases.

Without further ado, I present:

NanoTek

Day 1 (December 17, 2009)
http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l38/kornonkob/mod/NanoTek008.jpg
"Jackson! Come open us!"
Well if you insist...

First up, GPU
http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l38/kornonkob/mod/NanoTek009.jpg
http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l38/kornonkob/mod/NanoTek010.jpg
http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l38/kornonkob/mod/NanoTek011.jpg
How ya like them apples?

Next, we have the PSU
http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l38/kornonkob/mod/NanoTek012.jpg
Ironically, it isn't modular, despite what the box says. I'm too lazy to RMA it, so I get to mod that too! :D

RAM
http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l38/kornonkob/mod/NanoTek013.jpg
They'll rip your jaw off! Ok. I'll stop.

The cornerstone of the whole project:
http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l38/kornonkob/mod/NanoTek014.jpg
benches in the R10 thread ;)

The baby that made it all happen:
http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l38/kornonkob/mod/NanoTek015.jpg
and special guest, feet!

mmmm Xeon...
http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l38/kornonkob/mod/NanoTek016.jpg

So I knew this awesome stuff wasn't going to fit in the case (which i seem to be lacking pics of...). I improvised! Had to load 7 ASAP!
http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l38/kornonkob/mod/NanoTek017.jpg

mobo in the case. ain't it cute?
http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l38/kornonkob/mod/NanoTek018.jpg

too bad I can't use that sfx psu. it would fit over the cooler like a glove!
http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l38/kornonkob/mod/NanoTek019.jpg

test of if the gpu would fit
http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l38/kornonkob/mod/NanoTek020.jpg
yes, there's a case behind it... somewhere...
http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l38/kornonkob/mod/NanoTek021.jpg
found it! man thats a tight fit. praying that I didnt have to mod the drive cages.

Yo what up, Dremel!
http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l38/kornonkob/mod/NanoTek022.jpg
as you can see, the small side part won't let me mount that 275.

close up so you can see what I mean
http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l38/kornonkob/mod/NanoTek023.jpg
aww shucks! they even left the bottom corner open for me! makes life much easier!

after dremeling. there's some sort of gromet-type thing holding this piece on.
http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l38/kornonkob/mod/NanoTek024.jpg
yo what up, hand drill!

gotta love the macro!
http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l38/kornonkob/mod/NanoTek025.jpg

after drilling, testing with my 4670
http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l38/kornonkob/mod/NanoTek026.jpg
http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l38/kornonkob/mod/NanoTek027.jpg
success!

even with the 4670, it looks empty...
http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l38/kornonkob/mod/NanoTek028.jpg

somebody wishes to change that!
http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l38/kornonkob/mod/NanoTek030.jpg
http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l38/kornonkob/mod/NanoTek031.jpg
like a glove, baby!

my psu compared to the sfx
http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l38/kornonkob/mod/NanoTek032.jpg
well that certainly wont fit in the case!

[Hondacity]

wow that is small :D

what is the case?

soc cards are nice :)

[ShadowHunter]

the case is an apex mi-100. but im moving it to my Thermaltake lanbox today. the apex is just too small.

[slpdLoad]

Wow cool parts :up:

Tell us how you like that ITX board.

I'll keep an eye on this one :popcorn:

[Meglomaniac]

I am very interested in getting this board, but so far I have not seen enough testing to know if it oc's at all. Interesting build!

[ShadowHunter]

slpdLoad, freaking LOVE that board.

Megalomaniac, ill be sure to do some minor clocks later today and let you know how it is. :up:

[Jtrain]

After looking at the case i was just like........
There's no way thats gonna fit(insert thats what she said joke here) a GTX275
Good choice on the lanbox move, personally i woulda done a Lian-Li V351 but now-a-days you see as many of those as Red & Black Tj-07s!!

[cheapskate]

Aww, man... I wanted to see you fit the gpu in that tiny-ass case!

[ShadowHunter]

there's pics of it above. it fits like a glove :D

my main problem is cooling. that little case has zero ventilation. the lanbox has two 60mm exhaust fans right above the cpu. then theres the issue of the psu. it wont fit in that tiny case. i could mount it up top, but that would also affect temps. hmm what to do what to do.

[Schlosser]

W/C.


:D

[ShadowHunter]

all in good time, schlosser. that IS the plan, of course :up:

anyway, I GOT ALL THE HARDWARE INSIDE! yes, every bit of it, even the psu. oh and i added a 120mm fan to help with cooling. this thing is awesome.

[ShadowHunter]

UPDATE!

...tomorrow. IF i have time. anyway,

removed the 120mm fan. thing was too loud, and it didn't really help. also the case will be one of the next things to change.

the 275 isn't playing nice with my hdtv. why oh why didn't i go with a ati card?

also made some changes to the theoretical final design.
final case: Silverstone SG05
final watercooling: definite custom setup. thought about going with a corsair H50. somebody slap me for that.
maybe steal craig's idea of incorporating a umpc?

christmas shopping drained my moneys. i literally only have singles left. so until i get some christmas money, nothing is happening on this build.

now i know how you feel, marne :D

[Marne]

LOL sucks to hear it bro. you got a taste nothing else. wait till something breaks and you have no cash to fix it :D staring at an expensive pile of useless shit day by day is fucking ANNOYING.

[ShadowHunter]

well guys, its time for that two-day-old update. hey, its better than a three-day-old update!
*cracks fingers* here we go.

very nifty hdd placement:
http://i903.photobucket.com/albums/ac232/ShadowHunter_photos/NanoTek033.jpg

after all was said and done, i had a working rig:
http://i903.photobucket.com/albums/ac232/ShadowHunter_photos/NanoTek035.jpg

and oh my, it even has a Blu-Ray drive!
http://i903.photobucket.com/albums/ac232/ShadowHunter_photos/NanoTek036.jpg

well, i decided that the psu sticking out the back like that was a real pain. so disassembly starts! man, this poorly-placed 8pin connector made the cable a tricky thing to remove!
http://i903.photobucket.com/albums/ac232/ShadowHunter_photos/NanoTek037.jpg
ever see that pull-thumb-apart magic trick? apparently it works with index fingers too. now where did i put the tip...?

shots of the psu:
http://i903.photobucket.com/albums/ac232/ShadowHunter_photos/NanoTek038.jpg
http://i903.photobucket.com/albums/ac232/ShadowHunter_photos/NanoTek039.jpg

now, all those extra cables make my desk look like it was attacked by some type of squid-monster. so, i solved it! (read: cut off extra pci-e and sata power cables)
http://i903.photobucket.com/albums/ac232/ShadowHunter_photos/NanoTek040.jpg
http://i903.photobucket.com/albums/ac232/ShadowHunter_photos/NanoTek041.jpg
will de-solder when i get a working soldering iron. mine decided to die on me.

here's the rig nicely tucked away in the lanbox:
http://i903.photobucket.com/albums/ac232/ShadowHunter_photos/NanoTek042.jpg
http://i903.photobucket.com/albums/ac232/ShadowHunter_photos/NanoTek043.jpg
http://i903.photobucket.com/albums/ac232/ShadowHunter_photos/NanoTek044.jpg
http://i903.photobucket.com/albums/ac232/ShadowHunter_photos/NanoTek045.jpg
STILL fills up the case. grr. can nobody make an acceptable (to me) sff case design?!

well one of the main reasons i strayed from the apex is temps. so as it sat there on my table, i remembered seeing a review where someone put a 120mm fan in the side. (queue light bulb) maybe that would provide the much needed ventilation!

after roughly an hour of hole drilling and modifying (what i would've given for a flex shaft or 90 degree attachment) i have this!
http://i903.photobucket.com/albums/ac232/ShadowHunter_photos/NanoTek046.jpg
man, thats snug as a bug in a rug!

once i realized that the space between the two supports was just wide enough for my psu, i started to mod the case in order to shoehorn it in.

dremeled off a horizontal bend:
http://i903.photobucket.com/albums/ac232/ShadowHunter_photos/NanoTek047.jpg

then i realized i forgot about the side mounted hard drive!
http://i903.photobucket.com/albums/ac232/ShadowHunter_photos/NanoTek048.jpg
oh my bajeebus! not even my right angle sata connectors would fit!

so after fan modding, and more frame modding (the right angle sata caused clearance issues. and the psu caused even more clearance issues. and the psu plug connector caused EVEN MORE clearance issues) it finally all fit. (sans blu-ray drive)
http://i903.photobucket.com/albums/ac232/ShadowHunter_photos/NanoTek049.jpg
http://i903.photobucket.com/albums/ac232/ShadowHunter_photos/NanoTek050.jpg
http://i903.photobucket.com/albums/ac232/ShadowHunter_photos/NanoTek051.jpg
http://i903.photobucket.com/albums/ac232/ShadowHunter_photos/NanoTek052.jpg

however, this setup was short lived. the psu intake and cpu cooler were fighting over what little air there was in the case. plus, that 120mm fan is WAY too noisy. i really havent had time to go and flip that psu around (and i wouldnt be comfortable with the lack of ventilation) so there's nothing left to post. just when im convinced i must go the SG05 route, a flood of ideas hits me like a freight train on steroids. truth is, this case is just so purty. gloss black finish, mirror drive covers, and its the perfect size to make other people laugh at it before i unleash the quad-core, octo-thread, xeon power. so, whats your verdict? can/should i fit a custom loop in here? or go for the sg05? (i know rad placement in either case will be an issue. currently thinking of getting a 2x2.5" to 3.5" adapter so i can have the hdd side free on the apex)

[Hondacity]

sff pimpin! :D i'll wait for your update...

[ablatman]

At the very least you could look into putting some kind of Corsair H50 deal for the CPU...

[CrixD]

the sg05 has quite more space, and fits ONE 120 fan. But then again, if you have the imagination, then I am sure that you can fit more in ;)

[slpdLoad]

Damn that case is sexy

Don't know where this is going, but you've got skillz :up:

[mcoffey]

Wow...that's a hand full..interesting build and good luck.

andyc

[ShadowHunter]

so i need some advice. im gonna wc this bitch. im gonna go with a HWLabs Stealth 240 rad. should i do the cpu and gpu in series, or parallel with a Y fitting? this thing is gonna have mega restriction because of my use of these (http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/big14shsitrr.html).

or should I just go dual loop? problem then is finding space for the second rad. NO I WILL NOT GO RADBOX! it must fit in/on this case.

[Matt]

they shouldnt cause too much restriction.... only the 90s do i think.

[Kuro]

Looks great mate keep it up :up: :D

[ablatman]

so i need some advice. im gonna wc this bitch. im gonna go with a HWLabs Stealth 240 rad. should i do the cpu and gpu in series, or parallel with a Y fitting? this thing is gonna have mega restriction because of my use of these (http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/big14shsitrr.html).

or should I just go dual loop? problem then is finding space for the second rad. NO I WILL NOT GO RADBOX! it must fit in/on this case.

I'd recommend going with these (http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/big14shsidur.html) instead.

[Kuro]

Update please this is a fucking sick SFF build ShadowHunter more please :D :up:

[ShadowHunter]

well I'm sorry to disappoint you all, but this is the end of the line. i don't have a job, so i'm working out of my allowance and any other money people give me (I'm a junior in high school), and this build would just cost too much. i also know it just wouldnt be what I wanted. maybe over the summer if i get a job i'll get this build going again, but for now, the curtain has been drawn.

but before you shun me, all is not lost. I have a newfound love for my first computer (known as Serina), and I plan on cannibalizing this build to provide the gpu (and ram if i upgrade the mobo) for that one. I'll start a log, even though its in its planning stage. Once again, I'm thinking (quite literally) outside the box. hopefully it makes up for the disappointment.

[ShadowHunter]

now before you guys get excited, this is just for opinion. all of my projects are in an unsure state. Serina may end up replacing our home computer, so there goes watercooling on that rig. if that happens, i need to get NanoTek (unless i rename it ;) ) up and running, and that means at least a better case if not water.

I have five choices. (money isnt necessarily an option. i want to get the RIGHT case)


APEX TX- 381
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811154071

Pros: cheap, just works, handle, no bay doors
cons: tower, swiss cheese side panel, lack of cable management
Conclusion: I like apex's cheap do-as-they-should cases, but not sure if I like the tower


Antec NSK2480
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129034

Pros: HTPC style, simple and sleek, 2x120mm side fans, great cable management, no bay doors
Cons: no external 3.5" bay, no rear fans
Conclusion: seriously considering this one. wish there were rear 60mm fan mounts, but with 2 120mm side fans, i doubt cooling will be a problem


Thermaltake VB8000BNS
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811133169

Pros: plenty of room, 3x5.25" bays, dual rear 60mm fans, bay doors i actually like
Cons: ATX form factor, insides appear tough to deal with
Conclusion: not sure how SFF this is, but i really like the triple 5.25" bays


Silverstone LC01B
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811163129

Pros: nice front organization behind doors, basic and easy interior, rear 60mm fan
Cons: front bay doors, only one 60mm fan, ATX form factor, expensive
Conclusion: the doors are really the deal breaker, but its still an option


Silverstone LC20-S
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811163066&Tpk=LC20-S

Pros: four front usb ports, nice side ventilation, oodles of hdd space, dual rear 60mm fans
Cons: front bay doors, ATX, only silver, expensive
Conclusion: really wish the egg had this in black. i'm really liking it though.



well those are my choices and verdicts on each. whats your opinion?