Watery

[Mankz]

This project is going to be based around acrylic, and lots of it.

The basic plan is too have the PC parts (inc. water-cooling stuff) in a solid case measuring 320 x 320 x 400 (mm) and then around that box I intend to have a resevior covering both side panels and the front panel. This will be made using 10mm acrylic cut to 45* then cemented together.. The Motherboard will be mounted flat on the top (like a MM Horizon or something). More details >here< (http://coolercasesuk.co.uk/showthread.php?t=3355)

Anyway, I decided to make a start today.. The Radiator will be mounted on the bottom so its gonna need some air flow, so I set about making some legs today. The front of the case will have a 'skirt' so these needed to be quite long. They are made from offcuts of 1" Aluminium...

I started with a pilot hole...

http://img519.imageshack.us/img519/2920/97000748ci5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Then drilled out with a 4.3mm hole so it can be tapped to M5. I'm using paraffin as my cutting compound because I was told to..


http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/2135/79997277uz7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Then tapped to an M5 thread

http://img223.imageshack.us/img223/6007/58339263ht8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

All four tapped up...

http://img258.imageshack.us/img258/678/53127899hk1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

My machine of choice...

http://img104.imageshack.us/img104/7420/51194482ra7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)



(they were orignally going to be 'ribbed' but the machine wasn't being helpful, so I went for 'smooth!')
And, the finished articles....

http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/63/33274771ob7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)


(they still need to be fully polished...)

I also can't believe it took me 2 or 3 hours just to do them... :rolleyes:

1st Side Panel (Right w. rad Grill)

Here are some pics of the first side panel.

http://img410.imageshack.us/img410/5773/11404378jo4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

It will eventually be sand-blasted but I can't ATM due to my arm. Its made of 3mm Acrylic and measures 290mm x 290mm x 3mm and was cut on a Laser-Cutter.

http://img112.imageshack.us/img112/8224/47823665go2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img50.imageshack.us/img50/7756/19165356ck9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Update!

I spent a good 4-5 hours designing and then cutting these panels out..

They are the Top, Front (still needs etches), Bottom and rear panels. The notches in the front and rear panels are for the motherboard panel, and I havn't made a hole at the back for the I/O ports yet because I don't have an mATX I/O shield to hand at the mo!

They all fit together using a series of male a female teeth as it were... Here are some of them flat together...

http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/4986/42852579qj3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)


A close up of how the teeth fit together.. They are 10mm long and 5mm deep (i'm using 5mm acrylic for these)

http://img48.imageshack.us/img48/2852/79344421cl9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)


The rear panel. I still need to mill the hole for a DVD drive, but I'm still deciding between brands and sizes. The rear PSU port should take basically any PSU (fingers crossed! :dremel:)

http://img46.imageshack.us/img46/5705/84621379im9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

And how it basically looks now..

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/3949/26122980ms5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)


I did do some more work, but unfortunately I also ran out of battery in my camera :sigh:
More progress tommorrow! :thumb:

Update!

Right, I told you all that I ran out of batteries yeserday, so I went down to do some work this afternoon, and took some pics..
Here's how it was as of last night...

http://img64.imageshack.us/img64/1812/26553846pv5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

So anyway, I pulled out my now defunct Hiper Type-R PSU and took it with me to test fit in the PSU port this afternoon

http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/9582/40985265sg6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Fits like a glove :thumb: (I'm relieved becuase I was basing the hole distances on an internet diagram :worried:)

http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/109/94888328jv7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img504.imageshack.us/img504/521/44189418wa7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)


Space is quite tight, but I've quadrouple measured everything and there is enough room for sure in there.. (i'll also be using a slightly bigger PSU)

http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/553/73695524dz1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)



with the motherboard tray in.. It attaches to the front and rear panels with 8 20mm tabs (4 on each side)

http://img404.imageshack.us/img404/4160/87994150yy0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

and finally, showing the dimensions..

http://img235.imageshack.us/img235/2355/54146756rd9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)


http://img235.imageshack.us/img235/216/49327459fz8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

And last, but not least in the slightest, I need to thank some sponsors!

Firstly, Willie from HWLabs (http://www.hwlabs.com/) For hooking meup with a special edition Black Ice GT-Stealth 240 radiator! (http://www.specialtech.co.uk/spshop/customer/product.php?productid=3981&cat=671&page=1)

[Mankz]

I got a lovely package from www.specialtech.co.uk and inside was.....

http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/5104/54989320ca1.jpg

http://img91.imageshack.us/img91/4303/11183732cq5.jpg

http://img510.imageshack.us/img510/2052/88434914za6.jpg

http://img81.imageshack.us/img81/944/32036241fu2.jpg

http://img136.imageshack.us/img136/5417/99143437go0.jpg


A HWLabs Black Ice GT-Stealth 240 radiator in Chrome :jawdrop::jawdrop:

Thats how it came, factory polished...

SOoo, after gazing into the chromey-ness for a while, I test fitted it to Watery...

http://img135.imageshack.us/img135/4740/96609906oe2.jpg

http://img507.imageshack.us/img507/2474/35632665ug3.jpg

http://img140.imageshack.us/img140/6708/19252029ag3.jpg

http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/6453/41931061lk3.jpg


It fits exactly, bar the side panel holes being a few mm to far to one end..

I'm at home now, so I don't have acess to all the tools I need, so I havn't made much progress.

I put all of the case bits I had together, and took some photos...:

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f266/Mankz_91/DSCF2286.jpg

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f266/Mankz_91/DSCF2290.jpg

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f266/Mankz_91/DSCF2291.jpg

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f266/Mankz_91/DSCF2293.jpg

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f266/Mankz_91/DSCF2297.jpg

[Mankz]

Time for some water-cooling bling.

The second I saw these 1/2" compression fittings, I knew I HAD to have some for my build. I aslo got one of the Xtender shrouds to mount on the front 120mm fan for visual effects.

http://img167.imageshack.us/img167/1479/39446360gf3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/2815/98517957lw6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img294.imageshack.us/img294/9311/78665903cv5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Mmm.. Clear-ness.

http://img375.imageshack.us/img375/8281/91680039ae8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

LED's for the Xtender

http://img501.imageshack.us/img501/7267/13738560vq0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Mmmm. Compressiony.

My PSU arrived today, and its very nice. Unfortunately, its going to be ransacked by yours truely. I'll need to shorten all of the cables in the PSU for my various parts, and change the units colour from black silver. Unfortunately, getting the PCB away from the bottom of the case is IMPOSSIBLE! so I may have to use silver vynal instead. :(

I might have to try and cover the PCB with cardboard and then. Waaah!

http://img365.imageshack.us/img365/4074/58447589pa3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img165.imageshack.us/img165/707/59294220ou5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img106.imageshack.us/img106/8460/35397789vs3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img397.imageshack.us/img397/7602/42925069fm7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Next think on my list is a motherboard, then I can work out the required cable lengths.:D

[Mankz]

http://img82.imageshack.us/img82/2263/45988734dr2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

I fully de-sleeved the PSU, and will go and buy a hole load of solder, a soldering iron and one of those 'third hand things' to help me get my sleeve on.

My plan for this summer is to do all of the sleeving so its 100% perfect and the exact right length aswell as collecting all of the hardware, and starting the customisation on the motherboard and the DVD and HDD drives.


I've been oh so very busy this year, but I'm now 'over the top' of that peak, so its time to carry on with this project. First thing was to re-build the MK2 res. Not much different from MK2, just higher detailed rasters, and better threads on the back panel mount. All of those little scratches are on the plastic cover sheet of the acrylic.. Its all glued up now, all I need is to get the three holes on the back tapped up for take G1/4" threads...

http://img519.imageshack.us/img519/6295/37803664ie0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/9989/64649331db7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img142.imageshack.us/img142/3715/92606808ih0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Tommorrow I hope to start the radiator mount... :)

[RedRaider]

mankz.... My Mom Loves You Too....:bananal:

lmao...:rofl: :ROTF:

[mcoffey]

Nice stuff and interesting log, keep it coming.

andyc

[Septim]

ah, i remember this. nice... more pictures....

[Langer]

I just want to say hello and welcome Mankz, good to see you join us over here.

[Fitseries3]

SOWEEET!

what did you use to cut the acrylic? EDIT: duh nevermind... just read about the laser cuting.

i cant wait to see more pics :D

[Mankz]

Unfortunately, not much of an update.. I've come up with a far far far better design for the reservior, one that will include an O-ring, so I don't need a glue. But, unfortunately is stoopendously complicated, and its a 3D design as opposed to the current 2D design, so Im unable to cut it on the humble laser cutter :waah:

But do not fret! I've found a company based just down the road from me in Surrey who can do the work! Here is a little example of what they do..:

http://img12.imageshack.us/img12/1160/38017138.jpg (http://img12.imageshack.us/my.php?image=38017138.jpg)

http://img5.imageshack.us/img5/7523/53166305.jpg (http://img5.imageshack.us/my.php?image=53166305.jpg)

http://img5.imageshack.us/img5/5144/98275653.jpg (http://img5.imageshack.us/my.php?image=98275653.jpg)

Rather pweety... In other news, I'm also waiting for a delivery of supplies from the US, primarly a whole load of sleeving etc. so I can get this back on track!

[Odin Eidolon]

oh-oohh subsd!

[Oli4v]

THIS IS ART :coke:

[Langer]

Holy fuck... Mankz what's the company mate? I have some work for them!

[elite.ire]

:eek: wow man.. those acrylic pieces are breathtaking....:eek::eek:

[Mankz]

Its a company in Surrey that use 7 AXIS machines to make precise moulds etc. for biochemestry among other things :)

[Worthy]

Excellent!!!!

[westtrade]

Wow. Thats some very nice work!!

[Timlander]

Im loving it. Wish there was more done to see. Keep going!!!

[mcoffey]

That has to be some of the best acrylic works I've ever seen. Incredible stuff, can't wait to see more.

andyc

[RedRaider]

that acrylic is jaw dropping...:slobber:

[DexNfX]

Man, I need get me some of that sweet art work! :crazyclap: