Slider46

Finished:







First things first....

Official Sponsor for this build:




Be sure to visit www.DangerDen.com for all your PC modification needs. Danger Den provides some of the industry's highest quality water blocks, cases and accessories.

Danger Den will be supplying the majority of the watercooling components for this build. They consist of:

CPU Block - Danger Den MCP-CPU 775 Quad-Core Block - Product Page

Chipset Block - Danger Den MCP-Universal Chipset Block - Product Page

Pump - Danger Den / Laing DDC-12V 12 Watt v3.1 - Product Page

Radiator - Black Ice GTX M184 Xtreme (2 x 92mm) - Product Page Photo

Tubing - 7/16" ID / 5/8" OD Masterkleer Tubing (Clear) - Product Page

Coolant - Feser One UV/Black Illusion Coolant - Product Page

Dye - Feser UV Water Dye (Black/UV Blue) - Product Page
*Just in case I need to alter the color to my liking

*Thumbnails attached as photobucket fails right now*

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Other watercooling parts include:

Bitspower DDC Mini Water Tank

GELID 92mm Silent 9 Fans

Assorted Bitspower Fittings
Primochill Anti-Kink coils (may be optional)

Project:

After looking around for a pre-built tech station I was convinced (by myself and the OCN community) to build my own tech station.

Tentative Plan:

• Design (100% Done)
• Rough fit (100% Done)
• Placement of motherboard standoffs (100% Done)
• Expansion slot brace mount (100% Done)
• Power Button Assembly (95% Done)
• PSU Mounting Bracket(100% Done)
• Test Fit Hardware (100% Done)
• Cable Management (99% Done)
• Disassemble (100% Done)
• Shaping/Sanding (100% Done)
• Paint/Finishing (100% Done)
• Final Assembly (100% Done)
• Install Water Cooling Loop (99% Done)

*I'm going to try to keep the theme simple and clean. Maybe a nice satin black finish and some aluminum hardware. Possibly some nice quiet LED fans and some small cathodes will set off the clean look of the black finish. The edges will be sanded to a slight rounded edge - hopefully making the edges look smoother.

6/10/09 - I've decided to go with a gunmetal color and possibly a 'hammered' finish or metal finish. (Hence the new name )

Design

Tweaked the design using google sketchup. The placement of the optical and HDD racks will allow for watercooling components to be added later on down the line. I still have to figure out a top rail for securing PCI devices. But for now, have a look

*Note - Images are to scale.













Dimensions: H/W/D - ~9" x 16" x 12"
- There will be 8" of space between the bottom panel and top panel.

PCI Brace Design:
*Made of L-angle aluminum







Water-Cooling Component Placement:









Rough-Cutting / Fitting

I didn't waste any time I work part-time at a Home Depot so my access to a full-size panel saw and radial arm saw came in very handy today. Material is 1/2" MDF. (As of 6/3/09)

Measuring the 5.25" Bay





and...it fits.



I really need a better spade drill bit....lol. That was about 2-3 minutes of drilling..



Another angle of where those pesky wires will hide



Got the 3.5" (HDD) bays mounted



Actually looks like my design! Woot!





Some of the edges need to be sanded/shaped so the fit is a bit more flush but thats nothing my dremel can't handle.

Next step will be to install the motherboard standoffs (screws) and drill pilot holes to fasten the top down.

After that i'll be drilling holes for the drives.

*Note - The attached pic of the M184 rad is not my own. Just included it to give an idea of the size of the rad

Attached Thumbnails

         

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Slider46

So Far...

Project Cost:

Tech Station:

• 2' x 4' x 1/2" MDF Board ~ $7
• 100pk 1" Wood Screws ~ $4
• L - Shaped Aluminium ~ $4
• Socket Cap Screws ~ $2.50
• Stainless Steel Screws (Mobo Standoffs) ~ $2
• Nylon Washers ~ $2
• 22mm Front Panel Switch $16.95
• Aluminum Bezel Green LED Indicator $9.95
• MNPCTech PC Case Feet (rubber) $9.99
• Wiring $8.85

Total so far: ~ $67.24
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Still cheaper than the Lain-Li case I was originally planning to get and also cheaper than a pre-built tech station. (not to mention that it's custom built for my system )

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Hardware Upgrades:

• EVGA GTX 260 (Core216) $170
• Complete CPU/NB Watercooling Loop $278.75
• Rosewill 3.5" Card Reader / USB $16.99
• Corsair 520HX Modular Power Supply

Total so far: $465.74
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Not too bad considering i've upgraded to a GTX 260 and put together a medium-range cooling loop for my CPU/NB.

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Shiryu_Libra

looks solid the MDF

well, let me sit in this corner... anyone like some corn candy meanwhile???

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"Are You Part of the problem, Part Solution or part of the background"
Hi from Altar Desert, Sonora, MX.
Shiryu_libra

Slider46

Posted some sketchup pics

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wuttz

subbed!!!

nice set-up! would be awesome to see it in the future with the WC loops!!!

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Slider46

Thanks

Yeah i'm pretty happy with the design - especially how the PSU fan will double as a fan for the hard drive rack - pulling air through the hard drives to keep them cool - then exiting out the side of the PSU.

I'll probably also work a small panel in between the HDD and optical racks for power/reset button. Maybe even a simple fan controller..

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wuttz

is there just one wire management hole?
you might want to make a few more near to where the wires will attach to the mobo.
too many wires running under the mobo might not fit, the standoffs being so short.

the concept drawings are great! i still do mine on paper, im CAD challenged. hehehe!
pls. also add the general dimensions, helps in visualizing it.

thanks!!

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Slider46

There's one hole for the majority of the wires to run up to the motherboard.

I plan on getting extended SATA cables and as far as the PSU is concerned, the power cables are plenty long. I could always grab some extenders if needed.

Edited OP with overall dimensions.

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wuttz

that isn't that big at all, i'm impressed! it just looked way bigger in the pic!
and already all the components you can fit inside! wow!
nice work! =P

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Slider46

Yeah thats 1/2" MDF so not as big as it would be if it was 3/4" MDF

Should still be plenty strong as I plan to pre-drill, dry assemble, dis-assemble and then final assembly will include either wood glue or construction adhesive.

From my days of building speaker boxes - i'm leaning towards the adhesive (PL Products to be specific) as that stuff is solid once dried.

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