Special Services: Desktop Waterfall for ail45 - Overclock.net

*CyberDruid* · 09-04-08

ail45 PMed me a long while ago asking about a custom reservoir similar to the one I built for Kennymester but not for a PC ...for his desk.

I suggested using a base like the one I made for the Volcano Reservoir to hide the lights...but make it removable. ail45 wanted a few different features in the reservoir and I think his design came out great.,

Have a look at my 14 hour day...

To avoid any issues with the use of alcohol laced dyes and coolants I now seal all my reservoirs with Weldon #16.

I cant the reservoir so that the Weldon glue will lay in the vertice and the 1/8" bead dries to nice clear fillet bridging the previouslty fused joint.

ail45 gave me a rough sketch that had three angled shjelves in it. He asked for the ledged to be wavey like thge ones in Ken's reservoir.

I polished the edges and made a 5 degree angle on the shelves..or weirs.

I took care to get them squared up and touching both panels.

I had to get creative about fusing them in place as space was tight. aloso the panel that is face down on the table is the "front" so no drips or runs allowed.

I took a lot of time making the panels exact in dimension and perfectly square in every regard so it went together nicely.

I saved the ported panel for next-to-last so that any mistakes in the tapping could be adressed before glue up. Once I got that panel tapped and glued in I routed them all with an 1/8" Roundover bit and hand-sanded and wheel-polished all the edges to optical clarity.

I needed a supper break so I took the glued up res in and did a quick leak test.

The weather is perfect for this kind of work: hot as blazes and dry. The glue cures in about 1/2 hour.

The reservoir was holding it's water as I ate with the family and answered a few emails. Then back to the shop to make the top and base.

To make it easy on myself and get a clean glue joint I cut the top about 1/16" oversized and laid that on a slightly smaller block of chipboard and set the reservoir on top of it (after drying it out) and then ran the capillary applicator around the perimeter of the top using the 1/32" overhang to keep it neat and going only into the joint.

Then I masked off the edge and top for routing and sanding.

After running a three flute bottom bearing trimmer bit around it to get it flush to the body of the reservoir I then ran the 1/8" Roundover bit around it to match the eased and polished edges of the rest of the cube. The router cleans off the tape as well so I was ready to hand-sand and wheel-polis thes four final edges and set the reservoir aside.

I made the base from a piece of 1/4" clear glued to 4 pieces of 1/8" black acrylic. I cut each piece the same size so as to run one end flush to the edge of the bottom piece and overlap the the subsequent piece capping it.

I glued in little 1/2" x 1/2" x 1" corner pieces to make the base stronger, and to support the reservoir above the light kit to follow.

I made a very short harness to tap a molex extension and solderedon the connectors for the spades to the switch. I wanted the unit easy to service if an inverter or switch or lamp tube needed to be changed out.

I made a M/F molex extension lead to tap into the PC power supply for the light kit.

The switch is nice and snug but still easy to remove.

Next up: lights and flow testing.

*CyberDruid* · 09-04-08

Here it is at rest with UV dye.

I put the lights on the edge to pump light into the the panels. If these were etched with a logo or some artwork it would glow intensely.

Night and Day

The base is optional, but pretty much makes the res...lol

I think I might have to make on of these for myself...that's pretty fun to look at

That's the best part of this particualr waterfall...there are a number of good angles from which to view it.

As you'll see in a moment I could not make a rmovable lid like I did on the Volcano...

Placid looking isn't it...

Frigging NIAGRA FALLS with a little Tsunami thrown in...the whole top is getting blasted....

I love how the flash ignites the green dye and freezes the shape of the water...in person it's like looking at a Class V rapids...

The Alphacool1510 with no restriction is CRAZY. With tubing and Radiator(s) and Waterblock(s) in the loop it would be a lot less turgid...

The top is a constantly changing pattern of wave action...the subsequent waterfalls are quite mellow in comparison...

I love all the different angles and effects... plus it actually works...the pump is getting enough juice and the ledges are all doing what they are supposed to so...

But it really gets a serious vibe on when the lights are dimmed...

Okay I could watch this for a long time...

That indirect lighting is kicking.

And that is a wrap.

Thanks ail45 for an entertaining journey into Acrylic Wonderlan be sure to post up some pictures when you get it hooked into your rig.

Flatliner · 09-04-08

sexy. scribed!

WillFlexforFoood · 09-04-08

You're F-ing ridiculous Cyberdruid....

Stop being so good. You're making everyone else look bad.

Nice work man

ail45 · 09-04-08

OMG!

hahaha wow i would never guessed it looked that good.

damn bro you are a genius in your work.

amazing is an understatement.

u def made a very happy customer.