I'm also impatient to see the end result. But I don't want to rush things either

Thanks man

gaga quick quick !

man, update man..... hehehehe, want to c WC setup

I'm too very itching to start on WC setup ... but I have to wait to finish everything else. The WC will be one of the last thing to be done as I don't want to hook everything up, and then realize I have to remove everything because I forgot something
The good news is I am almost done with the preparation work and should be starting the WC setup by tomorrow night or the day after

27 august 2009

So today I have, started on the mobo and mobo tray modding.

First the mobo: GA-X48-DQ6



First thing is I need to remove the "Carzycool" backplate so I can attach the CPU block plate. I wanted to take the picture above but when I lifted the mobo after I took the 2nd picture above, I found a capacitor had fallen



I don't know how come it felt. I believe it was already not holding strong previously ... But luckily I have a good soldering iron, so I have soldered the capacitor back.



Well, the soldering join is not pretty, but the connection seems to be okay after I tested with a multimeter. I guess if the mobo doesn't boot later, I'll know why

After this not so good start, I can attack the crazycool. First I had to remove the heatsink:



If you check on Internet, you will find that you need two small screws provided with the mobo to be able to reattach the heatsink at the level of the northbridge without the plate. The thing is I bought this mobo 2nd hand, and of course I don't have the screws

But no problem, the part of the craycool plate that covers the northbridge don't bother me, it is the part covering the back of the GPU that disturb. That's where my cute little metal saw comes handy. Few minutes, some mechanic oil and elbow oil later:



Mobo modding done, nothing will disturb the CPU backplate anymore

* I have more updates but I cannot post pics anymore :/ . Pls someone add a reply so I can continue *

This post has been edited by r4st4m4n: Aug 27 2009, 08:15 PM

if u need to do multiple posts in a row....

click the button and...

Oh I didn't pay attention to this box. Thanks

27 august 2009 (Cont)

Now the mobo tray turn. I have to pierce some hole for cable management and also two holes for the reservoir holder. I have borrowed a friend's drill and went out to buy a 25mm holesaw and a metal file. Oh and on the way I stopped by modernopc to buy few accessories:



It took some time to mod the mobo tray as I didn't want to make hole where I shouldn't. Like the wise man said "Measure twice, cut once"

Before:



After



I have tested with the mobo and sleeved ATX cables and it looks great ... but I won't show you until I'm done. That would be like seeing the end of a movie in the middle of it, you'd lose all the suspense

Oh and I finally decided the paint the beam in black. After looking at the case, it looks indeed a bit awkward.

Tonight's good news is I have very little to do before to start on the real (re)building of the comp as all the preparation work are almost done.
I just need to sleeve the PCI-E PSU calbes tonight, wait for the beam to dry and it will be okay. I have few others things to do to achieve the overall look of the mod, but I can do it during the leak testing of the WC system.

BTW, anyone would know a good address around PJ to find all kind of nuts/bolts/screws ?

I'd need some 12mm length x 2mm diameter x M3 thread screws to hold the HDD cage and I also want to replace all the M3/M4 screws holding the HDD/DVD ROM by black one, but I'm not sure where to find that. I have already looked around in hardware shops but they have a very limited choice ...

This post has been edited by r4st4m4n: Aug 27 2009, 08:39 PM

Nice mobotray cutting ....

nais weih !
cepat2 update sommore !
soon ppl will start doin own casing .
fast fast !

try a shop over at PJS 11 nearby sunway college there... the shop lot there, got one of them got carry all kind of screws... opposite a radiator shop... forgot the road name... go scout there and see...

since ur into cuttin n wat not...hows about cutting a hole on the mobo tray for access to a CPU cooler's backplate? just like most of the cases these days has....

since ur using watercooling that means ull definitely have the backplate and at least in the future u wont have to remove the mobo to remove the backplate if u have to.


also looks like u got urself some u-channel to cover the hole's edges...whered u get that and how much?

dat's a good idea .
clearance behind CPU plate .

Thanks. I was not sure whether using a holesaw would work well, but I'm quite happy of the result


Thank you. I'm working as fast as I can already


Thanks. I will go and try to find it.

I have been thinking about that but the only tool I have to do it is a drill and a 25mm holesaw. It was a bit tricky already to do the oval holes on the mobo tray as I had pierce two hole next to each others and then use the file to finish the oval.
Making a nice square for the CPU would be quite difficult I think and I don't want to take the chance to ruin the mobo tray. To do it properly I need a dremel and it will be in my shopping list for the next revision

Besides, once the the CPU backplate is in place and due to the way it is fixed, it won't fall off the motherboard even if I remove the block. I only need to remove the mobo from the tray if I need to change the backplate (meaning I change the CPU block) AND the backplate is not compatible with the new block ... So it won't happen often and not before at least quite some time. So I think it is okay for this time

This post has been edited by r4st4m4n: Aug 28 2009, 01:10 AM

go for it .
doesnt matter .
we want final result !

BTW, I forgot to tell you I got the edge protector there: http://forum.lowyat.net/topic/327972

envy is a good word for perfection !

Sorry guys, I haven't posted update for 2 days because I didn't have much time and also because I have been a bit lazy
But it doesn't mean I haven't been modding ... I'll post a complete update tomorrow.

To make you waiting, here are some poison

sweet brother sweet !
COME ON !!!!!

Some more teaser ...

Same settings, no air-cond, case closes

AIR Cooling: (Thermaltake Big Typhoon VX)




WATER Cooling:



-15*C ...

Soon will post update on the build. It is 90% done ... but for the moment I am playing with my new toy

This post has been edited by r4st4m4n: Aug 31 2009, 05:46 PM

If u wanna solder the capacitor back nicely, u will need some flux paste. Slap some on n u'll be able to solder it nice n flat like nothing happened.

Thanks for the advice. I'll check that out

28-31 august 2009

Ok, so here is the promise update

So on Friday, I started with the WC setup. First I have mounted the CPU water block:



Then the GPU block:



To cool the RAM and mofstet of the GPU, I am using the stock cooling plate. It does the job well and gives some support to maintain the PCB straight.

Then I started to look into the positioning of the radiator and pump.

For the radiator I first thought I would just let it lie on itself on the bottom of the case with some double sided foam tape so it doesn't move. However, with the weight of the fans once mounted, the radiator tend to tip over the side where the fans are. Luckily last time I went to hardware shop, I found this L-brackets.



After painting and fixing, it makes perfect bracket for the radiator:



I encountered another problem once I started to position the pump. I thought the inlet was on top and the outlet the one centered on the side. I was wrong as once I read the manual it shows it was the other way around.



That was a problem as how I planned to setup the tubing, I needed the inlet on top and the outlet on the side. Otherwise I would have to make some impossible bends with the tubing and it risked to kink.

After a bit of thinking and one more trip to the hardware shop, I found the perfect L-bracket. After some painting this how it looks like.



After fixing the pump on it, the inlet/outlet are oriented how I want them (I also sleeved the pump power cable while waiting for the paint to dry):



After having made the brackets, I could positioned the rad and the pump at the bottom of case. I am using some double sided foam tape to avoid any moves, and the foam also plays a role of sound/vibration absorber.

Then I did the plumbing work. I didn't imagine but this is quite a PITA
You have to "guesstimate" the right length of tubing and to pass the tubing over the barbs is not easy because I am using 7/16'' ID tubing over 1/2'' barbs. But the good thing is after that, even an earthquake won't make the tube come out from the barb .
It was quite difficult I think also because I am using a TJ-07, and once the PSU + pump + rad is in the bottom section, it is quite cramped so it's not easy to access.

But eventually I managed to do it and ran some leak testing over last night.

This post has been edited by r4st4m4n: Aug 31 2009, 09:34 PM