Phase III

Build Log: 06.01.07 to 12.20.07

06.27.06:

I originally started with a very small cage design (~14" cubed). I wanted a compact design that be space efficient, fit a water cooling system and work as a tech station if necessary. I used modeling software for testing dimensions. By the book, everything would fit snuggly within this design.

08.25.06:

After cutting, drilling, cutting and drilling some more, I had this cage built. At this point I started fitting the actual componets in so that I could start on the inner structure.

At the same time, I was planning for skinning this and possible asthetic designs.

07.01.07:

As I was building the inner structure, I had the idea of making a hinging top for easy swapping of the motherboard. As I looked at that, and the actual room I had in this design, I decided it would make most sense to look at a redesign.

I wanted to end up with something with enough room to be very versatile. Kind of like a working test bench, but not so opened up that I couldn't control the temps. SOooooooooo, I said to goodbye to the 14" design and went with the 16" cube. Sounds like it's only a little bigger huh? 16" cube is friggin HUGE! So I came up with more ways to make use of the big box. Here are the concept and post-design images

Here are design renders for diffrent ideas for the front panel and top cover.

10.15.07:

As I was now 'happy' with the design. It was time to get things going. I decided to use the water jet to cut many of the pieces for this build. Great tool, but it's easy to get carried away. More on that later.

Here is an example of some of the parts drawn up for cutting. I transferred these directly from the design software I used for the conept images above.

Here's a pile of cut aluminum from the cut sheet drawing above. Easy enough right? There was a LOT of work done from the image above to the one below. Not all of it had to be done twice the way I did it, but what's the rule? Measure once, cut three times? Measure twice, cut three times? I can't recall.

10.19.07:

During round one of the cuts and re-cuts of aluminum, I started work on the coolant system. With water cooling, I always get the coolant loop working well before I even consider moving it into a PC. Since I had some goofy ideas for this coolant system, I put it together on the bench. I used clear distilled water here to avoid wasting the more expensive coolant liquid.

I also started work on a custom radiator. While this radiator worked well for actually cooling the water, it somehow screwed up the water flow enough for me to eventually scratch it for a stock radiator. Oh well, it's only copper and we all know copper is cheap :(

10.22.07:

At this time I started working on the drive bays as well. Here I have the models of the two drive bays. The 3.5" and 5.25" bay.

Here the drive bay pieces have been cut and tacked together to test dimensions.

10.25.07:

Anyway, it was time to start putting things together. I pieced the whole thing together to see where I screwed up. This is the point that I discover all my design mistakes. Thanks to the machine-ability of aluminum, my mistakes are usually corrected easily.
(you can see cube 0 on the floor in the background)

This is the bottom section of the build. This section will house the drives, PSU, entire water cooling system, light and fan controllers.

Shot of the front of the lower section

Here, the drive bays are loosely placed for planing of how to bolt these down.

Here's a shot of the back with the first (of four) variations of the top section.

10.26.07:

Can you guess which is the concept and which is the physical mockup. I hope that it gets harder to tell later.

10.27.07:

Once again I've redone the front panel design.
This is the fourth (and final this time) front panel. Here's the design for the new front panel.

Here's how it looks: I decided to go with 0.0625" steel (instead of aluminum) so the front panel will be a little more durable.

Why? Because I want to work in some new hardware. Particularly this:

The problems I have with this "super panel" are:

ugly
bulky
inefficient use of space
what's the video port REALLY used for?

So I did what I always end up doing, I took it apart and cut it up.

So I ended up with these parts:

input/output section (top-left)
temperature and fan monitor (bottom-right)

10.30.07:

I designed some replacement faceplates for these separate panels. I cut these from brushed stainless steel on the waterjet.

Here's the new front plate for the inputs section.

Here's the new front panel for the temperature/fan controller

11.01.07:

I've got things going together and I am running out of excuses that keep me from doing paint prep and painting. The few things I have left before painting, I am managing to drag out quite well. I guess I need to get these things done next:

run the internal wiring for the 12v power bus. I'd like to figure this all out before painting
run the wiring (extended) for the power and reset switches.
figure out EXACTLY how my front panel items will back-mount to the front plate
finish the feet

(I'm thinking out loud here)

Here's a view from the front right corner. Here I am still working on the motherboard tray and the internal structures.

Here's a view from the left front side (left side panel is on the floor) showing the cover opened back on the hinges. This shows the stand in PSU in place and the 5.25" drive bay is not in place. Other missing items include the water cooling system and all plexiglass. I do have the plexiglass cut, it's still covered in it's protective plastic film as if THAT will keep me from scratching it anyway. You can see here that the motherboard tray here has the protective film on it as well.

Here is the rear view.

Aluminum can be expensive, especially when you do things three times just to get the single result you want.

As you can see, the radiator fan opening will be covered with one of my own fan grill designs. This is cut from 0.125" stainless and it will retain it's brushed stainless look.

I am going to leave it here for now as I am going to play with some new aluminum primer I found (Self Etching Primer). I have a strong feeling it won't work any better than the last primer I tried.

11.05.07:

Okay, I've been busy but I haven't been posting the progress. Right now I am stripping things down for painting. It's my feelings that I will have to get passed painting in order to get myself revved up for what I need to do next.

I've been basically farting around with the wiring and power bus system and just don't want to put that in pre-painting.

So the plan is to get the painting done and let everything cure nicely while I goof off with the electrical.

Exciting prep for painting

More exciting prep for painting

11.06.07:

Here are drive bay parts soaking up the rays after washing.

11.10.07:

Here are the 5.25" and 3.5" drive bays.

11.10.07:

A little more work to show.
Here's the top cover as painted. It still lacks the final plexiglass pieces

Here's the motherboard tray/shelf (sans actual plexiglass tray

11.21.07:

So, I've been busy going in circles and spinning my wheels. I've wasted a lot of time lately with indecision. Something I never do professionally, only as a hobby.

Here's a brief idea of the many faces (phaces) of the Phase III project. I wish I could say these are all the iterations I've been through, but I know I am missing some here. I've also re-cut the sides and repainted

Anyway, here's some progress shots:

I did make some progress on the PSU:

after painting with a custom fan grill

11.14.07:

Here I was working on the plexiglass top. This requires a 19" cut piece of plexiglass bent over a pretty sharp 90 degree.
Doesn't look so sharp, but I've got 3 broken pieces of plexi that will prove it.
Here it is clamped down after I took about 20 minutes of slowly bending while applying a heat gun to the plastic

11.21.07:

Here is the motherboard tray/shelf assembly completed.
Well, you'd think it was completed. Actually, this little piece of work is giving me a fit right now.
What seemed to fit together a couple of days ago isn't doing so now

11.23.07:

Here are some of the finished parts stacked on top of one another as if I am close to being done.
I'm not, but there's been much progress towards it

11.24.07:

I'm making progress, but I'm getting a little burned out on this project.
It's nothing new, I get burned out on most projects right around the 92% completion point.
I just have to push through it like I always do.

Anyway, what you'll see in the next few pictures looks like some minor accomplishments.
They actually represent a series of unexpected problems and challenges to overcome.
This is mostly due to SOMEBODY's oversights during this project.

(It's unfortunate that there's no one else on this project for you to assume I am lumping the blame on.)

Nothing fit onto the front panel as planned. Nothing.
So what looks like a lot of drop ins turned into a bunch of head aches.

Here is the completed motherboard tray/shelf assembly:

Here is the motherboard installed on the tray/shelf:
(note that I'm using thumbscrews for the motherboard mount)

The side panels are double layered plexiglass so that the 'holes' would allow only light to escape.
This will help maintan the temperature control by maintaining airflow paths.
I anticipate that the method of back-painting plexiglass for the side and front panels will allow some real cool lighting effects.
We'll see if I'm right.

It may be hard to see in this picture though:

Here's the front panel with all the 'snap-in' parts I have made.
What you see here 9clockwise from top-left)

Water flow meter, nameplate, power switches, ports-kit, temp monitor display, reservoir:

All with 0.125" stainless steel because it looks good and machines so easily

Here's a look on the inside of the front panel:

11.26.07:

So, more progress abounds. While I am not posting up many pages of pictures this time, I do feel I've made good progress.

Here I've got the box 'tubed' up for the water cooling system.

I've done water cooling before, but this project present a bit more
challenge as I have to have much more tubing than the minimum required.

The long stretch of tubing going to the CPU block means more water in the system.

And now I have successfully got the 'blood' running through the coolant system.
Lots of air bubbles to get rid of yet.
There is a leak on the right side of the flow meter as well.
The good news is that I've got the water flowing relatively quickly.
Aa I said, I've done several water cooling projects to-date.
However, I spilled more water on this one than the last two combined.
I had to take a 20 minute drying period before turning on the juice to this system for fear of electrocution!

12.01.07:

So, I've been doing and re-doings:

Scratched the home-made radiator. It cools, but it also disrupts the flow some wierd way.
I cannot waste any more time figuring it out. So I have popped a stock Thermaltake radiator in.

While I was writing in my last post of the quick success I had getting the coolant system running,
coolant was spilling forth upon the floor from a temporary connection I had made while setting it up.
The temporary connection decided to be more temporary than I had planned.

So I've been setting up the electrical while I put things together.
I've been making things like this nifty wiring harness:

I've also been roughing out the light set up:

Here I have the lid/shelf system on and lights worked in (before I complete the wiring cleanup).

Here's the same shot from the back:

12.02.07:

Okay. I put the pedal-to-the-metal this weekend and I'm ready to call this project complete.

I've taken a series of pictures of the final build.
I had to use my little crappy camera b/c my good camera just went belly-up on me.

I'll pick up another camera tomorrow and prep the system for the final pictures. These plans include a little care in the environment and lots of care in the lighting. When I've completed the final photo shoot, I'll post those photos. Thansk for the kuddos along the way.

In the meantime, enjoy this series of images showing the final product. Note: the system is running in all pictures.

01.01.08:

I made some ram heatsinks to match the decor. These are easier than I expected. I plan to come up with more. The copper works good too.

Okay, the build is complete for the most part. See the final gallery from the home page

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