- Joined
- Aug 11, 2008
I started this project because I like the open look of of bench/tech stations, and it's much easier when messing around with components.
My first design was for a future watercooling setup, which would use some of the copper pipe as tubing to get to the lower tier where the pump/reservoir and radiator were going to reside. After much consideration I decided not to go the watercooling route, but I still wanted to continue with this station. With watercooling out of the equation, it made the air cooling design much simpler. I no longer had to worry about having to use dual purpose pipes, as closed waterways + support, and I don't have to solder the joints anymore. (I still have my watercooling design just in case)
I've slowly designed and tweaked this station for about a month, and I finally got started with building it recently.
Goals
- No scews/bolts for support, pipe only.
- Small as possible and still easily hold components.
- A unique and clean look.
Materials
- Medium Density Fiberboard
- Well Nuts
- Nylon Screws
- Copper Pipe
- Copper T
- Copper L
- Copper Caps
- Gorilla Glue
- Sandpaper
- Goo Gone Xtreme
Tools
- Dremel
- Circular Saw
- Drill
- Tubing Cutter
Day 1
I went to Home Depot and Lowe's to pick up a sheet of 1/2" thick MDF (4'x8'), some 1/2" copper pipe (10' Type M), copper T's, copper L's, nylon screws, and well nuts. When I got back home I started putting my dimensions on the MDF and I tested if the nylon screws would fit in the motherboard screw holes. The nylon screws were the smallest bit too big for the holes, so I had to fix that by grinding the upper half of the threads.
Day 2
I used a circular saw to cut the 2 shelves, the bottom tier being 14" x 14.5" and the top tier being 12" x 14.5" and I sanded the edges smooth.
Then, I started measuring the copper pipe and fittings for holes in the MDF. 1/2" copper pipe has an ID of 1/2" and OD of 5/8" and fittings have an ID of 5/8" and OD of 11/16." The holes will be 12/16" or 3/4" so there won't be much spacing between the pipe/fittings and the holes' edges.
Day 3
Started measuring and cutting pipe to fit the holes drilled on Day 2; using a tubing cutter is easy and makes straight, fast cuts. I worked on the "feet" of the station, more like rails underneath the bottom tier. Gorilla Glue was applied using Q-Tips to the inner surface of the fittings. The pipe goes into the fittings about a 1/2", take that into account and that cutting pipe to the perfect length everytime isn't going to happen, there will be some lee-way in the fittings. So, after a "rail" was made it was put directly into place to make sure the spacing turned out right. Gorilla Glue take 24hrs to completely cure, so on to Day 4.
--------------------
More to come! (only 10 images per post)
My first design was for a future watercooling setup, which would use some of the copper pipe as tubing to get to the lower tier where the pump/reservoir and radiator were going to reside. After much consideration I decided not to go the watercooling route, but I still wanted to continue with this station. With watercooling out of the equation, it made the air cooling design much simpler. I no longer had to worry about having to use dual purpose pipes, as closed waterways + support, and I don't have to solder the joints anymore. (I still have my watercooling design just in case)
I've slowly designed and tweaked this station for about a month, and I finally got started with building it recently.
Goals
- No scews/bolts for support, pipe only.
- Small as possible and still easily hold components.
- A unique and clean look.
Materials
- Medium Density Fiberboard
- Well Nuts
- Nylon Screws
- Copper Pipe
- Copper T
- Copper L
- Copper Caps
- Gorilla Glue
- Sandpaper
- Goo Gone Xtreme
Tools
- Dremel
- Circular Saw
- Drill
- Tubing Cutter
Day 1
I went to Home Depot and Lowe's to pick up a sheet of 1/2" thick MDF (4'x8'), some 1/2" copper pipe (10' Type M), copper T's, copper L's, nylon screws, and well nuts. When I got back home I started putting my dimensions on the MDF and I tested if the nylon screws would fit in the motherboard screw holes. The nylon screws were the smallest bit too big for the holes, so I had to fix that by grinding the upper half of the threads.
Day 2
I used a circular saw to cut the 2 shelves, the bottom tier being 14" x 14.5" and the top tier being 12" x 14.5" and I sanded the edges smooth.
Then, I started measuring the copper pipe and fittings for holes in the MDF. 1/2" copper pipe has an ID of 1/2" and OD of 5/8" and fittings have an ID of 5/8" and OD of 11/16." The holes will be 12/16" or 3/4" so there won't be much spacing between the pipe/fittings and the holes' edges.
Day 3
Started measuring and cutting pipe to fit the holes drilled on Day 2; using a tubing cutter is easy and makes straight, fast cuts. I worked on the "feet" of the station, more like rails underneath the bottom tier. Gorilla Glue was applied using Q-Tips to the inner surface of the fittings. The pipe goes into the fittings about a 1/2", take that into account and that cutting pipe to the perfect length everytime isn't going to happen, there will be some lee-way in the fittings. So, after a "rail" was made it was put directly into place to make sure the spacing turned out right. Gorilla Glue take 24hrs to completely cure, so on to Day 4.
--------------------
More to come! (only 10 images per post)
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