FEATURED Build Log: Water & Wood

[CompuTamer]

Shop-Vacs can fix anything

Looking really nice. Can't wait to see it finished.

Did you get your power issues sorted out yet?

And stupid random question. What IS plexiglass? Is it glass, or acrylic, or both?

 

[MIAHALLEN]

It's acrylic AFAIK

The power issues are still present when I OC the GPUs. running at stock speed & voltage they seem to be fine, but I haven't done a whole lot of gaming on the rig yet. I'm still considering dropping one of the GPUs if it continues to be a problem. Although I'm not sure if I'll be able to live with myself running three GTX 580s on water at stock speeds and voltage

I do have a 2560x1600 res monitor on the way, so I'd prefer to keep the 3rd card if I can

 

[bennoculus]

Love the time-lapse video Miah. You've got mad skills with etching, and writing Japanese "letters" as well.

Love the build

 

[Draizien]

The window etching looks nice and quite unique as well, what color are you going to edge light it with?

 

[MIAHALLEN]

Love the time-lapse video Miah. You've got mad skills with etching, and writing Japanese "letters" as well.

Love the build

Thanks bennoc This was my first time ever etching anything

The window etching looks nice and quite unique as well, what color are you going to edge light it with?

Red.....

Someone suggested lighting the top red and the bottom blue, accentuating the "wood & water" themes...but I'm worried that it would turn purple.....any thoughts?

 

[Khan]

Thanks bennoc This was my first time ever etching anything



Red.....

Someone suggested lighting the top red and the bottom blue, accentuating the "wood & water" themes...but I'm worried that it would turn purple.....any thoughts?

you could probably make something to encase the lighting with a little divider between the top and bottom so the lights do not bleed into one another.

 

[ShortAlieN]

KHAAAAAANNN!

ahh, good stuff.

Lookin good Miah. I'm working on a new desk as well, but it's not nearly as sweet as yours.

 

[CompuTamer]

Thanks bennoc This was my first time ever etching anything



Red.....

Someone suggested lighting the top red and the bottom blue, accentuating the "wood & water" themes...but I'm worried that it would turn purple.....any thoughts?

Maybe if you cut the plexi across the center, and put a thin piece of... something? in there, it could keep it from bleeding together? I think if you get the powers just right, it should be purple in the center, and then you'll have a red-purple-blue gradient.

 

[frank anderson]

but I'm worried that it would turn purple.....any thoughts?

Hi there, I am doing something of a similar lighting effect, my HAF X has a 10cm red cold cathode in front with some red led fans, whiles the top and bottom is lit with 30cm blue cold cathode, the center area at the right angle does look purple...

 

[MIAHALLEN]

Good news! My 30" monitor arrived, as well as my Klipsch Promedia 5.1 Ultas

On a sadder note, one of the GTX 580s is dead, it went out for RMA yesterday.

 

[MattNo5ss]

Dead GTX580 must suck...A LOT. I've never even had a card that expensive before.

Miah, have you tried shining LEDs or a cathode through the end of the Plexi to see how it illuminates the etching?

 

[TsunamiJuan]

Dead GTX580 must suck...A LOT. I've never even had a card that expensive before.

Miah, have you tried shining LEDs or a cathode through the end of the Plexi to see how it illuminates the etching?

Side note, i find it easier to work with the LED strips than a cold cathode, had to many cold cathode inverters die, and lets face it as geeks and overclockers we have our hands in our comps alot even when they are working right, and half the time thats while they are on. (a few nasty electrical burns was enough for me to swear them off)

 

[MIAHALLEN]

Dead GTX580 must suck...A LOT. I've never even had a card that expensive before.

Miah, have you tried shining LEDs or a cathode through the end of the Plexi to see how it illuminates the etching?

I have not taken the protective film off the plexi yet (I've made that mistake before), no no...it would be kind of pointless right now.

Side note, i find it easier to work with the LED strips than a cold cathode, had to many cold cathode inverters die, and lets face it as geeks and overclockers we have our hands in our comps alot even when they are working right, and half the time thats while they are on. (a few nasty electrical burns was enough for me to swear them off)

I ordered these:
https://www.jab-tech.com/Flexible-Led-Light-Strip-12LED-Red-pr-3879.html

I'm hoping they'll be here this week

 

[MIAHALLEN]

Yeah, I know....it's been a little while since my last update. I ordered some tools, including a Jigsaw and a finishing sander from Sears, and its taking a bit to get here.

So, I've had a little time to setup my new monitor and speakers, and also work on some of the details.

I've already bumped the rads on the inside a couple times and do not want to continue banging them up, so I had ordered a few fan grills from jab-tech. While they arrived over a week ago, I just finally got around to putting them on. The problem you see is these non-standard M3.5 holes on the Swiftech rads. Does anyone know where I can order some of these online....I've already spent several hours scouring 5 local HW stores to no avail

I've got a temp solution in place, but if someone can help me find a better solution online, I'd appreciate it. Black M3.5 screws are preferred





Yesterday I remembered I had an extra pump sitting on my shelf that had never been used. It's an OEM 10W DDC from bmaverick that's never been used. I also have an old XSPC pump top that was not in use....I realized that an additional pump in this build would be nice for redundancy, so I hooked this one up at 7V for that purpose.





I also worked on rewireing and re-sleeving some of the accessory cables.



















Including the SATA power connectors for the two drives. I also got my Vertex 3 drive cloned, and its running great!



Like I said before, I've also spent some time getting my new monitor & speakers set up.





















This is what the other side of the room looks like tonight.....that's my benching station, workbench & storage area.

 

[ShortAlieN]

Lookin good!

I took a look around and you are right, M3.5 screws are next to impossible to find. Could you re-tap them to a 6-32 or 8-32 thread?

 

[MIAHALLEN]

There are 48 screw hole...and I've never re-tapped a hole before, I'd just be asking for problems

I think they're 6-32 compatible though, I'm just not sure if its course or fine thread

 

[Seebs]

So these would work?

M3.5x10mm Socket Head Hex Screw

 

[ShortAlieN]

^^ good find.

 

[MIAHALLEN]

Probably, but they don't ship APO

 

[Seebs]

Probably, but they don't ship APO

Give these guys a try then:
http://www.rcplanet.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=ASC25193&click=2