PROJECT LOG Gaming in tight spaces - MAX11Lv3

[bennoculus]

Heck yes! Another MIAHALLEN build.

Sub'd. This is going to be epic.

 

[Knufire]

:O. PSU mounted to the radiator? And with the GPU not being actually in the case (ish, I think I get what you're doing). Already reeling at the sheer genius of this Miah...again .

If it wasn't obvious enough, sub'd. xD

 

[Terminatez]

This looks really awesome!

 

[gregmacknass]

The PSU on the radiator was a great idea. I would personally put a grille o some sorts over the waterblock, because if the case is set on top of something or the card is hit it could easily be damaged. It is looking great, can't wait for more updates.

 

[MIAHALLEN]

So, today I wired up some LEDs



Then stuck them into the GPU block





Then turned them on





I also realized, that this BitsPower T connector I ordered was a bit taller than I expected. But I really wanted to use it here so I could have a drain on the bottom.



So, to make space, my PSU had to go under the knife....errr, I mean....Dremel





Then it was time to work on test fitting everything again. This time, if things work out....I'm hoping it'll also be the last time.





Looking good so far.















You're starting to see the final layout here, and I even have some of the tubing run. Here are some shots of the drain valve on the bottom.





Also, I cut a hole in the optical drive tray for filling the loop





But I still have to mount the pump, reservoir, and the SSD & HDD. So I've got a bit left to do. Here is a sneak peak of what's next

 

[Pugsport]

i like the idea of seeing how much tech you can get inside a matchbox

great build

i always wanted to do something like this but have never be able to find the right parts

 

[MattNo5ss]

Looking great!

Good thing those LEDs will be under the case, those things are blinding

It should put a nice glow underneath the raised case though.

 

[capttripppp]

Dude, you an animal! Looks friggen awesome

 

[MIAHALLEN]

It should put a nice glow underneath the raised case though.

 

[pinky33]

I have fallowed all of your micro builds and enjoyed each one. Very much like the idea of small form factor to an extreme and your detailed threads with superb pictorials are both an inspiration and guide to fallow for the rest of us.

-pinky

 

[MIAHALLEN]

thanks pinky

 

[Ohioviper]

Great looking rig.

 

[MIAHALLEN]

Thanks Ohio

Sorry for the delays peoples...I was out of town last week. But not to worry, I've got a big update coming soon

 

[Pugsport]

Thanks Ohio

Sorry for the delays peoples...I was out of town last week. But not to worry, I've got a big update coming soon

this is an awesome project i can not wait to see it finished.

how big is that case because to say it looks small is an understatement

 

[MIAHALLEN]

It's 11L in volume....think of a shoebox for mens size 9 or so

 

[Janus67]

This is looking fantastic so far Miah, can't wait to see it completed.

Also appears to be one of the smallest WC loops I've ever seen

 

[MIAHALLEN]

So, I've got the front panel cut. It was a major hurdle to cross, but its done, and I'm fairly happy with the result. I used a drill press with a 3/16" bit to drill about 40 holes around the edge, then hand filed the frame of the hole.









You may also notice I've fitted the optical drive for these pictures (just so you can see that it does indeed fit )

The resulting hole for the res looks pretty good for now, but I'm still planning some final trim to clean things up a bit. I should have another update in the next couple days.

 

[Pugsport]

looking awesome fella

 

[MIAHALLEN]

OK, I've got another update for you all. This build is getting very close to finished now...In fact, I'm planning to finish it this week. Cross your fingers that I don't run into any problems

Back when I started the project, I took some very careful measurements and created a Sketchup model of the intended rear panel for the new case layout.



Then I looked around for someone who could precision cut the panel for me. I found two guys in the "Artisian" section at OCN...Pedgette and Frozen-Q. I sent both guys the 3D model and requested a quote. After receiving the quote, I paid both of them for two pieces each. Pedgette is the first who has responded and here is one of the two panels he sent me:



Fits almost perfect! Now I just need longer screws with which to attach it

MNPCtech carries some high quality faux carbon fiber these days, and I ordered some to clean up the rough areas exposed by all the cutting. I started with the optical drive tray, just as a practice run to get a feel for working with the material.





Then I continued with the front panel.





I also wanted to do the bottom of the case.



The first piece I cut was backwards (mirrored) from how I needed it



But luckly I'd ordered a bit more than I needed, so I had enough to redo the attempt, and the 2nd time went much better.









I also received the SSD/HDD mount today, and that plus the back panels were the only pieces still missing. So like I said before, I should be able to wrap up this build by the end of this week!

 

[MIAHALLEN]

Well sorry guys, I was planning to post more pictures yesterday, but I got a bit discouraged. There is a small leak in the front end....I have not identified the exact source, but I'm thinking its the hose-to-barb seal on the lower rad connection....its dripping once a minute or so. The other problem I ran into is upon my 1st attempt to power on the system, nothing happened....nothing at all! The PSU was pre-tested, but I neglected to test it after I finished rewiring it....but looks like I'll have to break everything down again to locate the problem.