I was going to buy a TDX but I think I'm going to wait until the Storm is released.

Cathar, do you expect any backorders or will there be ample supply for the demand?

I would be very interested to see what can be made with $40 or less.

I know that they are low on voltage, but are the fastest CPU per dollar when over clocked?
My Barton 2500+ runs fine as a 3200+ (not at the moment due to a bad PSU) with the air cooling and default voltage, and I have loads of friends (irl) that can run there as >3400+ with default voltage.

The Storm/G2 would be the design to go with for cost/performance if one were interested in that sort of thing.

If the Storm/G2 were to be made cheaply, even in "expensive" manufacturing countries like Australia or the USA in bulk I'd do the following:

Get an injection mould done for the middle/top plates. Use integrated barbs on the top-plate. Middle-plate comes out 90% complete from the mould. 3 minutes of CNC-machining to fix it up. In bulk, we'd be talking about $5US for both plates including cost of materials.

Copper base-plate would cost ~$2 in materials. CNC machine time would be around 5 minutes. For following grinding and proper lapping, maybe looking at $12US or so for a completed base-plate.

Get top mounting bracket cast in aluminium, ~$1/piece.

Throw in quality mounting kit (stainless steel pieces) for ~$6.

Could get it done for ~$24US. Final sale price could be $40 or so.

Would need to sell quite a few though to offset the investment cost of the moulds. Probably wouldn't break even until after the first 5000 or so blocks were sold.

best bang for the buck, if measured in mhz/$$ is probably the duron or the AXP1700+

best overall OC, the 2600M

I'd be agreeing for sure. Just got my third 2600M (first that I'm keeping). Fresh out of the Fed Ex gal's hands priming 15x167 1.65v.

Now if Cathar get's his new block - out the blocks - I'll be building a new H20 setup.

Question.

You had mentioned plugging the jet tubes that weren't immediately over the CPU core to boost jet velocity for the cascade. I'm assuming the same can be done with the G4/5 given a sufficiently powerful pump (~45 ft head)?

What would the effect on jet velocity be assuming 45 ft of head and all jets but those for a Barton sized core plugged be? Metal erosion?

Not in a hundred years. :)

You'll just make the Storm block more restrictive if you do this. It won't boost jet velocity by any appreciable amount (maybe 5% at best).

With a 45' pressure head, jet velocity would be around the 14m/s mark (around 31mph) which while reasonably fast as waterblocks go, isn't going to cause metal erosion in a great hurry.

unless you mix fine sand into your loop. :)

Yes - avoid putting 10 micron lapping grit into the cooling loop and you'll be fine. ;)

Surprised this thead hasn't fired up again now that ordering has ccommenced. My order is in just waiting for a reply now......and now.......and how about now. (jlr.ii frantically hits send recieve button in expectation) Link to ordering info

I hope there's some left by Friday. I won't have any spare cash until then.

Shipping begins on the 27th.

I've sent an email asking to order one of these (I'm also waiting for a reply - will send $$ when I get one).
Any idea if these are coming pre-lapped? I've been buying Swiftech blocks over the years and am totally spoiled.
If I'm lapping, what is current thinking on DIY lapping? Is mirror glass flat enough? Residential and commercial window glass probably not, right? Something else more appropriate to use? Does it make sense to use engineering bluing (like for cylinder head lapping)? Or is that method so inaccurate as to not be worth bothering with?Pointers to "how to" articles greatly appreciated - I'm very out of date - or to quote Josiah Banks: "It ain't what a man don't know that makes him a fool - it's what he do know that ain't so." (or something like that. Anyway, I'm pretty sure what I do know ain't (anymore) so...
Thanks!

I can't imagine Cathar shipping wbs that need lapping, NOT what he is about
???

Yeah. I ordered one for my new rig. Black WB works beauifully with the black K8N Neo 2 Platinum. Wish I didnt have a green video card.

Blocks bases are professionally machine lapped this time on a proper lapping machine. No hand lapping involved. Extremely flat, especially around the CPU contact area (defined as a 1.5"x1.5" square centered in the block), and outside of the abilities of my machinist's best physical tools to measure which are good down to around 5 microns or 0.0002". I don't possess or have access to a set of optical flats. They are even flatter than some of the best results that I was ever able to achieve by hand though, with that being subjectively determined by a basic reflective grid test.

Was able to get the professional lapping done due to the decreased machining costs on the block itself as compared to the Cascade.

Finish on the block's bases visually looks like this:

Machine Lapped Storm Base

with a smoky satin-like finish.

For those offended by the lack of a mirror polish, do not be duped into thinking that a mirror finish necessarily equates to flat:

Mirror Polish Finish (left) vs basic hand-lapped finish (right)

Left Block

Right Block

From what I understood they were to be ground flat.

"I'll then head off to the local grinding place with a price per plate in mind to meet and ask for the best finish for that price - probably something like a guaranteed 5 micron (0.0002") flatness finish over the entire base-plate, which would typically mean around a 0.5-1.0 micron flatness above the die itself."

Searching for a final decision on that....did you find something I overlooked?

Way cool!
BTW, Cathar, are you still working through email messages (which is fine) of have you replied to everyone and I've managed to lose your reply in one of my anti-spam filters...?

Give me another 48hrs before worrying.

/me looks over at "Incoming" list and sees bobkoure's name still on it

Will probably get to you in the next 16hrs or so, or by this time tomorrow.

Ooops guess I searched too long lol

I know I emailed you the 19th, but this is a pressing matter....will any be left by Friday? I didn't know they were coming out so soon and I blew all my cash on a new mobo and case...and more tubing and dye and a couple UV cold cathodes....and Fable. Damn it.

If you emailed me, you're safe. Just working through the minor barrage of emails and queries as I go.

any way to get a sort of x number of them left

or will there be any after pH gets one to test?