I finally made my own CPU block

[Volenti]

Originally posted by 8-Ball
2-3 inches.

I wouldn't call that "a lot" higher.

Pretty insignificant to be honest.

8-ball

hea some people would pay a lot for an extra 2-3 inches

[ozzy7750]

hehe.

but yeah, good point, it isnt a lot really is it. and it is not as if either the northbridge or gpu get that hot anyway - especially the northbridge

[8-Ball]

Originally posted by Volenti
hea some people would pay a lot for an extra 2-3 inches

ROFLMAO

8-ball

[BladeRunner]

Finally did a bit more on the splitter block today, just some minor modifying of the centre input barb that is now shorter and neater (in that it has no nut hex). Will work on the retention mech tomorrow hopefully.




8-Ball

No


Yo-DUH_87

This is a recent update I wrote about the underground cooling that I've copied here:-

"On the underground tank cooling there are a few things I've learned after living with the set-up for over a year.

For it to work efficiently the tank will need to be fully immersed in the ground water. How deep this is will depend on your specific location, but when the hole you've dug fills with water, that's the ground water level. It can change from winter to summer so it's best to find it when it's at the lowest point, generally in the summer after a longish dry spell. If enough coolant is used, then it will work without being immersed in the ground water but not as effectively, and will tend to slowly heat up. My current 100-litre propane tank 8-foot underground only has the bottom foot or so immersed and it does slowly heat up. I don't run my PC 24/7 so it's not a major issue. But it needs to be appreciated we are only talking maybe 3°c to 4°c rise in a 12 hour period of full load PC use, today for instance my PC has been on for almost 10 hours and the temp on start up was 12.8°C and has risen 2.5°C since this morning. When off for a period the underground temperature returns the coolant to whatever the underground temp is. This in use temp rise would not continue until the coolant boiled of course, as there would be a stabilisation point. I have never run it long enough to find this point as I don't like leaving the PC on when I'm sleeping, but my guess is it would never get to a temp as high as a "normal air-cooled rad water-cooling system" starts out at. What it possibly would not cope with is a high watt TEC especially run for long periods. I will be making a second underground cooler build sometime, as I'd like to see if it can be improved with copper coils immersed under the water table to cope with high watt TEC use.

One last point is the assumption a mega powerful pump is required for this type of set-up. The way I have it set-up with a header tank / reservoir above PC level is exactly the same principal as a UK domestic household central heating system. Just as in the central heating system there is no pressure pumping, just circulation, and central heating systems cope with a two or three story house using a normal low-pressure circulation pump. Circulation is something aquarium pumps do well. I'm using an Eheim 1060 that gives me good flow rate through all the blocks in my system, although it's a bigger pump than would normally be required in a "standard water-cooling system" this is really only due to the extra distance / tubing the coolant has to be circulated around going to & from the tank. The header tank also makes system bleeding a non-issue."

Those that don't know what I'm on about read HERE (and go to the "bomb" page).

Or this basic schematic should explain it briefly

[BladeRunner]

Made a retainer I'm happy with, seems strong enough, just need to clone it for the other side then it will mount using the socket holes in the conventional way. I probably wont use any springs to keep it neater, just clamp it down slowly in a balanced fashion until I'm happy it's stable, level and has sufficient core pressure.



As this block is at least 50% about "image" here are some pics of the finished "shaped" retainer fitted to the small webbed section I left in two opposite "V" parts of the block base.

[Volenti]

Very nice work as always

That mounting attachment really put's the size of the block into perspective, it's a lot larger than it appears.

[BladeRunner]

Yeah I think it's to do with the centre input barb being 5/8" not 1/2". Obviously I know how large it is cause it's in front of me, but seeing pics I guess the barb size is the only part that can be related to, and most folks have either 1/2" or 3/8" on their blocks.

Just to show how simple it is to mess up the look of the block I fitted a 12mm festo push fit for the input, (I couldn't use it like this as it would be to restrictive), but I think it ruins the looks completely myself.

[LiquidRulez]

Yeah. I think the push in loooks all wrong for that block. And the barb accentuates it nicely.

BTW........Great job on that mounting system.
I was wondering how the h&ll you were gonna mount that thing!

[BladeRunner]

Making the retainer fix on seperately also allows me to make a different one for P4 if need be and simply bolt it on, the block base being just about P4 sized.

Here is a pic to showing the size of the 5/8" block barb compared to a 1/2" one.

[Cathar]

Wow - just saw this thread - don't know where my brain was.

That is some seriously impressive machining and work there.

Very well done. As someone who hasn't directly worked with metal much, but has watched professionals do it, I can really appreciate the work you've put into it.

[#Rotor]

Springs are for wussies, anyway!

[BladeRunner]

Any compliments coming from Cathar are most welcome

I very much come from the, "build it and see it work in the real world", school of thought, wish I understood more of the technical equation side of it all like you do, as its a very important part, but when I read some of the very technical topics, (on this forum in particular), my brain usually starts to melt.

Part of the reason for wanting to try stuff live is that I work in motorsport, (race car mech), with "paper" engineers. So often the stuff they come up with on paper that all pans out in theory, doesn't when applied to the race car, usually because some real world factors haven't been fully explored or included in the equation.

Anyhow I very much doubt my block will rival a White Water, or even if it did that it could be productionsied at all, It is more a specific design tailored to my system, to work well with all the other water-cooled items. Just as important to me it had to look different as well.

Retainers are both done now, just need to final polish it all, lacquer it seal the barbs and I can try it out, still would like to get rid of the blue plastic. I have some 1/2 alu bar stock left over from another project so I make try to copy a plastic top in alu



A lot of what I do is still by hand at the moment as it's the easiest way. No machining was used in making the retainers, just a battery hand drill, hacksaw and some files, together with the finishing stuff like wet & dry, T-cut & polish....... not forgetting a fair degree of elbow grease

Originally posted by #Rotor
Springs are for wussies, anyway!

I'll remind myself of that when I hear the ceramic of the CPU crack

[nOv1c3]

Originally posted by BladeRunner
Yeah I think it's to do with the centre input barb being 5/8" not 1/2". Obviously I know how large it is cause it's in front of me, but seeing pics I guess the barb size is the only part that can be related to, and most folks have either 1/2" or 3/8" on their blocks.

Just to show how simple it is to mess up the look of the block I fitted a 12mm festo push fit for the input, (I couldn't use it like this as it would be to restrictive), but I think it ruins the looks completely myself.

I dont think it hurts the look at all ....I much Rather have those push fitting than old barbs anyday........I bet you could make a few caps that slide over the toobing and down over the blue collors to clean the looks up

[BladeRunner]

Well apart from different opinions on looks, it's also to do with performance too. The 12mm push fit shown would end up with an 8mm ID once the correct tube were fitted, (2mm wall). The next size up 16mm requires tube with 2.5mm wall so you would still have only a 11mm ID and a 16mm fitting is enormous. They also don't make the tube transparent in 16mm, I'd looked into this in the past to unify the system to all push fits but decided they were only any use in the smaller sizes.

With the 5/8" barb, (that is reamed out to 13mm ID), and correct tube I will have better overall flow possibility on the input, and it seems to be the accepted rule that more flow = better performance as far as a waterblock is concerned.

Must stop posting images in every reply or Joe will lynch me , but spent an hour in the workshop and made a alu replacement for the blue plastic top. This one works (is not a fake), just got to do it another three times. seems to work just fine in alu, (just needs final polishing), so I may make one more and get a batch made by a local machine shop so I can convert all of my blocks.

[BladeRunner]

initial test shows about 2°C to 3°C better temps than my previous block. not rigged all the output tubing up properly yet, as I have to mod a few of the other system blocks over to 8mm fittings.

Seems to have improved overall system flow rate quite a bit which was the main goal... need sleep now, so just for a change I'll post a few pics

[pokpok]

what kind of digital cam do you have. your pics are always clear!

did you tap your thread with a threadforming tap or a normal cutting tap?

[BladeRunner]

It's a Nikon Coolpix 995, and I use normal cutting taps.

[BladeRunner]

Interesting results:-

I'm only using socket diode to get the temps results between old block & new block, but as they are being compared to the same CPU in the same system then it should be ok.

When fitting the splitter block I deliberately didn't change anything else, the CPU was not removed from it's socket and AS3 was used on the core as it had been with my previous block, (a basic maze design that I'd centre punched the base area below the inlet).

The new splitter block is around 1°C to 2°C worse when the system is at idle, but there is much less of a rise when under load being around 3°C to 4°C better than the old block. This makes sense to me as the increased flow rate is helping. What I don't understand is why it's worse at idle? base thickness of both seem similar at about 3mm, (the splitter block has pits I drilled between the pins so is thinner in some areas).

It doesn't really matter at all, just curious....... anyone have any ideas, reasons or conclusions?

[speedy4500]

Originally posted by BladeRunner

Part of the reason for wanting to try stuff live is that I work in motorsport, (race car mech)

Race car mech? For whom? If there's one thing I love as much as computers, it's racing. I'm a big McLaren fan--I almost cried when Mika retired, he was my favorite (I still get chills when I watch the replay of his overtaking Michael at Spa in 2001), but Kimi is doing quite well this season. [/thread crap]

Anyhow, I'm a new to watercooling and learning about it slowly (college = little time and even less money), but I can still appreciate your ingenuity and excellent craftsmanship. Good job!

[GTA]

Exceptional work, thats all I can say. Great stuff.

I may be in the minority here, but I actually prefer the blue pushfits. I think they're almost a signature of your work, and to my eyes, they brighten up the overall look of the block. I'm not too keen on the alu vesions you've knocked up. ( don't get me wrong, great work in actually making the things, I just don't like the way they look. )

You mentioned in an e-mail that the splitter block was for an entirely new system. I assume that you're testing it in your own rig first? and thats where the pictures come from? I'd be interested to see how much tidier it all looks with one less manifold, and the splitterblock.

Once again, you leave us all envious and impressed

By the way, have you considered that the Bladerunner name is probably marketable? I think you'd find a lot of people would be interested in a block tied to your name and site, if you could find a way to replicate your hardcore polishing style on a massproduced product. Just a thought.

[mashie]

Originally posted by BladeRunner
Must stop posting images in every reply or Joe will lynch me , but spent an hour in the workshop and made a alu replacement for the blue plastic top. This one works (is not a fake), just got to do it another three times. seems to work just fine in alu, (just needs final polishing), so I may make one more and get a batch made by a local machine shop so I can convert all of my blocks.

Or you could take a look at the Legris LF 3000 Range over at www.rswww.com They are chrome with black tops.

All your WBs looks truly amazing btw.

[t00lb0x]

HOT DAMN that looks great but how do you make your own/custom waterblocks and stuff?

[Rayman2k2]

Originally posted by t00lb0x
HOT DAMN that looks great but how do you make your own/custom waterblocks and stuff?

copper, hacksaw, mill, drillpress, blowtorch, you know, the basics

[t00lb0x]

So you just start with a chunk of copper and carve away!? I don't get how they get holes in a full chunk of copper, I'm trying to get all the info i can before i screw up my system and spend my money

[BladeRunner]

speedy4500

I've worked in many formulas, mainly single seater including Renault sport, F3000 and Formula ford, I work as self employed and contract out to whatever team, It has it's moments but for the most is just work... a job, and at times hard work.


GTA

I decided to stick with the blue fittings as it did look a bit odd once I had them all silver, lack of colour I guess. Most of the reason to stay with the blue though was I wanted to get it done and got fed up making the silver ones after a few failures trying to make the other three

The splitter block was intend for another system but I may keep it in my main system and make another similar but smaller one for the other system. Tube wise it's not much tidier atm, but part of that is due to the splitter required to get two of the 8mm's to 6mms for the HDD block & 2x Radeon 9700 ram blocks. I will be migrating the system over to all 8mm fitting blocks as I replace the hardware. I have already done the PSU block that is now 8mm, (was 6mm), and I have just installed a new mobo and CPU (Abit NF7-s rev2 & Barton XP 2500), so decided to make a new nb block too so now all the blocks in my set-up are my own custom made, ( the old nb block was a modified early DD vga block). I made a mobo power fets wb yesterday as they were getting to 77C. I tried a heatsink first but this was getting to hot with no forced air flow at 63C.

Had to use artic silver thermal epoxy to fix it to the fets, I hate gluing things but not really much other option. Anyway if mixed three parts one part of each epoxy tube and one of artic silver 3 paste, it remains a bit rubbery wnhen cured so is not a premant bond and can be removed, (at least in doing it this way the sink came off ok.... with a little force). I also did the same with the southbridge, (they get quite hot on NF2), so now hottest items in the PC with it under full load with no fans or forced airflow in a 21C ambient is a coil on the mobo near the fets @ 43C, and the southbridge, (with sink) @ 42°C.

Some pics of the PC taken in the last few days . (you'll notice the temporary splitter "dangling" next to the Fixed splitter). as said once everything is 8mm Festo it wont be required.





Plans are underway to try to make blocks like mine as retail items, but it's not an easy thing to productionise.

mashie

Thanks for that. There are quite a few makers of push fit fittings, I must make a list and put in on my site, (along with all the other updates it badly needs). The thing I like most about those particular Festo fittings is they have a nice rounded outer stainless steel sleeve and no external nut hex.


t00lb0x

What Rayman2k2 said, although he missed one important ingredient........ elbow grease. You have to be prepared to put in the effort to get results, and my blocks look a mess until they are in a finished form. Think of it like car body repairs...... if you just slap in some filler and paint it the result will look shite, and probably fall out, but if you take time to prepare, fill, sand, repeat etc, and apply the paint properly it will look as good as new. Check my sig link, to my site, as it has all the block build details of how I make the blocks. Most of them were done without a mill, just basic hand tools. The more complex recent stuff does really require a proper mill however. Also look at some of the block topics in this forum as I'm not the only one making my own water-blocks.