alpenwasser
New member
That does look like a pretty sweet tool. Not sure how I feel about the proprietary-ness of
it though. Ah well, we'll see. I'm a long way off from getting this baby bench-ready anyway.
But still, thanks for the link!
HELIOS (Caselabs SMH10 | black/copper | EVGA SR-2 | Geforce Titan) - by alpenwasser
- Thread starter alpenwasser
- Start date
That does look like a pretty sweet tool. Not sure how I feel about the proprietary-ness of
it though. Ah well, we'll see. I'm a long way off from getting this baby bench-ready anyway.
But still, thanks for the link!
Darkmx2000
New member
[size=+2]The SMH10[/size]
Since these long posts are extremely unwieldy for editing: multi-posting.
Also makes it easier to link to a specific section of the build.
I ordered it flat-packed. Shipping to Switzerland was ~150 USD and it took
13 days from order confirmation until arrival. Jim was very helpful with advice
and making sure what I ordered made sense
The Box
Unpacking the Goodies
Guarding the Loot
Always Use Protection (a thick wool blanket in this case)
Ready, Set, Go!
First Steps
Getting There...
Uh Oh!
The 3.5" HDD cage collided with the tie down points. I wrote to Caselabs
and sent them a pic. They promptly responded saying they were trying to
figure out what had gone wrong.
After a few days Kevin wrote back to me saying that my main compartment
divider (the big vertical plate in the main chamber) had accidentally been
manufactured to an old spec and that they were going to send me a new one.
This actually worked out quite well because I'd forgotten a few small parts in
my first order for which I now didn't have to pay shipping
Mistakes happen, what matters to me is how they are handled and Caselabs'
customer service left nothing to be desired in this case.
Tada!
Out of Curiosity
A Fine Detail I noticed
The threads for mounting the acrylic window and the HDD cages are done
like this. You barely notice them. No fiddling around with screws. Just use
the provided flange nut driver (which is a very nice one btw) and mount
the nuts over the threads. Much more comfortable than screws. Very nice!
I am kinda torn between this case and the STH10
alpenwasser
New member
I am kinda torn between this case and the STH10
Had to make that decision myself. In the end I went for the SMH10 over the STH10 because
I don't really need that top compartment, and I much prefer the aesthetics of the SMH10
(the STH10 looks too narrow and high for me, I don't really like its proportions, although I
would buy an STH10 if I needed the additional space, form follows function and all that).
But that's just a matter of taste of course.
alpenwasser
New member
Finally, Progress!
Yay, it's not dead yet!
Basically, the build has been stuck on pause for almost two
years simply because life kept interfering, primarily with
my finances. I had planned to finally do the copper tubing
this summer, but then I needed to replace my laptop this
spring and had some HDD issues in my server, so again the
funds just weren't there to do the copper loop the way I had
intended.
So I decided to switch plans and do it with Norprene for the
time being. I'll hopefully be alive for a while yet, so at
some point in some build I should be able to still realise
the concept I've made for the copper tubing, but for the
time being, Norprene it is. I didn't really feel like going
with acrylic since pretty much everyone is doing that these
days (not that it's bad), plus I quite like the look of
Norprene and think it fits nicely with the theme of the
build.
Also, I finally made some cables for the second GPU (which
I'd bought last August actually, but couldn't use because I
didn't have time to make the cables
).
Anyway, first things first: Got myself some pretty
affordable silver fittings, painted them in copper.
Pics!
Since I needed to deblock my CPUs, took a look at the thermal
paste imprints:
(click image for full res)
(click image for full res)
Fittings:
(click image for full res)
(click image for full res)
Also got myself two active back plates from AC. The second
GPU is actually a 780, not a Titan (no need for SLI in
BOINC), so the active cooling is pretty pointless, but I
went for symmetry. As usual for AC, there's quite a bit of
steel. Copperised that too.
(click image for full res)
(click image for full res)
(click image for full res)
Finally, the current loop layout on the motherboard tray.
The entire thing as it is here weighs in at a lofty 9.3 kg
(that's about 20 lbs for the imperialists
).
(click image for full res)
(click image for full res)
(click image for full res)
(click image for full res)
(click image for full res)
(click image for full res)
(click image for full res)
Also, painted the outside of the Raystorm brackets with copper
for a bit of added coppery contrast:
(click image for full res)
That's it for now. Should have pics of the rig in an
assembled state in the not too distant future. It might not
be what I originally envisioned, but I'm very happy to get
this into a presentable state finally.
Yay, it's not dead yet!
Basically, the build has been stuck on pause for almost two
years simply because life kept interfering, primarily with
my finances. I had planned to finally do the copper tubing
this summer, but then I needed to replace my laptop this
spring and had some HDD issues in my server, so again the
funds just weren't there to do the copper loop the way I had
intended.
So I decided to switch plans and do it with Norprene for the
time being. I'll hopefully be alive for a while yet, so at
some point in some build I should be able to still realise
the concept I've made for the copper tubing, but for the
time being, Norprene it is. I didn't really feel like going
with acrylic since pretty much everyone is doing that these
days (not that it's bad), plus I quite like the look of
Norprene and think it fits nicely with the theme of the
build.
Also, I finally made some cables for the second GPU (which
I'd bought last August actually, but couldn't use because I
didn't have time to make the cables
).Anyway, first things first: Got myself some pretty
affordable silver fittings, painted them in copper.
Pics!
Since I needed to deblock my CPUs, took a look at the thermal
paste imprints:
(click image for full res)
(click image for full res)
Fittings:
(click image for full res)
(click image for full res)
Also got myself two active back plates from AC. The second
GPU is actually a 780, not a Titan (no need for SLI in
BOINC), so the active cooling is pretty pointless, but I
went for symmetry. As usual for AC, there's quite a bit of
steel. Copperised that too.
(click image for full res)
(click image for full res)
(click image for full res)
Finally, the current loop layout on the motherboard tray.
The entire thing as it is here weighs in at a lofty 9.3 kg
(that's about 20 lbs for the imperialists
).(click image for full res)
(click image for full res)
(click image for full res)
(click image for full res)
(click image for full res)
(click image for full res)
(click image for full res)
Also, painted the outside of the Raystorm brackets with copper
for a bit of added coppery contrast:
(click image for full res)
That's it for now. Should have pics of the rig in an
assembled state in the not too distant future. It might not
be what I originally envisioned, but I'm very happy to get
this into a presentable state finally.
Feronix
New member
Hmmm yeah,
I looooooooove copper, but it looks a bit all over the place? Other than that it all looks really exciting!
PS Good to have you back mate
Last edited:
alpenwasser
New member
Hmmm yeah,
I looooooooove copper, but it looks a bit all over the place? Other than that it all looks really exciting!
PS Good to have you back mate
Thanks guys, great to be back!
The original plan was for polished copper tubing and black fittings (which would have actually been more coppery than things are now
). Unfortunately, that would require between 100 and 150 fittings and adapters of one sort or another from Bitspower (they're the only ones who make the sort of fittings I'd need for the way I want to do it), and for the time being that's just not financially feasible (nevermind the ridiculous amount of time it will require to get done right), so instead of waiting another year or so to get the money together and have the build languish in a ghetto state I decided to change my plans for the time being. I've always rather liked the look of Norprene tubing, and it matches pretty nicely with the Acetal parts, so overall I'm pretty happy with it, even if it's not my original plan.
I did consider painting the fittings black to reduce the amount of copper, but then the black on the fittings wouldn't have matched very well with the black tubing, and I do like copper quite a lot (as is probably evident ^_^ ), so I thought I might as well go all out. Since the case is black, that provides a bit of a counterweight color-wise so the amount of copper you see in proportion to black shifts in the other direction again when the motherboard tray is in the case instead of just on its own.
Blade Runner
New member
I like the black tubing, it goes with the case, I think if it had all been copper it would have been too much.
I am a bit bias though, that is because I don't like copper piping. I have plumbed up too many central heating systems to look upon copper tube as anything other than something that should be not seen.
I am a bit bias though, that is because I don't like copper piping. I have plumbed up too many central heating systems to look upon copper tube as anything other than something that should be not seen.
SuB
The Webmaster
omg omg omg omg I thought this was dead!! !!!
Hmm, the tubing is a little.. .. I duno.. meh?
It looks quite.. old like.. cracked? is that just the photos?
The copperisation is quite nice, I'm glad it's not shiny I think it changes the tone
Sooo glad to see you back and doing this rig.
!!!Hmm, the tubing is a little.. .. I duno.. meh?
It looks quite.. old like.. cracked? is that just the photos?
The copperisation is quite nice, I'm glad it's not shiny I think it changes the tone
Sooo glad to see you back and doing this rig.
alpenwasser
New member
Heh, yeah, you might actually have a point there. A member on another forum actually just gave me the idea of powdercoated copper tubing. But for the time being it's a moot point anyway. But there is always the future
omg omg omg omg I thought this was dead!!
Hmm, the tubing is a little.. .. I duno.. meh?
It looks quite.. old like.. cracked? is that just the photos?
The copperisation is quite nice, I'm glad it's not shiny I think it changes the tone
Sooo glad to see you back and doing this rig.
Yeah, life just kept interfering with the build, I suppose it's just the way things go.
The tubing isn't cracked, it's just not 100% uniformly colored, I suppose is the best way to put it. The effect is less pronounced in person when you look at it in normal light (more black and blacker than black-ish and grey
) rather than studio lights.The copper paint is copper particles inside an epoxy matrix. Since many fine particles won't reflect the light quite the same as one smooth surface, you get the change in tone from a solid piece of copper as it is now. When you have the paint right next to an unpolished piece of copper they are very similar indeed. But you can't really get the paint to look like a polished piece of copper since all those fine particles aren't just going to magically align themselves in a way identical to a polished surface.
And yup, very glad to be back indeed, and definitely very glad to be working on this again.
Don't get me wrong. I am really liking this direction. And the tubing isn't as "ghetto" as you think.
Norprene is a good choice. I think what makes it stand out to me, is the fact its not the same shade of black as your components (if that makes sense?). Its a sort of faded colour.
edit* and you can ignore my post considering I just read your reply to Sub basically stating the same thing
But I totally agree. I love this copper choice. I have actually seen a couple of cars here that have had a vinyl wrap over them with the same copper hue and it really does look quite nice.
Norprene is a good choice. I think what makes it stand out to me, is the fact its not the same shade of black as your components (if that makes sense?). Its a sort of faded colour.
edit* and you can ignore my post considering I just read your reply to Sub basically stating the same thing
But I totally agree. I love this copper choice. I have actually seen a couple of cars here that have had a vinyl wrap over them with the same copper hue and it really does look quite nice.
alpenwasser
New member
Don't get me wrong. I am really liking this direction. And the tubing isn't as "ghetto" as you think.
Norprene is a good choice. I think what makes it stand out to me, is the fact its not the same shade of black as your components (if that makes sense?). Its a sort of faded colour.
edit* and you can ignore my post considering I just read your reply to Sub basically stating the same thing
But I totally agree. I love this copper choice. I have actually seen a couple of cars here that have had a vinyl wrap over them with the same copper hue and it really does look quite nice.
Haha, no worries mate. It's true, the fit to Acetal isn't quite 100% perfect. It's always a bit of a tricky thing, having different shades of black in a build, because rarely do they truly perfectly match (powder coat from the case, acetal, the tubing, the alu backplates on the GPUs, the alu accent plates on the CPU blocks, the motherboard's PCB, the motherboard's I/O area and the PCI-e slots with the Humbrol model paint etc.). Ah well, such is life.
Acetal tubing would fit nicely, but haven't found something like that anywhere.
Ha, now that you mention it, I see it too.
Thanks!
alpenwasser
New member
Hey man, thanks!
It's currently mostly assembled, should have an update in the next few days.
It's currently mostly assembled, should have an update in the next few days.
crap-at-games
New member
This looks great and so much attention to detail like no stone left unturned cant wait to see it finished
alpenwasser
New member
Yeah, that's not too far off. At this point I have more than 300 hours sunk into this.
Thanks!
Thanks!
crap-at-games
New member
Thats a lot of hours but you can tell that by the detail and craftmanship in the build
alpenwasser
New member
Thats a lot of hours but you can tell that by the detail and craftmanship in the build
Hehe, yeah, it's a hobby, right?
Anyway, update!
Assembled!
Finally managed to put it together.
Hit a bit of a snag with my plan for the power delivery. I have a plug at the back
of the case to which I've soldered a cable which then goes to the PSU via a 90-degree
angled plug. Unfortunately the plug I'd bought turned out to be a bit too big and I
could no longer mount the radiator. I could have raised the PSU, but don't have the
correct standoffs at hand, so instead I got very lucky and found a molded 90-degree
angled connector which is more compact. It goes to the other side, but the cable can
be bent around in a generous loop and it sill works. Disaster averted.
(click image for full res)
(click image for full res)
(click image for full res)
The drain is the usual principle: T-connector, ball valve. However, in order to be
able to hide it away inside the case, the lever on the valve actually needs to be
in the open position, hence the additional stop fitting on the valve.
Draining the system works pretty well, I get most of the fluid out (it uses about
1.5 litres it seems.
)
(click image for full res)
(click image for full res)
The process for closing it all up is a bit cumbersome, but such is life. I have to
unmount the other PSU cover in order to be able to get the plug's side's cover in,
then remount them both. I've mounted some additional thumb screws to the covers to
that I can hold on to them while bolting them to the case. Works pretty well.
(click image for full res)
(click image for full res)
The passthrough from the pump to the back side and the bottom radiators. The thing
with a wire is an inline temperature sensor.
(click image for full res)
From the bottom radiators we go up to the top radiator via a passthrough fitting.
I had to enlargen the hole in the case by about 20 mm in one direction so that it
all fits, otherwise the fitting on the radiator's side collides with the rad.
(click image for full res)
(click image for full res)
To give you an impression of the trouble I go through for some of the pics, this
is the lighting setup for the picture above.
(click image for full res)
Tethering the Canon 600D (Rebel T3 or something like that for those who have those
model numbers) to my laptop (Linux) via Darktable works very nicely, pretty comfy to
work with.
(click image for full res)
(click image for full res)
(click image for full res)
The reservoir has an inline tube to bring the feed below the coolant's surface level.
(click image for full res)
(click image for full res)
(click image for full res)
I'm not yet happy with how this looks, will be redoing the loop at least in this
area. But I need to ponder a bit first on how to go about this, and now that it's
up and running and the semester is about to start again I'm not in too big of a
hurry.
(click image for full res)
(click image for full res)
(click image for full res)
The black painted brackets for the GPUs. 780 is the top one, Titan on the bottom.
(click image for full res)
The fan controller, still with the copper plate from way back when, although it
has a bit of oxidation by now. I tried clearcoating it to protect it from oxidation,
but it didn't look right no matter what I tried so eventually I took the coat off
again and just accepted the copper as it is.
(click image for full res)
(click image for full res)
The cabling behind the fan controller. Not too tidy I will admit.
(click image for full res)
The bottom fans are connected to a single channel on the fan controller. One of
the fans has had its tach wire soldered to one of the six pin connector's pins
so that I can get an rpm reading.
(click image for full res)
Bottom fans with a studio light on the other side of the case:
(click image for full res)
Some overview shots:
(click image for full res)
(click image for full res)
(click image for full res)
(click image for full res)
And with the rest of the computers in our household (except the server, which I
couldn't take down for the pic).
(click image for full res)
I'll be doing some temp measurements in the next few days and will give an update
on that when I have the data.
So long,
-aw
