Project Dianoga (Previously: Project Elvis)
- Thread starter AlienALX
- Start date
AlienALX
Well-known member
Cheers every one ! I'm going to have to take a couple of days off because I've absolutely torn my hands to pieces. Then after I had done that I found the correct tools to do the fittings up with (two large spanners) but then yesterday afternoon I decided to test my new scalpel on my right hand (bang smack in the middle of my right palm). Yup, very sharp. Last night my hands were absolutely killing me and this morning they are no better. So I'm going to let them heal up for a bit. Plus I need a roll of duct tape to hold all the wiring down to the side you don't see (there is very little room in there as it is, so it needs to be taped down before it becomes unmanageable.)
I will be ordering the coolant on Friday as well as anything else I had forgotten, so this should be done early/mid next week
I will be ordering the coolant on Friday as well as anything else I had forgotten, so this should be done early/mid next week
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AlienALX
Well-known member
Yay 
Because this has been so much work I really wanted to add another rad. I know that every one will think "What's the point the hardware is all Tom Tit" but that is beside the point. I could switch out the mobo and GPU in a heart beat, leaving me with a very nice case stuffed full of cooling gear.
So any way, a couple of days back I thought that it really wouldn't be that much aggro to add in a 120mm rad to the back. One of those Über thick ones that look really mean. I wasn't too fussy though, anything would have sufficed so long as it wasn't alu. I stuck up a couple of wanted ads and have been offered this for a tenner.
It will need some touching up, but given that if you even so much as breathe near an EK rad the paint falls off I am used to fondling them. A lot.
Two more fittings will run me about a tenner posted, really can't say no to that.
It will go here, BTW, with the fittings at the bottom because there is a metal piece toward the top that will stop it going in otherwise.
Another thing, I am going to have to fit it push pull also because it will not mount flat into the case. This means I am then short of an intake fan for the left side panel (for the GPU) but I am not sure I will need it tbh. I'm pretty sure I have some old fans kicking around somewhere. Could use the black EVGA one that came with my Hybrid.
Tell you what, sitting around bored is an expensive passtime lol.
Because this has been so much work I really wanted to add another rad. I know that every one will think "What's the point the hardware is all Tom Tit" but that is beside the point. I could switch out the mobo and GPU in a heart beat, leaving me with a very nice case stuffed full of cooling gear.
So any way, a couple of days back I thought that it really wouldn't be that much aggro to add in a 120mm rad to the back. One of those Über thick ones that look really mean. I wasn't too fussy though, anything would have sufficed so long as it wasn't alu. I stuck up a couple of wanted ads and have been offered this for a tenner.
It will need some touching up, but given that if you even so much as breathe near an EK rad the paint falls off I am used to fondling them. A lot.
Two more fittings will run me about a tenner posted, really can't say no to that.
It will go here, BTW, with the fittings at the bottom because there is a metal piece toward the top that will stop it going in otherwise.
Another thing, I am going to have to fit it push pull also because it will not mount flat into the case. This means I am then short of an intake fan for the left side panel (for the GPU) but I am not sure I will need it tbh. I'm pretty sure I have some old fans kicking around somewhere. Could use the black EVGA one that came with my Hybrid.
Tell you what, sitting around bored is an expensive passtime lol.
Surfie
New member
I have no words, except to say the following: i am not now, and probably never will be, anywhere even close to your level of modding - and i wish i could be. I'm so envious right now.
I am just sitting speechless with awe.
Edit: and given that many of my friends (and my wife) affectionately call me 7-11, that is no mean feat.
I am just sitting speechless with awe.
Edit: and given that many of my friends (and my wife) affectionately call me 7-11, that is no mean feat.
Excalabur50
Well-known member
It's starting to come together nicely now
AlienALX
Well-known member
Yup, this is the bit where you guys start to see the picture I've had in my head for about six weeks.
Sadly I have no way to put my plans into pictures. I've never learned 3D or CAD and I think Sketchup would have scared every one away lol. I *wish* I'd have learned CAD instead of Flash and Photoshop but I can't change that now
In about an hour I will order the last parts for the rig. I can't go any further for two reasons. One, I can't fit the motherboard until I have the USB extension (Firewire I can live without but front USB no frikkin' way man) and two I need the duct tape because this case was designed in 2006 and has very shallow cable channels (not even 1cm IIRC) so the wires all need to be taped down (hence all that mank when I first started).
I'm going to use clear duct tape and that side will look like arse, but why would I spend ages making it look nice when a panel goes over it? I'll admit, it'll look utterly terrible but who cares?
Surfie
New member
Thanks man. All you really need is a drill, dremel tool and your imagination
It's the last part that I'm missing....
AlienALX
Well-known member
Well the penultimate order is in. I had ear marked some green coolant a while ago. I like the look of it. So I ordered that last night. I will pick up some distilled water from the car spares shop next week, might need a tiny bit to top up with.
Overclockers of course
I also needed two fittings, because I am adding in another rad (that has been sent today by UPS and should be here Monday, and the USB cable extension should be here there too !) but the postage on certain other sites meant it would have cost me an extra tenner, even for fittings costing 99p. So in the end I found these on OCUK (one left of each) for £1.99 and added them to my order with free shipping 
One in white, one in chrome (was all they had left at that price)
Now I have two options here. Either I can remove the fitting from the top and put them up there and then use the two chrome Thermochill fittings for the back rad, or I can paint the outer bars black on both. One will still be white inside, but I don't think you would see that any way.
Oh yeah, I have ordered some very small model painting brushes today, as there are a couple of small jobs left to do.
Surfie
New member
Gotta be careful with the premixed coolant.
I know that XSPC use glycol in their coolant (for a fact - they told me!), which means that it can't be used with some tube types (PETG for instance will melt if used with coolants containing glycol). I think you are using soft hose, so it should be fine - but you will want to double check (the soft host I had in DSV for instance, would also have melted, if I had used glycol coolants. Not for the same reason as PETG though (PETG and glycol are ALWAYS a bad move, because you are continuing a chemical treatment applied to the tube already), whereas the tubing I had used, would have had a negative chemical reaction with any alcohol at all).
Got a question regarding the plastic panel you used for the motherboard tray (you may have already answered it, but if so - I missed it), how did you go about sourcing it? I'm looking for a similar type of material (different colour - of course) for Redlight District, but everywhere that I can find what I am after, are charging a metric load for it (cheapest for what I am after is $70)...
I know that XSPC use glycol in their coolant (for a fact - they told me!), which means that it can't be used with some tube types (PETG for instance will melt if used with coolants containing glycol). I think you are using soft hose, so it should be fine - but you will want to double check (the soft host I had in DSV for instance, would also have melted, if I had used glycol coolants. Not for the same reason as PETG though (PETG and glycol are ALWAYS a bad move, because you are continuing a chemical treatment applied to the tube already), whereas the tubing I had used, would have had a negative chemical reaction with any alcohol at all).
Got a question regarding the plastic panel you used for the motherboard tray (you may have already answered it, but if so - I missed it), how did you go about sourcing it? I'm looking for a similar type of material (different colour - of course) for Redlight District, but everywhere that I can find what I am after, are charging a metric load for it (cheapest for what I am after is $70)...
AlienALX
Well-known member
I got really lucky with the acrylic. I usually buy it in A4 and A3 sheets which I didn't realise was quite expensive at around £6 or so for 3mm. I bought a 1 meter x 500mm for £15 something (or about $25 ausd). It was sold as a kitchen splashback lol. I got it on Ebay from a company called Trent Plastics, so I would start there
I've got some one helping me along with the water cooling part and yeah, PVC hose and copper should be fine
I doubt I will drain the loop very often tbh, that's why I used green hose and LEDs.
AlienALX
Well-known member
Good afternoon every one after a pretty hard day yesterday I have decided to take the weekend off. It wasn't really through choice, I am stuck waiting for some parts before I can continue (the last rad, fittings, liquid, duct tape etc).
Any way, this morning the feet (well, hood spacers) came.
They tend to look at lot bigger in the pics, but to give you guys an idea of scale here is one of my battered hands.
So they make absolutely perfect feet. You can also see I've ordered four green M6 nylon nuts to hold them on. Even though it's my day off I may go cut down the bolts in a little while
If not then I will see you all again on Monday, for some vinegar and pressure testing shenanigans
after a pretty hard day yesterday I have decided to take the weekend off. It wasn't really through choice, I am stuck waiting for some parts before I can continue (the last rad, fittings, liquid, duct tape etc).Any way, this morning the feet (well, hood spacers) came.
They tend to look at lot bigger in the pics, but to give you guys an idea of scale here is one of my battered hands.
So they make absolutely perfect feet. You can also see I've ordered four green M6 nylon nuts to hold them on. Even though it's my day off I may go cut down the bolts in a little while
If not then I will see you all again on Monday, for some vinegar and pressure testing shenanigans
AlienALX
Well-known member
At last..
Last week I was poking around on the bay and found a temp gauge. I nearly ordered it, then realised it was useless to me - phew. In the end I realised I needed a G 1/4 thermometer and gauge. I tried to find a green one but they were upward of £18. I almost settled on a white one, then thought "I wonder if OCUK have them".
Sure enough they did.
£5.99. I was thrilled. I even managed to wangle free shipping somehow so an enormous thanks to OCUK.
OK, so I had nowhere to mount it. I knew as soon as I hit the order button that placement was going to be an issue. Had I known about it at the beginning I could have planned and cut it into the shroud somewhere (though real estate is tight back there). So for the past few days I've had a few ideas going backward and forward in my brain. In the end I settled for a octagon.
And top and bottom.
And two sides.
So I cut it and polished the edges and then made up the back box/cover part.
Then marked where it was going and covered the leftover surface with tape. I did this to stop the plastic weld peeing out everywhere and destroying it.
Weld.
Please note there are going to be smudges and dirty finger prints on it in the next few pics. They're not damage/scratches etc. I cut a graphic out of chrome.
Fit.
Peel.
Test it so that it goes up the right way.
Fit.
Test.
And all done.
I'm not quite sure where I am going to fit it yet, but the idea was to make it out of the same colours as the res. I'm pretty sure I can basically fit it wherever I like, now that it has a housing.
Last week I was poking around on the bay and found a temp gauge. I nearly ordered it, then realised it was useless to me - phew. In the end I realised I needed a G 1/4 thermometer and gauge. I tried to find a green one but they were upward of £18. I almost settled on a white one, then thought "I wonder if OCUK have them".
Sure enough they did.
£5.99. I was thrilled. I even managed to wangle free shipping somehow so an enormous thanks to OCUK.
OK, so I had nowhere to mount it. I knew as soon as I hit the order button that placement was going to be an issue. Had I known about it at the beginning I could have planned and cut it into the shroud somewhere (though real estate is tight back there). So for the past few days I've had a few ideas going backward and forward in my brain. In the end I settled for a octagon.
And top and bottom.
And two sides.
So I cut it and polished the edges and then made up the back box/cover part.
Then marked where it was going and covered the leftover surface with tape. I did this to stop the plastic weld peeing out everywhere and destroying it.
Weld.
Please note there are going to be smudges and dirty finger prints on it in the next few pics. They're not damage/scratches etc. I cut a graphic out of chrome.
Fit.
Peel.
Test it so that it goes up the right way.
Fit.
Test.
And all done.
I'm not quite sure where I am going to fit it yet, but the idea was to make it out of the same colours as the res. I'm pretty sure I can basically fit it wherever I like, now that it has a housing.
AlienALX
Well-known member
I took this pic late last night.
You can see I have the LED strip behind the l radiator firing now
Today the second rad, liquid and fittings are coming. Not sure what will come with the postie but hoping on the duct tape (I started managing cables last night but it ran out). Sadly my lady forgot to order the vinegar, but DPD aren't coming until later so I will probably nip down to the local mini mart place and see if they have any in.
Should hopefully have a nice update coming later
You can see I have the LED strip behind the l radiator firing now
Today the second rad, liquid and fittings are coming. Not sure what will come with the postie but hoping on the duct tape (I started managing cables last night but it ran out). Sadly my lady forgot to order the vinegar, but DPD aren't coming until later so I will probably nip down to the local mini mart place and see if they have any in.
Should hopefully have a nice update coming later
AlienALX
Well-known member
Yeah that's why they are all hidden so they get diffused before you see them. Once I get the board in it will drop
