Scratch Build: The Ultimate Computer Desk
- Thread starter ultimatedesk
- Start date
ultimatedesk
New Member
Looks like it's all coming along, can't wait to see it finished
Thanks everyone, it really is coming along, isn't it! It feels like the easy part was building it, and now this is the difficult part - putting it all together and making it work!!!
Wow, with all those SATA cables there, it sure messes things up, no?
I went ahead and threw in my current video card (Radeon HD5770, which kicks some pretty decent butt still). I'm sure I'll see an improvement from my P4 3.2!!!
And here's the magical moment. It looks like it's already been tweaked around a bit. Running at 3.2Ghz instead of 2.8Ghz, RAM speed up to 1600Mhz... Hey - nice temps! That's only a few degrees over ambient! (It's chilly in the basement)
Only one major problem with this setup... Can you see what it might be? (Well, ok, there's more than one thing not "ideal")
That might cause an issue. I also don't like the way the heatsink exhausts all of its hot air directly onto the back of the video card, so off to the local computer shop!
This should do the trick:
Much better. Fits almost like it was meant to be.
Looks real good there actually. I think the wide fin spacing will be an advantage as well, since there is going to be a lot of general air flow throughout the cabinet.
ultimatedesk
New Member
Vents, baby, yeaaah!
So, now that the hardware has been installed, I can proceed to managing those cables a little. I first cut a quick piece out of 1/4" hardboard with a few strategic holes
Already much more to my liking. Time to place the new fans with their new mounting system
Ok - with both "plates" in place, I can cut the appropriate holes in the door and go ahead and install!
Woohoo, that blue furnace filter sure looks out of place eh? Everything fits, it's nice, snug, and square, so I went ahead and added a bunch of closed cell foam
Another view of the almost finished right-hand cabinet old i5 system
*Testing*
I've been using this cabinet setup for a little while now, and I'm happy to report that the temperatures are really quite nice. Because I've "sealed" the air intake portion, all of the intake air is coming through the blue furnace filter. You can literally feel suction if you place your hand in front of the filter. There is a massive amount of air coming out of the CPU hole, as well as the open PCI slots, power supply exhaust, and the half inch of space between the door and the "non-intake-area". (You can see in the previous photos, I did not put foam around the entire door perimeter).
So far it has been idling at ambient (23-25) and at maximum, just under 50 degrees Celcius.
I can hear the fans running - they are louder than all of the hard drives spinning up. I am going to get a small fan controller and get them down to the minimum speed while maintaining these current temperatures (There is a very large amount of air running through the case).
*To Do*
I have clearly got to find something to either replace the blue furnace filter, or cover it up with something a little more visually appealing.
Also, I need something to cover the CPU exhaust area. It will need to match whatever I do for the furnace filter area.
'Til next time!
That is sooooo damn amazing. Looks and sounds like it is one hell of a computer project.
As for the Blue Filter, why not a silkish screen mesh? If you have ever taken a look at the Corsair 600T case, it comes with a mesh set up that catches dust bunnies. It is black like.
Or you could just go to walmart and get black ladies panty hose and put it around the filter.
As for the Blue Filter, why not a silkish screen mesh? If you have ever taken a look at the Corsair 600T case, it comes with a mesh set up that catches dust bunnies. It is black like.
Or you could just go to walmart and get black ladies panty hose and put it around the filter.
skidude
Active Member
Could you use a modified (or custom-built) floor vent style cover to go over both the furnace filter and cpu vent?
Something in the style of this (but obviously a different size/color):
If you did it right it would probably slide in nice and snug around the edges. Might not be possible, but just a thought.
Something in the style of this (but obviously a different size/color):
If you did it right it would probably slide in nice and snug around the edges. Might not be possible, but just a thought.
ultimatedesk
New Member
Thanks for the ideas - I don't think it will be so hard to get a nice looking filter/mesh, the hard part aesthetically is to get a frame to cover the parts of the door that were cut, and also for it to be durable (ie. could take an accidental kick)
Believe it or not - after many hours spent at the local Home Depot / Rona / Lowes / Canadian Tire - I actually purchased a pair of brass coloured vents to do exactly that, but it just didn't quite mesh well enough. No matter not I thought about modifying them, they still look like... floor vents lolCould you use a modified (or custom-built) floor vent style cover to go over both the furnace filter and cpu vent?
Something in the style of this (but obviously a different size/color):
If you did it right it would probably slide in nice and snug around the edges. Might not be possible, but just a thought.
On the other end of the desk, things have been progressing along nicely as well - had this beauty cut for me
Placing it in the hole, it sits just a little bit too large. The original square I cut out was about a millimetre smaller on one end than the other
So I took out the trusty chisel and did a bit of shaving!
There we go!
Mm, starting to look so awesome!
The foam fan-holder will have to say bye-bye on this side, just like the one in the right-hand cabinet. Doesn't quite look right.
SuperDuperMe
New Member
Just gone through the last few pages and this thread is immense, keep up the work dude would love to see it all up and running
BurningSkyline
New Member
Whenever I look at this thread I just get jealous... good job!
