[Build Log] Project Blueberry Apple G4

[Metalcored00d]

Here are the latest updates of the project:

I installed the power supply in the front of the case.
I received my USB 3.0/audio combo front panel.
I received some extension cables for audio and usb 3.0 etc.
I reveived my paracord to start sleeving.



Still to do:

Drill holes to route the cables from and to the motherboard on the side panel.
Figure out the length of my sleeved cables.
Paint the inner case grey.
Mod the plastic front panel to allow air to the PSU.
Mod the plastic upper panel to allow air to the radiator.

 

[Metalcored00d]

Here's an update with the things that I've been fiddling with so far:

I have been playing with the acrylic tubes to get my bending skills right, but so far I haven't been very lucky...

I have cut out some holes with my dremel around the motherboard for cable management. I also cut out some holes behind the radiators to hide the 3pin connectors behind the case and between the plastic panels.

I'm currently still waiting for wires to start sleeving with paracord.

Here are the latest pictures:

you can see that I had to cut in the the rubber around my fans to be able to have the Alphacool logo in the same sense as on the radiator:


you can see that with the rubbers around the fans, there really isn't a lot of space left for the fittings. It's a tight fit, but it works ;-)

I guess that the kinks I have are because I haven't heated it enough in some spots and because I didn't use gloves, I couldn't exactly touch where I had to... I will get some gloves and fiddle some more with to get my technique down

Here's the result after some more playing around with the heat gun and using gloves:

 

[Metalcored00d]

Meanwhile, here's a little concept in MS Paint of what the front panel could look like

1. I started off with the idea of using the lid of the cd-drive as a template of what I want the bottom half to look like. Basically the lid fits 5x under the power button. If I laser cut this out of acrylic, I can hide some black mesh behind that.

2. Add a Phobya anti-vandal switch

3. Add a 3.5mm headphone jack under the on/off switch

4. Have a USB 3.0 hub instead of the floppy drive. Fun fact: the way the reservoir is now mounted, the brackets actually fit perfectly to support the USB hub at the same time! I'm just unsure right now if the open lid is wide enough for the USB interface.



I would do the same step 1 for the top panel with the acrylic and the mesh.

 

[Metalcored00d]

I installed Alphacool's M.2 SSD cooler on my 256Gb Toshiba SSD and it looks pretty friggin' awesome!



I also played around a little with the 2 mainboard coolers that I received.:
http://www.aquatuning.de/water-cool...oling-plate-asus-z87-pro-mosfet-1-black?c=508
http://www.aquatuning.de/water-cool...oling-plate-asus-z87-pro-mosfet-2-black?c=508

Since no specific Mosfet coolers exist for my motherboard, I just chose something that was at least Asus, hoping that they would they fit. Obviously they didn't. After studying them a little more, I realised that they are both pure copper plates. I could therefore adjust them a little so they would fit on my motherboard after all!



I wonder if temps would be affected if I paint them?

 

[Metalcored00d]

I received a front panel kit to suit my needs with the front panel mod that I plan to do here.

This is the victim:

http://www.aquatuning.de/cases-und-...o-panel-kit-usb-3.0-und-audio-inkl.-schrauben

I figured that I didn't need the whole circuit board, so I decided to cut away as much excess material as possible. I tested it with my headphones afterwards and it's still alive!

I'm even concidering soldering the wires straight to the terminals and hotgluing them in place. No rush.

Since I cut away the 2 USB ports, I could scavenge the USB 3.0 connector, which came in really handy after I settled on using this usb hub where the zip drive used to be. That way it can be connected straight to the motherboard with enough cable length to hide the mess...

I just received the newest Alphacool Eispumpe VPP755 and installed it under my Eisbecher 150. It's got a PWM connector instead of the previous gen pumps with a molex and a 3pin fan header.

I also managed to attach the mosfet coolers to the motherboard and it isn't really noticeable that I drilled in them etc. I just had to use longer screws, because my motherboard also has a backplate under the motherboard, which I wanted to keep

 

[Metalcored00d]

I have been playing with the different fittings that I have to see how I can connect the cpu block to the mosfet blocks to the gpu. It was a perfect fit with 2 connectors in between, since there was not enough room for some tubing.

Now I just need a 90° bend between the mosfet and the gpu and then I can consider the motherboard part done .

 

[Metalcored00d]

Today I continued working on the loop and I have to say that I’m really pleased with the results ^^

First off I was playing around with the different kinds of fittings to see how I could get from the GPU to the lower radiator. Originally I wanted to have a piece of hard tube on the GPU and then through an adapter fitting continue to flexible tubing, so the door can close. This (obviously) did not work, but did force me to look further. I ended up finding a solution by using double rotatable 45° fittings. Now the door closes without a problem, because the flexible tubing and the rotatable fittings twist themselves in the right position when it opens and closes.



Today I also came up with a solution as to how I can connect the upper radiator to the CPU. There’s a flexible tube that runs all the way down, underneath the connectors of the lower radiator, all the way to the door, where it ends in a quick release fitting. This will also be where I will drain the loop, without any leaks ;-). On the other end of the quick release connector, I added my flow meter (I honestly had no idea where else to put it). It’s actually a perfect spot: it can be mounted from the bottom and so it holds the tubing in place! I then added a piece of hard tube between the flow meter and the CPU block. The best part is that this is actually the tube that I had initially intended to use between the GPU and the flexible tube. I seem to be extremely lucky with the dimensions.



For the finishing touch I will most certainly have to invest in better hard tubing tools like mandrels, as was already mentioned before. For now I am pleased with the results, but those who have an eye for detail will notice that it could always be better .

I tried Alphacool’s double bending tool for the first time and ended up melting it. Which is weird because the vendor video said that it would withstand heat… I used their heatgun and it wasn’t even on the hottest setting.

 

[Metalcored00d]

I figured out the final part of the loop: between the reservoir, the upper radiator and the bottom radiator. I was being very enthusiastic and had closed the loop when I realised that the way that I had installed the pump with the fittings pointed towards the inside of the case wouldn't work since the waterblock of the GPU couldn't fit anymore.

So I changed the direction of the radiator 90° so the fittings now point to the door. That way it's even simpler to close the loop and now nothing blocks anything for the door to close!

Now that the waterloop is out of the way, I continued to focus on the backpanel which I had been ignoring until now. I salvaged a back panel from an old case that a friend of mine had given me last week. Actually I also used its front audio panel since I wasn't too happy with my previous audio front panel hack.

I had to cut out the bar between the motherboard IO shield and the pci slots. It fit perfectly and now the result looks much cleaner!

Here is a little preview of the front IO solution that I came up with ^^

 

[Metalcored00d]

I painted the mosfet coolers to make them fit better next to the matte black cpu block

I am really impressed with the quality of my el cheapo spraypaint . I am still in doubt whether I should paint the inside of the case matte black or dark grey... Suggestions are welcome

Typing hurts because I have finally begun sleeving my cables. Although my fingertips have suffered, I am very happy with the results so far! The cpu cable is done, now for the real challenge; the 24 pin cable which has double cables and connects with 28 pins to the psu and the 8pin pci connector which also has a double wire... Well, so far I followed Lutroo's guides and all went well, so I hope it'll continue like that :')

I also received a rubber band to cover the cutouts where the cables will be routed to protect them (and my fingers). You can see this underneath the first sleeved cable that I have routed.

 

[Metalcored00d]

Here is the latest update to this build. I've been extremely busy with school work and the fact that we're moving in a new house, but I still managed to get some work done.

I modded the G4's front panel so I have a working Power switch, Reset switch and Power LED . I sleeved all of it to make it look nicer. My soldering skills are an abomination though. Oh well, it works ;-).

Here are the lastest pictures:

Some more bending. This time it's PETG, to replace my Acrylic ones:

Who uses DVDs anyway?

Cable mods:

This is the paint that I'm using;

Modding the flow indicator because the yellow, just no way I'm leaving it like that!

The case is ready to be painted ^^. Should it be grey or black?