Project Akula - Dimastech Bench | Watercooled | Tri GTX 680

[Akula]

Just received my EK waterblocks, love em :)

Awaiting fittings, apparently they are in transit and are expected today :o

 

Few simple shots, enjoy :)

 

 

 

[Akula]

Nice....looks great so far!  What coolant are you going to be using?  If this is top secret, no answer is required! ;)

 

I was looking at building a test bench myself, and this has just cemented the plan!

 

Thanks :)

I'll be using EK Blood Red Coolant :D

[Akula]

Update : 1/06/2013

 

EK CSQ Fittings have arrived, i'll upload some shots of these fittings later today, personally i think they look amazing, throughout my builds I've always gone with Bitspower fittings, although personally i cannot stand the Green Bitspower logo, so here's to changing things up :D

Another note, I've ordered my graphic Cards, bought myself the MSI GTX 680 SC's - On special for $429

 

It's Saturday here, and I'm hoping they arrive today, although I'm confident they wont :(

[Akula]

Update : 2/06/2013

 

Few photo's of the EK fittings & installed Lamptron controller.

I had to re-drill the mounting holes for the Lamptron Controller, for some reason Dimastech has the 5.25" Bays mounted slightly foward, which would mean the controller wouldn't be flush with the system, Easy fix :)

 

These EK fittings are amazing, highly recommend.

 

It's Sunday here, so tomorrow I'm expecting my graphic cards, then the fun begins.

 

 

 

 

 

[Akula]

Update : 3/06/2013

 

Graphics cards arrived today, all three of them :D

MSI apparently have brown pcb cards <_<  - But that's OK, the EK blocks completely cover them :D

 

Waterblocks installed, shall i take some photo's? It's dark here so i wouldn't mind waiting for daylight to get some nice shots :o

[Akula]

Sorry guys, i thought i could get away with some photo's in the dark, but the lightning just isn't right :(

[Akula]

No please upload them doesnt matter please

 

Matters to me :p

I'll upload several straight after i finish work :)

[Akula]

Update : 4/06/2013

 

Ordered some more EK CSQ fittings, it appears i will require more 90 Degree fittings than expected.

Tubing is on it's way, Primoflex Advanced 2/8 1/2 Black tubing :D

 

Really happy with the graphic cards & water-blocks, couldn't have turned out better.

 

I mocked up a quick loop with some old Tygon tubing earlier, i think I've figured out the cleanest way to loop this thing, the problem is going to be the underside of the loop could get messy :o

 

Anyway, here's a few photo's.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Akula]

Typical, as soon as i put my Bench back inside, finish taking photo's & upload them...

A package arrives at my front door, My replacement EK CSQ Ram block <_<

 

Oh well, pictures soon...

[bchampion96]

Those GPU blocks and back plates look amazing all together :D

[TheArium]

I really like the look of your blocks!

[everything count to life]

Looking great mate :d

[Akula]

Those GPU blocks and back plates look amazing all together :D

 

Thanks, EK don't disappoint often :p

 

I really like the look of your blocks!

 

Cheers mate :)

 

Looking great mate :D

 

Thanks for the feedback :)

[PBaines]

Looks pretty boss dude, would have been cool to have some red in the cables tho

 

Like my DP for eg :)

[Akula]

Looks pretty boss dude, would have been cool to have some red in the cables tho

 

Like my DP for eg :)

 

Yeah i considered red within my cables, but

I'm not one to over-do my colors in a build, i love black, but i don't mind touches of red throughout it.

 

Once the loop is filled I'll see if it's adequate, if not i may consider swapping a few cables.

 

I'm a very simple man :p

[Akula]

Update : 5/06/2013

 

RAM block installed, fittings installed on all blocks.

I considered uploading a few photo's of my test loop setup, but personally i don't want to give any false impression of a tube layout with such horrible tubing, Tygon <_<

 

I intend to use Primochill AdvancedFlex 3/8 x 1/2 Black Onyx Tubing - I highly considered clear tubing, but personally i think it would look far better with pure black.

 

Here's a few shots, not much has changed other than the RAM block :)

 

 

 

[acrain92]

love the bench case it looks amazing if what we have seen is any indication, what is too come will be gorgeous when finished i think it should make build of the week for sure

thanks for the logs man

[acrain92]

and just as a suggestion maybe try alternating between clear and blacked out tubing with the blood red fluid to get a little more red accents i think it would be aesthetically pleasing :D

[Akula]

and just as a suggestion maybe try alternating between clear and blacked out tubing with the blood red fluid to get a little more red accents i think it would be aesthetically pleasing :D

 

Defiantly an option i didn't consider, I'll have to try this out and see the effect.

[acrain92]

hope it works id love too see it

[Akula]

So i knew my lucky run would come to a halt sometime throughout this build..

 

I've been preparing my PCIE cables all day and it just struck me..I don't have enough connections on the power supply end for 6 x 6-pin PCIE cables..

 

Why 6? Each GPU requires 2 x 6-pin - The standard "12-pin" that you most often see with power supplies look horrendous, normally resulting in a massive bulge at the top of the card, 2 x 6-pin cables always looks cleaner.

Well my power supply, like all other high end units only has room for 4 x 6/8-pin cables.

 

Look's like I'll be trimming the power supply cable, and resorting to extensions to achieve the same aesthetics.

 

Annoying..

[Bluejay0]

Where would you mount the res and pump? On any hole for a fan?

[ARod]

That sucks.  More busy work!  I agree on the black tubing, would definitely look better with it.

[911^NEmeSis]

Well so far it looks abolustely amazing mate. Really good stuff with a very professional finish as of yet. Really well done matey!

[Akula]

Where would you mount the res and pump? On any hole for a fan?

 

The Res is mounted on the back of the Bench.

Radiators & Pump underneath the Hard Bench.

 

That sucks.  More busy work!  I agree on the black tubing, would definitely look better with it.

 

Actually found a way around it, no idea how i didn't even think of it either.

I'll just use the double wire at the power supply end rather than the cards end :D

 

Well so far it looks abolustely amazing mate. Really good stuff with a very professional finish as of yet. Really well done matey!

 

Thanks for the feedback, appreciated :D