solid vs flexible tubing

[ki8aras]

I'm gathering the parts for my first water cooling loop and I've pretty much figured out everything else apart from tubing

solid tubing would be much better from a visual standpoint but since I'm not really comfortable with bending yet I would pretty much rely on fittings for the bends(would that even be an option?)

plus the less clouding compared to flexible tubing wouldn't hurt

[knightslugger]

I'm confused, are you asking a question if you can flex solid tubes? If you used solid tubing your tube runs would be dead straight otherwise you risk leaks at the fitting.

[ki8aras]

Just now, knightslugger said:

I'm confused, are you asking a question? If you used solid tubing your tube runs would be dead straight.

my question is, is it possible to use solid tubing without making any bends?

[ELSknutson]

7 minutes ago, ki8aras said:

I'm gathering the parts for my first water cooling loop and I've pretty much figured out everything else apart from tubing

solid tubing would be much better from a visual standpoint but since I'm not really comfortable with bending yet I would pretty much rely on fittings for the bends(would that even be an option?)

plus the less clouding compared to flexible tubing wouldn't hurt

Custom water cooling  .. Do not do it its expensive and a pain in the ass.  Just get an AIO..

 

That being said if your going to water cool and you want to see the fluid running through the tubes Glass or PETG is the way to go.  They make bending kits that help also heat guns are cheap.  Just get more tube then you think you will need  and then get extra to practice its not super difficult but you will make mistakes.  Soft tubing you need less fitting thus the cost being less so if your trying to custom cool on a budget soft is the way to go. PETG is more expensive because you will need more fitting and Glass is even more expensive because you cant rely bend it. 

[knightslugger]

Just now, ki8aras said:

my question is, is it possible to use solid tubing without making any bends?

yes. you use angled fittings and configure them so that they are on the same plain as the opposing fitting.

[ELSknutson]

1 minute ago, ki8aras said:

my question is, is it possible to use solid tubing without making any bends?

yes but you will spend an extra $100 in fittings to do so. 

[TVwazhere]

1 minute ago, ki8aras said:

my question is, is it possible to use solid tubing without making any bends?

Absolutely. Glass tubes for example cant be bent (easily) so you have to use fittings

[ki8aras]

Just now, ELSknutson said:

Custom water cooling  .. Do not do it its expensive and a pain in the ass.  Just get an AIO..

 

That being said if your going to water cool and you want to see the fluid running through the tubes Glass or PETG is the way to go.  They make bending kits that help also heat guns are cheap.  Just get more tube then you think you will need  and then get extra to practice its not super difficult but you will make mistakes.  Soft tubing you need less fitting thus the cost being less so if your trying to custom cool on a budget soft is the way to go. PETG is more expensive because you will need more fitting and Glass is even more expensive because you cant rely bend it. 

is there any difference between petg and glass tubing?

[ki8aras]

Just now, TVwazhere said:

Absolutely. Glass tubes for example cant be bent (easily) so you have to use fittings

great, this is exactly what I'm trying to replicate

[ELSknutson]

Also before you even think about custom cooling you need  to PLAN , PLAN , PLAN  becouse if you dont you will have issues. 

[knightslugger]

2 minutes ago, ki8aras said:

is there any difference between petg and glass tubing?

PETG is VERY hard (and brittle) plastic, glass is... well it's glass.

[ki8aras]

Just now, ELSknutson said:

Also before you even think about custom cooling you need  to PLAN , PLAN , PLAN  becouse if you dont you will have issues. 

that's why I haven't ordered anything yet

I'm just trying to create a basic sketch on where everything will go

 

[ki8aras]

Just now, knightslugger said:

PETG is VERY hard (and brittle) plastic, glass is... well it's glass.

I mean does petg cloud over time or something like that?

[ELSknutson]

1 minute ago, ki8aras said:

is there any difference between petg and glass tubing?

PETG can be bent and is easyer to work with and is cheaper but Glass stays clear and looks allot cleaner but is also more expensive. 

[ELSknutson]

1 minute ago, knightslugger said:

PETG is VERY hard (and brittle) plastic, glass is... well it's glass.

PETG is not brittle  nor very hard  I think your thinking of Acrylic 

[ki8aras]

Just now, ELSknutson said:

PETG can be bent and is easyer to work with and is cheaper but Glass stays clear and looks allot cleaner but is also more expensive. 

I'll try with glass then just for the better looks

[knightslugger]

Just now, ki8aras said:

I mean does petg cloud over time or something like that?

yes it can cloud over time. And it's a huge pain in the ass to clean. almost easier to just recut new PETG. but that gets pricy.

 

i am an advocate for soft tubing for new Custom liquid cooled loopers. yes it clouds, but you can pick this stuff up at the hardware store for a pittance, requires less fittings, and is less complicated. It also helps build confidence.

[ELSknutson]

1 minute ago, ki8aras said:

I'll try with glass then just for the better looks

if you have the money then go for it. Overall it does look the best. 

[ki8aras]

1 minute ago, knightslugger said:

yes it can cloud over time. And it's a huge pain in the ass to clean. almost easier to just recut new PETG. but that gets pricy.

 

i am an advocate for soft tubing for new Custom liquid cooled loopers. yes it clouds, but you can pick this stuff up at the hardware store for a pittance, requires less fittings, and is less complicated. It also helps build confidence.

I think I might be overextending a bit for my skill level but I will try with glass and see what comes out

[Benjeh]

35 minutes ago, ki8aras said:

I'm gathering the parts for my first water cooling loop and I've pretty much figured out everything else apart from tubing

solid tubing would be much better from a visual standpoint but since I'm not really comfortable with bending yet I would pretty much rely on fittings for the bends(would that even be an option?)

plus the less clouding compared to flexible tubing wouldn't hurt

I honestly wish I would of just used hardline tubing from the start, soft tubing clouds us and it honestly irritates me. One thing of note, use the largest diameter of tubing if you're using dye in your coolant, the thin stuff i have the colour looks a lot lighter than my reservoir again, this bugs me. 

[knightslugger]

26 minutes ago, ki8aras said:

I think I might be overextending a bit for my skill level but I will try with glass and see what comes out

Do you have a plan on how to cut the glass to length?

[Benjeh]

6 minutes ago, knightslugger said:

Do you have a plan on how to cut the glass to length?

you can get tools for cutting glass, some are better than others, Glass is the best material tbh for clarity. You can buy 90 degree bent glass. I've just skimmed the thread but you said PETG is hard and brittle, that is incorrect, PETG is softer than Acrylic, you can hit PETG with a hammer and it won't shatter, acrylic will. People used to say PETG was better as it could flex further than acrylic, this forced B Neg to make a video on the subject showing him bending Acrylic tubing to debunk the fragility of the material.

 

46 minutes ago, ELSknutson said:

Custom water cooling  .. Do not do it its expensive and a pain in the ass.  Just get an AIO..

 

That being said if your going to water cool and you want to see the fluid running through the tubes Glass or PETG is the way to go.  They make bending kits that help also heat guns are cheap.  Just get more tube then you think you will need  and then get extra to practice its not super difficult but you will make mistakes.  Soft tubing you need less fitting thus the cost being less so if your trying to custom cool on a budget soft is the way to go. PETG is more expensive because you will need more fitting and Glass is even more expensive because you cant rely bend it. 

It really isn't that difficult to do at all. Bending PETG is easier than Acrylic and you can buy glass pre-bent, Mayhems offered a service to bend glass for you, you could send you petg or acrylic tubes and they would mimic them in glass.

 

46 minutes ago, ELSknutson said:

Also before you even think about custom cooling you need  to PLAN , PLAN , PLAN  becouse if you dont you will have issues. 

I've planned and planned, it never, and i mean ever goes to plan, you will always need to adapt.

 

43 minutes ago, knightslugger said:

yes it can cloud over time. And it's a huge pain in the ass to clean. almost easier to just recut new PETG. but that gets pricy.

 

i am an advocate for soft tubing for new Custom liquid cooled loopers. yes it clouds, but you can pick this stuff up at the hardware store for a pittance, requires less fittings, and is less complicated. It also helps build confidence.

Stuff at hardware stores is lined with plasticiser so please don't recommend this to new watercoolers. It will gum up their loops and they won't understand why, then probably blame it on the coolant used.

 

There.... some wrongs corrected. 

[ELSknutson]

@Benjeh I never said it was difficult I said buy extra because you will make mistakes. Also also if you dont plan you will make mistakes and thats not something you want to make when working with thousands of dollars worth of components.  Also the more you plan the less you will have to re-buy items or spend money on shipping for piddly crap. 

[knightslugger]

7 minutes ago, Benjeh said:

you can get tools for cutting glass, some are better than others, Glass is the best material tbh for clarity. You can buy 90 degree bent glass. I've just skimmed the thread but you said PETG is hard and brittle, that is incorrect, PETG is softer than Acrylic, you can hit PETG with a hammer and it won't shatter, acrylic will. People used to say PETG was better as it could flex further than acrylic, this forced B Neg to make a video on the subject showing him bending Acrylic tubing to debunk the fragility of the material.

Acrylic is what i was thinking of. i brought up cutting glass in case the OP hadn't quite thought that far ahead (OP is a new looper).

7 minutes ago, Benjeh said:

Stuff at hardware stores is lined with plasticiser so please don't recommend this to new watercoolers. It will gum up their loops and they won't understand why, then probably blame it on the coolant used.

so is "water cooling soft tube". Plasticiser is what makes it flexible. The point i was making, and will continue to advocate for, is that flex tube is CHEAP AS HELL when it needs to be replaced or if you make a mistake and very easy to work with.

[Benjeh]

1 minute ago, ELSknutson said:

@Benjeh I never said it was difficult I said buy extra because you will make mistakes. Also also if you dont plan you will make mistakes and thats not something you want to make when working with thousands of dollars worth of components.  Also the more you plan the less you will have to re-buy items or spend money on shipping for piddly crap. 

 

Please read what I wrote again please.
 

You said, plan plan and plan again because if you don't you'll have issues, this sounds like you won't have issues, which is false. 

58 minutes ago, ELSknutson said:

Also before you even think about custom cooling you need  to PLAN , PLAN , PLAN  becouse if you dont you will have issues. 

That is what you said,
 

 

9 minutes ago, Benjeh said:

 

I've planned and planned, it never, and i mean ever goes to plan, you will always need to adapt.

 

Thats what I said, Can you show me where I said "don't bother planning"?

 

3 minutes ago, knightslugger said:

Acrylic is what i was thinking of. i brought up cutting glass in case the OP hadn't quite thought that far ahead (OP is a new looper).

so is "water cooling soft tube". Plasticiser is what makes it flexible. The point i was making, and will continue to advocate for, is that flex tube is CHEAP AS HELL when it needs to be replaced or if you make a mistake and very easy to work with.

Incorrect, List of plastizier free tubing I have used.

1. Primochill LRT
2. Mayhems Ultra clear
3. Tygon e1000

Apparently alot more manufacturers are now producing tubing that doesn't contain plastizier, so sorry.... you're wrong.