HELIOS - ASSEMBLED 2015-SEP-06 - (Caselabs SMH10 | Black/Copper | EVGA SR-2 )

[MG2R]

Or maybe I'll simply have to do another build with the brushed look

^ this! ;)

[alpenwasser]

The Aqua Computer Aqualis Copper Edition

Well, obviously this had to be done, I couldn't just have those naked steel parts

in my build. Pretty though they are, copper they are not... :D

The Central Pipe

For those unfamiliar with the Aqualis: It's basically a borosilicate glass tube (5 mm

thick, rather heavy, extremely good quality) with two Acetal caps on either end.

The difference when it comes to assembling the reservoir between this and a normal

plexi res is that it's not really possible to cut threads into the glass as you can do

with plexi, hence the central pipe. The pipe screws into the bottom and the top

cap and holds the entire assembly together.

Three possibilities came to my mind for copper-ifying this pipe:

• make a new pipe from copper
• paint the existing pipe
• keep the existing pipe and make a mantle pipe from copper around it

The drawbacks of making a new pipe are that the stock pipe is a very sturdy piece

of steel (presumably). Not only would it be extremely difficult to find a copper pipe

thick enough to cut the required threads into it, but I would also need to go buy

another thread cutter. All of this deterred me from that variant.

Painting the pipe would probably have been the easiest approach, but considering

that copper paint doesn't really ever look like real copper (it can come close, but

when put up against an actual piece of copper you can spot the difference quite

easily) I didn't really like this idea all that much.

So it came down to the third variant. The problem with that was that I didn't really

have a copper pipe with the correct ID for fitting right over the steel pipe, and I don't

think I would have ever found one. Easily visible in this picture:

(click image for full res)

Working Around the Diameter Problem

Considering that there is a rather considerable dead angle when it comes to the

visible part of the central pipe I arrived at what you see here. I simply made a length-

wise cut into the copper pipe and sleeved it over the steel pipe. Works like a charm,

the difference is impossible to tell in the final build unless you have x-ray vision. :D

(click image for full res)

(click image for full res)

Sleeved...

The mantle pipe sleeved onto the stock pipe:

(click image for full res)

... and Polished

Since there were considerable scratches in the copper pipe this took quite a while

longer than the copper face plate for the FC5V2.

(click image for full res)

(click image for full res)

The Anti-Vortex Plate - Stock

This is the stock plate on top of the sketch for what was to become its replacement.

(click image for full res)

New Plate - Raw Cut

The raw cut for the new plate:

(click image for full res)

New Plate - Bent and Polished

(click image for full res)

(click image for full res)

Copper Mounting Bracket

Unfortunately I forgot to take pictures of this during manufacturing. Here it is bolted

to the reservoir. You can see that I still need to debur the mounting holes. Also my

apologies about the finger print, didn't catch that until it was too late.

(click image for full res)

Bottom Cap Assembly - Back Side

This is the back side which won't be visible when it's mounted in the case. You can

also see that I've replaced the stock screws with shiny copper screws from Alphacool.

The steel screw can't be seen when it's mounted, so I left it as is since I didn't have a

suitable replacement anyway.

(click image for full res)

Aqualis - Copper Edition

And this is the current status. There are still a few imperfections I need to file/sand

out, but for the most part it's finished.

(click image for full res)

So long, and thanks for visiting...

EDIT: Just a quick note regarding tarnishing. As has been mentioned numerous times,

polished copper tarnishes very easily. Leaving a drop of water on the copper for a minute

or so already does the trick. So I will most likely give these parts a clear coat for

protection, if I can find a suitable product.

[crunzaty]

This is so sick man, how many hours do you think you have used on this project?

[failwheeldrive]

The Aqua Computer Aqualis Copper Edition

Well, obviously this had to be done, I couldn't just have those naked steel parts

in my build. Pretty though they are, copper they are not... :D

The Central Pipe

For those unfamiliar with the Aqualis: It's basically a borosilicate glass tube (5 mm

thick, rather heavy, extremely good quality) with two Acetal caps on either end.

The difference when it comes to assembling the reservoir between this and a normal

plexi res is that it's not really possible to cut threads into the glass as you can do

with plexi, hence the central pipe. The pipe screws into the bottom and the top

cap and holds the entire assembly together.

Three possibilities came to my mind for copper-ifying this pipe:

• make a new pipe from copper
• paint the existing pipe
• keep the existing pipe and make a mantle pipe from copper around it

The drawbacks of making a new pipe are that the stock pipe is a very sturdy piece

of steel (presumably). Not only would it be extremely difficult to find a copper pipe

thick enough to cut the required threads into it, but I would also need to go buy

another thread cutter. All of this deterred me from that variant.

Painting the pipe would probably have been the easiest approach, but considering

that copper paint doesn't really ever look like real copper (it can come close, but

when put up against an actual piece of copper you can spot the difference quite

easily) I didn't really like this idea all that much.

So it came down to the third variant. The problem with that was that I didn't really

have a copper pipe with the correct ID for fitting right over the steel pipe, and I don't

think I would have ever found one. Easily visible in this picture:

So long, and thanks for visiting...

EDIT: Just a quick note regarding tarnishing. As has been mentioned numerous times,

polished copper tarnishes very easily. Leaving a drop of water on the copper for a minute

or so already does the trick. So I will most likely give these parts a clear coat for

protection, if I can find a suitable product.

 

 

I love the Aqualis; it looks great with copper tubing.  I thought about using copper recently, but ultimately backed out because I worried it would be too difficult to control tarnishing.  I'm glad there are braver system builders than I to do this stuff :D

[alpenwasser]

This is so sick man, how many hours do you think you have used on this project?

Thanks man, much appreciated!

The only hours I actually more or less kept track of were the ones for the cables (~40),

other than that I'm not quite sure. Probably somewhere north of 100, but most likely fewer

than 200.

 

I love the Aqualis; it looks great with copper tubing.  I thought about using copper recently, but ultimately backed out because I worried it would be too difficult to control tarnishing.  I'm glad there are braver system builders than I to do this stuff :D

Thanks man, I'm really happy with the result. My philosophy is usually very close to trial

and error, as long as nobody can get hurt I don't really see a problem with that. :D

Very small request @failwheeldrive though: Could you edit out the images of the quote in

your post (or maybe just quote one image)? Having all of them twice on one single thread

page eats up a whole lot of additional bandwidth (which costs money). I would greatly

appreciate it, thanks. ;)

[MWildd]

This is looking epic! love the aqualis!! How much have you spent so far?

[alpenwasser]

MWildd, on 25 Jul 2013 - 10:06 PM, said:

This is looking epic! love the aqualis!! How much have you spent so far?

Thanks!

I haven't actually calculated the sum total, but a rough overview puts me somewhere between

8000 USD and 9000 USD.

[failwheeldrive]

Thanks man, much appreciated!

The only hours I actually more or less kept track of were the ones for the cables (~40),

other than that I'm not quite sure. Probably somewhere north of 100, but most likely fewer

than 200.

 

Thanks man, I'm really happy with the result. My philosophy is usually very close to trial

and error, as long as nobody can get hurt I don't really see a problem with that. :D

Very small request @failwheeldrive though: Could you edit out the images of the quote in

your post (or maybe just quote one image)? Having all of them twice on one single thread

page eats up a whole lot of additional bandwidth (which costs money). I would greatly

appreciate it, thanks. ;)

 

:blink: lol sorry man, I meant to put spoiler tags in.  I'll fix it.

[alpenwasser]

:blink: lol sorry man, I meant to put spoiler tags in.  I'll fix it.

Haha, no worries. :D

Quick note note: While the spoiler tags make the thread look much neater (and I highly

appreciate that), I don't think they actually save me bandwidth since the images are

loaded anyway, but not displayed until the spoiler button is pressed (at least I

think so).

But thanks anyway, much appreciated.

[failwheeldrive]

Haha, no worries. :D

Quick note note: While the spoiler tags make the thread look much neater (and I highly

appreciate that), I don't think they actually save me bandwidth since the images are

loaded anyway, but not displayed until the spoiler button is pressed (at least I

think so).

But thanks anyway, much appreciated.

 

lol yeah I realized that after writing it.  I'll be sure to delete them from now on.  Thanks for the tip!

[alpenwasser]

lol yeah I realized that after writing it.  I'll be sure to delete them from now on.  Thanks for the tip!

No problem, and I appreciate it.

[Raboo]

I like the pipe

[alpenwasser]

I like the pipe

As do I, thanks!

[SatansHollow]

I'm really impressed with your practical approach and your polishing is unreal

[alpenwasser]

I'm really impressed with your practical approach and your polishing is unreal

Thanks!

[mattlef]

I really like where this is going!

Keep up the great work Alpenwasser!

 

Great job and attention to detail!!

[Snef]

what can i say, excellent

[Giancarlo124]

Looks good.

[MG2R]

(click image for full res)

Holy freaking crap!

 

Dude, sell these things!

 

Looks SOOOOO good!

[alpenwasser]

I really like where this is going!

Keep up the great work Alpenwasser!

 

Great job and attention to detail!!

Thank you! 

 

what can i say, excellent

 

Well, you can say "excellent" :D

And I can say "Thank you!" ;)

 

Looks good.

 

Thanks!

 

Holy freaking crap!

 

Dude, sell these things!

 

Looks SOOOOO good!

Hehe, I don't think I'd have the time to do many of these with the fall semester starting

soon. But thank you for the kind words.

[CJPowell27]

What cooling will be going into the loop?

[alpenwasser]

What cooling will be going into the loop?

Here's the list:

• two CPU blocks (Raystorm Copper Edition)
• one GPU block (Aquacomputer Titan Acrylic Edition)
• complete M/B block set (MIPS)
• 2 x Alphacool Dominator RAM blocks
• two Hardware Labs SR-1 560 radiators with four Bitfenix Spectre Pro 140 mm each
• one Alphacool NexXxos Pure Copper XT45 480 mm with four Bitfenix Spectre Pro 120 mm

[zxcvbnmmssdh]

Looks completely INSANE! 

[alpenwasser]

Looks completely INSANE!

Well, that's what I'm going for, so thanks! :D

[CJPowell27]

Here's the list:

• two CPU blocks (Raystorm Copper Edition)
• one GPU block (Aquacomputer Titan Acrylic Edition)
• complete M/B block set (MIPS)
• 2 x Alphacool Dominator RAM blocks
• two Hardware Labs SR-1 560 radiators with four Bitfenix Spectre Pro 140 mm each
• one Alphacool NexXxos Pure Copper XT45 480 mm with four Bitfenix Spectre Pro 120 mm

 

Mother of liquid cooling...what color coolant?