Hardline tubing build!

JGalsky · March 31, 2016

Hello! I'm buulding my first PC and I've decided to use PETG tubing. I saw a few videos on Youtube, (awsomesauce, linustechtips, jaystwocents, and Paul's Hardware) I notticed that they all used a heat gun, but I saw wondering if I could use a blowdryer instead. I know the one I have here in my house gets pretty hot, I'm guessing you all know that. Thanks guys!

StevenSensei · March 31, 2016

You are probably better off with a heat gun as running a hair drier for a long time with that much heat could cause problems (I tried something similar when I was younger and the coil in the hairdryer got so hot that it exploded).

Also if this is your first ever PC build I would recommend that you start with a basic build before you get into doing hard line which is arguably one of the toughest builds to do correctly and successfully. Depending on the parts you buy, removing the coolers to mount water blocks may even invalidate your warranty. In order it would go something like...

stock build < Custom parts (cooler / AIO) < Custom Loop < Hardline Custom Loop < laying your own traces on a blank motherboard and building everything from scratch.

JGalsky · March 31, 2016

11 minutes ago, Papakuma said:

You are probably better off with a heat gun as running a hair drier for a long time with that much heat could cause problems (I tried something similar when I was younger and the coil in the hairdryer got so hot that it exploded).

Also if this is your first ever PC build I would recommend that you start with a basic build before you get into doing hard line which is arguably one of the toughest builds to do correctly and successfully. Depending on the parts you buy, removing the coolers to mount water blocks may even invalidate your warranty. In order it would go something like...

stock build < Custom parts (cooler / AIO) < Custom Loop < Hardline Custom Loop < laying your own traces on a blank motherboard and building everything from scratch.

Thanks for your reply, I really appreciate it. I do understand your concern about my first build, I am extremely handy with these type of things and I'm very sure of myself. Thanks again for your help!

StevenSensei · March 31, 2016

Best of luck then! You might also think about starting a build log and documenting your process for others.

soup · March 31, 2016

29 minutes ago, JGalsky said:

I notticed that they all used a heat gun, but I saw wondering if I could use a blowdryer instead.

Nope; the hair dryer is built for a, relatively, high air flow at, relatively, cool temperatures if you tried to slow down the air enough to get sufficient heat into the air stream the thermal cut-out would kick in and switch off the dryer[1] better to spend $20 or so (dearest I have seen is $65, bit much for an experiment) and get a cheapo heat gun which will give a lot more heat and not cut out all the time.

Hard line does seem a bit 'advanced' for a first build however it is your money, your hobby...etc so do as you wish.

[1] Most dryers made since the turm of the century, any older than that they may not have thermal protection at all and simply burn out/explode.