Thanks guyz! I have to figure out whats next! I think I will work on the radiator tower now. Finalize that a bit more.
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Ok,... didn't tweak the mobo rear cover. All I have to do really is sand down some washers a bit that I using along with some 1/8" spacers. They are a bit taller then they are suppose to be. Maybe a 1/32"? I dont know. Instead,....
Aug-25-2007
First,... before putting away all the soldering stuff,... I had to make this this. Been wanting make this for a while. More Uv LEDs to better light up the stuff I make. The one LED flashlight wasn't really cutting it.
See:) Much better:)
Now. Back to the radiator tower:) My goodness. This thing brings back memories. I made this thing like 2 years ago!!! More then 2 years ago!
Taking it apart.
This thing is using 8-32 bolts. They have to go. I think im going to be ordering some button head hex 6-32's now.
The canopy cover. This thing is so damn cool.
Old school. I used these slightly rounded nuts to center the posts. Going to do something better then this.
Gawd,... this just looks so hardcore to me! Rock friggin solid looking. Damn.
Almost there.
Heatercores from danger den.
LOL! Look at all these! Look at all the nuts and washers!!! I'm going to load this rad tower up with threadserts now. Will make this thing that much better and easyier to put together.
I used 1/8" angle aluminum?!?!? What was I thinking! HA HA HA. This thing is a tank. I swear. You guyz would have to hold it and understand what I mean. Not because it's heavy but because its like tight soild sturdy.
All the aluminum.
Acrlyic. I'm going to have to use my polishing skills to finish off those edges:)
Cant forget these!
So nice. It's amazing. But I can see the transformation from what I was to what I am now. Meaning I was accurate back then but looking at this thing,... I can see places where I "settled". I'm not going to try and fix anything, maybe just tweak or adjust a bit but thats it.
Look at this! It was a Lian-Li under all the tape! So pretty! and clean!
This has to go too. Not the bracket, the reservoir. I have to make a custom reservoir for this machine.
I love this bracket,....
Ewwwwwwwwww,...
Sanded all of the aluminum down to 80grit. Oh,.... I did mention that I'm going to polish all this out right? LOL:)
2 years is a long time lol. Gives you time to reflect though.
What up people! Update.
Aug-28-2007
Ok,... this is how I install thread-serts. I'm using 6-32 thread-serts which require a 7/32" hole. Done.
Now,... When you go to push in the thread-sert, you should be able to push it in with your thumb up to the knurls I believe their called. In the pic I was not able too. All you have to do is file just a bit and try again. Try not to file to much so that it goes all the way in effortlessly. It's not THAT bad but its not good. Like resistor's,.... thread-serts have a tolerance too. Some are bigger then others. Not by much,... but when you go to stick some of them into the holes you drilled,... you will see what I mean.
This is ideal.
Now,...using something like this socket which is JUST big enough to fit over the thread-sert,....
You whack it like this! This pushs the thread-sert all the way in. You do this so the knurls kind of cut their way in. They help keep the thread-serts from spinning in the hole. Try not to hit to hard for you will dent up your aluminum.
Make sure you get it in all the way too. After you drill your holes you should sand away the burr from the hole because it could keep it from being pushed in all the way.
A thread-sert is really two piecess. It only starts off as one piece. Once you go to set it the top piece breaks off and get pushed or pulled into the lower piece expanding the lower piece around your aluminum keeping it in place. But this does not keep the top piece or what is not the inside piece from coming out. Thread-serts really only work from one side. The side we're looking at in the picture is not that side. The screw goes in through the other side pulling another piece of aluminum to this piece of aluminum,... pulling the top/ inside piece of the thread-serts towrads the aluminum. You get me?
Heres the lower piece before expansion. You see the gaps around the lower piece? That gets filled up when the lower piece is expanded.
These are set/expanded.
Heres the other side. this is the side where the bolt gets inserted.
Dont forget to rethread them. With all the banging to set them,... the threads are totally F'ed up. When rethreading them.... make sure you use a bit of cutting oil or something on the tap and blow off the metal shards after each tap. You dont want to dislodge the inside piece of the threadsert. Chances are you will loosen up a few. If this happens,... install new one. After you remove the old,... the hole you drilled will be a bit stretched out. Try and use the biggest thread-sert of the size your using for the second time around. Remember what I said about threadsert tolerance? Find the biggest ones to use for this situation. MAKE SURE YOU RETAP THEM STRAIGHT TOO!
With a little bit of sanding they actually look pretty nice.
WhaLAA! This one is done.
Lets start putting this thing back together with the thread-serts now.
Now,... I need spacers for my posts. I dont feel like using those sheetrock anchors this time around. I got out my good ole mitre saw. Hooked to the vaccuum to keep from making a mess.
Using the wood as a stop block. Its about 1/2" fromt eh blade.
There you go. 1/2" strips of 1/4" acrylic.
Yea,... the vaccuum is a real big friggin help,...
I sent the strips through again and ended up with these.
I need holes through the center so I set up this jig so all I have to do is put them in and drill! I can drill three at a time. The board on top keep the pieces from riding up the bit one I pass though the last one. The almuminum strip is just making up for the 1/16" gap at the top thats it.
Done. Drilling that is.
Loading them up on these 8-32 bolts.
Done.
Very nice.
Time to polish them. So nice.
This is how I polished these. I spun them at 2170rpm.
I used rubbing compound and a,...... paper towel to polish them. You see how the aluminum wipes off onto the paper towel? This goes the smae for the wheel. It has to be cleaned off because you cant polish with it. I swear I had this paper towel smoking at one point, LOL. So were my fingers:(
Very nice.
The old spacers. ICK.
I like Tribaloverkill.. he makes shiney stuff..
Seriously man, this thing is looking soooooo good. A big thumbs up for the creativity on those spacers. +rep.
I was looking for an idea for how to make spacers, I think I may have found one that works for me. I was going to use motherboard standoffs but they look tacky, the acrylic ones look good though. An excellent and shiny job once again.
+rep
+rep for the worlds shiniest mod