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Project: Honeycomb
Honeycomb will by a scratch build, double wide server case.
This mod is brought to you by:
Thanks to John and his team at Delvie's for helping with the Plexi!
Thanks to Bill for providing some goodies!
Thanks to Maurizio at Lamptron for providing a fan controller and some UV Cold Cathodes.
Thanks go Gregor at EK for providing a bunch of the watercooling parts.
Thanks to the guys at Bitspower for loads of watercooling bits.
Hardware
Motherboard: Gigabyte 880GA
CPU: AMD Athlon II X4 640 @3.0GHz
GPU: 2x something
HDD: 1x 320 HDD (OS), 2x 2TB HDDs (Case can hold roughly HDDs 20 total)
PSU: Corsair 100W
Optical Drive: Blu-ray Player
RAM: 4GB G.Skill PC 1600
The Case
Here are my original Sketchup designs.
Updates:
Update #1: Received Mobo and Plexi Sizes
Update #2: Received more parts
Update #3: The Saw
Update #4: Drill Press
UPdate #5: New Mobo Side Panel Design
Update #6: Testing
Update #7: Case Fans
Update #8: An Evening Designing
Update #9: MNPCTECH Sponsor
Update #10: Experimenting
Update #11: Fabricating
Update #12: Finishing the Frame
Update #13: Plexi Work
Update #14: Lamptron Sponsor
Update #15: MNPCTECH Goodies
Update #16: How I Keep it Together
Update #17: EK Waterblocks Sponsor
Update #18: Woe Is Me
Update #19: Front Panel
Update #20: Lamptron Goodies
Update #21: Media Card Reader Cutout
Update #22: Coming Together and Side Panel Design
Update #23: Cutting the Mobo Side Panel
Update #24: Custom Waterblock and Cables
Update #25: EK Waterblock Goodies
Update #26: Installing the Rad/Res
Update #27: Lighting
Update #28: Supplies, Rivets and Sleeving
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Re: Project: Maximus Serverus
Your pictures aren't working for me.
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Re: Project: Maximus Serverus
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Re: Project: Maximus Serverus
not working for me either...
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Re: Project: Maximus Serverus
Sorry about that. Reorganized my Photobucket albums. Should be good now.
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Re: Project: Maximus Serverus
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Fuganater
Sorry about that. Reorganized my Photobucket albums. Should be good now.
Works now!
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Re: Project: Maximus Serverus
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Re: Project: Maximus Serverus
I need some AMD help. AMD's CPUs are much cheaper than Intel's so I figure thats a better bet for this server. I saw an AMD Athlon II X4 for $92 on Newegg. Is this a decent chip? I haven't used AMD in about 5+ years.
If not can any one recommend a CPU under $100 that's decent? And a mobo that would work out with a lot of SATA ports.
Thanks in advance!
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Re: Project: Maximus Serverus
What do you actually plan to do with the server - if it's only going to be a big file server, any quad core is major overkill - any dual core would be more than capable and you could then use the savings to get other toys :D
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Re: Project: Maximus Serverus
Well it was only $90 for a quad core so I was like "why not?" Which proc do you suggest then?
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Re: Project: Maximus Serverus
i'm using the amd athlon 2 dual core 3.0ghz chip. although it is not screamer compared the the insanity of some people's processors, it is more than adequate for me. basically, i have that chip and the onboard video (radeon 4290) and i was absolutely amazed at how fast my pc runs. the only thing it's a bit slow with is ripping dvds. now granted i'm not playing the absolute most cutting edge games, but return to castle wolfenstein and doom 3 play flawlessly with all the setting turned all the way up and the best screen resolution that my 23" monitor will allow.
so, my opinion is that the dual core athlon 2s will be more than what you need for building a file server.
this is the processor i'm using http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819103903
it appears that the extra cores are not unlockable on these chips, but i think there are some athlon 2s and some phenom 2s that are. so you might look into that and get a dual core chip that has unlockable cores and then just unlock em for some cheap quad core goodness.
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Re: Project: Maximus Serverus
Ya it will be mostly a file server but might host a website in the future. I guess I'll just stick with the quad core. I'm not worried about $30 because its still under my budget of $100. Still need to find a good mobo though.
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Re: Project: Maximus Serverus
i had the extra dough to blow when i built my machine, i would have gone with the quad core whether i needed it or not.
i think my point actually was that if my dual core athlon 2 would be more than enough, then the quad core you're looking at should make you happy with it performance. i think that's what you were asking in the first place, right? if the quad core would be good enough?
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Re: Project: Maximus Serverus
Yes that and what a good mobo would be if anyone had suggestions. Intel motherboards are easy to find. 1 slot only. But with AMD the motherboards can fit like 4 diff procs.... annoying when trying to find a good one.
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Re: Project: Maximus Serverus
i've actually always found it easier to understand the amd sockets. but anyway, for your athlon 2 quad core i'd say go with pretty much any mobo that has the 880g, 890gx, or 890fx chipset. the 890fx being the most expensive though. i have an asus m4a89gtd pro.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813131631
if that's out of your pirce range, then just get a mobo from a manufacturer that you like with an am3 scoket.
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Re: Project: Maximus Serverus
That mobo looks nice and isn't too expensive but it only has SATA 6Gb/s. I need 3Gb/s ports...
I found this mobo. It only has 5 SATA 3Gb/s but thats the most with a 880G chipset. The ones above it only have SATA 6Gb/s or like 2 3Gb/s ports. $100 is my limit but 5 bucks over is ok unless myself or someone else finds something better.
3 of these for controllers. That gives me 1 for the OS and 16 HDDs. Does anyone know of some controllers that have 6 SATA 3Gb/s on it? I can't find any.
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Re: Project: Maximus Serverus
Sata 6 is twice the speed (in theory) of Sata 3 so don't let that put you off - its completely backwards compatible so you can put standard 1.5Gbps or 3Gbps drives on the 6Gbps channels
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Re: Project: Maximus Serverus
Ya I know its faster. I'm putting SATA 6 drives into Project: Rage but I don't think I could afford to do that with all of them in a server with alot of drives.
Either way I didn't know it was backwards compatable... Might have to revisit newegg to find a new mobo.
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Re: Project: Maximus Serverus
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-13128444-L07B
Found this on todays Newegg deals email. Wacha think?
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Re: Project: Maximus Serverus
that looks like a steal to me.
and like slaveguy said, the sata 6gb ports will throttle down if you connect a slower sata drive to them. so that's a non issue. but it gives you the capability of hooking up sata 6 drives in the future.
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Re: Project: Maximus Serverus
Guess I'll be buying the mobo and cpu tonight!
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Re: Project: Maximus Serverus
Got the mobo. I'll wait to see if the CPU goes down in price over the next few months. Should be getting the pelxi soon.
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Re: Project: Maximus Serverus
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Re: Project: Maximus Serverus
Anyone have suggestions on a CPU cooler? I can't decide if I want to go with one of those all-in-one CPU WC systems or a good air cooled heatsink.
IF it has an LED, I need to be able to make it Orange. Wanna keep with the color selection.
Suggestions?
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Re: Project: Maximus Serverus
Quote:
Originally Posted by
slaveofconvention
What do you actually plan to do with the server - if it's only going to be a big file server, any quad core is major overkill - any dual core would be more than capable and you could then use the savings to get other toys :D
Yeah, you could buy some more fans :D
I like big boxes with loads of fans 8)
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Re: Project: Maximus Serverus
How 'bout a case MADE OF FANS...?
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Re: Project: Maximus Serverus
Still waiting for some suggestions on the CPU cooler.
Hopefully I'll have a design update in the next few days.
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Received Mobo and Plexi Sizes
Got my mobo in today!
Here is the final cut of plexi sizes.
1 sheet of:- 17 1/2" x 17 1/2" Black Plexiglass 1/4" Thickness - BACK
- 17 1/2" x 17 1/2" Clear Acrylic Plexiglass 1/4" Thickness - FRONT
- 18" x 18" Black Plexiglass 1/4" Thickness - BOTTOM
- 18" x 17 1/2" Black Plexiglass 1/4" Thickness - TOP
- 16" x 17 1/2" Black Plexiglass 1/2" Thickness - CENTER
- 12 1/4" x 4 1/4" Black Plexiglass 1/4" Thickness - PSU COVER
2 Sheets of:- 17 3/4" x 18" Clear Acrylic Plexiglass 1/4" Thickness - SIDES
4 Sheets of:- 4" x 17 1/2" Black Plexiglass 1/4" Thickness - HDD RACKS
12 - 1" x 1" Clear Acrylic Plexiglass cubes - CORNER SUPPORTS
4 -1" Transparent Amber Extruded Transparent Colored Acrylic Plexiglass Rod 1" diameter - CASE FEET
Cheers till later.
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Re: Project: Maximus Serverus
What if I did a frame of angled aluminum? Would that make it easier to join the plexi together? Or is doing it with screws enough?
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Re: Project: Maximus Serverus
Bump for material suggestions.
Angled Aluminum?
Aluminum Square Bar? (solid)
Aluminum Square Tube? (hollow)
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Re: Project: Maximus Serverus
aluminum hollow tube or angle would be the easiest to work with unless you have a drill press (saw your other thread) a tap set, and extremely good plans...
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Re: Project: Maximus Serverus
I just had an idea with the hollow tube... whats an easy way to cut it at a angle?
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Re: Project: Maximus Serverus
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Re: Project: Maximus Serverus
after some quick searching all I could find that does wood and metal is this one
http://www.amazon.com/Stanley-20-800...6360042&sr=1-3
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Re: Project: Maximus Serverus
I actually just bought that same mitre saw today. :D I think it would work just fine for cutting aluminum, though so would most of them that I've seen. The probably just don't advertise it. If you're gonna be cutting a lot of aluminum tube, though, you might want to look into a power compound mitre saw. Like so:
http://www.amazon.com/Hitachi-C10FCH...6367938&sr=1-2
http://www.amazon.com/Craftsman-7-1-...368090&sr=1-13
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Re: Project: Maximus Serverus
if space or price is a concern then the hand miter saw would do an awesome job... you can probably get multiple blades for the saw as well.
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Re: Project: Maximus Serverus
Space is a concern but if this will make my life easier than I'm game. Wife is leaving for 4 months so its not like she'll know about it right away :D
x88x: are those the 2 you reccomend?
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Re: Project: Maximus Serverus
Well I did some more searching and I'm not gonna lie, I'm a Craftsman fan overall. But would a 7.25" or 10" be better in the long run?
Craftsman 7.25" - $69
Craftsman 10" - $99
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Re: Project: Maximus Serverus
I just picked the first two on the first Amazon search page that were under $150 and I would consider buying, as an example of the type of tool in case someone wasn't familiar with them.
As for the 7.5" vs 10", I have a 7.5" (my dad's old one, actually), and my dad has a 10" (...or it might be a 12"...I forget...), so I have the luxury of having used both, and imo, if you're working with anything wider than a 2x6, definitely get the 10". It's just soo much more convenient. If you're not ever planning on being anything with anything that wide, you probably won't see a huge difference. You do have a faster blade speed on the edge of a 10" blade than on a 7.5" blade though, so that might be helpful in some cases. For those two saws you linked in particular, I think it would be worth the $30 extra to get the 10" one because you're planning on using it on aluminum a lot and the 10" has a much more powerful motor (15A vs 9A).
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Re: Project: Maximus Serverus
Then I'll order that today. Need to find alu blades for it too. I didn't really look hard yet.