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Thread: Project: 14 TB fileserver? Building a Dual PC tower

  1. #1
    Worth doing? Worth OVERdoing grevaeg's Avatar
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    Default Project: 14 TB fileserver? Building a Dual PC tower

    Hi guys! been lurking around these forums for awhile, but never took the time to register, anyways, just signed up, and ready to post my casebuild on this site =)

    Might as well start off with some concept images ( 3dsmax 2OO8 )









    -------The idea-------

    The main idea behind this project was to create a silent running file server with lots of physical space to fit all the HDD's i would need to store, uhm... stuff, and equip it with a large ass radiator to remove all the heat created, i wanted the tower to have room for 2 motherboards, just for the simplicity of having one gaming computer and one running as server in the same case, as the main aspect of this build would be silent operation , i went for 3x 250mm mist fans, and another 8x 120mm noctuas to cool things off...

    -------The hardware------

    --Hardware-- PC1
    Asus P5K - Deluxe, p35
    4gb pc 9200 ocz flex
    Radeon HD3870x2
    Q6600 - G0
    X-fi, extreme gamer

    --Hardware-- PC2
    Asus P5N32-E SLI
    OCZ NvidiaSLI XTC 4GB PC8500
    Asus 8800GT
    Q6600 - G0
    X-fi, extreme gamer

    --Disks--
    4x 74gb toshiba 15k rpm SAS
    16x 500gb Western Digital - 16mb 7200rpm - SATA
    8x 750gb Western Digital - 16mb 7200rpm - SATA
    4x 500gb Western Digital - 16mb 7200rpm - IDE

    --Watercooling--
    KTM 525 EXC Radiator
    1x Aqua-Medic Oceanrunner 1200l/h pumper
    5 meter watehose, 12mm
    4 meter foodhose, 42mm
    random plummer parts in copper
    Random waterblocks

    ------materials--------
    I wanted this case to look decent, and to be honest, aluminium cases got a bit too common for me, so i decided to go with a full plexi casing with a aluminium frame to support it, the harddrive mount ended up in perforated steel plates, somewhat to keep them a bit colder, and somewhat for the looks of it

  2. #2
    Religiously tolerant. Luke122's Avatar
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    Default Re: 14 TB fileserver? Building a Dual PC tower

    Welcome aboard!

    32HDDS?!?!?! Damn man.. this system is going to cost an arm and a leg.. and 2 more legs, and some blood, and a first born child.

    Very cool project, definitely BIG.

    \m/ d(-_-)b \m/

    R9 290X+Kraken+Corsair H90, Xeon 5649@4ghz, Asus P6T-WS Pro

  3. #3
    Worth doing? Worth OVERdoing grevaeg's Avatar
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    Default Re: 14 TB fileserver? Building a Dual PC tower

    --12.02.2008--

    This will just be a repost of my original worklog, to share experiences and maybe give some ideas to people that wanna build up a case too ^^

    Afraid i managed to delete the pictures from the original weld prosess, but i will explain whats been done

    ----materials-----

    Started out with finding some suitable aluminium bars at the local iron dealer, after looking around a bit i ended up with 20x20x200mm square pieces, this should be the ideal considering the final weight of the computer, and that it needs some sturdiness to be able to hold it all together

    Bought up about 10 meters, and started cutting/clamping and welding the pieces together

    All the welds has been done on both sides to ensure its strong enough

    ------The result-----


    The front


    The bottom, probably where the disk mount is gonna be placed





    Radiator area




    --16.02.2008--


    Motherboard tray attached to the frame, drilled up, and popped in place


    Backside of the case


    6mm pop's holding stuff together


    ...............


    Lian Li Mobo plate mounted =)


    20x20x3mm angled up to create a mounting point for the mobo plates


    Just drilled a few holes and popped it to the rest of the frame


    Cut up another 4 pieces in 20x20x3mm alu, thats gonna create the mounts for my harddrives


    The main idea behind the entire harddrive mount is that the coloumn of disks shouldnt be in contact with the main frame of the case, as this will result in vibrations going too the floor, and causing unpleasant noise, there will be a few 15k rpm disks in here, so managing to keep the vibration away is crucial. The way this one work is quite simple, it will be a rubber tube holding the bolt up, so it wont be in contact with the other frame, trying to illustrate =)


    Cut up , polished, and ready for mounting


    Rubber thingy good to go


    8mm rubber connection ensure no vibrations will be transfered further on in the case


    Steel pop's, can take a tremendous amount of weight before getting loose, alot more sturdy then their alu brother


    Ended up with perforated steel to create the disk mount, this should ensure somewhat better airflow, it wont get bendt that easy, and it transfers heat better then alu ever will =)

  4. #4
    Anodized Enigma's Avatar
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    Default Re: 14 TB fileserver? Building a Dual PC tower

    Holy (insert 4 letter word of choice here) !!!
    This one i gotta follow...

  5. #5
    Worth doing? Worth OVERdoing grevaeg's Avatar
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    Default Re: 14 TB fileserver? Building a Dual PC tower

    --16.02.2008--


    My plexi package arrived =)


    over 5 square meters of red, clear and dark coloured plexi ^^


    The plexi i had ordered were mostly precut to meet my requirements for it. Placed it all up, taped it, and good to start working


    The top taped up too


    Ready to mount the first 250mm fan, welcome to your new home ^^


    Tape ftw!


    No idea whats this one is called in english, but lets just go with large ass dremel for now, taped the edges to prevent the cutting blade to slip , and scratch up the oh so fragile plate


    Got it all smoothened up


    And another one coming up


    First one mounted up =)


    There we go =)

  6. #6
    Worth doing? Worth OVERdoing grevaeg's Avatar
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    Default Re: 14 TB fileserver? Building a Dual PC tower

    --------- Building a custom water reservoir--------

    I also wanted to get some place to store my coolant, so came up with a decent idea on where to store it all

    After a visit to the local plumber, i ended up with the following:


    2 meter 45mm rubber hose, cut up in 1 meter lengths, and yea... they are ALOT larger then the picture gives a impression of


    Misc stuff bought inn for the occasion


    All welded up and good to go


    Tightened up with some hose clamps to keep the water from leaking out


    And this is how copper looks after being polished up


    And there we go, one custom reservoir


    Cut out a plate of lexan i had around in the shop, and mounted it to this one


    Plate mounted up using self drilling bolts

    Should look pretty awesome when you get some colored water trough it =)

    --03.03.2008--


    Bought in about 12 meter of normal rubber bands to seal of vibrations between the plexi and the frame


    And the appropriate rubber sealing for the end of the alu squares







    Again, lost some images in the progress, and YES i know the plexi is dirty.

    Anyways, since im working around in a bikeshop i found a few of those iron pieces that will save ur plastic when u happen to tip over on ur bike, made some holes, and threw some bolts trough em, same goes with the plexi


    The bottom


    Sideview :p




    No pictures for this process either im afraid, but quite simply used one of those wood drills with 120mm size to get the holes done


    The backside


    And heres the bolts! directly from bauhaus =)


    ....

  7. #7
    Worth doing? Worth OVERdoing grevaeg's Avatar
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    Default Re: 14 TB fileserver? Building a Dual PC tower

    -------The watercooling--------


    The radiator looks something like this =)

    As i stated earlier, some of the point of building this computer, was to make sure its silent, and can run efficient on low voltage fans

    ended up with using a KTM 525 EXC radiator, this alone should be able to dispatch alot more heat then the normal "pc radiators" u can get around there

    Also made a custom fan duct out of plexi to make sure all the air goes trough the radiator, and not everywhere around it


    Created the fanduct in 3mm plexi, easily cut up with my "dremel"


    Another angle


    used m8 bolts to make sure the radiator fit well into the rest of the case


    Used some tube aluminium to cover up the bolt, and to make sure its stable to the rest of the case


    10mm outlet from the hose, should ensure enough flow =)

    Enough for now, ill post some more tomorrow =) And thanks alot luke, ill get confy ^^.

  8. #8
    I stole p0Pe's cake FrooP's Avatar
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    Default Re: 14 TB fileserver? Building a Dual PC tower

    youre german arent you?
    where do you live exactly?

  9. #9
    Carpe Apenodytes halcyonforever's Avatar
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    Default Re: 14 TB fileserver? Building a Dual PC tower

    Quote Originally Posted by grevaeg View Post
    Ended up with perforated steel to create the disk mount, this should ensure somewhat better airflow, it wont get bendt that easy, and it transfers heat better then alu ever will =)
    I'll agree with the better airflow and good strength, but as far as heat transfer aluminum is second only to copper in that category for industrial use (and a few rare earth or precious metals)

    Thermal conductivity of some common metals from http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/th...ity-d_429.html
    k = (W/m K)
    Acrylic 0.2 k
    Aluminum 250 k
    Brass 109 k
    Copper 401 k
    Gold 310 k
    Silver 429 k
    Steel 46 k
    Stainless Steel 16 k

  10. #10
    Sexy Hot Nurse ..... NOT!! b4i7's Avatar
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    Default Re: 14 TB fileserver? Building a Dual PC tower

    i think youre going to need more jiggawatts......

    looks great...i have a mod that similar in design comin up

    Quote Originally Posted by intergalacticman View Post
    stunning, how does one tap a hole?

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