Iris

[NRG]

The next project begins.

So let's Watercool a Skull Canyon NUC!

I've been tossing up this concept for a little while now, Wanting to sink my teeth into something a little (pun intended) different as well as being very cool (double intentional pun). Below is the original layout/concept of how I am going to watercool my SKN (Skull Canyon NUC). It's very basic in the sense that the existing motherboard will be mounted horizontally to a L shaped motherboard tray, With I/O shield-esq plates for the front and rear I/O.

I plan to have a large base to offset some of the weight of the radiator and fans. I was thinking a shiny block of solid copper or Stainless steel.

This very basic concept model should help to piece together my eventual plan in regards to the radiator and fans. I'll be using a dual 92mm Alphacool radiator and two 92mm slim Noctua Fans. That's approximately 60mm of equipment that will mount behind the motherboard. I plan to refine this model once the fans and radiator has arrived (Yes, They have been ordered) and can get my vernier calipers onto them to tighten up some of my guess work. The same will be done with the motherboard mounting studs. I plan to have the bulk of the motherboard tray hollowed out, so that the fans blowing into the radiator will hopefully pull air in passed the ram and SSD's. I'll use a hexagonal pattern similar to the original plastic of the SCN. I'm unsure of how much time I realistically want to put into this Sketchup model as I'm aware I'll need to transition to a CAD software If I'm to have any hope of having this made by a metal fabrication shop.

Construction will be out of 2mm thick stainless steel. It'll have the clean industrial look to it and will also be incredibly strong. The pump I've purchased is the Alphacool DC-LT 2600 with clear Plexi top. Having seen this in two other watercooled NUC builds, I'm positive that it'll be more than enough to get the job done quietly.

There you have it, That's the rough outline of my newest project, Look forward to hearing your thoughts!

 

[NRG]

Reserved.

07/06/17 - Main post updated with Rough Concepts.

11/06/17 - Initial 3D models of chassis added.

 

[NRG]

So I've spent some time with my vernier calipers to accurately recreate the SKN motherboard in Sketchup and have since modeled the chassis around it.

The front side.

The rear.

This is how the case will stay upright, By utilizing the radiator mounts as feet.

An expanded view. The cut-outs are large enough to allow for installation of the Ram and SSD's once the motherboard is mounted to the chassis.

I'm pretty happy with how it's turned out. There's a lot of room on the back set of arms to hold the radiator, I am going to spend some time to figure out a way to use this as a cable management area, So's not to waste space.

The next step is to model out a CPU block. Shouldn't take to long Let me know what you think!

 

[msystems]

Cool...

What's the TDP of the whole board?

 

[confusis]

Overkill, the best kind of kill!

 

[NRG]

Cool...

What's the TDP of the whole board?

I believe it's 45w

Overkill, the best kind of kill!

I know it is, But this is more for fun and the experience that practicality. Also would be cool to have the first SKN on water on the internet

 

[msystems]

Gotcha. Thats bad ass and should be a fun project. Overclock it for sure

 

[NRG]

Gotcha. Thats bad ass and should be a fun project. Overclock it for sure

I think only the memory can be overclocked sadly, However, I figured I'd be able to have the fans so low that there should be next to no audible noise. A SKN at 100% load making no noise would be a godsend. Considering the noise I heard when I had it running prime95, Anything should be an improvement hahaha.

 

[NRG]

I had a play with Fusion 360 today, With the intention of trying to make a higher quality model for my CPU block. It took a few tutorials online and a lot of experimenting, But this is what I managed to start with. It's the bottum half of the block, I'm planning to have a clear plastic top like EK does with their waterblocks. I must express that this is a very rough concept and is in need of refining

Any tips on how to make it so that the lighting doesn't make it so that you can't actually make out the details?

 

[Karamazovmm]

Awesome job you did there! I would soften the edges a bit using the curve tool and extrusion tool, much like you do when you are using sketch up

Regarding your question, its best to use other rendering software, fusion 360 can export to blender and other more capable software for rendering

Aside that in the rendering phase you can try to make the lighting more diffused, there are environmental settings and other lighting available

There are some tutorials on rendering from autodesk available at youtube, you should check it out.

And a word of advice, if any sheet metal is required, I would use inventor and then move the design to fusion, since it still lacks sheet metal and the basic sheet metal tools in inventor are fairly easy to use, just doing the tutorial that comes with it, is good enough

 

[NRG]

Awesome job you did there! I would soften the edges a bit using the curve tool and extrusion tool, much like you do when you are using sketch up

Regarding your question, its best to use other rendering software, fusion 360 can export to blender and other more capable software for rendering

Aside that in the rendering phase you can try to make the lighting more diffused, there are environmental settings and other lighting available

There are some tutorials on rendering from autodesk available at youtube, you should check it out.

And a word of advice, if any sheet metal is required, I would use inventor and then move the design to fusion, since it still lacks sheet metal and the basic sheet metal tools in inventor are fairly easy to use, just doing the tutorial that comes with it, is good enough

I was going to knock of the edges once I got the model closer to completion I'll be sure to have a look towards blender once I get the bulk of the work done I actually followed one of the tutorials to get the basic shape hahaha, They're actually very helpful. I'll look into Inventor once I get to remodeling the chassis for production, The only reason I opted for Fusion was that it was free and seemed to work for the CPU block. Many thanks for your sound advice and inputs

 

[wywywywy]

Hi you can get Alphacool 3D models from here in STEP format (which Fusion 360 can import) - http://www.alphacool.com/shopware.php?sViewport=campaign&emotionId=2708

 

[wywywywy]

And the Noctua slim fan in STEP - https://grabcad.com/library/noctua-nh-l9-1

 

[NRG]

Hi you can get Alphacool 3D models from here in STEP format (which Fusion 360 can import) - http://www.alphacool.com/shopware.php?sViewport=campaign&emotionId=2708

And the Noctua slim fan in STEP - https://grabcad.com/library/noctua-nh-l9-1

You Sir, Are doing Gods work, Bless

Edit: After having the block at near completion, I've just realised that it isn't big enough to accept the two G1/4 ports :/ I did scale my block off the original block that was being used to air cool the CPU, However, I think I'll need to take some more measurements and have to start again from scratch I even had the rubber gasket and all the holes taped

I think I might make a very basic version and get it 3D printed to test my dimensions before I make time commitments to modelling the block properly again.

 

[wywywywy]

And don't forget to have hole around the block for the screws!

 

[jeshikat]

And the Noctua slim fan in STEP - https://grabcad.com/library/noctua-nh-l9-1

That's not the slim one, either that or they just took the regular 92mm and scaled it in the Z-axis.

Here's the NF-A9x14: https://smallformfactor.net/forum/resources/noctua-nf-a9x14.36/

 

[wywywywy]

Ooops good point. The one you linked is actually the one in my library. Schoolboy error

 

[NRG]

Thanks James! Tonight I'm going to have another attempt at working this block. I'll post a photo of how far I got last night, although that idea is essentially going to be scrapped hahah. I think if I use the same dimensions for the actual "contact" face, and then enlarge the block after I surpass the clearance restrictions.

My Radiator, Pump and Fans are on there way, I think I might order some of the actual fittings to help with the dimensions.

Here's the completed Version 0.1

 

[NRG]

CPU Block Update!

So here you can see the original contact dimension of the stock CPU block. Exactly 30mm x 43.33 mm. After a great deal of remeasuring and a bit of math, I worked out the total possible expansion of this contact face.

This is the revised dimensions of the contact face, Not a great deal of room, But I'll take every little bit that I can get.

Here is the final block, Bottom half of course. I stepped out just a little bit on 3 of the sides to allow for more surface area and easier mounting of the G1/4 threads into the Plexi top. Last thing I want is to have one made and not have enough room to fit the compression fittings in. I've gone ahead and had this bottum half 3D printed and ordered my fittings to test this 100% for contacting a machine shop to have it milled. Hopefully everything will work and full steam ahead.

From here I'll most likely transfer my model of the chassis itself from Sketchup into Fusion. I'm going to have to remeasure everything to ensure it's accurate and might even have it 3D printed as well before the stainless steel version gets manufactured.

 

[NRG]

I had an unexpected delivery today, So I felt compelled to do an update!


Here's the board, Completely stripped back out of the chassis.

And here is the copper bottom of my custom CPU block, Albeit 3D printed.

Pleased to say that I can accurately take measurements and make 3D models accordingly hahah!

I very pleased that the dimensions of my block are accurate and work on the board. I guess I can confidently model the remainder of the the block and then approach a shop to have it made in the flesh! I also bought a 3D Printer today for more prototyping in the near future for other projects.