:hi: A HUGE hello and my new build - Red Reaper

[SimsReaper]

First things first.

How did it take me so long to find Dazmode!
But I'm here now, and have found my new WC store and what looks like a very friendly and helpful forum to boot!

Well, this being my first post, here is a bit about me. I used to be into computers back around 15 yrs ago, but fell out of it for a while. Back then I put together some builds for friends, but really simple stuff, no mods or anything fancy. I got out of it for a bit, went the laptop route for years, but about 3 years ago, I decided to get back into desktops and I ordered a starter computer. A nice little i5-2500k, decent gigabyte mobo, and a 7770 video card. I spent a little over a grand on it, and knew I would be upgrading after that. And I did. First I wasn't happy with the 7770, so I picked up another, and tried crossfire. But of course, this was right when AMD had extreme microstutter issue. So I ended up with a GTX 560ti. And that got me by for a while. Until last year.

Last year I decided to try water cooling. I also picked up a shiny new GTX 780. So I ordered the parts, going with XPSC blocks for the cpu and gpu, and modded my case (the original NZXT Phantom) to fit a 360 rad up in the top with a custom made aluminum bracket. This was my first mod, and while the water cooling works extremely well, I was never 100% satisfied with the case mods. I just new I could do better, if I put the effort in.
Here is a pic (kind of a bad one, sorry) of my old system running after the upgrades.

[SimsReaper]

So I lived for a year with that. And I was happy.

Now I have that little itch, I want another project. So it is time for a refresh. Just a little one I told myself. I saw the new NZXT H440 case.



And hey, I found my project. I would just switch cases. And this time I would sleeve my wires. Ya, that would be good enough....

So now I'm about 4 weeks into this, and I've finished my ordering. And, well, it is not "just a case".
This one may have gotten away from me a little, but its gonna be nice. I've even received most of the stuff. Just a few stragglers left.
But the BIG ISSUE is that my case is still on backorder, and I may not have it until the end of the month. I wasn't planning on really modding the case though, so I have gone ahead with what I can.

Lets start with the list of components I ended up with.

I'll be reutilizing most of my current system, which will be:
i5-2500K (normal running OC @ 4.5)
Asus Maximus V Formula
G-Skill Trident X 2400 RAM (16GB)
GTX 780 (under WC @ 1123 / 1602)
250GB Mushkin SSD
XFX Proseries 1250W Black Edition PSU
I'm also going to re use the D5 pump currently in my system.

And here is the list of what I've purchased for this build. DEFINITLEY NOT just a case! haha

NZXT H440 ATX Mid Tower
XSPC RX360 Triple Fan Radiator V3
XSPC RX240 Dual Fan Radiator V3 (turns out this wont fit up top without a case mod, I'm thinking about it, but not sure yet)
Scythe Gentle Typhoon 120mm Fan (X8)
XSPC Photon 170 Tube Glass (X2)
XSPC Razor 780/780TI Water Block
EVGA Pro SLI Bridge
XSPC Razor GTX Titan / 780 Backplate
Alphacool VPP655 Variable Speed Pump (same one I currently run)
EVGA Geforce GTX 780
Samsung 840 Evo 500GB SSD - This will make it a full SSD rig. 750 GB in all
Scythe Gentle Typhoon 120mm Fan (X4) - need a few more in case I break some during the painting... may have happened already to one of them :'(
Primochill LRT 1/2 in 3/4 OD Tubing (20 Ft)
550lb Paracord – Red (100 ft) - will be sleeving everything in this red/ black/ white scheme
550lb Paracord – White (100 ft)
550lb Paracord – Black (100 ft)
Black Ice GTS Stealth 240 Gen 2 - my 240 XSPC rad probably will not fit without extensive case mods, so this is probably going to be used in its place. Wont know for sure until I have the case.
Swiftech 1/2IN X 3/4IN Compression Fittings (X 12) - I would have liked to use Bitspower but they had to be imported, so...
Swiftech 45 Degree Swivel Elbow – Black (X 4)
Swiftech 90 Degree Swivel Elbow – Black (X 4)
Modding Accessories, various - this includes some extra pins and connectors in case anything happens while sleeving, little accessories that will add up during the build
Mayhems Pastel Coolant Conc. – Ice White (X 2)
Mayhems Pastel Coolant Conc. – Red (X 2) - after looking around on various forums, I will be using the Mayhem coolants, 3 yr lifespan, and compatible with the Primochill LRT tubing I'm using. Picked up twice what I should need, because I want to be sure I have enough for the color I want.

Long ass list though, and it sure did add up.... but I'm gonna make sure it is all worth it in the end ;D

And now that I found Dazmode, I bought some Mayhem red dye, to make sure color is right, and some little mod accessories, like pins and connectors.
Not really stuff I need, but I had to buy "something" just because I've finally found my Canadian WC store.

[SimsReaper]

So now I'm gonna try to bring it all up to speed. I've been slowly picking away for a few weeks while I wait for the case. Here is what I have gotten so far.

[SimsReaper]

So awesome stuff, time to get to work... right? Without the case, there really is only so much to do. So I went into the wiring. May as well get the head start on the wire prep for the sleeving, eh? But then... damn are those slots to get to the wire pins tiny. Regular molex connectors can be popped with just a couple tiny screwdrivers, but PSU wires need something special. So I looked online, and WOW, $40 plus S&H and delivery time for a removal tool. Nope Nope Nope. So I began the search, tried a few different things, but I had no real luck until I finally convinced my fiancé to part with her least favorite and most plain set of tweezers. Score. (She's an amazing girl, with to much patience for me ;D)
Now, armed with tweezers, and my dremel, I was able to forge a tool in about 5 min.



I found that its easier to move em separately than as a pair, so I split the them apart. Since then this little tool has been PERFECT



I had 3 extra PCI-E cables from my XFX PSU, along with sata and molex cables. The only wire that will have to wait is the 24 pin mobo and the 8 pin mobo sets.
I also tried taking apart the fans, to make sure it could be done without much trouble and after the first night I had this.

[Hooded]

Nice choices so far.
to the community
Well done with the tweezers

[SimsReaper]

The next thing I wanted to do was to swap all the regular blue XSPC LED's for red. I don't plan on modding my case, as I like the red black scheme, and it already goes with my mobo, but blue led's just wont fit. So, I picked up some Superbright Red 3 and 5mm LED's at the local electrical supply store, along with some different resistors.

One of the things I am really going for here is great wire management and a clean look. So I thought about this, and decided that I would run the VGA block LED's in 2 sets of series. This way I can catch the front LED's of the 2 cards with one wire, and the rear set with the other. This means that no wires should have to cross the mobo and it should help keep things clean.

The original


Modding

[SimsReaper]

And after a few days, I have my LED's for the water blocks and reservoirs all finished. I threw the 5mm's in the res's for a quick look see, and tested out how the CPU block looks lit in red. What do you guys think?

[gdesmo]

Welcome to the forum, looking forward to some of your mod work !

[SimsReaper]

This post lets look to what I have planned for the fans and rads. As I already know the front rad will be the 360 in push/pull, I am going ahead and painting it, but I'm leaving the 240's until I know for sure which one I will use.

After some careful separation and taping


And here they are painted with a color match test, and later reassembled.




And lastly a pic of the sleeving. I need to make some round stickers for the fans now to cover the electronics. Going to be working on that one this week.

[SimsReaper]

So, last post to catch up with everything. This here is where I am with the sleeving. The LED's are done. 2 PCI-E sets are done, but I will be changing the middle wire to a white sleeve. I did the SATA power cable like this, and I really prefer that look, especially as I am going to have white coolant in the cpu loop. Here is the look so far though. I have combs in there now, but will be picking up some invisible fishing wire and threading them after getting that idea from a post on this forum!





Here are the finished LED strings as well.

[bungwirez]

Welcome SimsReaper!

nice skillz mate. really like the custom LED wires
and the painted GTs - nice touch

[Bartacus]

Welcome man!! Looks good so far! I'm a fan of anyone who paints typhoons. Great rad fans, but awful stock color!

[Moogly]

looking forward to the final result !!!

[Father Fuzzy]

to Dazmode

Nice work on the Typhoons

Some cool mods going on I'm In

[alex5389]

Hey Welcome Sims! Haha love the forged tools! Your smithing exp has leveled up