Project MiniMe - Smallest (ever?) Watercooled mITX PC

[oliverw92]

Update #16

So i haven't got much news really. Got my UV purple coolant, also got some UV blue o rings for my compression fittings (they are so funky lol). I was thinking what i could do for you guys who are avidly watching, and decided that a) video update and b) price list! So here we go!



Updated price list. This is actually pretty dam close to what it really costs, give or take a few capacitors from Maplins. I am on track to break the big £1k!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YG6lh...eature=related

Part one of the video. Features PSU, Fan Controller, PSU volume test, Drive Bay, Motherboard Tray.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUqZaR-WN8s

Part two. Side panel, Rad + Fan + Top Assembly, Completely System Test Fit, Photo Gallery (with good music!)


And finally, I would like to announce my latest sponsor, Enermax!



They will be sponsoring me with:



120mm Cluster Fan



Aurora Micro Wireless - Black anodized aluminium wireless keyboard! With multimedia keys, 'scissor' action mechanical keys, 2x USB ports built in and loads more!



120mm Apollish Silver Fan

Thankyou to Alexandra for helping me sort this!

Until next time...

[format]

That keyboard looks pretty swish!

[GheeTsar]

That keyboard looks pretty swish!

Just what I was thinking. Very nice.

[TAKTAK]

Hahah that post made me lol

Thankyou so much Pob if you ever need to get button/cap/countersunk black hex bolts, modelfixings.co.uk . Very good delivery times and very cheap too £1 for 10 of each of the types. £4 for 50.

That's actually very expensive...

For example

M3 x 6 Skt buttons S/Col (i.e. Black oxide) that isn't rare, it is a cheap treatment providing minimal corrosion protection over mild steel... They are usually cheaper than their Zinc/Galv alternatives due to it being a less intensive and much cheaper process. Especially for Higher tensile items which have to be de-embrittled.

anyway, prices, we sell M3x6's for 52p per 100, so £5.20 per 1000 which is quite alot cheaper than £4 for 50... (as will any other decent local fastener and fixing supplier because that is with our profit margin applied)

And the reason that you had trouble sourcing a No6 UNC 32tpi tap, is because the UK is sensible and has gone predominantly metric standards (inc: course, fine, fine-fine etc), whereas the US still use UNC, UNF, UNEF, UNS, BSW, BSF, BSP, BA and many others, and they are just the specified threads, there are many customs in use too, making it a ballache to do anything.

[oliverw92]

That's actually very expensive...

For example

M3 x 6 Skt buttons S/Col (i.e. Black oxide) that isn't rare, it is a cheap treatment providing minimal corrosion protection over mild steel... They are usually cheaper than their Zinc/Galv alternatives due to it being a less intensive and much cheaper process. Especially for Higher tensile items which have to be de-embrittled.

anyway, prices, we sell M3x6's for 52p per 100, so £5.20 per 1000 which is quite alot cheaper than £4 for 50... (as will any other decent local fastener and fixing supplier because that is with our profit margin applied)

And the reason that you had trouble sourcing a No6 UNC 32tpi tap, is because the UK is sensible and has gone predominantly metric standards (inc: course, fine, fine-fine etc), whereas the US still use UNC, UNF, UNEF, UNS, BSW, BSF, BSP, BA and many others, and they are just the specified threads, there are many customs in use too, making it a ballache to do anything.

Holy bejesus link to these screws?

[TAKTAK]

Holy bejesus link to these screws?

We're not online (boss is a technophobe ) telephone and fax

But practically any local small fastener and fixings supplier will offer prices near to those (it's the same main suppliers across the network... So they will be offered around the same prices from suppliers [probably slightly more expensive, but we're talking pennys...])

Should save you a few quid rather than ordering online

Post/PM your location and i'll ask the suppliers if they have anyone in that area

Or if you only want a couple i can chuck a few in the post FOC if we have them on stock (not sure if we have any black M3x6 on stock as someone cleared us out the other day) but we can usually get them for next day

[oliverw92]

Kingston upon Thames, London. THanks very much man! Your shop sounds heavenly...

[TAKTAK]

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&so...338.05,,1,3.28

Try giving them a ring, but i'll ask suppliers tomorrow (if i remember )

Either that or just do it through me and i'll post them to you

[Pob255]

Hang on, what have all these sponsers given you?
The only unpaid for thing you've listed is a hard drive.

And yet another sponser . . .


Please let me know what you think of that 120mm Apollish Silver Fan when you get it, I've been rather intrested in them.
A lot of LEDs and are should have very good barings, on paper they look like the best LED fans you can get (and have a price to match)

EDIT: I agree with TAKTAK here, my local builders merchant I use has all sorts of nut/bolts/screws, not as cheap as that price, cannot find the last receit but I'd guess 52p would get me about 40-50

Looking back at project spork I got about 22 nuts and bolts for 61p but they where about 8mm diameter threads and 40mm long (never remember how the m scale works)

[oliverw92]

Thanks TAKTAK, i will give em a ring.

Pob255, If a company is my sponsor, everything from them is sponsored in that list I just have that 'bought' list to let me know what i still need.

I will deff let you know about the fan

The M system is dam easy lol. an m4 bolt is 4mm diameter So 8mm diameter is M8.

[Pob255]

Ahh ok, but is that shaft? or inc thread?

ok Just found the left over screws, I got thoes numbers well out

Looks like they are 5mm dimeter across the thread (M5?) 20mm long, I've got 13 left, I used 15 so it was 61p for 28 of them and 28 nuts that fit them.
Ok they are not black, but that gives you an idea of the cost, also has the advantage that I can walk to the shop in 10min and buy more if needed and individually not by fixed large amounts.


These are the ones, I used them to hold the side window on

[oliverw92]

You do not take the thread spacing into account with the M number, that is done by coarse, fine and fine-fine. Yeah i have places i can buy silver screws, but there is nowhere to buy black ones

[Biscuit]

looing forward 2 the result

[TAKTAK]

You do not take the thread spacing into account with the M number, that is done by coarse, fine and fine-fine. Yeah i have places i can buy silver screws, but there is nowhere to buy black ones

Well technically you do take the thread pitch into account for all items.

As course, fine, and fine-fine just points to the agreed standard for that diameter.

I.e. a M4 metric course would be 0.7, fine would be 0.5 and fine-fine would be a custom spec product
whereas an M12 metric course would be 1.75, fine would be 1.5, fine-fine 1.25 and super-fine 1

But when asking for a M4x whatever product, one assumes that the user means standard thread, or that thread pitch is irrelevant so long as nuts are provided with the same thread.

But most things are defined within the DIN specification for the particular product

e.g.
Socket cap = DIN 912
Socket button = DIN 7380
Set screw = DIN 933
Bolt = DIN 931
Hex nut = DIN 934
etc, etc

trust the Germans to have a better way of doing things

[oliverw92]

Well technically you do take the thread pitch into account for all items.

As course, fine, and fine-fine just points to the agreed standard for that diameter.

I.e. a M4 metric course would be 0.7, fine would be 0.5 and fine-fine would be a custom spec product
whereas an M12 metric course would be 1.75, fine would be 1.5, fine-fine 1.25 and super-fine 1

But when asking for a M4x whatever product, one assumes that the user means standard thread, or that thread pitch is irrelevant so long as nuts are provided with the same thread.

But most things are defined within the DIN specification for the particular product

e.g.
Socket cap = DIN 912
Socket button = DIN 7380
Set screw = DIN 933
Bolt = DIN 931
Hex nut = DIN 934
etc, etc

trust the Germans to have a better way of doing things

Haha yeah germans do have a habit of that

Thanks for the info.

[oliverw92]

Update #17



Box of goodies from Enermax! Thankyou to Alexandra, my contact there



Talk about epic freebies!



Anyone know what it means?



Crazy card holders for things like SD and XD cards



There are more freebies than actual sponsorship things!



Onto the proper stuff! Aurora Micro Wireless keyboard, Silver Apollish 120mm fan, White Cluster 120mm fan. I am going to test both fans and decide which is most appropriate for my project in terms of looks and performance.



Very simplistic packaging, came with plenty of padding to stop the keyboard getting damaged. No silly plastic bits making it environmentally friendly.



Nice simple product guide, not sure why it needs to be in a bag??! I like this type of guide though, don't need to read through a gazillion different language sections and a billion different health and safety warnings.



The keyboard in all its aluminium glory! It has a really solid feel to it. It must be at least 5mm thick aluminium on the top. The base is plastic, but it still feels well built. The simplistic styling of the keyboard is really nice, i.e. the curving hand rest part of the aluminium. It is actually really comfy.



Here you can see the integrated mouse ball. This is a genius idea. However Enermax have not only come up with a good idea, they have implemented it perfectly. With most other good ideas like this, the outcome is normally not well thought out. The concept may be good, but it doesn't actually function very well. This is not the case with the mouse ball. It barely took any time to get used to and is really nice if you dont want to have to sit right up to your desk. It is also a perfect addition for a media pc sitting next to your TV - you do not need a separate mouse.



Here you can see the mouse buttons and scroll wheel. At first you think 'how on earth is that going to work' but it really does. The buttons feel like proper mouse buttons, along with the scroll wheel.



Here you can see the media keys at the top. The music keys only work with wmp due to the protocol the keyboard uses. However i was surprised to find they work perfectly with my iMac. You may also notice the DPI Fn keys there. A really nice touch. The on the fly sensitive works really well, particularly if you have a small/large screen.



Battery power indicator.



Here is the back of the keyboard. There are no sharp edges to catch on clothing, everything is smoothed out so it sits nicely wherever you position it. The rubber feet are also rock solid on a flat surface. The keyboard runs off 2x AA batteries.



Here is the bluetooth connector. Nice and small, but not so small that you can lose it. The connection system is very simple: plug it in, and it works instantly! No drivers are required, even for all the media keys. I think it would have been nice, however, if they could have developed software to allow for proper integration with more programs such as itunes and winamp.



Here is the Apollish fan. I was a little dubious about this fan at first when Alexandra suggested it. I was unsure about the quality of the finish, in some of the photos it looked a little 'cheap' and 'tacky'. However as soon as i opened the box i was amazed! The finish is stunning!



Incorporated is a switch for the LEDs, a temperature probe to allow automatic control of the fan and a 3 pin power connector.



It's so shiny!



A sticker that is actually properly centred on the fan, unlike alot of others.



Here you can see the unique LED design. The fan uses SMD LEDs and resistors around the edge of the fan. I will get some pictures of this in action as soon as i can.