Taking architectural inspiration from pagoda design, with its open and angular construction, this open-air gaming PC construct was constructed completely from scratch PC modder János Kerekes constructed the case utilizing coloured plexiglass, and it additionally options some good-looking individually sleeved PSU cables.
Due to our quickly rising PC constructing Fb web page, we’ve seen many customized gaming PCs, from mods primarily based on present case designs to scratch PC builds. You’ll be able to even submit yours for consideration proper right here. Now let’s have a chat with János tells us how he constructed this tradition open-air PC construct, which he calls ROG Pagoda.
“I’ve been working with computer systems and modding them for 15 years,” János tells us. “Throughout this time, I’ve made many computer systems, beginning by modifying prebuilt instances then regularly shifting the main target in direction of creating customized instances. The frequent characteristic in these instances was water cooling, which offers a constructing and aesthetic problem, and naturally, glorious cooling efficiency and low noise.
“I used to be making these computer systems for private use, and clearly there are solely so many computer systems one particular person wants, so I needed to discover one thing to do with them. So, with the assist of Asus Hungary I began making sponsored builds, enabling me to follow my craft with out filling the home with a endless provide of computer systems.
“Off the again of this preliminary sponsorship and my success in numerous modding competitions, I’ve earned the assist of a number of extra sponsors, corresponding to Alphacool, Bitspower, Cooler Grasp, EKWB, FSP, Lian Li and Thermaltake.”
The start of ROG Pagoda
“In relation to the ROG Pagoda venture, it may appear humorous, however the concept for this case got here after I was bored. I hadn’t made a pc for nearly two years, and seeing all of the supplies mendacity round in my workshop, I merely thought that perhaps I ought to create one thing new once more.
“The opposite main motivation was the truth that I’ve upgraded my workshop with a 3D printer and a laser cutter. I managed them with an outdated PC primarily based on an LGA1156 motherboard, geared up with built-in graphics. It was gradual and couldn’t address the calls for of the software program wanted to design the parts – solely to run the machines.
“Consequently, I had to return to my workplace to make modifications to my designs, then come again to the workshop PC with a USB drive containing the brand new recordsdata. I then needed to go there and again once more if the file was the unsuitable format, and so forth. It was exhausting and inefficient to need to commute like this.
“My goal, then, with the brand new PC, was to make a comparatively small workstation that might deal with these duties and save me a number of spherical journeys. Apart from this fundamental requirement, the one certainty was that it might, after all, need to be water-cooled – I couldn’t break with my custom.”
Let’s begin constructing
“I began to construct the body with none closing plan. I used an aluminum field part to create a two-sided, inverted ‘T’ body on which to mount the {hardware}. The sections had been fastened along with nook braces and bolts then, to stabilize the body and assist the {hardware}, the perimeters had been lined in aluminum sheeting that might be simple to drill and reduce, so I may accommodate cable routes and mounting factors.
“Though it was purposeful, the aluminum wasn’t a lot to have a look at, so the case wanted to be dressed up. I selected a black and orange colour scheme that might be created largely with the usage of coloured plexiglass.
“Due to the assist of Asus Hungary, I acquired an Asus ROG Strix X570 motherboard and ROG Strix GTX 1650 graphics card. The latter isn’t probably the most highly effective graphics card, nevertheless it’s highly effective sufficient for a workstation and a few video games, if I ever need to play video games on this machine. The show to which it’s hooked up solely has a decision of 1,680 x 1,050, so it doesn’t actually problem the GPU.
“It wasn’t simple for me to provide you with a reputation for my mod, for the reason that title ought to seek advice from the looks of the idea, which was obscure at that time, and it needed to incorporate the ‘ROG’ prefix of its sponsor. In the long run, I stored it easy, naming the system after its chief architectural affect, the pagoda. I’ve at all times admired these subtle but strong architectural designs (I’m a mechanic) and it fitted with the open, angular design with which I’d began.”
Plastic implausible
“After making the aluminum body, I used plexiglass to type a lot of the remainder of the case, because it’s comparatively simple to machine and may be very ornamental. I reduce down the bigger sheets in order that they fitted on the work floor of the laser cutter, then reduce out the designs with the laser cutter. I used numerous combos of orange and black, or orange and clear plexiglass, sandwiched and bolted collectively to type a lot of the major sections of the case.
“Having a laser cutter and 3D printer was essential for this construct. I may have made the elements by hand however it might have taken many days. With my new machines, it took just some hours to make a lot of the elements.
“As I used to be planning on making such a small PC, because of the measurement of my workshop, I had to consider carefully and plan forward with this construct, in an effort to preserve the general design in concord. An important a part of this course of was planning the place and cabling routing for the modular energy provide.
“I used individually sleeved cables for every conductor of the ability provide’s major cables, and threaded every cable via devoted holes reduce into numerous sections of the chassis. To maintain these holes correct and clear, I needed to design them forward of time and use the laser cutter to type them.
“Threading every cable via its holes and lining up all of the cabling in a neat method was extraordinarily fiddly and complicated. It was such tedious, difficult work that by the second day my palms had been cramping up. It’s definitely one thing I’d suppose twice about doing once more, even when the consequence does look good.
“Given the upright place of the motherboard and the shortage of retaining brackets for any growth playing cards, it was pure to place the graphics card vertically too. Fortunately, that’s simple to do as of late: I bless the designer of the PCIe riser cable.
“To carry the again finish of the cardboard, I used a bracket from a take a look at bench, however I nonetheless wanted to stabilize the entrance fringe of the cardboard. I went again to the laser cutter to chop one other plexiglass sandwich into form. This piece bolts to the bottom of the chassis and simply hooks around the PCB on the entrance of the graphics card.”
Again to entrance
“Now that I used to be completed with the entrance of the case, I turned my consideration to the again of it. This space holds the ability provide, nevertheless it’s additionally the place the all-important water-cooling {hardware} is mounted.
“Due to the scale of the idea, my plan was to have a easy water-cooling setup that cools solely the CPU. The graphics card would use its inventory cooler as a substitute of being water-cooled.
“That is the place one other one among this PC’s sponsors got here to the fore, with EKWB offering all of the parts for the water-cooling loop. Sadly, I initially managed to order a reservoir that didn’t embody a pump, which was fairly the personal objective, however finally I had all of the parts I wanted.
“On the prime of the cooling system is the 240mm radiator, which is mounted to the chassis through some 3D-printed plastic mounts that I designed. It was difficult to mount this half tidily because of the variety of cables that wanted to be hidden away. For this type of work, you want a superb nervous system and a few dexterity.
“Like the remainder of the construct, the radiator is left fairly uncovered, and whereas the followers which are mounted on it present fairly a spectacular view, they aren’t protected to go away open to careless palms. So, in an effort to make this setup rather less harmful, I made some customized fan grilles that look just like the body design.
“To proceed the general look with the plastic coverings, I subsequent tackled the ability provide, which obtained a transparent, laser-cut cowl. Earlier than mounting that, I additionally painted the ability provide to match the orange and black colour scheme.
“The following problem was designing and becoming the hardline water-cooling tubing. The primary consideration is, after all, that it needs to be environment friendly and efficient. Secondly, it has to look good and never be a tangled mess.
“In the long run, I stored this comparatively easy. The tubes come straight down from the radiator, then via the chassis and up diagonally to the CPU waterblock. This creates a clear look with simply sufficient curiosity created by the 45-degree angle on the entrance, with out the tubing protecting the graphics card.”
Ending touches
“Virtually, the pc was completed now, however I felt one thing was lacking: it wanted a number of design ending touches. So, I placed on my considering cap and tapped into my graphic design data to provide you with a number of tweaks.
“First, I got here up with the thought for the hexagonal painted design on the aspect panel, to reduce the domination of the orange colour. I reduce a template with my plotter and stuck it to the chassis with switch paper. I then masked the elements that I didn’t need to paint and spray-painted the design.
“Subsequent, I added a laser engraved, edge-lit, clear plexiglass piece that hangs over the entrance of the case and exhibits off the names of the venture’s sponsors. To carry it in place, I used a 3D-printed mount with RGB LEDs built-in into the bracket. The entire meeting was then fastened in place with hidden bolts.
“The ultimate contact was including illumination to the underside of the chassis. For this I simply used DRGB led strips mounted on the underside. At this level I felt the design was finished and I used to be comfortable to connect my title to it.”
Epilogue
“I’m proud of the best way the PC turned out. It’s perhaps not the final phrase in PC design nevertheless it has a sure type, and it’s compact and sensible for what I would like. Usually, after calling a venture finished, I discover myself considering of how I’d prefer to have finished issues in another way, however I’ve but to discover a half that I’d change. In fact, the graphics card could possibly be extra highly effective, nevertheless it made the sponsorship assist attainable and it could at all times be upgraded later.
“In the course of the manufacturing course of, not all of it went to plan. The 24-pin ATX cable elements needed to be finished a number of instances as a result of I didn’t like the primary variations. Additionally, a number of plexiglass components had been broken throughout the meeting. Apart from this, although, the construct went easily.”
ROG Pagoda PC construct specs
- Sponsors: Asus Hungary, EKWB
- Motherboard: Asus ROG Strix X570-F Gaming
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 3600X
- RAM: 16GB (2 x 8GB) HyperX Fury 3200MHz
- Storage: 256GB Kingston M.2 SSD
- Graphics card: Asus ROG Strix GTX 1650
- Energy provide: Cooler Grasp MWE Gold 550
- CPU waterblock: EK-Quantum Velocity D-RGB – AMD Nickel + Plexi
- Reservoir: EK-Quantum Kinetic TBE 160 DDC Physique D-RGB – Acetal
- Radiator: EK-CoolStream PE 240, EK-Vardar X3M 120ER D-RGB – Black
- Miscellaneous: EK fittings, EK-CryoFuel Strong Hearth Orange coolant
This can be a actually good-looking construct from János, and we actually admire his dedication with the cabling – individually sleeving and reconnecting PSU cables is a job that requires quite a lot of persistence! The top result’s a PC that basically seems the enterprise. In the event you’re new to the world of water-cooling and need to have go your self, then ensure you additionally learn our full information on the right way to water-cool your PC.
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