Project Alternate (Pc in a Desk)

[Megadeblow]

 

 

Project Alternate: PC in a desk scratch build & MODs

 

Hi all,

After what feels like a very long year I have decided to start work on my new desk build.

The idea for this desk came to me when i was working on my last desk & at one point I almost started the project 

again, but I'm glad i didn't

 

Most people liked the desk & I learned a great deal during the build.

 

The Project Alternate design slightly changed month by month & I will show some of the other plans & explain why the changes was made.

This time I'm hoping to outdo my last desk & hopefully help others in the process. 

 

The desk work is about to start, using mostly MDF, Perspex, clay, metal & glass I plan to build the desk in 3 parts,

starting from the bottom, then middle followed by the top section.

the tricky parts will be the sharp corners & angles on the edges.

 

In making the desk in 3 parts it will allow for easy transport from my garden shed to my 

very small room/office.

 

I plan to have the 2 reservoirs just under the top shelf so i can see the water flowing by

 

have a couple of different layouts for the internal components, 

but want to wait until the top compartment is built so I can see IRL what looks & works best.

 

For the specs, I'm upgrading from my trusty i5-2500k to a i7-5820K, due to the CPU upgread I will also be using the new ASUS X99 TUF

motherboard & DDR4

 

This time I will also go with 3 screens at 1440p if possible, or 1X 4K screen, so my HD7970s will also need upgrading to a R9-295x2.

 

The desk is going to take months to complete, so rushing out for parts now is not necessary unless it's something on sale I can't pass on

 

**UPDATE 18/10/15: some Specs**

 

SPECS

CPU    - i7-5820k

MB     - ASUS Sabertooth X99

RAM    - 32GB Avexir Blitz 1.1 (DDR4) 

GPU    - ASUS R9-295x2

PSU    - Cooler Master: V1200 Platinum

PSU2   - Cooler Master: GM750W

Fans   - Cooler Master: Jet flow 120's & Cooler Master Silencio FP120 PWM 

HDs    - Western Digital Green 6TB - Barracudas x2 2TB - Wester Digital Green 1TB

SSDs   - 2x Samsung EVO850s 250GB (500GB)

RADS   - 2x Phobya G-Changer 360 RADs V.2

RES    - 2x Phobya 450 reservoirs

CPU WB - Alphacool NexXxoS XP³ Light

PUMP   - 2x Alphacool VPP655

GPU WB - Alphacool NexXxoS GPX

KB     - CM Storm quickfire xti

Mouse  - CM Storm Reaper

 

 

Build log 1

 

Build log 2

 

Build log 3

Desk top lift

 

The Final

 

Thanks to the sponsors.

Cooler Master UK, CM Storm, ASUS ROG, Phobya, OCOOL/Alphacool Mayhems GT Omega Racing & Avexir

 

 

 

 

For past & present MODs/Builds please check my Facebook & Youtube pages. 

 

 

 

 

 

[Megadeblow]

here is one of the many 1st designs i did, had to change it due to the size

 

 

After the wife told me to move all my model cars from the living room, this cabinet ended up in the garden, I was planing to use the glass from this

on the next build & was one of the main reasons the desk is so angled, I also love the Honda CBR600RR due to its sharp looking design & ofc Lambos have the same sharp designs that i love,

now due to the design changes I cant use the glass so will be using fresh cut glass or thick perspex.

 

[Megadeblow]

Thanks for all the above comments

 

The MDF for the 2 bottom sections along with most of the MDF for the middle have now been cut to size & I have started to assemble.

 

 

 

I was told to kit myself out with a face-mask & glasses when cutting MDF,

but the normal size face-mask was causing my glasses to steam up lol

So had to dig out my airsoft mask to use in conjunction with the small face-mask

 

 

 

Some of the bolts/screws I will be using to fasten the main parts together, they will make it more easy to remove with standard alan keys & should last longer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sides ready to be fasten to the bottom & back, soon as the miter edges are done

 

 

The hardest part so far, miter edges, very tricky & most the time i have to use scrap wood before doing the final peace or risk wasting some MDF

 

 

My 1st set of angled corners cut ready to use as shelf's/frame

 

 

Bottom left assembled 

 

 

P.S, art added to 2nd post!

[Megadeblow]

A bit later than planed but finally got time now to update the log

 

Both bottom left & right shelf's/frames are completed, no permanent fittings just encase i have any problems moving the desk to the house,

This was by far the easiest part so far

 

 

 

The main compartment that will act as a frame for the top & hold the fans & other components - the RADs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here im making some slots for the front panels that will be resting on the left & right side shelf's, doing so will help hold them im place as I screw them down 

 

 

[Megadeblow]

Over the past week some build items have arrived so I will cover them along with the case mod im doing

Moving the MEGA desk build (2013) in to the case to make room for the new desk & to ensure I have a working 

computer during the build so I can keep you all updated

 

 

My 1st package had some Cooler Master bit n bobs that I will cover later in the build

along with my replacement tea cup & cap

 

 

 

 

 

 

2nd package had the heart of the new build, A v1200 PSU along with Jet Flow 120mm RED fans & some

very nice Resonar in-ear buds so I can have some decent music as I'm working in the shed

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And last thing I received this week was my new CPU, Intel i7-5820k witch will be a nice upgrade for me

the last CPU I was using was the i5-2500k.

 

 

[Megadeblow]

Moving the old desk build to a cooler master silencio 652s case..

Wrapping with some 3M vinyl wrap (brushed silver)

 

 

 

Case broken down ready for the wrap, fairly easy to do

 

 

 

 

 

[Megadeblow]

Building from bottom to top, the sides are cut and attached with screws & glue, 

decided to use some old wood for this part to test out the new saw & my skills with mitering

 

In the end I was so happy with the results I kept the old wood & didn't bother redoing them with MDF

 

 

 

 

This bit was tricky, wood too deep for the dremel, design to narrow for the multi tool

Ended up having to use a bit of everything including a hand saw & blade.

 

 

 

 

 

Now time to cut the part that will allow my legs to go under the desk, then for the 1st time I can sit at the desk to get a feel for how it

will be when completed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is one of the drive bay holder cutouts, again with the older wood

 

 

 

 

 

The final update for this weekend is the start of the two shelf ends that will also act as speaker boxes 

 

 

 

 

Hope you enjoyed the updates, please let me know your thoughts as I progress, good or bad, still time to change things if needed

 

Have a nice weekend 

Rob

[Megadeblow]

My new GPU has arrived

ASUS R9-295x2

 

been testing it out on my current rig & im very happy so far, BF4 FPS are now over 120FPS  maxed out @1440p

 

 

 

 

[Megadeblow]

Both the corner parts now built, they will house the speakers & also act as part of the upper shelf for the monitor/monitors.

 

 

 

 

After making the above parts I could then start to work on the tricky parts, the 2x side covers that need some careful cutting in order to look the part & take some pressure.

Used glue to hold the parts together then when it was dry I added some blocks for extra strength. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When I was happy with all the parts & placement I then went back to the corner parts to add the speakers, did it in this order so i could double check how it looked 

before adding the speakers, just encase I wasn't happy with them in the position I had them on the art work.

 

 

 

This is a dodgy tool, almost had my hand of a couple of times, but did the job in the end

 

 

 

Added some sealant to prevent dust & help with the speaker sound.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Starting to take shape now, really nice to see it looking a bit like the design I spent months working on

 

please note, the sides ain't fasten down yet & still need some sanding to be done later in the build, 

the shelf is also just resting there atm, the blocks holding it up are just for demonstration & will be replaced. 

 

 

 

 

In the next stage im going to dismantle the desk & reduce the height by 2 inch, the main reason for this mod is so im not towering 

above my friends on my high chair as they sit on the small visitor chairs

[Ilija Dakic]

Wow man, really nice design