Torch - The Blown Glass Rig

Bleederhead · October 9, 2019

Just in time for submission day, Torch is in. This machine features a blown boro glass cooling system, 2k paint job, and an epoxy resin back panel / accents. I never blew glass before, so when I first started this project, I knew I was in for challenge. Compared to the PETG systems I have built in the past, this machine was an entirely different animal, and the glass work was by far the hardest medium I have ever worked with - considering the melting point of borosilicate glass is roughly 3000 °F. Between perfect fitting alignment and straight snaps for cuts, there was so much to hold your breath for when working with this material. for instance, if a fitting wasn't 100% aligned, you would hear this deafening crack at the end of the pipe which meant the bend was shattered within the seal. Not only did it kill a handful of rubber seals, but it also killed the entire bend - which some of these took an average of 3-4 hours per final pipe - no to mention the countess hours spent practicing with the material. I cannot tell you how many times I would be so close to finishing a line, only for it to crack at the very end during install. Not only was this a test of my patience, but also my willingness to keep going. Between violent burns and stabs, even a surgery after impaling my hand and getting a rod stuck in it, I still found the will to move on and get the project completed to my vision’s expectations. This rig took a ton out of me emotionally and physically, and for as corny as it sounds, I couldn't be any more transparent about that. I practiced and explored a whole new material that opened my eyes to endless possibilities, and I put everything I had to learning about it at the time – even when capital was tight. From welds to annealing, the entire process is an art form that nothing can really prepare you for, except, well, just jumping into it and never giving up. I would say i spent nearly 250+ hours on this right between the glass practice, material sourcing, and build execution. Even when a judge suggested I had to 'tell people it was glass' in order for its success, I still kept pushing it. As a result, I ended up with a machine that was one of the most unique rigs I have ever made, with the clearest and most alluring cooling system I have ever been responsible for. My vision and passion for cooling has opened up to a whole new world of possibilities after this machine, and to be quite honest, if I am afforded additional time on this Earth, it will be the first of many for me. Everything on this machine was so delicate - from the cable color combinations for the ultimate visual balance, to the epoxy pour and marbling effect I achieved, I was incredibly excited with the results. When people ask why I used grey color schematic instead of white on the GPU, the reason behind it was the massive color imbalance. When you throw a white object dead center in the machine, it essentially became the primary focal point at first glance - especially with the current color schematic that as taking place around the machine. the point here wasn't to make the cable color the very first thing the viewer saw, and when the white sleeves were installed, it certainly felt that way. I may not have the CNC or the lasers that many consider a necessity to build with, but, I do have heart. If there is anything that anyone should take away from this project it is this: You are not only as good as the tools you have, but instead what you do with the tools you do have. You don't need the fanciest machine, or the latest hardware to make a compelling machine. I built this with open boxed parts, a whole ton of practice, and 100% commitment to the end goal. If I can do it, anyone can.

SPECS:

Intel i5 8600K @ 5.0GHz

GTX 1070 Seahawk MSI

16GB Zadak Shield DDR4

500GB OWC Aura P12 NVMe

MSI Godlike Z390

Cooler Master MasterWatt 650 PSU

EK Velocity Full Nickel CPU Block

Bleederhead Bloodline 12mm OD Borosilicate Glass (2.2mm thick walls)

Reservoir Delete Cooling System

A project made of blood, sweat, and tears.