# Homemade Water Cooling?



## lildragon555

I'm bored, I love to build stuff, and I have the time and money. Is it possible to build a homemade water cooling system that actually is sufficient?

My friend told me for a radiator to use a car radiator from a junk car.

For a pump, I found I can use an aquarium or bilge pump. Is 1.1 GPM and 35 PSI strong enough?

A reservoir, I can make from plexiglass

And tubing, waterblocks, and coolant I will have to buy because I have no idea how to make a waterblock.


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## emosun

If you don't care about the pc your doing it to then go for it.

You do know how big a car radiator is right?


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## lildragon555

Yea my "test" PC is this old PC that my friend gave me. Still has Windows 95 XD


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## lildragon555

Does an LGA 775 need a backplate because I got some copper blocks from a buddy and I'm wondering, would I need to make a backplate to the waterblock and how should I make the inside?


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## emosun

If it's a 95 based machine it probably has a pentium 1 or socket 7 cpu which doesn't use backplates on the heatsinks.


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## Wrench97

Instead of a ratiator use the heater core it'll be smaller and easier to adapt the hoses down to.


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## lildragon555

@emosun, I know that I'm just wondering because if this works out then I'm going to do it for my computer

@wrench97, I think that's what my friend meant


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## lildragon555

Would it be possible to create a CPU waterblock from copper? I was thinking of a design that I'm currently making, only thing is, that if I make one, how will I secure it to the mobo?


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## BoT

are you making a point of not using existing watercooling parts?

if you make your own copper block, you could create a fitting holddown plate and backplate to secure the block.

what do you use for the block design?


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## lildragon555

I was thinking about using the retention brackets and backplate on my existing CPU cooler and just put that on the waterblock.

For the design, I'm thinking about doing like a channel where it kinda zig-zags.

Does anyone know the dimensions of the area where you put the cooler on the CPU, so I can make a diagram of where to cut my design and where to leave space for the brackets?


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## lildragon555

In the attachments there is a rough sketch of what I might make it out of. The sides are for the holes for the retention brackets. Hope it works =D, if it doesn't lesson learned. I looked at a bunch of other CPU waterblocks and this is what I came up with....(noob work)


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## emosun

Honestly , a "home made" water cooling system is fine on an old pc that you don't care for. But inventing your own water cooling system out of automotive parts for a system that you DO care for either simply won't work or won't actually really cool the cpu to a justifiable level.

Even good water cooling systems designed for pc's don't cool the pc a whole lot more then standard air cooling.


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## BoT

Processor dimensions	1.47 × 1.47 inches
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGA_775

Water block
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_block

i would look at something like this:










or










or










or


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## BoT

are you using software for the design and if so which one?


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## BoT

if you are handy with mechanical drawing or CAD design, here are a couple of free programs/ apps that will let you do that:

Google SketchUp - this is free and a good starting point to learn
http://sketchup.google.com/#utm_campaign=en

eMachineShop is also free and can take you from your first steps of design to prototype to mass production
http://www.emachineshop.com/machine-shop/Download-Free-CAD-Software/page17.html

SolidWorks is one of the best, unfortunately i had only little time to play with it and it's not free but this is used by many companies and designers, etc
http://www.solidworks.com/


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## Phædrus241

The block's contact surface needs to be mirror smooth. At the very least you're going to need a mill, and most people who make custom water blocks or heatsinks have them made on CNC machinery, which unless you have access to this stuff at work or a university, costs big bucks to have done.


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## Wrench97

Before there were CNC mills there was man with a file, a vise and some talent. It can be done but it's going to take longer then you think.


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## lildragon555

wrench97 said:


> Before there were CNC mills there was man with a file, a vise and some talent. It can be done but it's going to take longer then you think.


Yea, I don't care about time, as long as I can do it using tools from home. I don't have access to those gigantic CNC mills that are like over $2,000.


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## Phædrus241

Obviously not. And I think they cost a wee bit more than $2000. :grin:

What I meant was, if there's one at a university near you, you could schmooze with the engineering students to see if they'll make it for you. I have a buddy who goes attends the mechanical engineering program at University of Toronto, and they have one of those CNC setups, and they're allowed a certain number of hours on them for their own projects. 

Next best thing is see if there's someone in your neighborhood with a bench lathe, since that way they can manually rough-machine it for you, then you finish it off (especially the contact surface) will sandpaper.


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## lildragon555

Phædrus2401 said:


> Obviously not. And I think they cost a wee bit more than $2000. :grin:
> 
> What I meant was, if there's one at a university near you, you could schmooze with the engineering students to see if they'll make it for you. I have a buddy who goes attends the mechanical engineering program at University of Toronto, and they have one of those CNC setups, and they're allowed a certain number of hours on them for their own projects.
> 
> Next best thing is see if there's someone in your neighborhood with a bench lathe, since that way they can manually rough-machine it for you, then you finish it off (especially the contact surface) will sandpaper.


Ooh...my electronics teacher has a bench lathe, maybe I could ask him.
Also, I just wanted to know if it was possible, and I know everyones telling me that its not efficient or its a waste. I don't care, I'd rather try and fail then do nothing...


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## lildragon555

Also, I was thinking of carving the copper by drilling multiple holes with a drill press (gonna take a while, but I don't care) and then epoxy a piece of plexiglass and barbs onto the copper blocks. Then I will think of a way to bolt it down using the retention brackets from my other CPU cooler.

I just want someone to say, is it possible or not. If not why?
I really don't care if it's gonna fail or be a waste. I like to get my hands on things and try to build stuff.


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## BoT

it is possible. 
the more tools you available the better your job could turn out.
what do you have available?
if you don't already i would get a rotozip or at least a dremel. there is a router attachment for both available which really could make your job a whole lot easier and more accurate.
i'd rather go with the rotozip because they have better metal cutting and carving bits.


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## Tyree

This is how I lap my heatsinks. 
Equipment Needed
Sandpaper
400 Grit Super Fine Wet/Dry
600 Grit Ultra Fine Wet/Dry
800 Grit Ultra Fine Wet/Dry
1000 Grit Ultra Fine Wet/Dry
1500 Grit Mirror Fine Wet/Dry
2000 Grit Mirror Fine Wet/Dry
Perfectly Flat surface-I use a piece of 1/4 thick plate glass.
Water
Hand Dishwashing Liquid

Start with the most coarse grit first (400 Grit), and repeat the process for each higher grit.
Completely soak the sandpaper under some running water, and then place it on your flat surface. I left a bit of standing water on my sandpaper. You can use hot water or cold water, it doesnt matter.

Next place a drop of the dishwashing liquid onto the heat sink's base. You only need to do this on the part that we will be lapping. Spread the dishwashing liquid around so it covers the base.

Place the heat sink on the wet sandpaper. Hold the heat sink by the side, and slowly move the heat sink up and down the paper. Be careful not to apply any pressure to the heat sink, let its own weight to do the work.

After about ten passes across the sandpaper, rotate the heat sink 90 degrees and continue to sand until you've made a complete rotation. Continue for about 10 complete rotations. Keep the sandpaper wet and reapply a drop of soap frequently

Repeat the process using the 600, 800, 1000, 1500, and 2000 grit sand paper.


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## lildragon555

BoT said:


> it is possible.
> the more tools you available the better your job could turn out.
> what do you have available?
> if you don't already i would get a rotozip or at least a dremel. there is a router attachment for both available which really could make your job a whole lot easier and more accurate.
> i'd rather go with the rotozip because they have better metal cutting and carving bits.


I got a drill press, lots of materials, vice/clamps, so much sandpaper, and I could probably use a dremel at my school or borrow from a friend.


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## Wrench97

I've been known to use a drill press with a end mill bit, it works just like a milling machine to cut the pocket out of the copper or aluminum block.


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## lildragon555

wrench97 said:


> I've been known to use a drill press with a end mill bit, it works just like a milling machine to cut the pocket out of the copper or aluminum block.


so it's possible =D
Then I'll probably start working on it. =D


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## BoT

keep us update on how it goes and how you go about doing it


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## lildragon555

Will do, wish me luck =D


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## burrell

lildragon555 said:


> Ooh...my electronics teacher has a bench lathe, maybe I could ask him.
> Also, I just wanted to know if it was possible, and I know everyones telling me that its not efficient or its a waste. I don't care, I'd rather try and fail then do nothing...


Thats the spirit!

Have a look at This

i'm not sure which size CPU this is for so check measurements first.

Burrell


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## lildragon555

I somewhat finished the water block, but I postponed the creation because my main computer's video card broke.


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## _Nomad

Pics pics pics! Lets see some pics


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