Making your own CPU waterblock the ghetto/hick way.

[superkdogg]

CPU blocks cost too much for my blood so I decided to make my own. Well, copper blocks aren't readily available in the middle of nowhere, but guess what are....old heatsinks and plumber's putty epoxy. So I removed parts of some fins strategically to create a channel so the water stays in the block long enough to pick up some heat-it goes each direction twice with 180 degree turns at the end. Then I mixed up a batch of putty and sealed the sides and top and molded 1/2 in. ID tubing barbs into the top. Have been leak testing it with my aquarium pump and heater core from a Geo (I told you this was ghetto/hick style) and so far so good. I am betting that such a huge radiator (8x10x2") and 1/2 tubing will be able to make up for a mediocre water block and pump.

What do you think?

 

[Nohr]

You should mount it with duct tape for the full effect.

 

[superkdogg]

Originally posted by: Nohr
You should mount it with duct tape for the full effect.

That's a fabulous idea!

I'll actually put duct tape over my home-made bracket but make it look like it's just the tape holding it down.

 

[cbehnken]

Did you consider soldering the block? It'd be safer than epoxy I would think.

 

[JMWarren]

Pics?

Mike

 

[islandtechengineers]

i actually thought of using the rad cores myself after i stripped a couple of hondas and saw how small they are. Have you though about welding instead of putty? there should be copper pipes or sheets at your local hardware store if your willing to spend the cash. another idea = if you have a dremel, use it to expose the bare metal/ polish the inards of the water block before you piece it together. after you get it up, post the results!

 

[imported_llama]

yeah, i want to DIY one but theres too much at stake

 

[Phlargo]

Yeah... I wanna see pics of this one. Sounds like a beast.

 

[superkdogg]

Still working on it. It's harder than I thought and the epoxy putty may need to get pulled off. There is one tiny (like a drop every 12 hours tiny) hole that I can't get sealed.

What are the odds that I can successfully solder aluminum to copper? Or build an entire block from copper sheets rather than a copper block? Or put a handful of pennies on the train tracks then stack them up and drill holes in them-lol?