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Thread: Completed: Our Custom Test Rig

  1. #1
    Case Modding MoFo Crimson Sky's Avatar
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    Default Completed: Our Custom Test Rig

    When our News & Reviews editor Dante wanted some sort of rig to use for hardware reviews, he told me about these Tech Stations that are available---well that thing just won't do (and $139????!!!) for a team like us so I went ahead and began designing our own. With parts from Lowes and Home Despot that Zed and I hunted down, I began building a custom test station. Here are some pics and progress of this relatively easy to make rig.


    1/2" MDF laminated with .0040 Styrene sheet became the top and bottom of the rig. The styrene was glued on with contact cement (same that's used for laminate on kitchen counters) and then the edges were cleaned and shaped with a router and ogee bit. The styrene will be painted red to match our logo.








    I decided to integrate some common watercooling hardware into the design. A dual & single 120mm radiator is shown mounted on the rear of the rig. The latter pics show the adaptor plates for 80mm rads.









    I had some scrap aluminum parts from a door saddle and this was great for creating a mounting bracket for the resevoir. A short length of threaded rod with nylon nuts on both ends holds the res in place...it even swings out for access to the barbs.





    Here is part of the scrap door saddle:

    Last edited by Crimson Sky; 04-25-2005 at 10:14 AM.

  2. #2
    Case Modding MoFo Crimson Sky's Avatar
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    Default Re: Testing Station

    Here is the slide-out mounting bracket for the HDD. The plate that the drive mounts to was part of a CoolDrive kit that I had laying around in my parts bin---dont throw scrap crap away! The rest of the mechanism is aluminum angle stock and plate from Lowes. Each piece was sanded dry, then wetsanded and polished on a rouge wheel. Maguire's metal polish was used to clean and finish it. Looks a whole lot better (and more sturdy) than that clear plastic bracket on that $139 rig.





    HDD Rails mounted to the top of the rig:



    A thumbscrew prevents the HDD from sliding out in case the rig is tipped:



    Last edited by Crimson Sky; 04-14-2005 at 08:27 PM.

  3. #3
    Overclocked
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    Default Re: Our Custom Test Rig

    Nice job.

    I have a tech station for when I was testing stuff for reviews. Wish mine was as big since I could use more space lol.



    Its cry for more space ..... and a muffin!
    Check Top toys and Menards Ad.

    Sort of useless to me now that I am not reviewing for my own site at the moment but see if I get some freelance work to get it back in use lol.
    Last edited by DaveW; 11-21-2020 at 08:01 PM.
    Mesh makes the world go around!!!!

  4. #4
    The SlackMeister
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    Default Re: Our Custom Test Rig

    great job guys. its gonna be very cool. just dont forget to make watercooling tubes a lil longer so it can fit on any mobo.

  5. #5
    ATX Mental Case
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    Default Re: Our Custom Test Rig

    So, when do I get one?
    ================================================== =========
    "And when you kill a man you're a murderer. Kill many and you're a conqueror. Kill them all and you're a God." - Megadeth

  6. #6
    Administrator
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    Default Re: Our Custom Test Rig

    I can't wait to get my grubby hands on this rig. This is going to make one mean gaming .......errrrr...I mean testing setup.

  7. #7
    Overclocked
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    Default Re: Our Custom Test Rig

    ?

    There building it and shipping it to you so you can write reviews?

    If so thats pretty nice of them. Most reviewers have their own test systems lol.
    Mesh makes the world go around!!!!

  8. #8
    Administrator
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    Default Re: Our Custom Test Rig

    Quote Originally Posted by Whisp
    ?

    There building it and shipping it to you so you can write reviews?
    Check Shoprite Specials and Spar Specials.

    If so thats pretty nice of them. Most reviewers have their own test systems lol.
    I work for them. I am not a freelance writer. And yes they take very good care of the people who work for them.
    Last edited by DaveW; 11-21-2020 at 08:00 PM.

  9. #9
    The SlackMeister
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    Default Re: Our Custom Test Rig

    Dante is so lucky!! he is getting that and other VERY cool toys that we can only dream of.

  10. #10
    Overclocked
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    Default Re: Our Custom Test Rig

    Quote Originally Posted by MrSlacker
    Dante is so lucky!! he is getting that and other VERY cool toys that we can only dream of.

    lol

    No doubt.

    That pretty nice of the staff to give him a test rig since most sites I know want their writers to have their own equipemnt when it comes to the basic stuff.

    Thats cool though.

    Good luck on the reviews. If I had a better graphical site I would have stayed doing reviews for myself but I suck at coding and web design and just like to write reviews so off I go looking for a new home haha. Got some neat gadgets to play for though while it lasted and got up to 16 sponsors lol.
    Mesh makes the world go around!!!!

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