In-desk watercooled PC build- Completed

Hardware Hub Build Logs
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I recently moved house & decided that it was time for a good solid desk after many flimsy Ikea styled ones over the years. I considered buying one, but then thought, why not build one to suit my needs exactly.

I started a few days ago & this is my progress so far.

I wanted plenty of room, as my previous desks have always felt cluttered. This one measures 1800x920mm. (6ft x 3ft).

I plan to move my gaming rig into the desk in a few months once I collect the various parts I still need to change it over to water cooling.

updated
System is now running, these are the specs:
AS Rock Z170 extreme 7+ Motherboard
Intel 6700K, currently @ 4.6, just using the auto OC feature in the bios. EK Supremacy waterblock fitted.
16GB 2666 Hyper X savage DDR4
2 x Gigabyte G1 Gaming 980 Ti- with EK full water blocks
Samsung 850 EVO 1TB SSD & 256GB 950 NVME
EK Xres 140 pump/res combo
EK 540mm Radiator with 3 180mm fans
Case fans are BeQuiet! 140mm Pure wings (4 of those)
There is also a Noctua 120mm fan under the motherboard to add some ventilation there.
PSU EVGA P2 1200w
Monitor is the Asus PB279Q 27" 4K 60hz
Razer Deathstalker keyboard & Naga mouse

12 Likes
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Great Effort on your self-built computer-desk.

I'm a hobby woodworker myself (mainly woodturning), and I'm enjoying your project.

Nice detail with the router for the bench-top cut-outs, too.

Did you laminate the top yourself? and what type of timber is the laminate made from?

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Thanks, the laminate top is made from acacia.

It's my first time working with wood, so I don't have the tools yet to do such a large lamination myself.

I've enjoyed it so far though, so may do some more things in the future.

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4

Mate for a 'first-timer' you've done a great job.

I'd love to create a similar desk using Mackay Cedar as the top.

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For our 'non-metric' American friends those top-dimensions are: 70" x 36" inches
(5.8 feet x 3 feet approx.)

*I'm assuming the 'height-measurements' you would customise to suit your own requirements (seated / knee-height)

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Oh I'm definitely following this. I assume you are going to turn the cabinet part on the left side of the desk into the actual PC case itself? Are you going to put some glass over that top part so we can see the rig in action?

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I'm interested in those round cut-outs on the front-face, and the back-face of the cabinet on the left-hand side (speaker housings?)

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I was thinking fan housings.

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Correct, those are for 140mm fans. I'll be making a metal shroud for them & using magnetic dust filters.

The PC will be going in the left cabinet & I will be using glass to cover the cutout.

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Will the left cabinet be the case itself, or simply house the case?

my fingers are crossed on that being the case itself

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I went with the standard desk height of 700mm (27"). I did consider making it adjustable, but thought I'd keep it simple for the first time.

I used to work with a guy who has a shed full of Mackay Cedar, his father used to make furniture from it, but the dust from it killed him, nasty stuff when it's in your lungs apparently.

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Really? I've never heard of cedar being specifically more or less harmful than any other form of wood dust. I know you probably shouldn't breath it in. Although I am a smoker so I probably have no room to talk lol

Is that cabinet going to be the actual case, or simply contain the case?

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Yes, it will be the case. I will be going for a black & white theme to suit the motherboard & water cooling the CPU/GPUs.

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Oh hell yes.

four 140 rads, two 280 rads, or going to go bigger? Just curious.

Damnit, now I want to make my own desk lol

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The top fans are just for air flow for anything not water cooled. The rads I was thinking can go in the bottom section, I have plenty of room there, so probably a couple of 480s.

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Oh I see the bottom compartment now.

Dayum. That's gonna be badass. Hard tubing or soft tubing?

Crazy idea: small fishtank on top of the desk, as the reservoir (my idea's are always a bit over the top lol)

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I prefer the look of hard tubing, so will give that a go.

I'm trying to keep the top clutter free, but would like to try & do something creative with the reservoir. I'll see what my options are once it starts taking shape.

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Now I'm even more hyped lol. (I love hard tubing loops. Just don't go with that ugly opaque coolant on me lol)

If you can, you should definitely make the reservoir visible from the outside.

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The 'Mackay Cedar' in Australia has a pretty toxic sawdust if inhaled into the lungs, many woodturners / woodworkers will wear a specially filtered respirator when machining Mackay Cedar.

Mackay Cedar is a rainforest timber, but when sanded, and polished it possesses a 'silky' finish, and is prized by many woodworkers in spite of its toxic sawdust.

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Tracked and bookmarked. Very cool stuff man.

1 Like