So … this is going to be a strange one. Even more so because this log has starting not even at the beginning and still with so many changes to come and much undecided. This is probably the point of logs I guess.
It has also become a matter of urgency to get this documented as I have recently seen other concepts that are converging towards my own design. 
It's not that polished but if you are into Steam Punk you will probably love this.
 
Prologue
The start of this project came from a doodle scribbled down a many years ago, way before I got my head stuck into computers.
Some time later I completed training as a plumber and when I looked at the doodle again I thought “that would be fun to make out of copper pipe”. My original intention was always to form the curves by bending rather than soldering joins but this is a start.
 
After getting my head into computers and water-cooling I thought “cooling loop” and originally envisaged plugging it in to the top of a rig and using it as a giant heat-sink/radiator/cooling element thing. I looked at finned tubing to increase the surface area and even considered integrating a waterfall to increase heat transfer.
 
However, after digging out some old copper pipe (and realising the pipe benders I had for that size weren’t going to guarantee the quality curves I wanted), the quickest way forward was going to be using fittings for the angles. Having refined the pipe arrangement and not the shape to improve the symmetry and repetition of the pipe runs, it came to measuring the pipe and establishing how big it will end up by deciding the length of each “side”.
 
It was then I thought that shape will take a single radiator with push-pull fans, if I just add 5mm I can fit a psu in there and how about a bay res in that space.
 
So … it may never work … you’ll either love it or hate it … kind of odyssey / master-piece … it’s an inside-out project called Cubic.
 

Prototype:
This soldering was made a lot easier by having a fire place although a garage and workshop would have been better.

 
Without a proper jig, I had to improvise to keep everything square or perpendicular as required. I had reworked the layout to increase the symmetry and the regularity of shapes but I wasn’t able to rationalise the design to 3 or 4 identical parts which would then join together. So I stuck to the most common regular shape and mass produced that.
 

 

 
I eventually got the bits in to 3 large but not identical parts and these were easily joined together.

 

 

 
As this is only a template now, I have rethought several aspects.
I don’t need 16mm pipe. As most fittings will be ¼”  I won’t need more than 10mm pipe. Microbore is easier to bend and there are some great (and cheaper) tools for very accurate forming. The choice of diameter will more be governed by the bend radius I need. Still tbc.
I might need 2 pumps, maybe integrated into the reservoir but also could be used in place of corners as many pumps turn flow through 90 degrees.
I haven’t sorted the circulation routes from the rads to the water blocks but it is likely that some of loop could be isolated and used for hiding cabling instead (I know this defeats the point of a funky single loop but it’s an option).
As you will see from the close-up although the geometry is nice and snug it’s a bit too snug. With a greater formed radius the clearance should be sufficient although I might have to bind and pad those areas to keep them rigid.
I’ll be earthing the pipe …
 
 
 

Bit of fiddling involved but got the motherboard tray and motherboard placed:

 
Next job - I have the rads on order, pretty sure I'll be using stock brackets to assist fixing to the pipe frame. But this is evolving as it goes ...

shrekdaklown

this pump should hand that even the way it is http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=59_201&products_id=26144

Thanks shrekdaklown. Pumps will be critical to the success of this one. All pointers greatfully received.

I know it's been a while but now i've chosen the mobo, it's coming along much quicker.

So, pump time. Did a huge amount of reseach and found these:
... which would look perfect, fitted in line with the copper pipe.
Unfortunately, due to the pipework also being structural, breaks for each pump would require secondary support. Another concern is, that due to the angular nature of the system, removing air from the high points would be tricky and best resolved with pump-reservoir combo.The only place to put these is on the underside of the motherboard tray and I definitely wanted two of them.
In the end, found these beauties:
 ... result.
 
 
 
 
 

 
Happy building.             =)

looking forward to your final work...

are you going to polish  the pipes at the end?

Man, some of you guys sure have an amazing sense of creation! Super impressive!

Here the info for the motherboard you went for:
 
Tyan TYAN S8238
http://tyan.com/product_SKU_spec.aspx?ProductType=MB&pid=689&SKU=600000198
 
Bios support page is here:
http://tyan.com/support_d...ios.aspx?model=S.S8238
 
Downside no Opteron 6300 & 6300P support, Personally I would of gone Supermicro all the way.
 
Supermicro H8DGT-HIBQF
http://www.supermicro.nl/Aplus/motherboard/Opteron6000/SR56x0/H8DGT-HIBQF.cfm

 
Feel free to ask help of such systems @ 2CPU.com forums which is here:
http://forums.2cpu.com/
 
We are specialized with such systems, mainly Multi CPU Workstations, 2CPU Gaming systems, Servers, Data Centers, Main Frames & Super Computers.

Wow....your a crazy man!!! That's a lot of soldering brotha. Any reason why you didn't go with quick connects or compression fittings? Or even in a couple key places? Just continuity of the look maybe? I got to say, I REALLY love your original idea the way you described it with the finned copper etc.... great use of form and function into art. I suppose you can solder your own fins on, if your ambitious enough. you def look like you have the soldering skills cause your joints look great. also, painting the copper any color I think will really make you lose the look. Its going to look like a PVC rig at that point and it wont get the recognition it deserves with how much work went into it. I actually stopped and read the whole thread because I saw all that copper, with plain copper elbows, and knew the work it takes. So def please consider the polishing route if you do anything because the DETAILS are what make rigs like this shine. You could end up on all kinds of magazines, and with sponsors for another build, if you put the time in. looking forward to this ones future!!! \m/

BadBertie

Gold Leader

Downside no Opteron 6300 & 6300P support, Personally I would of gone Supermicro all the way.
 

Yup, me too. I have 8 socket F and G34 4P Supermicro boards. 3 of them run 24/7.
Once I had committed to the mobo size it came down to price. As this is still a prototype project, €100 for the Tyan 8238 was a winner.

I'd happily switch if anyone has the same deal going for that H8DGT-HIBQF

Thanks for the link to your forum. I'm sure I'll be in there once I've finished the "case" and I'm doing final install and setup.

Yeah no probs man, this project does look like fun, keep us posted here as well
As a 2CPU.com crew member myself I am always on the lookout for Multi CPU users and enthusiasts, even if it's for a Folding Farm, a File Server, Game Server or just for the fun of it, I am a Hobbyist but I also run Game servers for League of Dilo's mainly Primal Carnage 1.3, Primal Carnage Extinction and Minecraft: Feed The Beast
 
But since we are here at EVGA Forums, also feel free to post your setups in the MR +1 topic which my good friend Chrome M Dragon made and I helped him to design make the MR +1 list for that cool project:
http://forums.evga.com/tm...6&mpage=30#1588237
 
I think these servers you built will be much liked, I will anyways always was interested in Server hardware over conventional Desktop stuff hehe

ILikeBeans
Wow, extreme! Not sure if helpful, but you can remove excess solder by wiping the just soldered joint while still hot with a damp rag as the last step :)

Yep. But you did see photos of where I was working? No jigs there, I just had to leave them cool on ceramic tiles. The geometry was priority over a few dribbles at the time.