Mining Rig Build Log - #3
Frame Build and Initial Assembly
After commencing work on the steel frame yesterday I still had a lot more welding and painting to do in order to finish building the frame for my new mining rig. I managed to finish fabrication last night and get a couple of coats of paint in along with a preliminary build this morning. I have taken the rig as far as it will go currently until the GPU's and CPU arrive tomorrow and/or Tuesday, so this will just be a quick update in order to keep the blog up to date with where I'm standing!
Oh, and in case you missed them, the previous stages of the build can be found below:
Link to Part 1
Link to Part 2
Link to Part 4
(Image: The welding of the steel rig frame continues...)
| Taking Shape... | Frame prior to painting... |
|---|---|
 |  |
(Image: I used metal fence paint to coat the steel this time. Previously I sprayed the frame on my old rig, but this was very prone to chipping during the build so I decided to try a different solution this time around.)
(Image: I used some plastic spacers from an old TV bracket in order to lift the PCB off the steel frame.)
(Image: As with my other rig, I just glue-gunned the SSD in place.)
(Image: The final progress made so far. Can go no further until CPU and GPU's arrive in the next couple of days)
As I mentioned above, my build progress is now dependent on the processor and graphics cards arriving in the next 1-2 days. If there is a delay, I might temporarily use one of the processors in one of my other systems in order to get the OS loaded onto my SSD and have everything ready just to plug and play for when the final parts arrive.
For anyone just joining me on this post, the rig will be assembled using the following components.
Parts list recap:
- CPU: Intel Pentium G3240, 3.1GHz - STILL TO ARRIVE
- RAM: 8GB Crucial DDR3, 1600Mhz - MOUNTED
- Mobo: ASRock H81 Pro BTC - MOUNTED
- PSU: 850watt Corsair RM850i - MOUNTED
- Disk: 120gb Sandisk SSD - MOUNTED
- PCIE Risers: Powered 1x to 16x - Elegiant - MOUNTED
- GPU: 3GB Palit Nvidia GTX 1060's - STILL TO ARRIVE
Stay tuned for the final stages of the build and some numbers tomorrow or Tuesday and as always, if you have any questions or feedback do let me know!
Link to Part 1
Link to Part 2
Link to Part 4
Cheers!
A
I have some 1060 3gb still running aswell mining lbry , what do you plan to mine with them?
Well I have been mining Zen for some months now on my other 1060's (currently have 3x 1060 and 1x 1070 assigned to Zen atm) and I will continue to do so to build up my holdings in that currency for the foreseeable future until the secure nodes for it come online. Then I will reassess and see if the hashpower is maybe better directed elsewhere. Hope that answers the question!
i really commend you for setting up your own mining rig @balditron. I wish you all the best on your mining!
Thanks @randell, I will update again soon with how the rig looks and performs once the final pieces of the puzzle arrive!
Mate, how do you avoid the dust accumulation? I'm facing that problem you know...
Being honest, I don't have a really good method right now. I dust off my rigs every 2-3 weeks with compressed air (after letting them cool down - don't hit anything with compressed air until it has naturally cooled or you'll risk breaking it). I did actually see this really good idea on YT where a guy had made enclosed wooden boxes for his rigs with a top-mounted extractor fan and filtered air intakes at the bottom. I have linked the vid below in case you want to take a look. I'm thinking of building something similar because the shed I keep the rigs in build up dust FAST and it is a pain to be honest. The heat is another thing altogether too.... I'm hoping to try and kill two birds with one stone with the solution to the dust problem. Will most likely update the blog if I do!
Yes yes yes you are right!!! Compressed air! I never think about that... I used to... just blow! lol, I'm going to buy a small air compressor!
Thank you so much for sharing! The video you shared is also pretty nice! They guy had an excellent idea!
Very informative post. Well managed and detail oriented. I bet you are a professional in building these. Thank you for sharing this with us.
You are very welcome. Thanks for the kind words, I put a lot of effort into these builds so I am glad it has gone appreciated! Final part will be online tonight or tomorrow :)
I've always wanted to dive into mining rigs but never took the plunge. I even purchased a pre-built frame that never arrived (and thankfully was refunded). Never went beyond that.
Anyways, a question: I noticed you plan to mine Zcash initially. How long do you expect this rig to last in terms of profitability? Electric costs and waning profits have always hampered my mining ambitions.
That is fortunate you got your money back on the frame, mining isn't for everyone. I will be doing some testing over the next few days once I have the final components. I am fortunate that the electricity is free for my rigs so that really helps my profitability. At the current difficulty and price I expect an ROI of 7 months if I stick with Zen Cash. However I anticipate the price may increase over the next few months as they continue to develop the currency and bring secure nodes online. This will have the most impact on the ROI I reckon.
Good for you with the electric!
Thanks for the info.
Expect gamers to hate you :))