How To Make Your Own Satin Hardline Tubes - Easy Mod! | bit-tech Modding

Stock hardline tubes looking dull? Learn how to buff into glorious satin.
Mirka Abralon Sanding Pads:
amzn.to/2DalasA
Festool Platin 2 Sanding Pads (as used in the video):
amzn.to/2Bw7o38
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[@nirmalvasani8418]

Four or five years of watching this channel and I still struggle to focus on anything except that most magnificent mustache

[@frozezone22]

such an underrated channel

[@digispa]

This just saved me from having to search for a way to get frosted acrylic tubes. Thanks so much!!

[@thaikneepp]

Great tutorial and extremely helpful! Straight to the point and informative,thank you very much…

[@aaman82]

Y'all have a great KZbin channel. Thanks for all the tips

[@madd5]

I was looking really hard on amazon for such tubes. Thank you for the tip! Edit: Before watching this video I've tried sanding and it didn't look quite good. Will try the soft sanding now.

[@gustavsverlinger1518]

OMG!!! Thank u for making this video

[@itsvoogle]

Great Video, Clear and simple. Thanks!

[@TheJjjoj]

I have just used a frosted clear coat and sprayed them after a light sand. It works well and it's not uneven. It also protects the tube from future scratches. I've also done this with gloss clear on tubes that were somewhat scratched from the factory. Sand it down, clear coat, wait for drytime, new super glossy tube.

[@user-fq8pl6ek8l]

what frosted clear do u use

[@Next-nb9pr]

Those are videos we really need,great job

[@darkktint5974]

Man keep up the good work. Thus is good stuff.

[@richstanton1425]

Got me thinking mate, just about to redo my loop. Much love...Scooby.

[@98f5]

i sandblasted it. it worked great.

[@TheGoldenDragon_]

Really helpful video. Thank you so much.

[@dgtllo]

I like this look. I'll be doing this when I redo my loop in a couple of weeks.

[@Ghettochild.2600]

Me too. How'd it turn out?

[@dgtllo]

Kurt H pretty good actually. It’s still up and running.

[@vevveyfonzo]

Lovely tutorial

[@estan06]

Man you are awesome and thanks for everything you teach!!

[@filiphedman4392]

It looks Ice cold and frosty. I love it.

[@pedrogarciabuduen9597]

Excellent video, you just got another subscriber

[@gameplaykanal____6899]

I just bought the festool platin 2 sanding pad but with 2k to get a extreme smooth finish ^^ Thanks for this awesome video!

[@a.r.c8631]

Price?

[@gameplaykanal____6899]

@@a.r.c8631 Not sure right now i bought it a while ago but i guess it was 35 euro on amazon on sale. Normal price should be between 40 and 50 euro.

[@Akira72]

great idea excellent 👍

[@Return_To_Sender]

This is awesome. I'm switching to acrylic for my build and will definitely be doing this. Earned my sub. Thank you!

[@devthecanadian775]

great, going to be doing this today

[@commercio3564]

Thanks.

[@DarknessessB11]

Dish sponge and magic eraser get it done too. I just did it and it looks great!.

[@ms-px1cz]

Great video. I was really happy to hear you can achieve the frosted look with PETG. Do you have a link to the abrasive material you used?

[@MiddleofKnowhere]

Great video. Can you please provide links to the Festool Pads used in the video and also the Mercer pads you mentioned? I've been wanting to make my next hardline build with frosted/satin tubing and thought about doing it myself. Thanks!

[@edeali7927]

looks great for tubes, tried to do the same for a LED lit backplate, the scratches became super obvious because of the light shining through..

[@martingray7439]

Hmmm. I might need to do this when I do a custom loop in my computer

[@Wushu17]

Great video! Can you use a 3M Scotch Brite sanding pad instead?

[@sinistermind33]

Thanks for this. Been wondering how to "frost" the plexi sections of my ek cpu and gpu waterblocks for the nuka cola quantum build im putting together

[@Rayhold]

Sir, I always watched your videos but today I noticed that I wasn't subscribed! Good job and thanks for your wc videos!

[@Interspieder]

Hi bit-tech! I'm planning to do a full custom waterloop in my Define Nano S and I really liked the idea of using CAD to plan the tubing. Could you do a tutorial on that? Love your content btw, very nice to watch and informative.

[@bittech1]

I can give it a go, it’s quite an involved process if you want full detail though. The simplest way is to rough things out or use freely available models on GrabCAD

[@Interspieder]

@@bittech1 Just saw your hugely detailed wall-mounted model in the other video and was like: Wow, that must have been a lot of work! I guess many people would appreciate a tutorial (at least I would!)

[@Ricqu]

@@bittech1 Could you in theory do this to the reservoir tube also? Got an acrylic or PETG reservoir tube from EKWB that has minor scratches on it already, wondering is this could be done to match the tubes?

[@HMarcBower]

I know the video is a couple years old now, but still very relevant to me as I'm looking at doing this now, so thank you. :) What I also wanted to try was to have a completely clear "window" running the length of the tube as well (so satin finish for 90% of the circumference, and clear 5mm or so strip on the side facing out). I am wondering if running a couple of long strips of tape parallel along the tube and hitting it with a polishing pad would be enough to clear the satin look without melting the acrylic.

[@lorenzmeyer2412]

Tried it too, but the frostet look was only there before I asked away the sanding dust

[@GwenaelDano]

Nice! ;)

[@TheLordinio]

have you ever bent nickel plated copper tubing for a hardline pc rig?

[@KingAzaz]

I never knew this was a thing xD

[@OlettaLiano]

I get pretty good results using 000 extra fine steel wool.

[@Ricqu]

@bit-tech Could you in theory do this to the reservoir tube also? Got an acrylic or PETG reservoir tube from EKWB that has minor scratches on it already, wondering is this could be done to match the tubes?

[@nathanmountain6653]

Just curious not sure if youll see this but have you tried running a strip of masking tape on the sanding to leave a clear stripe through the loop. I think it'll look pretty sweet 🤔🤔🤔

[@zac2624]

Great advice, I was planning on using a frosting spray but this is much easier, I wonder if the grip from the rubber o ring on the fitting is reduced by the smoother ultimately scratched surface?

[@bittech1]

The surface is actually tougher than before thanks to the sanding, but from what I e experienced so far it’s exactly the same in the fittings.

[@zac2624]

@@bittech1 wow thank you, I love the look was just dubious on the hold, I'll give it a go now for sure!

[@allblue1120]

you can just buy frosted tubing www.aliexpress.com/item/Barrow-Matte-Acrylic-Tube-OD-12MM-14MM-16MM-Length-500MM-PMMA-Frosted-Tube/32842446581.html

[@Dobido52]

@@allblue1120 i did just that for my next build and the tubing looked great but they were crap i brought 6 of them and none of them took the silicon tubing for bending all the way in and the silicon was 8mm OD like the tubing is 8mm ID so if you go this route the tubes can be 50/50 with quality

[@scrumtios0]

Mr. sophisticated

[@dkrutsko]

Fantastic Video as always!! Two questions though: 1) Could this technique be applied to borosilicate glass tubing? 2) Have you tried using frosted glass spray paint for this effect?

[@bittech1]

Before we finished up filming I did actually have a go with some borosilicate glass I had to hand, no effect sadly. You could maybe do it by using a rougher grit and just spending time on it though, I might give it another try to see what’s possible. I haven’t tried the paint, but frankly I wouldn’t bother since this method is so simple. I know from doing windows that the paint can often peel off easily, so iit might get marked up by the fitting collars etc

[@AmeatballA]

sandblaster for the same effect on boro

[@MrK133n]

Media blasting is what you’d need for glass.

[@mufeez666]

i salute you for the mustache sir.

[@usernoname9642]

Can I use this tehnique on my corsair xd5 pump?

[@T.K.9]

Damn, nice tips! I was looking for Satin Tubes and I did find OCOOL was selling it. Unfortunately they only come at 13 mm tubing. And the EK HTC fittings I wanna use only go as 12mm 14mm and 16mm. I am just wondering though, do you also sand the tip that goes into the HT Fitting? And will the O-Ring on the HT Fitting still Seal the now sanded down tubing? I shall try this one! Thanks

[@bittech1]

Corsair now sells satin tubing btw in the sizes you want

[@AndrewEthans]

could you link the specific pads you use?

[@JUSTDREAMFREE]

Great video as it is extremely Informative! Thank You Bit-Tech! Question: Which is the preferred way to prep and paint your hardline tubes for a nice black matte color? maybe a new Video?

[@michguir8610]

Nice vid!! I've got a question. Do you recomend to sand it with water or not? Thank you!!!

[@bittech1]

You can do but it’s not essential when using the soft pads. If you use regular paper I would recommend it

[@buildfrom]

Neat :)

[@cameronlindhorst6311]

Can you do this with steel wool? Fine grain steel wool (like # 0000 or # 000) cost A LOT LESS than those festool pads you use.

[@spooky6420]

will this work with acryl tubes too or will it work better with PETG?

[@theft516]

Can this be used for airlines for air ride system

[@JJ-gk5tn]

Does this Work in reservoirs too ?

[@TonyHughesGOCProductions]

what about sanding on the inside of the tube with some kinda apparatus?

[@boostaddict_]

Not sure if I want to do this or get flat black tubing with black fittings. Tough call.

[@hoyle038]

For North America, you can get these pads from Amazon that are what Bit-Tech is talking about. Hope this helps. www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07R3S88JY?ref=ppx_pt2_dt_b_prod_image

[@hollywoodmc5511]

adding custom paint to custom satin tubing?

[@mircealeonte5476]

I'll to these for my first water-coooed pc,but can I get this effect on reservoirs?

[@nororlol4life819]

please no

[@mchl_mchl]

Anyone know if this works on clear soft tubing??

[@ivanvalle8704]

your stache makes you look like a french ww1 soldier

[@TTTechnoPro]

will this work on a gpu waterblock?

[@incongruous4]

I wish I could find these s500 pads in a smaller amount than a 15 pack for $70+shipping

[@Mcvanilla83]

i think a steel sponge would also work

[@fawkyooo7377]

So question... does this not change the tube diameter? I would prefer to use a branded tube from say corsair because the final dimension of the tube should be exactly what is needed for a secure seal to prevent leaking.

[@bittech1]

It does *technically* but it’s by some insanely small degree, any change would be well within the manufacturing tolerance of the tube. That said, just buy the frosted one to begin with. This tutorial Pre-dates a lot of the tubes on the market now.

[@C0lbyte]

Where can i get those high grit sanding pads? Here in Denmark they are only to be found in between 100 and 220 grit.

[@bittech1]

Look for either the Festool Platin or Mirka Abralon ones specifically as they come in the really high grits, although they may need to be imported. That said, they’re both European products so should be okay enough to source

[@C0lbyte]

@@bittech1 Thank you. I can get festool here in Denmark actually but the price is a bit much considering i have to buy them bulk. Have to buy 15 for each pack and they go for 50 EUR each pack. I gather grit 500 and 100.

[@bittech1]

Aye Festool’s expensive for that reason, Mirka’s a Finnish company so I’d have thought it might be somewhat available for you.

[@Ghettochild.2600]

I've tried 400-2500 grit and honestly what I've found to be the best for me waa using a scotch Brite pad in circular motions until you get a nice uniform look. Just did some ekwb reservoirs and they turned out great

[@pet1tpept1t49]

Can I use 400 or 800 paper

[@justincrews9479]

Can this mess with the tightness of the fittings themselves? As in setting up for a possible leak?

[@bittech1]

justin crews Not unless you go absolutely mad with the sanding. This only lightly mattes the surface, it essentially doesn’t remove material in practical terms.

[@justincrews9479]

@@bittech1 awesome! Thank you for the reply.

[@taylorh4501]

will scotchbright pads work as well as the soft sanding pads?

[@bittech1]

Quite possibly! Use one of the fine finishing ones, it's all the same sort of use case

[@taylorh4501]

@@bittech1 i cant find any abrasives to use for doing my tubes, are there any links you can share?

[@joezunenet]

Festool pads only come in bulk. What is the name of the other pads (bowling ball ones)?

[@joezunenet]

Mirka Abralon

[@bittech1]

Mirka Abralon

[@CommodoreProxy]

Just found this and will be trying it, but I was curious if anyone had tried this on a reservoir or a block itself... I may try it on a reservoir to see how it turns out for now. It would let me run a fully frosted look for my build...except the vgc block(for now) but I'm going to mount it in the standard way instead of vertically with a riser, so it won't be that noticable.

[@Fantazmalistic]

Please let me know how this works out. I'd love to give my reservoir a satin finish!

[@CommodoreProxy]

@@Fantazmalistic I did this on an ekwb flt120 res. It turned out great. It's a smaller/thinner res so it actually colour matches the coolant in the satin tubing really well.

[@legion65]

man.. now I want to build a second hard tubined pc

[@soup3447]

How did you get that shade of blue? Im trying to make a frosted blue

[@bittech1]

This is just some water with a drop of blue dye in it. For a loop you can use clear coolant and then a dye kit from the coolant provider you chose, this gives you complete control over the colour.

[@monsterGLL]

Will this work with acrylic block tops?

[@bittech1]

Yup, in fact a couple guys on FB have it a go after watching the video and had fantastic results

[@thedesk954]

Wont look scratchy after awhile neither :D

[@dainiusvysniauskas2049]

Can you do this with acrylic reservoirs?

[@bittech1]

Yup!

[@dainiusvysniauskas2049]

@@bittech1 Ufffffffffffffffffffffff.... I kinda want to try this on my Barrow Obsidian reservoir... Gotta get a test sample first though :(

[@dainiusvysniauskas2049]

Another idea... These soft sanding pads should be totally fine for giving curved objects brushed finish, right?

[@bittech1]

They can be, they’re very soft though so sometimes the pattern isn’t that strong.

[@dainiusvysniauskas2049]

@@bittech1 Great news! I am thinking about doing that to guitar pickup covers, they usually have thin layer of chrome or nickel plating, so soft pattern isn't big of issue I guess

[@cobykeim4839]

Does anyone know what liquid he used in the thumbnail

[@janschulze3482]

Maybe that's a bad question, but does it work with glass tubing?

[@bittech1]

Not with this particular method I found, the soft pads don't really do much to glass tubing. For glass it would be best to use either an etching cream or to have them bead blasted.

[@janschulze3482]

@@bittech1 Okay, thank you ^-^

[@cardbored_]

I wish you would link to some of those sand paper products, or atleast spell out what they're called. I googled "Mercer Abrulon"... but not even sure if that's what you said. <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="120">2:00</a>

[@troublezks]

It's Mirka Abralon

[@TheLevitatingChin]

Victorian tech tuber.

[@emjay9280]

Put it into a drill, wrap the soft pad around and run it up and down for a way quicker and more even finish.

[@bittech1]

Not so great when a bend is in the tubes though

[@makaka2000]

What if I do it by sandblasting? anyone tried this idea ever before?

[@bittech1]

Yeah sure you can if you have access to it, this is very practical though as you can do it as you go along. Sandplasting is used fairly often for frosting reservoirs though, can use a vinyl template to etch interesting designs into the sides

[@A_Class216]

Or you could just use "frosted glass" spray

[@Tofilux]

Was here

[@lotharteng4236]

Damn platin 2 is ex

[@ThePazuzu]

The worst part of watercooling is that every time I start I new project and start googling stuff, I see this dude's stupid moustache everywhere.

[@driesdebruyn4372]

there is a much easier way...get a frosted glass effect spraycan...much easier, cheaper and better result.

[@hardwareinside]

Looks not so fine i think. I have use it with blue PETG, looks not good.

[@bittech1]

As in this method or satin tubes in general?

[@hardwareinside]

​@@bittech1 Go 10 feets back, it looks okay, but the result on 20-30 inch looks terrible and not fine. I do it with 120 1000 2000 5000 grit paper, dry and wet

[@bittech1]

Do you use these particular pads I mention in the video? The result is flawless if you do it right even under close inspection.

[@hardwareinside]

@@bittech1 na only paper

[@per-arnesveia8037]

@@hardwareinside Did you even watch the video?! :'D

[@user-ol6pz9vc4t]

a video that teaches you how to make a satin tubes(x a video sells sand papers(O

[@breathe462]

or i buy it at alphacool :D

[@davejones1959]

Why not just scuff it before you bend it?

[@georgedelay1]

Great video but please blink,

[@KnurdMonkey]

Isn't it preferrable to sand it after bending? It could got back to clear when heated for bending ( like they do when they refurbish headlights for cars), isn't it? You already reply at the end of the video :)

[@MisterRorschach90]

I’m gonna guess before the video starts that you are using fine grit sand paper.

[@MisterRorschach90]

I was right

[@bittech1]

I mean I could have sand blasted the tubes but it’s not exactly a simple mod then... The trick is using the right pads, if you just use normal fine grit sandpaper the tubes won’t look good at all.

[@tannercloyd966]

Doesn’t blink.ever.

[@RenardThatch]

Why the hell are these sanding pads 80 dollars for a pack of 15?

[@Akantore]

Instructions are all wrong. I have accidentally summoned a demon.

[@bittech1]

Kim Jong Dong No no that’s an optional step, you’re doing fine!

[@MrKZdemos]

People still use petg? Lmao

[@hardwareinside]

PMMA better :D

[@Return_To_Sender]

Hurrr durr your epeen must be so big. PETG is perfect for beginners, it's forgiving and cheap.

[@hardwareinside]

Sorry, dont think so... all tubes 3,5$ over aliexpress or so, you can bend both easy... one with lower heat but i find it not difficult... stop your pump and look what will break... PETG or PMMA under Prime95 or Games with hot tubes... PMMA is so save

[@MrKZdemos]

i got no experience with pmma, but petg is trash