Rich Chomiczewski aka Spotswood Modular Radiator Stand [2x480mm]

[derickwm]

Radiator Stand
By: Rich Chomiczewski aka Spotswood

Specifications:
• Size: 13″ x 14.75″ x 23.5″ (W x D x H)
• Aluminum T-Braces
• Completely Modular Design
• 2x480 Radiator Space
• Pump, Modular, & PSU Mounting

Assembly:

Assembling the stand was as simple as it gets. It comes in 3 pieces with all the screws/tools in neatly labeled bags. Using the included tool set it took me all of 10 minutes to have the full stand assembled and ready to add in my radiator. Like with all radiator stands, it’s a lot easier to attach the actual radiators with an additional person, however even without an additional person it was relatively straight forward and simple to put it all together.

In comparison to the Phobya stand it was a lot less painful and took a lot less time to put together a radiator in a push/pull configuration. It took quite a while when I was using the Phobya stand to line up the holes between the stand, the fans, and the radiator, which led to lots of scratching of paint, both on the radiator and stand. With Rich’s solution not only took a lot less time but I was able to install everything without scratching any paint.

Features:

The main attraction of this radiator stand is the modularity. I setup my stand in the dual vertical position but it can be setup in almost any way you want it to be. As featured on Rich’s website, it can be setup in a vertical or horizontal, single or dual radiator. The cool thing about how this is designed is if you wanted to you could order this with a double stand and have quadruple 4x120mm rads!

In terms of space, the Phobya radiator stand has more rad space [9x120] vs [8x120] on Rich’s stand but that is before you add in the potential for two more [4x120] radiators. Mounting extras on each stand offer a plethora of options. The Phobya has options on either and is constructed with a hefty enough material that any modder comfortable with a drill could easily customize their own. Rich’s mounting options take a different, less permanent, approach. All of the aluminum t-slots allow for customizable sliding, which are of course included. While the rail system may not provide the customizability that drilling your own hoes may provide, however for the group of modders that shy away from hard modding then this is their stand.

Using a standard MCP655/Laing D5 pump I was able to mount it with ease to Rich’s stand, while with the Phobya I wasn’t as lucky. It is possible, but I unfortunately did not have a drill. Using a FrozenQ 250mL reservoir I was able to mount it easily to the Phobya using the holes provided. With Rich’s stand I wasn’t able to mount securely in a vertical position, but in a horizontal position I was able to mount it just fine using the rail system. An additional feature that Rich’s stand has over the Phobya is the ability to mount a PSU securely to the base.

Conclusion:

Both radiator stands do their job sufficiently. The Phobya is priced at $90.00 USD while Rich’s is priced at $140. Is the $50 premium worth it? Some would argue that the a radiator stand is meant to hold radiators and that is their sole purpose, while others enjoy additional mounting features. If you need a radiator stand to hold radiators and nothing else then the Phobya may be more suited towards you. If you are working on a test bench and need additional mountings for pumps/reservoirs/PSUs then Rich’s stand will be worth the premium. Overall I was very satisfied with the product, I enjoyed the modularity and the ease of installation.

Rich's Website
Additional photos can be found on my blog, here.

[Mind_Reader7]

Looks killer, but I have to ask, did you pop rivet the PSU?