PDA

View Full Version : Project: Still thinking of a name.



cgantt
04-10-2008, 09:10 AM
Hello everyone. I have been a lurker here since Doom 3 was being built. I have tinkered with a few mods here and there but never anything serious. So for the last few weeks I have been sketching on napkins, jotting down ideas, and reading as many work logs as I can from various sites around the net.

This will be my first major mod and I plan on building a case from scratch (mostly plexi and aluminum). Like my grandfather used to say.."The only dreams worth having are the big ones" So while the actual build is a little while away I wanted to start a build log mostly for me to keep track of things, and also to show the case from the design stage to the finished computer. So here I go... Wish me luck.

While I will do my best to not blatantly steal the design of anyone I cannot make any promises. I fully understand not getting credit for hard work and the feeling you get when someone steals your work. So I apologize for any thing I may copy. I will try to credit everything I notice.


Part 1. Planning and Design.

The reason I want to scratch build a case is I like a challenge and there wasn't one single case on the market that I was comfortable with. Being a closet modder and lurking the various case moding forums on the net I have always envied these detailed, intricate, and huge builds. So over the last year I have been slowly taking notes on various mods that caught my eye. Some things as simple as pexi case feet to the intricate reservoirs of Tribaloverkill.

List of ideas for the case.

1. Custom plexi reservoir
2. PSU in the bottom
3. HDDs in the bottom
4. Water pump in bottom
5. Aluminum angle frame. (welded or brazed if possible)
6. Plexi skin
7. Lots of Plexi Detail, bits and pieces, etching, polishing, frosting, etc.
8. LDC screen on the front of case somewhere.
9. Door to cover drives and controls. (maybe locking some how.)
10. LED placement for glowing plexi edges.
11. Top mount Black Ice GTX 480 radiator from Danger Den
12. Danger Den water blocks, DDC pump, and accessories
13. Copper pipe for loop instead of tygon.
14. Mod mouse and keyboard to match case.

I will add the gear list as soon as I finalize it.

I have an Idea for plexi flames coming out the top of the case that will be lit by leds. I am still working this out in my head.

I took a few hours last night and came up with these sketchup render's. I will be modifying them as the design progresses.

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s187/CJGanttphotography/Design-1sk.jpg

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s187/CJGanttphotography/Design-12sk.jpg

Btw the case is 24"L x 25" H x 9"w Or for the metric people rounded off to 610mm L x 635mm H x 229 mm W

The Mobo in the render is a MSI K9N.

Credit to the Mobo, Optical drive, PSU, DDC pump go to the contributors to the Modders Sketchup Componet Collection @ http://scc.jezmckean.com/

Cheron
04-10-2008, 09:40 AM
welcome. and your design looks good and thanks for the link to the sketchup component site.:up:

yours Cheron.

a.Bird
04-10-2008, 03:45 PM
Looks great so far. Are you planning on making the case that big in scale to the motherboard and other components or is it merely just for arrangement purproses? I only ask because it looks fairly large but if that's the case, it will be great for cooling and dampening ambient noise. I'd love to see your radiator placement and etching designs. I also favor the PSU and HDD placement you have chosen. It just makes a lot more sense to me than conventional chasis designs.

chaksq
04-10-2008, 04:20 PM
Nice design I really like it. One comment/concern if that design is to scale then I'd recommend shrinking it a bit. No need for that much space above the mainboard, right now that case will be taller than any desk you sit it near.

TheGreatSatan
04-10-2008, 09:07 PM
Nice plans! +Rep and Welcome Aboard!!

The boy 4rm oz
04-10-2008, 09:44 PM
Looks like a promising mod. I'm keeping my eye on this.

cgantt
04-10-2008, 10:04 PM
The case is just over 2 feet tall at 25". It is also completely to scale. Most desk I have seen come in at around the 3 foot range. I need that extra hight for the radiator that I will be mounting under the top. The radiator is 2 inches thick and with the 120mm fans it would make it a total of 3.2 inches thick. The gasket I plan on adding is .25 inches so that puts the whole deal close to 3.5 inches. That will leave me with just over 1.5 inches of clearance between the mobo and the radiator.

I don't know If I will be doing much etching. I may etch the case name some where in it but that depends on how my etching practice turns out.

The lower mounting of the PSU, Pump and HHD is something I have looked for in a case for a while. I saw a few like it for sale but they all were either too expensive or just plain ugly. I know scratch building a case will be more expensive than just buying one but there is no fun in just buying one.

cgantt
04-10-2008, 11:41 PM
Ok here is a 2d cad drawing I just put together so you guys can get some ideas about the size of this case. The only dimension that is not on the case is the offset for the door. It is 1.25"

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s187/CJGanttphotography/Concept-1001.jpg

The boy 4rm oz
04-10-2008, 11:51 PM
Looks great, tons of room for expansion.

cgantt
04-11-2008, 03:20 PM
Just a design update.

I added a few more things to the render. If anyone can find a larger LCD sketch up component I would greatly appreciate it. I also designed a fan controller setup. :clap:

Its a scratch Built fan controller sized for a 5.25 bay.

The connections on the rear are Gold Plated RCA female jacks. The 3 verticle ones are power inputs. Top is for controller 1&2, middle is for 3&4, and bottom is a single 12v that powers control 5 and can be used to vary a water pump or a high current fan/light.

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s187/CJGanttphotography/fancontrollerfront.jpg

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s187/CJGanttphotography/fancontrollerback.jpg

Here are the latest images of the Sketchup render. The detail on the radiator sucks. I am not too good at this sketchup thing:duh:. If I still had autocad from college I could do a much better job. If anyone would like to detail the Radiator:naughty: I will email them the sketchup file and a 2d technical drawing of the radiator for reference. It would be a nice addition to the component collection

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s187/CJGanttphotography/Design-13sk.jpg
http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s187/CJGanttphotography/Design-14sk.jpg
http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s187/CJGanttphotography/Design-15sk.jpg
http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s187/CJGanttphotography/Design-16sk.jpg

If anyone has any ideas on how to lock the door closed and a hidden hinge solution for it please feel free to post. Also if anyone has any ideas in general about the case or design or things to incorporate please speak now or forever hold your peace.:idea:

silverdemon
04-11-2008, 05:03 PM
for the door you could use a cheap-a$$ method; put a round-bar on the side where you want it to hinge, all the way from the top to the bottom. Then make holes in the edges of the door, so it can hinge around the round-bar.
If you don't understand anything I'm saying, I can draw you a picture of what I mean, but that will be after the weekend then...

One other thing; THAT RAD IS HUGE!!! actually, the whole case is huge...

nice design though!

Cheron
04-12-2008, 10:32 AM
for keeping the door closed you can use magnets. the cheap ones you find about everywhere are fine but you can use stronger ones if you like.

and i bet things stay cool with that rad.
:D

yours Cheron.

XFOX
04-14-2008, 04:27 AM
i agree with the magnet for the door its small simple and you can hide it

b4i7
04-14-2008, 04:55 AM
you could use bolts to hold the door on the henge...just drill out the case to the OD of the bolt....and just drill and tap the door.... or in reverse...drill and tap the case and drill out the holes for the door to the OD or the bolts

cgantt
04-14-2008, 07:43 PM
Well its been a few days since I have posted anything. I have been trying to decide on how to lock the case up. I still dont even know if I want to make the Door lockable or not. I have come up with a few plans and would like your opinions on them.

1. Use this lock on the front of the door. http://www.jmlock.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=284 This would be fairly secure and the only time I would lock it would be if I attended a lan party, and I only go to 1 or 2 a year so it would stay unlocked most of the time.

2. Small neodymium magnets. I would place these inside the plexi and I believe that they would be far enough away from the HHDs that they wouldn't hurt anything.

3. Make a small bump on the bottom left corner of the door and then drill a small "divit" in the recess on the case. Then when closed the bump would seat in the divit holding it in.

4. Cabinet baby latch type thing.

5. Mans best friend.....Velcro........

I am leaning towards either 1, 2, or 3. If any of you have any input on this I would appreciate it.


Problem #2. LCD screen. I am thinking of using a PS1 screen or buying an LCD kit from somewhere. (the touch screen A.C. Ryan sells caught my eye) how easy is it to get the PS1 screen working and how would I set it up as a display for WMP or WinAmp or something like that?

Problem #3. Does anyone have a link to an online vendor who sells tamper proof screws. The ones I want to use have a countersunk head and only have 2 holes in the top. I have found vendors online but they all deal in quanity orders of over 10K pieces before I can order. I am fine with buying 100 but not 10,000. I am trying to find them in 8-32 size.

Last Question for today. Does anyone have any ideas for case feet? I know I would like to illuminate them with Leds so acrylic will be the way to go. Any designs or styles you would like to see?