Thinking of doing a custom case

[ITman496]

Well hello people of this forum! I'm new here! I came here, with a few questions, that I'm willing to bet that you guys can answer...

I was going to make a custom case for my main pc. I read the build log on the tetris themed case, and how it used that square tube metal to form the case. I want to do that as well. But I have a few questions. How easy is that stuff to work with? Also, should I tear apart my current case, (an ultra aluminus) and get the things like hard drive mounts and cd drive mounts and motherboard trays, etc, or are those things easy to make from scratch? I have every basic tool and nearly every dremel attachment, however, no welder.

I'm making a 3D model right now, so when its finished, I'll upload a picture.

Any recommendations/suggestions?

EDIT: Where the heck can I even get this square metal stuff anyway?

[blueonblack]

Never worked with the square tubing, so I'm no help there I'm afraid, but on the drive cages, etc it really depends on your level of ability and more importantly your persistence. :) It's certainly easier to take the drive cages out of an existing case, and depending on the look you're going for (and your budget) that may be the way to go. I guess I'd really need more info on your planned build to offer an opinion.

And welcome to TBCS!!!!!!!

[ITman496]

thanks! And also, I am almost done with a small 3D model of just the basic frame, so that will be up soon, keep checking the thread! :D

[slaveofconvention]

If your current case is a decent one, it may be worth trying to get hold of an old scrapper to raid for bays - most local computer shops will have either a damaged unsaleable cheap case they'll discount for you, or even better, a REALLY old POS that some customer never collected which they may well thank you to take away. If nothing else, it'll give you something to practice on which is never a bad thing with a first build...

[ITman496]

Well, I can actually do that myself! Every time I see a computer near the dumpster, garbage or not, I take it anyway. So, I have like, 5 computers in my closet, only 3 of which work. And, one has 3 5.25 inch bays, the number I was going to put in my case, so that should work, and besides, its only a pentium II, no big loss...

[ITman496]

Sorry for the double post, but for 10 minutes of 3D modeling, here is what I have so far.

The bottom section is for the power supply and hard drives, the middle section is for the motherboard and related stuff, and top section is for CD drives and misc equipment in the left over space, maybe more hard drives. Each section is separated by 1/2 inch and I'm going to put blue LED's between them so it glows. Any suggestions?

http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x215/ITman496/new_case_rev_2_A-1.png

[FuzzyPlushroom]

The drive rails of the Aluminus are the biggest pain in the arse about it for me. You can use a rack out of a cheap case or make your own from a couple pieces of sheetmetal and some rivets/angle-brackets. Pulling 'em out of an old system (as you plan to do) is probably the easiest method; just drill the rivets and cut off any excess.

I think it looks like a unique, practical design so far. How do you want the glow to look, exactly?

[ITman496]

Most likely some form of blue LED's in between them, in the middle, so a blue glow radiates from the gap.

I do have a new problem, how am I going to mount the hard drives? I just might have to tear apart the aluminus to get those hard drive mounts, since what I wanted to do was directly screw in the hard drives to bars that go up and down. (with rubber spacers, of course) But, unless I put the whole cage on a giant hinge, (Which doesn't sound like a bad idea now that I think about it), I'd have no way to stick a screw driver into the slot, unless I did some kind of thumb screw or slide in pin or something of the like.

Anyone have any suggestions to make a custom hard drive cage that holds the drives so the ports point out towards the side?

[FuzzyPlushroom]

If you put a tiny shelf on each level of the bars (for every HDD), you wouldn't need to screw 'em in on both sides, just the inside. It'd be a pain to make a toolless solution, but swapping drives on the Aluminus is no easier than in any other case. (Especially the way I have mine, with the drives turned around and the cables hidden.)

The idea that's forming in my head is a custom-fabricated two-column cage with the columns bent 90 degrees at the bottom (and perhaps top) and slid into a channel that would lock them in place. Then you could put a thumbscrew through/at the end of each channel into the metal underneath and lock the 'cage' (which you could really make out of four [-shaped pieces of steel/aluminum) in place.

I hope I'm clear enough - I haven't a clue of how to use SketchUp. (I'll try to draw it in Paint if I'm not.) That idea would use the drives themselves as structural members and use four screws apiece, but make it easy to add/remove drives (two thumbscrews and the whole cage comes out).

[ITman496]

well, what I actually am thinking of doing is making rails, and cutting notches in the rails. The hard drives will have rubber grommets screwed onto the sides, and they will be pressed about 1/2 inch down into the notches, squeezing a bit, so the hard drive is held. Its nice and easy to make, and simple, and since the case almost never moves, its perfect. I'll 3D model it in a bit.

[slaveofconvention]

I have no idea if this'll help or not, but it's worth remembering that hard disks can be mounted using the screw holes in the bottom of the drive just as effectively as the ones on the side. There's no real advantage/disadvantage to either option but it may give you more options. It's something which is easily overlooked or I wouldn't have mentioned it at all....

[ITman496]

Nah, my idea would not work if I use the bottom mounts, I'll stick with the side, nearly done with the 3D model, but I'm gonna take a quick shower, so be right back. Thanks anyway!

[ITman496]

Uh, but how am I going to secure these bars that go across so the hard drives can sit on them? I'll figure it out I guess...

[megamodman]

between the sections you could put a bit of frosted plexi glass and have the blue leds behind that so that it has a cool look.

p.s. you could use blue cold cathodes insted of leds for more light but it depends on your budget

p.s.s. i hate budgets:evil: