Building a Case from Solid Steel?

[DemonDragonJ]

I have never built my own custom computer case, but I hope to do so at some point in the future, and I certainly have many ideas in my mind. Therefore, I have questions to ask the other users here.

Is steel a viable material from which to build a case? From what I have observed, most users here use aluminum for constructing their cases, or, less frequently, copper, but few users here have ever used steel for their cases.

I myself am very fond of steel, as it is extremely strong and resilient, will not rust or stain (with the proper alloy), and has an aura of awe and strength associated with it (for example, people may use the word "steel" to refer to strength, toughness, or mental discipline), so I do not understand why it does not seem to be popular on these forums. Is it too heavy, too expensive, or too vulnerable to rusting (which, as I said above, can be avoided with the proper alloy of steel) for the average case builder, or even hardcore case builders?

If I were to build a case using steel as the primary material, does anyone here have any recommendations for doing so?

[xr4man]

i think, the only reason to use other materials is ease of working with them. it's much easier to file, drill, and cut aluminum than steel. same goes for plexiglass and other plastics. from what i've seen on here, weight doesn't seem to be a contributing factor. the components you shove in the box are going to be heavier than a steel case anyway, unless you are using some nice 1/4" plate or something.

[Diamon]

I'd say stainless steel is an excellent choice for a custom case.
Very tough even in thin plates.
However since it's so hard you need to make sure you have the proper tools and know what you're doing. Also its resistance to corrosion can make it hard to paint since the surface (below the paint) will be covered in chromium and nickel oxide that can wear off.

[xr4man]

just like a delorean, it defeats the whole point of using stainless by painting it though.