matty
07-07-2005, 03:31 AM
I am sure that this has been done before, I found an old thread on this site about building a computer into a desk and came up with some good ideas. Mine will be the same basic idea. I am doing this mainly to clean up the clutter of computers that share my floor space and simply because I can.
I don't know much about computer modding per say but I have built a few systems and done simple wiring and lighs before. I found a good book that led me to this site and some good articles spread around the net. The computer that I am using is my linux box, nothing fancy mostly a kludge of parts from various old compaq, HP, and packard bell systems but it works fine for what she is used for.
This is some pics of the desk area, forgive the captions, paint isn't the best program for diagrams.http://www.keldonsystems.net/images/front_new.JPG http://www.keldonsystems.net/images/top_new.JPG
I have a lot of external clutter for the computer on the desk I want to find space for as well: a USB hub, Zaurus PDA, external CDRW. My central idea is to clean the desk and surronding floor space. I will have to cut some holes in it for fans but nothing crazy as the CPU is only a K6 with a 350W PSU. I figure a pair of 80mm fans in the back and possibly one on the side should do it. This is kind of a guess and help on figuring out the cooling needs would be nice. Is there a way I can figure it out if I know the volume of the enclosure or am I just complicating the project. The mobo will be mounted on the right side and the wires out the back. I am going to strip the old case of the hd and floppy cages and mount them inside and then use them for the drives. No need to make more work than needed for my first real ground up mod. The only thing that is kind stumping me is how to mount the drives vertically. The top of the desk is 3/4 inch thick board so I was thinking of cuting the holes and then sinking the face of the opitical drive so that it is flush. I will prob mount them on the right side only so that it is eaiser to mount some sort of a frame/cage for them. I could always mount the cage vertically as well from the center but I want to keep the inside of the cabinet as clean and neat as can be as well. Any thoughts or comments are more han welcome as I am mainly RTFMing and learning as I go.
Matty
give a man a fish...feed him for a day
teach a man to fish...feed him for a lifetime - unknown
I don't know much about computer modding per say but I have built a few systems and done simple wiring and lighs before. I found a good book that led me to this site and some good articles spread around the net. The computer that I am using is my linux box, nothing fancy mostly a kludge of parts from various old compaq, HP, and packard bell systems but it works fine for what she is used for.
This is some pics of the desk area, forgive the captions, paint isn't the best program for diagrams.http://www.keldonsystems.net/images/front_new.JPG http://www.keldonsystems.net/images/top_new.JPG
I have a lot of external clutter for the computer on the desk I want to find space for as well: a USB hub, Zaurus PDA, external CDRW. My central idea is to clean the desk and surronding floor space. I will have to cut some holes in it for fans but nothing crazy as the CPU is only a K6 with a 350W PSU. I figure a pair of 80mm fans in the back and possibly one on the side should do it. This is kind of a guess and help on figuring out the cooling needs would be nice. Is there a way I can figure it out if I know the volume of the enclosure or am I just complicating the project. The mobo will be mounted on the right side and the wires out the back. I am going to strip the old case of the hd and floppy cages and mount them inside and then use them for the drives. No need to make more work than needed for my first real ground up mod. The only thing that is kind stumping me is how to mount the drives vertically. The top of the desk is 3/4 inch thick board so I was thinking of cuting the holes and then sinking the face of the opitical drive so that it is flush. I will prob mount them on the right side only so that it is eaiser to mount some sort of a frame/cage for them. I could always mount the cage vertically as well from the center but I want to keep the inside of the cabinet as clean and neat as can be as well. Any thoughts or comments are more han welcome as I am mainly RTFMing and learning as I go.
Matty
give a man a fish...feed him for a day
teach a man to fish...feed him for a lifetime - unknown