Project: Network Switch -> Low Power Mini-Server

[The boy 4rm oz]

Have you installed RAM on that mobo just to see how tall it is, it may not fit in that rack. I know my RAM sits higher than my rear connection modules.

[xmastree]

You can see that the audio-ports on the backpanel are about 0.5mm too high to fit in the housing.

Do you need the audio ports on a server? Even if you do, you could remove them and solder wires to the board connected to panel mounted sockets somewhere else.

[silverdemon]

Have you installed RAM on that mobo just to see how tall it is, it may not fit in that rack. I know my RAM sits higher than my rear connection modules.

I measured my tallest RAM module, it's 35mm from the board to the top. That should give me just enough room...

Do you need the audio ports on a server? Even if you do, you could remove them and solder wires to the board connected to panel mounted sockets somewhere else.

Na, I probably don't'need it but I think I can figure out a way to fit everything inside the housing with no soldering. I think that would be the best option because: 1. my soldering station is broken and 2. I'd rather not solder this board, as it is actually my roommate's board...

What do you think about the color-scheme? any suggestions?

[SgtM]

Fire and ice man. You've already got red dragon, I think an ice theme would be pretty cool. Pearlescent white paint, white and blue LED's. Maybe some stenciled snowflakes airbrushed on. Take some clear plexi and make a cover for he front. Cut it into the shape of icecycles. There's a lot of cool designs you could do with an ice theme.

[xmastree]

Clear plexi, with some lacquer sprayed on to look like it's frozen up on the inside. I'm not sure how to achieve that, but it would look good, especially with cool blue lighting.

Edit:
Ahaaa.....

[billygoat333]

sweet idea man. looks too be an awesome mod. +rep

[BigJohnson]

Thats a cool idea. I like the original idea. Just use bigger blue stripes on it.

[silverdemon]

Right, I did some rendering again. I like the idea of (fire and) ice so I tried to get a frosted look on the front panel. I think it will look nice, though the render is not 100% as I would have wanted it. The edge around the panel should obiously be more white-ish. In the render I also put a blue light inside the case, so you ca get an idea of how it'll look with LEDs/CCFLs in it.

Also I made another render with the old front-panel but with a bit wider stripes.

I think it looks nice with the wider stripes, although I might want to put some logo/picture/(snowflakes?) on the top, so maybe then the smaller stripes will look better.

Anyways, thanks a lot for the input guys. Tell me what you like of the frosted look...

[The boy 4rm oz]

Awesome look. I think do the plexi and wider stripes.

[silverdemon]

Ok, so here's my latest render. Transperent front panel and thicker stripes. I made the front striper bigger than the back one, just to try it out. I think it looks quite nice. I also added some more (LED)lights on the inside of the case.

One thing I'm still not happy with is the way the frosted edge looks in the render. I just can't seem to get that edge to be white. (anybody who knows a way to do that in SolidWorks? I'm currently using a decal...)

[edit]: Oh yeah, I know the stripe 'stops' at the side of the case, this is just more easy for me to render this way, in the final thing the blue stripes will go all the way around...