Topic: Building your own case question. (Read 8619 times)

Sirgod · « **on:** November 26, 2005, 12:34:15 pm »

I've been kinda tinkering around to get the wifes old PC up and running, and I got to thinking, I might as well try my hand at building my own case. I'm thinking of going Acrylic, and someone from another site mentioned using http://www.sketchup.com/ this to design It. My question is, has anyone used this program, or anyother Software like It? Is Acrylic an OK medium to use for a custom case?

thanks guys,

Stephen

Midnight Tech · « **Reply #1 on:** November 26, 2005, 01:09:55 pm »

Any one having problems with cases check here -> http://www.techsupportforum.com/hardware-support/case-mod/...this is the case-mod section of the site in my proflie.
Hope we can help you out Stephen!

Sirgod · « **Reply #2 on:** November 26, 2005, 01:23:25 pm »

Thanks MT, I made a post there as well.

Stephen

Midnight Tech · « **Reply #3 on:** November 26, 2005, 01:30:32 pm »

TY TY!
All we ask is no Bewbies please!

E_Look · « **Reply #4 on:** November 27, 2005, 06:14:20 pm »

Case? Maybe you should ask J'inn.

FPF-SCM_TraceyG_XC · « **Reply #5 on:** November 28, 2005, 06:34:26 am »

Aluminium is the best choice for computer case material. Lightweight, but strong enough to support everything, it has the additional advantage of offering good thermal properties for keeping the case cool (unlike plastic which does not conduct heat anywhere near as good). Aluminium also looks better and can be given a nice finish to it.

Sirgod · « **Reply #6 on:** November 28, 2005, 09:32:47 am »

I was considering that, and I have plenty of Aluminum to work with out here, However, I was thinking Acrylics, so I could get into water cooling down the road. Outside of that, your dead on the mark Tracy.

Stephen

FPF-SCM_TraceyG_XC · « **Reply #7 on:** November 28, 2005, 09:07:26 pm »

Myself, I'm using a Lian-Li serverr tower case, all aluminium. You can still use watercooling regardless of what case material you use (although, you cant watercool everything, so would still recommend aluminium over other materials). The Lian-Li case also has a machine finished surface on the aluminium, not as plastic looking or having the appearance of something out of a Borg ship like some Thermaltake cases (lol). I do have a perspex side window though.

Do remember though, that while watercooling is better than air cooling (since air cooling relies on the air temperature itself to be cool enough, which is why aluminium works so well, because it conducts heat from the air inside the case), there are other alternatives.

Heat pipe technology has become very popular in computer cooling. Essentially, a heat pipe works just like a refridgerator without any moving parts. The heat pipe (which looks just like a normal solid pipe in appearance) contains a liquid which boils at the operating temperature of the CPU. Liquid in the pipe close to the CPU changes phase from a liquid to a gas, thus absorbing latent leat. If you recall your high school chemistry, in order for a liquid to change phase into a gas, it must absorb energy from the environment. This principal is used to make refidgerators cold. The gas then rises up the pipe to a radiator with a fan, where the gas cools and condenses back into a liquid. The reverse phase transition from a gas back to a liquid releases the stored latent heat, and the liquid then falls back down the pipe to the CPU again. The thermal properties of a heat pipe are 2000 times greater than a normal solid copper pipe, requires no maintenance or electricity to operate, and has no moving parts to break down. It was originally designed for spacecraft where power and space are at a premium, but the technology is finding applications in other fields.

I have a Gigabyte 120mm radiator fan on my CPU that uses 4 heat pipes to connect to the CPU. At idle, my CPU runs at 24C, and I have not seen it go over 37C under load. Mind you, I also have 6 other chassis fans moving all that hot air out of the case, which as previously mentioned is all aluminium. The larger the case, the better for cooling it is too. Hope this helps

Sirgod · « **Reply #8 on:** November 28, 2005, 09:26:29 pm »

LOL, I have a thermalTake case myself.

One thing I'm also considering , Is Making a Frame like the NCC-1701, and using the saucer section to hold the MB, CD-rom etc, and the Bottem part for the HD. Don't know yet, But I might try and plan It out.

I just want to do something differant this time around.

Stephen

PS. thanks for the suggestions Tracy.

FPF-SCM_TraceyG_XC · « **Reply #9 on:** November 29, 2005, 02:02:05 am »

No dount you've checked out some of the case modding websites... I saw a good one once where they installed a touch screen to the front of the case and it was used like a diagnostic tool... played video and everything.. lol. You could get the same effect by attaching a PocketPC to the front (without its case and embedding it).

Would love to see the final product!

E_Look · « **Reply #10 on:** November 29, 2005, 10:10:30 am »

Yow! Lian Li?? One of their cases costs more than either my CPU or video card or motherboard(... or all three combined)!

If I had to build myself a new computer, I'd get what I got my kids- one of the Raidmax W series (Astro they call it?) simple cases with a side window... the version that DOES NOT come with a PSU. They are simple, steel, allow sufficient cooling air flow (given that you utilize ALL the air holes; in my more expensive but older Codegen case, I had to drill a extra fan port on the side panel), come in some really nice bright basic, almost primary Star Treky TOSish colors (one boy got Borg green, the other Starfleet blue... me? I'd opt for photon torpedoed K-D7 explosion plasma yellow

) and they're really cheap, like $25-35 USD cheap!

(Did I mention they were cheap?

)

FPF-SCM_TraceyG_XC · « **Reply #11 on:** November 30, 2005, 12:35:04 pm »

True, the Lian Li server tower case I bought when building my computer was the single most expensive item, and does not come with a power supply! However, computer parts will come and go, and given the flexibility and engineering of the case, I figured I could still be using it in 10 years time (even if everything else has been replaced), so thought the cost to be justified.

Commander Maxillius · « **Reply #12 on:** December 04, 2005, 06:34:28 pm »

I have an old TRS-80 model III case in the garage that I plan to use if I ever decide to build a PC. The plan is for a 15-inch LCD to go where the 9-inch B&W was. I know I'll have to be creative with mounting but there's plenty of space and the airholes all face up and the room to mount like 5 fans side by side. I'll probably have to cut an air intake closer to the bottom either in back, in front, or both.

I'm going to paint it too, just need to figure out what color.

E_Look · « **Reply #13 on:** December 04, 2005, 11:44:20 pm »

Will one of today's motherboards fit properly in such an old case?

Commander Maxillius · « **Reply #14 on:** December 06, 2005, 01:28:44 am »

Not with the existing hardware, but I know i have to drill new holes to mount anything in it. Also, seeing as how I tossed everything that was in there, I don't have to worry about getting 1980 mounting hard ware to work with 2005+ tech.

Physically, however, it's cavernous!!! There's about as much room as a tower in there. Also, the flat-panel monitor takes up a fraction of what was provided for the original tube. The holes for the 5.25in floppy drives are big enough for two modern 5.25 in CD drives each, in addition to the space between the holes wich I'd use for hard disks.

I'm debating on wheter or not to put a keyboard in the space provided for it, and if I did I could use a laptop keyboard and put a trackpad where the original number pad was. If I didn't, I could cut that part off and leave a the hole with a grate for more ventilation.

When I start the project I'll post pictures.

E_Look · « **Reply #15 on:** December 06, 2005, 08:49:18 am »

Don't forget the phaser controls and photon torpedo launch triggers.

Sirgod · « **Reply #16 on:** December 06, 2005, 09:34:42 am »

Quote from: E_Look NCC-9091 on December 06, 2005, 08:49:18 am

Don't forget the phaser controls and photon torpedo launch triggers.

Hey Bro, Mine will have a key just for Magic Photons.

Stephen

Commander Maxillius · « **Reply #17 on:** December 06, 2005, 03:17:11 pm »

Quote from: E_Look NCC-9091 on December 06, 2005, 08:49:18 am

Don't forget the phaser controls and photon torpedo launch triggers.

AH HA!! THAT'S WHAT I'LL PUT THERE!!! I'll take a standard keyboard and make a cover for it that has all the hotkeys for SFC and make the cover so that it looks TMP-movie-era computer-ish.

T' Kang · « **Reply #18 on:** December 06, 2005, 03:33:26 pm »

I would agree with Tracey. I am using a WaveMaster, but did add an acrylic window to watch the Klingon parts glow...

E_Look · « **Reply #19 on:** December 06, 2005, 10:30:24 pm »

Klingon parts??

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Topic: Building your own case question. (Read 8619 times) var addthis_config = {"data_track_clickback":true};

Topic: Building your own case question. (Read 8619 times)