View Full Version : Help me with building a PC case!
Alright guys, I've for a long time wanted to build a PC case. The design of the G4 macintosh with it's folding side door inspired me to create something with the same functionality for my PC.
I really would Like for this thread to live on for a while, as a refference for future people on this site.
Avid, with your recent projects I would really appreciate your help with my project.
So first question,
Should I start with an existing case? or build a case from scratch? I don't know if any existing case will be able to be modded with a folding side do like the macs.
If I do build from scratch, what material would work best? Keeping in mind weight and cost.
What tools will be needed? and what brands of the tools are best? like what drimmel tools should you not buy do to breaking.
I really want to get this started soon.
Thanks guys and I want to see this discussion grow.
Alright I guess no one cares then... Nevermind.
chris000001
12-09-05, 03:22 PM
alumiumn would probably be your best bet... its light weight and its a softer metal than steel.
I would be really cool if you could get sum small electric actuators for the folding side panel.
Should layer then case and use some kind of insulation between the panels to drown out noise.
FYI you posted this yesterday. Bit quick to assume no one cares eh?
DarkHeavens
12-09-05, 09:08 PM
aye patience :)
anywaysive never had a problem with dremel bits breaking (never bought knock offs) the only things that do break are the standard cut off disks (thin brown almost stonelooking things) they're very brittle and hurt if you get a chunk hityour face lol just have to be carefull not to let the tool slip... or they have reinforced ones that don't break but are bigger and cost more, also brown but have fibers laid in them in a checker pattern....havent had one of these break on me and they cut through anything like butter...
cracklingice
12-09-05, 11:16 PM
I too fly through the standard cut-off disks.
Cool, thanks guys.
I actually think i'm going to attampt to do this too a existing case, So though that this could be a how too for other people that want to do this.
I picked up a All alluminum case yesterday and i've been playing with it, Very lite.
I'll post pictures as soon as i have them up.
Hopefully for x-mas i'll get some tools and can get this started.
Marquee
12-13-05, 08:16 PM
Dude there are PC cases that look like the G4. Anther thing to do would be take a G4 and make it a PC case.
Dude there are PC cases that look like the G4. Anther thing to do would be take a G4 and make it a PC case.
Not trying to make a case look like a G4, Just trying to make the side door fold down with the motherboard tray attached to it. Trying to get the function of the G4/G3 case, that's all.
I'm Back! just had a little HDD problem to deal with, it lost the partition table...
Anyway I'm back up and running again so I can give you guys an update.
As I mention before, I pick up a case from work about a week ago. It's a Premium Digital Commander Series All (except from panel) case. The ULTRA fan controller was returned due to budget, and deciding that the built in one on this case was good enough.
Sorry for the poor picture Quality
http://digitalstormstudio.com/personal/alluminum_case_pictures/DSC00141.jpg
Left: Old Case
Right: New Case
http://digitalstormstudio.com/personal/alluminum_case_pictures/DSC00142.jpg
This is how I set up the Insides!
http://digitalstormstudio.com/personal/alluminum_case_pictures/DSC00147.jpg
Desided to do some cable management.
http://digitalstormstudio.com/personal/alluminum_case_pictures/DSC00145.jpg
There was one problem that bothered me with the case. The way the hendges for the front panel worked the door could only open 90 degrees (picture below). Since I sit on the left side of the case (looking strait at it) it made it hard for me to use to drives because the door wouldn't open far enough.
http://digitalstormstudio.com/personal/alluminum_case_pictures/DSC00148.jpg
My Solution! Break off the hendges it came with and attach A few hendges I pickup from Lowes hardware (picture below).
http://digitalstormstudio.com/personal/alluminum_case_pictures/DSC00149.jpg
Now the door opens 180 degrees!
http://digitalstormstudio.com/personal/alluminum_case_pictures/DSC00150.jpg
Here is another picture of the case with the side panel back on.
http://digitalstormstudio.com/personal/alluminum_case_pictures/DSC00151.jpg
Overall I'm very pleased with the case. The only odd thing about it is the rear exhaust fan is 90mm, not 92mm, but 90mm. So now I have to go out and find some 90mm fans.
blueice
12-19-05, 10:03 AM
Nice mod on the front door, Nataku!
I wish i could do some good wire management like that, heres a pic of what the inside of my case looks like:cool: .
http://img5.imageshack.us/img5/3998/picture0091ir.jpg
I cant really figure out how to make it look good besides just zip tieing, I dont know how to get the cables to stick to the side of the case some how. In the tutorial I read they said use zip tie anchors but I have looked in every store and I cant find any. How do you guys do it??? I like my stuff to look good, for now Im going to get every thing zip tied and situated till I can figure out the next step.
ElrichMeister
12-20-05, 08:48 PM
well its diffrerent from case to case, i usuay tie wrap all the unused cords, really nice and bundle them at the top, and hide them in a 5.25 bay. i then route all the cabling except for the power, behind the mother tray (depends on the case), and out to the parts. do you have a bigger picture of that pic, so that we can see all the detail?
yeah i just let imageshack resize it for me thats why its small....
http://img358.imageshack.us/img358/3361/picture0098er.jpg
hopes that helps
ElrichMeister
12-21-05, 12:23 AM
ok you have few components so the first thing i would do is seperate and sort all the unused cables, and tie them together, and stuff them above the cdrom lookslike an empty space. the hard drive i would move it to the top slot so that the cable wont run so long, and i would stuff the shiny IDE cables into the empty bays to hide them instead of letting them hang like that, other than that, i wouldnt know what else to do cause i can physically see how the wiring is
ok, tonight I took the time to do the wire management, I think it came out ok, it was a royal pain the ars....
Before
http://img462.imageshack.us/img462/833/picture0091ck.jpg
After
http://img462.imageshack.us/img462/539/picture0181aq.jpg
http://img358.imageshack.us/img358/5997/picture0203pi.jpg
studbolt
12-22-05, 12:07 AM
Wow!!!
Good job man!
AKHandyman
12-22-05, 12:51 AM
Looks real tidy ... you could almost become a zen master :D
ElrichMeister
12-22-05, 02:33 AM
wow major difference good job!, one thing i would do is i dont know if you can, but install the HD a bit more into the bay, and screw with the last 2 threads, it might look just a little better
yeah, i tried that, it doesnt go quite far enough for some reason, ill will take a look at it again when I get home from school though.
Edit....
Better??
http://img372.imageshack.us/img372/9312/picture0217ec.jpg
I couldnt put both of the screws in, the hole wouldnt line up towards the front of the case, its tight enough, its just going to sit right were it is, no hard core moving or anything.
blueice
12-24-05, 12:55 AM
Goosey you better watch out Master Elrichmeister is a clean freak.:rolleyes: Do not show him any pictures of your bedroom.
haha, um my computer is a paradise compared to my room:p , haha.
Some of those little cables could probably be hidden under the motherboard like i did.
Nice job though.
I'm out of town for christmas. The project will continue when I return.
yeah i was thinking about that but I dont feel like taking my mobo out and screwing everything back in, lazy like that
The project has been put aside for a short time due to a new case coming soon.
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1215768&CatId=1848
I figure with the removable MB tray and the whole in it for running wires it would be a lot better for my mod.
Solid aluminum and the Drives can be mounted backwords for better cable management.
And I can get these suckers half off!
Can't wait for them to arive at my store. Let the project begin!
The side of this case looks so sexy inside.
http://www.ultraproducts.com/images/skuimages/ULT31824/ULT31824_LR_6.jpg
this also interests me. dual 12v rails finally and better cables.
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1273350&CatId=1079
gokusimpson
01-11-06, 11:34 PM
Didn't the original ultrax have stability problems and such? This new one doesn't seem much better...i'd go with an antec neopower if you want removable cables.
Didn't the original ultrax have stability problems and such?
the X that I have seems fine except it's pushing over 13v out the 12v rail. way over.
curious to see if this is any better. As a part of their company I want to see them make good quality products.
I didn't know the neo-power was modular?
UPDATE: Budget cuts and classes have pushed back my start date yet again.
The cases and power supply have both arrived at my work and are beautiful. The case is the lightest case I have ever seen.
There was a review on the powersupply recently and it looks good.
http://www.3dgameman.com/vr/ultra_products/550w_psu/written_review_03.html
the voltages seem stable enough.
We'll see when I get my hands on one.
Thanks for tuning in. :-)
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