Read the stickies but still need suggestions....

[Tiny]

I am wanting to get rid of my current computer case and taking the contents and kind of squish them down.

What I mean is that I have a tower with 4 outer 5.25" bays and two 3" bays, I don't like it that big. I did like the removable mobo tray, that is why I got it. Now I want to use the mobo tray and build around that a cube style case.

It will have the following....

1.Biostar mATX mobo, ATI 9800pro, modem on PCI
2. Full size 480W PS
3. Only optical drive is a Plextor DVD/CD burner
4.two HD- one 160GB, one 80GB
3. floppy(yes I still use one)

I am aware that there are cases that are out there that would suffice just fine but I don't like any of them. I like clean, simple lines. Therefore I will be welding together this case myself using brushed alluminum...hence my my questions...

1. Can I use just the bare alluminum without causing electrical problems? The mobo will be on the mobo tray that I will still make able to slide out.
2. I don't want it loud and I don't want it hot....is that possible without spending large amounts on new stuff?
3. I can gut my current case and some others that I have for the inner brackets and the switches and front connections and such, but would like to add a front headphone jack...is this simple for a noob?

Really I am looking for suggestions and any advice.

Questions? Comments?

[Erfus]

My question is how good of a welder are you? Welding aluminum is pretty hard, and from what I understand you just about have to use a tig welder to do it. I am a newbie welder myself, though.

[domoMKIV]

tig or mig is the way to go when welding aluminum i believe....

[Nivram]

Yes, you should be able to do it, no problem, using the mobo tray. Remember that where the mobo screws onto the case, the screws are insulated where they touch the mobo, from the circuitry of the mobo. If you want to play it safer, use some of those thin paper washers that are included with a lot of cases these days (and if you don't have any, drop me a PM, with your name & address, and I'll drop some in an envelope and mail 'em to ya).

As far as keeping it quiet & cool, I'd suggest using 120mm fans. They'll move as much air as a loud 80mm fan, without the noise of a jet engine! :p Just as a ferinstance:
This 80mm fan (http://www.svcompucycle.com/kd1208ptbx-a-86.html) moves ~50cfm @ ~40dBA, whereas This 120mm fan (http://www.svcompucycle.com/120x25mmvans.html) moves 53cfm @ 28dBA. If you have a pair of those 80mm fans running air through your case, you'll definitely notice it. Run a couple of those 120mm fans, and you'll barely hear it. :D

For the headphone jack, you should be able to find parts to do that at your local RadioShack. Should be simple enough to find a mini plug socket that you could mod to the front of the case (or wherever you want it), and just run a pair of wires (or a 2 conductor wire) through one of your pci slot covers, to the headphone jack on the mobo, and put a miniplug on the end of the wire(s), that'll plug into the mobo. Make sense, or am I babbling again?? LOL
You could also go through
Frontx (http://www.frontx.com/) to get the part pre-made, and choose between the miniplug to the back of the mobo idea I mentioned above, or go with the mobo internal connection. Check 'em out, and good luck! :cool:

[undertheradar]

Have you considered the Lian Li PC-3X series? They sport the configuration you desire...small case, room for just a few drives and the like. They even mount the PS over the mobo sideways to make it shorter. This would seem to make a problem for CPU coolers, but it isnt so bad, I used a Zalman CNPS7000A-AlCu as a perfect match height wise. I used the PC-37, but you might prefer the older PC-30. The new version is the PC-3077...might not be what you had in mind with the "stacker look" up front, but the same case really. This series, like the PC-60s and 70s, sports the classic lian li plain aluminum front, but smaller. My only complaint is the single 80mm blowhole...not enough for a decent rig. I modded mine with an additional 120mm fan on the side.

[Tiny]

Thank you so much guys for the links.

The Frontx link was a big help, I like what they do and I really didn't want to spend a whole lot of time doing that myself so they will be a big help.

I was thinking of going with the 120's, looks like it is a go now.

I did look at the cases that I could just buy, but the only one I liked I can only find in Japan and I don't want to spend that kind of money on the case alone.

I can get the alluminum for free from my future father-in-law.

Also, the welding is no biggie, been welding for nearly 10 years now....since I was 15.

Thanks again for the tips.
:D